Website download
Email attachments and "Download menu" links on your site.
Smallest file. Web-only; not for sending to a print shop.
Print guide
Six print profiles, explained.
When you export a menu to PDF, you pick a profile. Each profile sets the right combination of bleed, crop marks, and DPI for where the file is going. Here's what each one means and when to use it. Printing a table tent with a QR code on it? Here's how to make a QR code menu.
Quick reference
| Profile | Bleed | Crop marks | DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website download | 0 mm | — | 150 |
| Home / office printer | 0 mm | — | 300 |
| Digital press (standard) | 3 mm | Flush | 300 |
| Digital press (premium card) | 3 mm | Flush | 450 |
| Offset press | 5 mm | Offset | 300 |
| Large format poster | 5 mm | Offset | 150 |
Each profile in detail
Home / office printer
Desktop and office printers that trim at the paper edge.
Crisp typography on a desk printer. No bleed, so designs should keep important content clear of the page edge.
Digital press (standard)
Most online print shops (Moo, Vistaprint-class, local digital).
The default for ordering print menus online. The right pick if you're not sure.
Digital press (premium card)
Thick menu cards, fine type, premium stock.
Higher DPI for crisp small type and intricate ornamental marks on premium card stock.
Offset press
Traditional offset shops for high-volume runs.
5 mm bleed and offset crop marks match the spec sheet most offset shops ask for.
Large format poster
A2 and larger posters viewed from a distance.
Lower DPI is intentional: large format viewing distance doesn't need 300 DPI, and printing at 300 explodes file size.
Glossary
- Bleed
- Extra design that extends beyond the trim line so colors run to the very edge after cutting. 3 mm is standard for digital print; 5 mm for offset.
- Crop marks
- Small marks at the corners that tell the printer's cutter where to trim. "Flush" sit at the trim line; "offset" sit a few millimeters outside.
- DPI
- Pixels per inch in the rendered output. 150 is fine for screen and large format viewing distances; 300 is the standard for print; 450 makes a difference on premium card with fine type.
Not sure which to pick?
Use Digital press (standard): 3 mm bleed, flush crop marks, 300 DPI. It works at virtually every online print shop. Move up to premium card if you're using thick paper and care about the typographic detail, or move to offset if your shop specifically asks for 5 mm bleed.