Printed menus are one convenient option for dispensaries to display product information and allow customers to easily compare options. printable cannabis menus can sit near counters or be handed to customers directly or hung near high-traffic areas where consumers will browse available products. However, cluttered or complicated menus can make even the best-stocked dispensaries challenging to shop. Use these tips to create cannabis menus that print well and are easy for consumers to read.
Menus Should Be Designed with Readability in Mind
As much information as possible should fit on a menu, but adding too much detail can overwhelm customers. By choosing suitable fonts, leaving enough space between price points, and proofing prices before printing, dispensaries can design menus that are easier to read and simplify future updates.
Include Too Much Information on the Menu
Customers will want to know as much information about available products as possible, but some menus try to include too much detail on one page. Cannabis retailers may feel tempted to list every product and include every price and detail, but cramming too much information onto a small page will make it difficult to read individual product listings, let alone compare price points.
Focus on the essential information customers will want to reference on the menu. Product names, current prices, package sizes, and helpful descriptions should stand out at a glance. Try to:
- Eliminate unnecessary text and repeated information.
- Include enough space between product listings.
- Split large product categories across multiple pages.
- Use brief descriptions that convey vital information.
Two readable pages of text will typically serve customers better than one page crammed full of small text.
Select Fonts That Aren’t Easy to Read
While fancy typography may look good on a computer screen, it doesn’t always translate to physical print. Uncommon fonts, small text sizes, and erratic spacing can make individual product listings more difficult to read. Pick readable fonts for names, prices, and descriptions. It’s okay to use a different style for headings and create visual hierarchy, but using too many variations of fonts can make the menu appear cluttered.
Print a test copy before running the full menu batch. Make sure that customers can easily read product information in normal lighting conditions and from a typical browsing distance. Fonts that look great on a screen may not always appear the same when printed.
Don’t Organize Items Into Logical Categories
While most people can skim through a menu and find a loosely desired item, digging deeper for particular products will be more difficult without defined categories. Categories create a natural flow throughout the menu and allow consumers to directly compare products they are familiar with.
Dispensaries may want to consider categories such as:
- Flower/Pre-Rolls
- Edibles/Beverages
- Concentrates
- Vapes/Cartridges
- Accessories
Pick accurate category headings that will help customers find similar products. Try to avoid creating too many categories that overlap each other. Too many granular categories can lead to menus that are more difficult to browse than needed.
Keeping formatting consistent throughout the menu also creates a familiar flow once customers know where to expect names, prices, and descriptions. Once dispensaries decide on a system that works for their menu, future updates can be as easy as adding or removing product listings.
Use Colors That Aren’t Legible
Colors can help reinforce branding and differentiate categories, but some color combinations make text difficult to read. Light-grey text on a white background is one example that may not show up on printed materials.
Keep color usage simplified. Too many colors used across various sections can create inconsistency and breed confusion. Ensure there is enough contrast between text and background colors. It’s okay to use brighter colors for categories or select details, but don’t overdo it.
Also, keep in mind that what you see on your monitor may not translate exactly to the printed version. Printing cartridges, ink, and paper can influence how the colors appear when printed. Check a test copy before running the full menu batch.
Include Outdated Pricing or Information
A nicely designed menu won’t provide a great customer experience if the information is incorrect or outdated. Menu customers will ask for products that aren’t available, encounter unexpected price changes, or receive inaccurate information from staff double-checking stock.
Printed menus can be tricky to keep up with because the information is set in place after printing. Establish a procedure to ensure menus are up-to-date and reflect current product offerings.
Double-check that:
- Product names and availability are correct.
- Pricing and weights are accurate.
- Descriptions and other related details are correct.
- Promotions terms and dates haven’t expired.
- Menu content follows all local laws, including any required disclosures.
Dispensaries with rapidly changing inventory may want to keep print runs shorter or create menus that are easier to edit. Reducing the number of printed pages can limit outdated menus that need replacing.
Neglect the Quality of Paper and Printing
Paper quality and printing set-ups can affect how your menu looks and feels. Flimsy paper may start to curl and crease after frequent handling, and glossy-finish paper can reflect light and cause glare depending on the lighting above the menu.
