You are a restaurant manager or owner in charge of budgeting for the direct operational costs of your dining institution, there are many different facets you must consider. From the pricing of utensils, stemware, and china to the costs of linens and decor, there are a number of different items and services that must be considered. While direct operating expenses make up quite a bit of the overhead costs associated with your restaurant, you must also consider the monthly occupancy fees, utilities, administration costs, marketing, and the costs that are caused by unforeseen repairs. Owning a restaurant, while it is a dream come true for many, can be a stressful and draining business if budgeting is not taken seriously. With all of the larger expenses spoken for, many managers fail to recognize the importance of budgeting for plastic or vinyl menu covers. While your choice of cover will speak volumes about your establishment to your patrons, it is important to know how to save money on cheap menu covers, without them looking inexpensive or unprofessional.

Most restaurant operators on a budget understand the importance of the look and contents of their menu. While the food they serve and the environment they serve it in is ultimately the reason a patron will visit your establishment, the design and look of your menu will speak about your business as a whole. While some businesses are fortunate to order case-bound padded menus that are customized and add elegance to any dining experience, in this economic state even commercial consumers are looking to save costs in every possible avenue of running their business. In order to save money, restaurant operation managers are browsing the Internet for more practical vinyl and plastic menu covers that will provide the protection paper menus need with the exorbitant price tag associated with other Pajco or De-Lite covers.

Think In Terms of Discount Menu Covers

If you are looking to trim costs, consider investing in bulk vinyl menu covers sold online for as low as $15 per dozen. Calculating at just about one dollar per menu cover, these alternatives are heat-sealed for maximum menu protection. Coming in a number of different styles from the single pocket 2-view, to the more versatile quad pocket booklet design for added versatility, restaurant owners will save thousands per year on their menu cover investment. The very versatile vinyl material can withstand high-traffic exposures, smudging, liquid spills, and heat, keeping your paper menus looking new and protected. With the added protection you will also cut down on additional printing costs caused by damaged paper menus. With the heat-edges you can achieve the laminated look you desire without paying for lamination.

Even menu cover manufacturers are struggling to maintain their businesses. With a number of different restaurants and dining institutions going out of business, the sales of padded covers has dropped significantly. Because of this cover manufacturers are adjusting prices and focusing on more affordable menu cover materials in order to keep up with the low cost demand of economy plastic covers. Manufacturers such as ClearGuard Products have even launched their own economy brand of plastic and heat-sealed covers and are committed to gaining loyal customers with their high-quality low-priced covers. Browse various inventories online and find those cheap menu covers that will live up to your quality expectations.

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There is that old saying, “you can’t judge a book by its cover”.  Well, we all know that we do it all the time whether it is for appearances on a first impression, CD covers (at least until digital music totally takes over the world), actual books, magazine and, yes, your restaurant’s menu.  It is just human nature to make or form an impression from what we take in on a cursory first glance at something.  This is why making your menu cover stand out is such a key piece to putting together a great menu.

You already know that you’ve got the best food around.  You wouldn’t be in this restaurant business if you thought otherwise.  It doesn’t matter if you are the manager of the restaurant, owner or both.  Every team member in your dining establishment is telling people about your food and service from how they act, present the food and serve up a night of entertainment for your guests.  However, this all happens after they get their menus in their hands.  From that first moment that they touch the cover of that menu until they open it up and browse the selections, you are telling them something.  Going cheap here will give that impression.

A nice cafe menu for a warm and cozy little meal.

This doesn’t mean that you need to spend a fortune on your menu covers, but you do need to make sure that the food you are serving is not cheapened or downgraded in your guests’ mind before they even taste it.  This goes for misspelled words, typos and other menu errors that of course your menu cover itself has little to do with.  Think of it as simply an overall, taking-it-all-in experience.  You know what it is like as patron yourself, though you have a different eye for things having been in the restaurant business.

What Are The Purposes and Types of Menu Covers?

If you read more about the menu cover here, you might learn that the only purpose of the menu cover is to simply hold the menu in place for your guests to see what is available, right?  Wrong!  This is certainly one of the more primary or functional aspects to the cover, but it is not the only reason you have one.  Like many things in life, there are reasons behind the reasons.  In this case, one main reason behind is to showcase your fine food items.  If your restaurant only serves up cheap fare, then you will probably just need something like the vinyl menu covers, a type of plastic menu cover.  There is nothing wrong with this type of menu.  It protects the menu from food, drink and grease or other restaurant ‘debris’ and they are easy to wipe clean.  A common and great menu cover for the purpose it serves.

However, if you are looking for a more elegant feel to your menu, something that you want your guests to experience before they even see what you offer, then nice leather menu covers might fit the bill – so to speak – a little better.  Leather has always had a nice ‘hand’ or feel to it.  In fact, leather will even age very well and looks even more comfortable and welcoming with time.  These types work well in steakhouses and other places where meat is considered the specialty.

Another type of theme style of cover that are becoming more popular are metal menu covers.  These are great for the modern bar and restaurant with an edgier feel to them.  They are usually made of aluminum or light gauge stainless steel to prevent rust.  However, treated copper menu covers make for an exquisitely unique look.  These metal covers can also be etched or cut to create a logo or some type of image, even restaurant name, cut into the metal itself.  It would be similar to how an image, logo or writing can be embossed on a leather menu cover.

Cafe Versus Restaurant Menu Covers

There is really only a difference in these types of things as they pertain to the style in which you present your menu.  A cafe style will usually offer less items on their menu and so the cafe menu cover will not need to have as many pages or features as traditional dining restaurant menu covers.  This isn’t to say a cafe is not traditional dining, just not known for being a dinner establishment.

You might find that you can display your food choices with a little more flair and uniqueness in the cafe menu versus a three page or tri-fold leather menu cover.  Your smaller menu can allow for a much simpler cover that will appeal to the type of patron whom you are serving.  There are also considerations for the price of a wine menu cover, check presenters, table top menu holders and such.

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What Do Menu Covers Cost?

Why not just go for cheap menu covers?  Well, you certainly could – but just be cognizant of what you’re looking for.

Cheap could mean inexpensive or cheap could mean you’ll end up having to buy more of them in no time because, well, they are cheap!

There are a range of prices based upon the variety of menu cover styles.  Additionally, the brand of menu cover you choose will affect price.  The ‘big dogs’ can command a higher price based upon years of experience and stability in the fragile restaurant market.  As a starting point, you should determine the look you are after, the number you’ll need and any type of customization you will require.  Of course, custom menu covers will command higher prices as you will be ordering ‘off the menu’ if you’ll allow such an obvious pun.

Basic prices can start as low as around $15 USD each for a simple bonded leatherette or vinyl menu cover.  This price would typically be for a minimum order of lots of 50 or 100 menu covers.  Prices could go up to the $40 USD range for a soft grain leather cover.  Then, the price jumps to ‘custom pricing’ for those great metal and other custom menu cover options.  The best practice is to determine what your budget will allow for your covers, then work backward from there.  If you find you just can’t make it work for what you want, you may have to re-analyze your budget or negotiate with your vendor.

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