8.5 x 14 Menu Paper: Legal Size Menus for Restaurants
An 8.5 x 14 menu is a legal size sheet: 8.5 inches wide and 14 inches tall. It gives you three more inches than a letter page, which is room for one or two more sections of your menu on a single sheet. It fits most legal size menu covers, and most office printers can print it.
A lot of restaurants run their whole menu on this one size. This guide covers why it works, how to lay it out, how to print it in-house, and which of our papers come in 8.5 x 14.
Why restaurants pick 8.5 x 14 menus
Most menus start on 8.5 x 11 and outgrow it. You add a breakfast list, a few combo plates, a kids section, and the type keeps getting smaller. Moving up to 8.5 x 14 fixes that without a second page.
- More room on one page. Three extra inches is about two more sections at a normal type size.
- Fewer pages in the cover. One legal sheet can hold what used to take a front and back insert.
- Easy reprints. When a price or a dish changes, you edit one file and print a fresh stack on your own printer.
- A clean fit in the cover. Legal size menu covers are made for this sheet, so a sheet cut to size slides in and sits flat.
Taco shops, diners, cafes, and breakfast places use it the most. It also works for a long drink list or a lunch menu with specials at the bottom.
8.5 x 14 menus and menu covers
If you use menu covers, the cover decides the size. Measure the inside of the sleeve or the photo corners, not the outside of the cover. A legal size cover takes an 8.5 x 14 sheet, and a two-view legal cover takes two sheets side by side.
Paper cut to the exact size slides in clean and lines up behind the clear sleeve. If your covers take a size that is close to legal but not quite, send us the inside measurement and we will make the paper to fit.
No covers? An 8.5 x 14 sheet on 80 lb cover stock works well on its own at the table or on a clipboard. You can also fold it in thirds for a takeout menu by the register.
How to lay out a legal size menu
A tall page reads top to bottom.
- Put your best sellers in the top third. Lead with the plates you most want to sell.
- Two columns work well. At 8.5 inches wide, two columns of dishes with prices on the right are easy to read.
- Keep margins at least a quarter inch. Most printers cannot print to the very edge, and the cover sleeve hides a little of the border.
- Use a readable type size. Dish names around 12 to 14 point, descriptions no smaller than 9 or 10 point. If you have to go smaller, it is time for a second sheet.
- Save room at the bottom. The last inch or two is a good spot for specials, hours, or a note about catering.
Need a different size for desserts or drinks? Our 4.25 x 11 menu card guide covers the slim card that sits next to the main menu, and our restaurant menu sizes guide compares every common menu size side by side.
How to print 8.5 x 14 menus on your printer
Most office printers can print legal size. Every sheet we sell is uncoated, which is what inkjet and laser printers are made for. These settings come from our Simple Print Guide.
- Set your document to Legal (8.5 x 14) before you design.
- Pick Legal as the paper size in the print window. Turn off Fit to Page so the menu prints at full size.
- Set the paper type to Cardstock or Heavy. For 60 lb parchment paper, Plain or Thick Plain is fine. Set quality to Best for color.
- Use the right tray. Many main trays slide out to take legal paper. If yours does not, use the rear, manual, or bypass tray and load a few sheets at a time.
- Print one test sheet. Check that the text is centered and nothing is cut off, then run the stack.
A few printer notes:
- Inkjet: give each sheet a minute to dry before you stack them.
- Laser: if the toner rubs off, the paper type is set too light. Step it up to Cardstock, Thick, or Heavy.
- Two-sided menus: print the fronts, flip the stack by hand, then print the backs.
- Check your printer's weight limit. 80 lb cover is 216 gsm. Some small laser printers only go to about 163 to 176 gsm, so check the manual before a big run.
One customer ran our 65 lb parchment through a home printer in this size:
"The legal size ran through my HP printer just fine and the weight was exactly what I expected from 65lb paper."
persnickety reader, Aged Parchment 65 lb
Which paper for an 8.5 x 14 menu
Pick the paper by how long the menu lives. A main menu that sits in a cover for months can be a heavy cover stock. A menu you reprint every week can go lighter.
| Paper | Weight and thickness | Look | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Smooth Cardstock | 80 lb cover, 216 gsm, .0118" | Crisp white, no texture | Main menus, cafes, modern rooms |
| Natural Smooth Cardstock | 80 lb cover, 216 gsm, .0118" | Soft cream, no texture | Breakfast and brunch menus, warm rooms |
| White Linen Cardstock | 80 lb cover, 216 gsm, .0118" | Bright white with a fine linen texture | Dinner menus, wine lists |
| Aged Parchment Card Stock | 65 lb cover, 176 gsm, .010" | Antique tan with natural shading | Steakhouses, Italian, Mexican, pubs |
| Bright White Vellum Bristol | 67 lb bristol, 147 gsm | Bright white with a slight texture | Menus you swap out every week |
| Light Aged Parchment Paper | 60 lb text, 89 gsm, .0052" | Antique tan, paper weight | Inserts, specials sheets, high volume menus |
All six come ready to order in 8.5 x 14. The parchment papers also come in natural and white shades. For a deeper look at weight and finish, see our guide to the best paper for restaurant menus.
Chris wrote this about the 60 lb parchment:
"It is heavier and thicker than high quality printer paper, but doesn't jamb or bleed like some."
Chris, Light Aged Parchment 60 lb
Cut to order in Nampa, Idaho
We are a family paper shop in Nampa, Idaho. We cut every pack to order in our shop, pack it flat with chipboard on the front and back, and shrink wrap it before it ships. Need a lot of legal size menus for more than one location, or a size close to legal for your covers? Send us a note. We answer every message ourselves.
8.5 x 14 menu FAQ
Is 8.5 x 14 a good size for a restaurant menu?
Yes. It is one of the most common menu sizes. It holds more than a letter sheet and still fits a legal size menu cover and most office printers.
Can my printer print 8.5 x 14 cardstock?
Most can. Choose Legal as the paper size, set the paper type to Cardstock or Heavy, and use the manual or bypass tray if the main tray does not take legal. Our Simple Print Guide has the full settings.
What paper weight is best for an 8.5 x 14 menu?
80 lb cover for a main menu that lives in a cover. 65 lb parchment for a classic look. 60 lb parchment paper or 67 lb vellum bristol for menus you reprint often.
Will an 8.5 x 14 sheet fit my menu cover?
It fits covers made for legal size. Measure the inside of the sleeve first. If your cover takes an odd size, send us the measurement.
Can I fold an 8.5 x 14 menu?
Yes. Fold it in thirds for a takeout menu. On 80 lb cover stock, score the fold line first so it folds clean.
Shop 8.5 x 14 menu paper
Shop White Smooth 80 lb
The everyday main menu stock, ready in 8.5 x 14.
Shop Aged Parchment 65 lb
A classic tan menu for steakhouses, Italian, and Mexican restaurants.
Shop Light Aged Parchment 60 lb
Paper weight parchment for menus you reprint often.
Shop All Restaurant Paper
Every menu paper we carry in one place.
Feel the paper first
Not sure which paper fits your menu? Our free Paper Sample Pack has ten of our most popular papers as 3 x 5 cards: linen, parchment cardstock, parchment paper, and smooth cardstock in white and natural. Hold them up in your own dining room and pick the one you like. Every pack includes a 10% off code for your order.
ThunderBolt Paper Team
thunderboltpaper.com