Consider how your menu will be displayed and who will handle it. Paper that sits behind a counter may not need to be as thick as something customers will pick up and hold. Menu’s hung on the wall only need to be readable from a distance and won’t require durable paper able to stand up to frequent handling.
Printing set-up matters as well. Having too small of margins, low-resolution images, and placing text too close to the edge will result in a poor-quality menu. Always double-check a proof before printing the entire batch. Ensure graphics, product information, logos, and margins appear how they should.
Allow Branding to Take Priority Over Product Information
Maintaining brand consistency can make dispensaries feel more professional, but logos and decorative images shouldn’t take up too much space on the menu. At the end of the day, consumers will use the menu to better understand what products are available for purchase. Don’t let large graphics or promotional messages overpower important sales information.
Stick with using appropriate fonts, colors, spacing, and_logo placement on each menu page. Developing reusable menus templates can allow staff to maintain consistency when products rotate or prices change.
Make sure branding elements don’t conflict with any cannabis advertising regulations. Review local laws before adding promotional statements, product claims, or other restricted information to the menu.
Neglect to Proofread the Menu Before Printing
Minor errors can cause large headaches and waste the cost of multiple printings. Misspell product names, wrong prices, cut-off descriptions, and inconsistent category headings can influence how customers read the menu.
Proofreading should include test-spacing the layout as well. The menu could be completely spell-checked but have descriptions cut off at the bottom of the page or prices misaligned. If possible, have someone other than the person who created the menu review the final copy.
Ensure everything is:
- Legible (Are the prices and product details correct?)
- Consistent (Do all headings and category labels look the same?)
- Free of cut off information (Is any text cut off or difficult to read?)
- Printing correctly (Did all images and logos print out correctly?)
- Up-to-date (Are promotional dates and required disclosures accurate?)
Taking a few minutes to proof the menu before printing can save time and reduce wasted paper.
Streamlining Menu Updates
Printing the perfect menu is only half the battle. Cannabis menus can change with rotating products, updated pricing, and new promotions. As a result, dispensaries need a systematic method to keep their printed menus up-to-date.
Implementing standardized menu templates and keeping accurate product listings will streamline the menu update process. Staff should also be sure who is in charge of verifying product info, approving new menus, and disposing of old menus.
Ensureprinted menus align with digital menus if your dispensary uses both. Product information should be consistent across the board, even if the layouts aren’t exactly the same.
At BudSense, we offer customizable printable menus for dispensaries. Visit BudSense’s collection of print menus to see if they meet your menu needs and daily operations.
Explore More Menu Options
BudSense provides various cannabis retail menus for different dispensary display needs. Discover all of BudSense’s retail menu solutions for dispensaries today.
Let’s Summarize…
Printing your own cannabis menus allows dispensaries to control how product information is displayed to customers. Paying attention to readable fonts, clear categories, accurate pricing, appropriate printing paper, and branding will create a more professional result.
Avoid these common cannabis menu mistakes by taking the time to review your menu layout, double-check product pricing before printing batches, and create templates that make future updates simpler. Simplifying menu updates will allow dispensaries to keep printed menus useful for customers and simple to update for staff.
FAQs
What should printable cannabis menus include?
They may include product names, categories, prices, package sizes, descriptions, and other relevant product details. The information should be accurate and comply with applicable local regulations.
How can dispensaries make printed menus easier to read?
Use simple fonts, appropriate text sizes, sufficient spacing, clear category headings, and strong contrast between text and background. Review a physical sample before printing multiple copies.
How often should printed cannabis menus be updated?
Menus should be updated whenever relevant product information, prices, or promotions change. Dispensaries with frequently changing inventories may benefit from shorter print runs.
What type of paper works best for dispensary menus?
The choice depends on how the menu will be used. Frequently handled counter menus may need more durable paper, while temporary handouts may work well with standard printing paper.
Can dispensaries use the same design for printed and digital menus?
They can maintain consistent branding across both formats, but each layout may need adjustments. Printed menus have fixed page dimensions, whereas digital screens require designs suited to their proportions and viewing distances.
