Keeping a restaurant clean is tough. You see and handle all sorts of messes on every possible surface, including printed marketing materials. Wet tables, dirty dishes, constant wipe-downs, and a medley of spills, stains, and smudges — all these things can take a toll on your menus and signs, not to mention the constant handling and sunlight exposure that can cause prints to fade and fray.
This is why it's essential to create restaurant prints using materials that can withstand wear and tear. Choosing the right formats minimizes replacements due to damage and saves you time and money in the long run. In this article, UPrinting lists the most durable restaurant prints you can use daily to keep your restaurant looking professional while reducing costly reprints.
Why Durable Restaurant Prints Matter
Restaurants are environments where high traffic and high spills are often seen, creating constant challenges for prints. These challenges include:
- Frequent handling by staff and guests causing creases
- Spills and moisture due to drinks, sauces, and water ruining prints
- Repeated cleaning and disinfecting which leads to smearing, fading, or peeling
- High-volume stacking and storage of print products can result in bending or scratches
When these issues happen to prints, they create several problems such as:
- Unprofessional impression on guests
- Frequent reprints that cost time and money
- Confusion when prints are not readable
All to say, using durable prints goes beyond aesthetics; they help you save time and money and streamline your daily operations, and we’re here to help!
11 Most Durable Prints Your Restaurant Needs
While not all restaurant prints experience the same level of wear and tear, choosing the right material, placement, and format helps ensure they look professional and last a long time. We list the most popular restaurant menus and some tips to help you decide on what to print next:
1. Laminated Menus
- What it’s for: Best for tables, booths, and bars. Laminated menus are often handled by guests, which makes them ideal for indoor and outdoor use where readability and ease of cleaning matter.
- Where it’s placed: Dining tables, bar tops, hostess stands, countertops
- With laminated menus, be careful with: Grease, drink spills, frequent wipe-downs, bending during stacking, and constant handling.
- Recommended format: Choose thick cardstock with gloss and matte lamination. Laminated menus offer water-resistance, prevent scratches and fading, and keep menus polished and professional.
2. Waterproof Menus
- What it’s for: Outdoor dining menus that need to withstand rain, spills, and frequent cleaning.
- Where it’s placed: Patio seating, poolside dining, al fresco areas, or other spots that often need wipe-downs.
- With waterproof menus, be careful with: Humidity, condensation, direct water and sun exposure, constant handling
- Recommended format: Synthetic or fully waterproof material. Waterproof menus are resistant to tearing, fading, stains, and warping, making them the best choice for outdoor use.
3. Table Tents
- What it’s for: Displaying specials, QR codes, seasonal drinks, or upsells
- Where it’s placed: Dining tables, host stands, bar counters, near the register
- With table tents, be careful with: Spills, frequent movement or handling, cleaning sprays or disinfectants, and bending
- Recommended format: Sturdy cardstock with high-gloss coating or lamination.
4. Labels
- What it’s for: Packaging, food containers, ingredient labeling, beverages, and branding.
- Where it’s placed: Jars, cups, food boxes, sealed containers, and bottles
- With labels, be careful with: Refrigeration, moisture, oils, friction and handling during delivery
- Recommended format: BOPP or water-resistant adhesive labels or vinyl stickers with removable or permanent adhesive.
5. Posters
- What it’s for: Wall menus, promotions, events, or branding
- Where it’s placed: Windows, walls, menu boards, storefront displays
- With posters, be careful with: Sunlight exposure, frequent handling, and humidity
- Recommended format: Heavy poster stock with UV coating or lamination. You can also use poster boards or mounted posters for more stability.
6. Vinyl Banners
- What it’s for: Outdoor promotions, events, grand openings, announcements.
- Where it’s placed: Storefronts, fences, patios, or event booths.
- What damages it: Wind, rain, sun exposure, and constant movement
- Recommended format: Weather-resistant vinyl banners with reinforced edges and grommets.
7. Flyers
- What it’s for: Promotions, takeout inserts, and event announcements
- Where it’s placed: Counters, takeaway bags, or handouts to customers.
- With flyers, be careful with: Folding, moisture, and frequent handling
- Recommended format: Thick flyer stock with gloss coating for added protection against fading.
8. Paper Bags (White or Recycled Kraft)
- What it’s for: Takeout orders, retail packaging, and food delivery
- Where it’s placed: On delivery shelves, carried by customers, and front counters
- With paper bags, be careful with Grease, moisture, heavy weight, frequent handling, and rough transport
- Recommended format: High-quality paper stock with strong, twisted handles, cardboard inserts, and reinforced bottoms for daily use.
9. A-Frame Signs
- What it’s for: Sidewalk signs for promoting daily specials, happy hour offers, or directional messaging to guide foot traffic
- Where it’s placed: Sidewalks, outside entrances, patios, curbside pickup areas, or near parking zones.
- With A-frame signs, be careful with: Strong winds, inclement weather, scratches from repositioning, and fading due to prolonged sun exposure
- Recommended format: Choose weather-resistant A-frames with a sturdy base and waterproof or vinyl graphics to keep your signs readable.
10. Safety Signs
- What it’s for: Kitchen safety, cleaning instructions, and hazard warnings
- Where it’s placed: Prep areas, dishwashing stations, storage rooms, and areas with high foot traffic.
- With safety signs, be careful with: Grease buildup, frequent cleaning and disinfecting, heat, and moisture
- Recommended format: Sturdy plastic signs or aluminum signs that are resistant to fading and moisture.
11. Foam Boards
- What it’s for: Promotional signs used for highlighting seasonal products, menus, or branded displays
- Where it’s placed: Indoors, host stands, ordering counters, near entrances, or pickup areas
- With foam boards, be careful with: Bending at the edges, frequent handling, moisture, and high-traffic areas
- Recommended format: Thick foam board with lamination to maintain stiffness and reduce wear, and preferably with an easel for more stability.
Tips for Maintaining Durable Restaurant Prints
While thick materials and lamination options help make your prints durable, you can extend their lifespan by following these tips:
- Wipe laminated or synthetic prints with a damp, non-abrasive cloth so that it won’t scratch the surface or leave streaks on the signage’s surface.
- Do not harsh chemicals when cleaning your prints to prevent your prints from fading.
- Store extra prints flat and dry. If possible, don’t stack them together so that you can avoid bent edges or crumpling.
- Rotate high-use prints regularly to prevent wear and fading.
Checklist: Must-Have Durable Restaurant Prints
If you’re unsure which products to print first, here’s a quick checklist so that you know which ones to prioritize.
Print These First (High-Touch, Daily Use)
- Laminated Menus – Essential dine-in service and constant handling
- Waterproof Menus – Priority for outdoor dining
- Table Tents – For promoting specials and other offerings
- Safety Signs – To ensure your business is compliant and keep staff safe while on the job
Print Next (Visibility and Customer Experience)
- Posters – Highlight promos, brand visuals, seasonal products
- Vinyl Banners – Storefront promotions, events, or announcements
- Labels – Strengthen packaging branding and organization
- Foam Boards – Display menus, special offers, or branding visuals
- A-Frames – Sidewalk promotions, daily specials, or directional messaging
Print as You Scale (Marketing and Takeout Support)
- Flyers – Best for bag inserts or local promotions
- Paper Bags – Takeout packaging that should handle the weight of your offerings, moisture, and delivery
Durable prints are essential, especially with restaurants that face spills, handling, and cleaning every day. From menus and signage to kitchen labels, investing in the right print materials not only saves time and money but also reduces employee stress, keeps your restaurant looking polished and professional, and enhances customer experience.
