Harford County Signs and Banners Blog

Do you ever find your head spinning while trying to read a busy menu board in a restaurant?  Or, do you have trouble focusing on the sign content listing the numerous spa menu services in your local salon?    

If you have any type of business that requires a signage menu listing, focus on readability and meaning.  For readability, typeface size, spacing and color are important.  The typeface should be big enough to be seen easily without straining for people with average eyesight.   The spacing between line items should be at least 1.5 spaces or more – single spaced is very difficult to read from afar.   Choose colored typeface carefully – if it doesn’t relate to the product or services, stick with black or a dark type color on a light background, or a reverse white on a dark background.  The stark contrasting colors will make the sign easier to read.  

If you are going to list pricing per item, use a chart format or ellipsis to make a visual connection from the item to the pricing.  Or, if several items in a category have the same price, group them together and list the price only once.  Not only will this save space, it will make the signage more readable.

One example of meaningful outdoor menu signage is a snowball stand sign with colors for each of the different flavors.  Banana is yellow, root beer is brown, grape is purple, etc.  This makes it easy for children to identify flavors and parents to order.  It’s effective when the choices are numerous.   If the choices change on an ongoing basis, or if there is a daily special, identify a specific area on the sign for these changes.  Make them look as graphically pleasing as the rest of the sign.  Magnetic lettering works well for this scenario.   

No matter whether the menu is indoor signage or outdoor signage, your Maryland sign professional can help you to make it meaningful, readable and memorable.

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When you and your kids walk up to a snowball stand, the first thing you look for is the menu. Now, most kids already know what flavor they like and it is often the flavor they choose each time they go to their favorite stand. What happens when they go to a new stand? They search the menu for their favorite flavor. How do you help them find their favorite flavor? Why not have each flavor listed in a color that closely matches the color of the syrup? This not only helps the young customer, but it also helps keep your lines moving during those busy times that all snowball stands have.

Another thing to consider is the how well the menu will hold up to the elements. We have all seen the white boards with labels that are hand written with a sharpie or some other marker. The sun and condensation helps to reduce the legibility of the labels. When signs are printed, the substrate that the print is applied to is weather proof and UV stable. The print itself is protected with a laminate that can be wiped down to remove dirt and dust.

The bottom line is to make your snowball stand menu colorful, easy to read and understand, and made with materials that will make the menu stay that way through many seasons.

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