Why an image and not just text
A message with the menu typed into the chat works, but a well-made image works better:
- It reads at a glance: starters, mains, dessert and price on one screen.
- It carries the day’s date, so nobody confuses today’s menu with yesterday’s.
- It’s your look: the same style as the board on the door and the menus on the tables.
- It gets forwarded: the customer who receives it passes it on to their colleagues.
Which format to use where
| Where | Format | Size |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Status | Story 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 px |
| Instagram stories | Story 9:16 | 1080 × 1920 px |
| Instagram or Facebook post | Post 4:5 | 1080 × 1350 px |
| Chat or broadcast list | Story 9:16 or post 4:5 | Whichever you already have |
Both formats are a single page. If the menu doesn’t fit with comfortable type, that’s your cue to shorten descriptions or drop an option, just as with the A5 menu.
In the US, where fewer people use WhatsApp, the same image works for Instagram stories, a Facebook post or a text message to your regulars.
Status, broadcast lists or stories
Each channel reaches different people. Most places use two or three at once:
- WhatsApp Status: seen by contacts who open it, and it disappears after 24 hours. It suits a menu that changes every day.
- Broadcast list: the message reaches each customer as an individual chat. The most direct way to reach regulars, but also the most intrusive: one message a day at most, only to people who asked for it, and an easy way to opt out.
- Instagram stories: also last 24 hours. They reach your followers, who aren’t always the people who eat nearby every day.
- Feed post: stays on your profile. Save it for things that last longer, such as the weekly menu, a special menu or something new.
Only save customers’ numbers if they gave them to you for this, and don’t use them for anything else. In the UK, marketing rules (UK GDPR and PECR) mean you need people’s permission before sending them promotional messages; in the US, marketing texts need prior written consent.
When to post it
- At the same time every day. If customers know the menu goes out at eleven, they look for it at eleven.
- Before they decide where to eat: mid-morning for office workers, or earlier if your customers book early.
- If a dish runs out, post the corrected image or a quick text update. Better that than an argument at the table.
With MenuDesign’s daily menu, the date fills itself in every time you export. If you ever reuse an image, check the date is today’s.
Make it readable on a phone
The image will be seen on a small screen, sometimes in the sun and in a hurry:
- Few words. Short dish names, and descriptions only if they clarify something.
- A large price and a complete “includes” line: bread, a drink, dessert or coffee.
- Nothing important at the edges. In stories and Status, the top and bottom are covered by the profile name and the reply bar.
- No stickers over the dishes. If you decorate the story, keep it to the margins.
- Check before posting: open it on your own phone and read it at arm’s length.
The Chalkboard style is made for set menus and reads well on screen. For something more classic, try Tablecloth.
And don’t forget the text. Write the menu in the message or the post caption too: screen readers used by people with visual impairments read it, it can be copied and it shows up in searches. Instagram also lets you add alt text to posts.
Allergens, price and conditions
Posting the menu on social media doesn’t change your obligations on the premises:
- Allergens: they must be available to customers in the restaurant. Marking them on the image too, with numbers or icons, saves questions. We explain how in allergens on the set lunch menu.
- Takeaway orders: if you take them over WhatsApp, customers must be able to find out about allergens before they order.
- Price: the same as on the premises. In the UK it includes VAT; in the US, say if tax is added. If you charge differently for takeaway, say so.
Step by step with MenuDesign
- Open your daily menu, or the template in story format.
- Change the dishes, the price and the “includes” line. The date fills itself in.
- With the Story 9:16 format, download the image as PNG or JPG.
- If you also post to the feed, switch to Post 4:5 and download another.
- On your phone, if your browser supports it, the Share button opens the phone’s share menu so you can send it to WhatsApp or Instagram without going through your photos.
Tomorrow, open the same menu, change the dishes and repeat: it stays saved in your browser. If you’re still working out your set menu, start with how to make a set lunch menu. Free, no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Which format should I use for WhatsApp?
The 9:16 story (1080 × 1920 px) for WhatsApp Status, because it fills the whole phone screen. It also works for sending in a chat or to a broadcast list. For the Instagram or Facebook feed, use the 4:5 post (1080 × 1350 px).
Does MenuDesign post the menu for me?
No. MenuDesign makes the image and you post it from your phone. It has no accounts and doesn't post or schedule anything. With the menu already written, exporting and uploading takes a minute.
Do I need to show allergens on the image?
Allergen information has to be available to customers on the premises, on the menu or on the allergen chart. If you also take takeaway orders over WhatsApp, customers must be able to find out about allergens before they order. The simplest way is to mark them on the image too, with numbers or icons.
How do I send the menu only to people who want it?
With a WhatsApp broadcast list: the message reaches each contact separately, like a normal chat, and only people who have saved your number. Only add customers who have asked to receive it.