Chinese takeaway menus are some of the hardest-working menus around. They are pinned to fridges, kept in office drawers, and passed between flatmates for years. They need to list a lot of dishes clearly, make phone orders quick with dish numbers, and show at a glance what’s spicy and what’s on special at lunch. This Chinese Takeaway Menu Template does all of that with a festive look: hanging red lanterns, gold cloud scrolls, and a clean two-column list on warm cream.
What the Template Includes
The template is sized for US Letter, 8.5 x 11 inches, portrait. The header is a deep lacquer red, with four red paper lanterns hanging from the top edge, two large and two small, one pair on each side. Each lantern has gold caps, fine gold ribs, and a gold tassel. Between the lanterns, GOLDEN LOTUS is set in gold Cinzel capitals, with CHINESE KITCHEN in widely spaced white letters and Takeaway · Delivery · Dine-in in soft italics.
A gold band and a row of gold cloud scrolls separate the header from the menu. The dishes are grouped under dark-red Cinzel headings, each marked with a small red bar:
- Left column: Appetizers, Soups, Chicken, and Beef & Pork (dishes 01 to 17).
- Right column: Seafood, Noodles & Rice, and Vegetables & Tofu (18 to 28), followed by a Combination Plates table with Lunch and Dinner price columns.
Every dish has a two-digit red number, a name, and a bold price. Spicy dishes carry an asterisk, explained in a note under the combination table along with lunch-special hours. The deep red footer, topped by a gold line, has a QR code for online ordering, ORDER ONLINE OR CALL in gold capitals, the phone number in large white type, the delivery minimum and address, a smaller cloud scroll, and our gold logo.
Pricing Lunch vs Dinner Combinations
Combination plates, a main with an egg roll and fried rice, are the backbone of many takeaway menus. Showing lunch and dinner prices side by side, as the table in this template does, lets you run a cheaper lunch special without printing two menus. Restaurants usually justify the difference in one of three ways:
| Approach | How it works | What to write on the menu |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller lunch portion | The same dish in a smaller container | Lunch portions served 11 am – 3 pm |
| Fewer extras | Lunch plate without soup or egg roll | Dinner combos include soup |
| Off-peak discount | Same plate, lower price to fill quiet hours | Lunch specials weekdays only |
Whichever you choose, say it clearly in the note under the table so customers aren’t surprised when they collect their order.
Updating the Menu
- Restaurant name: double-click GOLDEN LOTUS to type your own. Names up to about 14 characters fit between the lanterns at this size.
- Dishes and prices: each dish line is a number, a name, and a price. Edit them directly, and keep the numbering continuous so phone orders stay simple.
- Combination plates: double-click the table or choose Edit Table Data to change dishes and prices, press + Row for more combinations, or use Import CSV to paste in a price list.
- Spicy marker: the asterisk is ordinary text, so add it to or remove it from any dish name.
- QR code: select it and enter your ordering page, menu link, or phone number in the QR options.
- Lanterns and clouds: each lantern is one grouped object. Move, resize, or recolour it (red and gold are traditional, but pink or orange lanterns look lovely for Lunar New Year specials).
Menu Tips From Busy Takeaways
- Put favourites first in each section: General Tso’s, sesame chicken and beef with broccoli are among the most ordered dishes in American Chinese restaurants, so the template leads with them.
- Say what’s included: The combination table’s header, With egg roll & fried rice, answers the most common question before it’s asked.
- Offer mild versions:Can be made mild, turning spicy dishes into options for everyone.
- Keep numbers stable: Regulars memorise dish numbers. When you add dishes, add them at the end of a section rather than renumbering everything.
- Show a delivery minimum: A clear minimum avoids awkward calls.
Getting Ready for Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is one of the busiest weeks of the year for many Chinese restaurants, with family banquets, party trays and large takeaway orders. The lanterns in this design already suit the festival, so a seasonal version needs only a few changes: rename a section New Year Specials, list dishes traditionally associated with good fortune (whole fish, dumplings, longevity noodles, spring rolls), and add a line about pre-ordering party trays. Download it as a JPG to share on social media a couple of weeks ahead so customers can book early.
Printing and Distribution
For menus in every bag, print on 20-24 lb paper. The cream background prints lightly, while the red header and footer carry the colour. For counter and wall menus, use 80-100 lb card, or ask a print shop to enlarge the design to 11 x 17 inches for display behind the till. A two-sided version works well for larger menus. Use Add Page for a second page (for example, family dinners and chef’s specials), then download both pages as one PDF for printing. Share a JPG on your Google listing and delivery app profiles too.
Takeaway Owners’ Questions Answered
Can I add Chinese characters to dish names?
You can type them into any text box. Before printing, check that the font you chose displays them correctly, and pick one that supports Chinese if it doesn’t.
Does it work for Thai, Vietnamese or Korean restaurants?
The numbered layout suits any Asian takeaway. Change the headings and dishes, and recolour the lanterns or remove them for a more neutral header.
How many dishes fit?
Twenty-eight dishes plus four combinations fit comfortably. For more, reduce the space between sections slightly or move the combinations to a second page.
Can I mark vegetarian dishes?
Add (V) after the name and explain it next to the spicy note, for example, * spicy · (V) vegetarian.
Ready for the Dinner Rush
Hang your lanterns, fill in your dishes, and set your lunch and dinner prices. Print a stack for the counter and every takeaway bag, and your next order will only be a phone call away.
