Menu Printing with Custom Inks

Transform your menu with custom inks. Make your logo pop with a metallic ink or ensure color consistency with spot Pantone. To save time, money and frustration, you'll need to determine up front if you will use spot colors (Pantone Matching System^®) or the CMYK process printing. This will help you to make your print project a success.

Pantone Color

A Pantone color is a standardized color in the Pantone Matching System^® (PMS). If you have a strong color identity (Home Depot orange, John Deere green), Pantone colors will allow you to maintain the exact hue you want from piece to piece, and even vendor to vendor. This keeps your menus looking the same in every location and keeps iconic brand logos looking perfect.

How Pantone Color Matching System Works

Manufacturers and customers in different locations refer to the Pantone system to ensure that colors match. Pantone color is used by many printers and graphic artists to deliver reliable, reproducible colors to their customers.

Spot Pantone

Spot inks in Pantone colors allow us to print a menu using the CMYK printing process, then print detailed areas (such as the company logo) in Pantone Matching System colors. This process ensures color consistency but is less expensive than all over Pantone color.

CMYK Color

CMYK color is often referred to as 4-color or standard process printing. CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black ink. Using just these 4 colors, you can complete the majority of full color print projects. There are a couple of exceptions: Scanners, digital cameras and computer monitors use red, green and blue (RGB) light to display color.

• To print on a four-color press, all RGB files must be converted into CMYK color.
• Certain RGB colors that you can see on your monitor or camera (in particular, bright vibrant colors) simply cannot be replicated with standard CMYK inks. When selecting colors for your print project, use CMYK safe colors to avoid potential RGB conversion issues.

If at any time you have questions regarding custom inks or the print process, please 800-930-6040 for assistance.

Metallic Ink

Metallic ink contains tiny, reflective, metallic particles that create a shine and luster you don't see with standard ink. The tiny metal pieces catch the light and make your menu shine. Menus with metallic ink reflect light when tipped back and forth. Metallic ink is less expensive than foil stamping and can make objects pop. It comes in a variety of colors. Silver and gold ink are the most common, but it also comes in bright blue, vibrant purple, hot red, burnished copper and many other colors. Tips for Using Metallic Ink

• Menus with gold or silver inks look great on dark paper. The color contrast makes the ink pop.
• A little ink can go a long way. Use metallic ink sparingly to draw your customer's eye to one specific place on your menu such as your featured entrée or company logo.
• It is best to use a coated paper. The tiny particles of metal in the ink do not sink into coated paper, and are able to retain their maximum shine.
• Coating also ensures that the metallic ink does not transfer to another sheet of paper stacked on top of it.
• To keep the metal particles in place, we recommend adding an aqueous coating or UV coating on top.
• Metallic ink has a strong impact, so keep the overall design simple and easy to read. Use contrasting colors, a simple font, and at least 8pt type.