Café notice boards customers actually read
The menu board gets read in the queue; the notice board gets read while the coffee cools. Both work best when they are tidy, current and easy to read from where people stand or sit.
Café menu boards and notice boards
A café needs a menu board readable from the queue (A3 or larger, prices in a column on the right), an A4 specials card that changes daily, an allergen notice inviting customers to ask, opening hours on the door, and a community notice board for local events and classes. Use 250 gsm card in clear frames and date every notice.
Last reviewed 3 October 2026
What a café usually needs
- 1
A main menu board
Drinks and food in short groups, with prices lined up in one column so they are easy to scan. Read from the back of the queue, so fewer items in larger type beats a long list.
- 2
A specials card
Today's soup, cake and sandwich on an A4 card by the till or in the window. Change it daily; a special that has been up for a week stops being read.
- 3
An allergen notice
A clear sign asking customers with allergies or intolerances to speak to staff before ordering. Back it with up-to-date allergen information for every item.
- 4
Opening hours and Wi-Fi
Hours on the door, and the Wi-Fi name and password on a small card on each table or by the till, which saves staff answering it all day.
- 5
A community notice board
Local classes, clubs, events, lost pets and small ads, under clear headers. Date each card, take old ones down weekly and decide what you will and will not accept.
Sizes for a café
| Piece | Size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Main menu board | A3 (29.7 × 42 cm) or two A3 side by side | Prices readable from a few metres back in the queue |
| Specials card | A4 (21 × 29.7 cm) | Fits a counter stand or a window frame |
| Allergen notice | A5 (14.8 × 21 cm) | Visible at the till where people order |
| Opening hours sign | A5 | Fits a door panel at eye height |
| Table Wi-Fi card | 9 × 5.5 cm folded | Stands up on a table without taking space |
| Notice board headers | A4 strip, about 7 cm tall | Separates events, classes and small ads |
Free printables for a café
A menu board for the counter, an opening hours sign for the door and headers for the community notice board.
Café menu board
A printable café menu board in chalkboard style: coffee, tea, breakfast, lunch and cakes with UK prices, in two columns on A3. Edit it, free PDF.
OpenOpening hours sign
A printable opening hours sign for a shop door: your shop name, a clear table of days and times and a note line. Edit the hours, free A4 PDF.
OpenNotice board headers
Print a big lettered title banner and matching section headers for a notice board: letters 10, 15 or 20 cm tall on A4. Free PDF for halls and offices.
Open
Want the notice board designed for you?
WallKiwi's display maker designs a whole notice board from one sentence, such as a community board for a cosy café in mustard and cream, with headers, borders and cards ready to print on A4. Designs use credits, and a free account includes some each month.
Questions people ask
What should go on a café notice board?
Local events, classes and clubs, community news, lost and found, and small ads from local people. Group them under headers, date every notice and set a simple rule about how long things stay up.
How do I lay out a café menu board?
Group items under a few headings such as hot drinks, cold drinks and food, keep descriptions short and line prices up in one column. Put the best-selling items at the top, where eyes land first.
Do cafés have to display allergen information?
In the UK, food businesses must be able to give customers allergen information, and a sign inviting customers to ask staff is common. Check current Food Standards Agency guidance, as rules differ for prepacked food.
How often should a café change its specials board?
Daily if it lists dishes of the day, weekly at most for seasonal items. A specials board that never changes is soon ignored.
Should a café charge for notices on its board?
Most leave the community board free, which builds goodwill. Some ask for a small donation to a local cause. Either way, keep the right to remove anything unsuitable.