Cocktail menu template

What a cocktail menu is for

A bar menu has two jobs that pull in opposite directions. It must let a first-time guest order something they will like without asking five questions, and it must nudge people toward the drinks that make you money and that your bartenders make best. The layout below handles both by putting signatures first and giving every drink the same shape: name, ingredients, price.

The sample uses the modern minimal style, with generous white space and a thin rule under each heading. Dim bars favour high contrast and larger type than restaurants do, so if your room is dark, choose a bigger paper size or fewer drinks rather than shrinking the type.

How to order the sections

• Signatures first. These are the drinks you want to be known for and usually the highest margin. Four to six is enough. Order them from lightest to strongest so a nervous guest finds an easy entry at the top.
• Classics second. Guests who know what they want will scan for “Negroni” or “Old Fashioned”. Keep spellings standard.
• Zero-proof, visible. Giving non-alcoholic drinks their own labelled section, priced close to the cocktails, signals that the designated driver is a welcome guest. A zero-proof drink priced at $4 beside a $15 cocktail reads like an afterthought.
• Beer and wine last. Short and factual: pour size and price.

Price points and ladders

US craft cocktail prices commonly run $12–17 in most cities and $18–24 in high-rent districts; UK bars run roughly £9–13. Spread your signatures across a narrow ladder, for example $14, $15, $15, $16, so no drink looks like an outlier. The classics are often priced a dollar below signatures because they use fewer house-made components. If you have a house pour size, say it: “5 oz” on a wine line prevents arguments later.

Happy-hour pricing should be printed on its own insert or footnote rather than crossed out on the main menu; crossed-out prices look messy and invite haggling.

Wording tips

List the base spirit first, then the one or two flavours that define the drink. “Gin, grapefruit, rosemary, tonic” is enough. Leave out brand names unless the brand is the reason someone would order it; if you do list a rare bottle, price it separately as a premium pour. Avoid sprawling poetry; a guest in a loud room wants nouns.

Alcohol rules to keep in mind

Licensing and advertising rules for alcohol vary by country, state and city. Some places restrict phrases that suggest strength or intoxication, and many require a responsible-service line such as “Please drink responsibly” or an age notice. Menus in some jurisdictions must show ABV for beer and wine. Check with your local licensing office, and add the required line in the footnote field.

The V, VG and GF marks are useful on a bar menu more often than you might expect: egg-white sours are not vegan, some bitters and syrups contain gluten, and beer is usually not gluten free. Toggle the marks only when you know the recipe.

Sizing, paper and printing

Cocktail menus are often printed on a single card or half page. Choose Letter or A4 in the tool for a full page, then trim or fold at the print shop; a pop-up bar might print on A4 and cut in half lengthwise, keeping the type large. For a wall or window, enlarge on a copier. Specials boards and table tents for event nights belong to the Pro plan.

Questions about this template