What does "Sides to Show" mean?
Sides to show indicates the number of pages of information that can be held in a menu or folder. Your information is held securely within the menu using clear plastic wallets, border frames or corner mounts.
A insert stretches right across the menu, held in at the spine by a tag fastening, and can hold four pages of information back to back.
For each menu there is a maximum number of Sides to Show based on the thickness of the spine and the type of fixing used.For many menus the maximum is 24 sides to show using clear inserts, show 8 using corner mounts and show 4 using border frames.
What are the various fixing options?
hard wearing fabric materialThe internal fixings are the various ways you can display your information or inserts.
1. Paper Only - Easy change option using a tag cord to hold your paper. Great option for frequently changing menus.
2. Clear pockets - these are strong clear PVC pockets that are held into the menu/folder using an elasticated tag fixing. This is the most economical and simplest method and also allows the maximum number of sides to be shown - often up to 24 sides per menu.
3. Corner mounts - these are made from a hard-wearing fabric material and have four corner cutouts to enable each corner of the page to be slipped in and held in place. This is an elegant and stylish fixing also held in by a tag but it does reduce slightly the visible page area and the number of pages that can be held.
4. Border frames - these are also made from a hard-wearing fabric material but pages are inserted from the top and held behind clear PVC panels. They are only available in Slim and A4 size menus because the visible size is reduced.
5. Screw Fix & Post Fix - Popular option using black, gold or silver screws to hold paper or card. Range of sizes and landscape or portrait options available.
6. Fixed - Modern stylish built in fixed interior option, in a range of materials and colours. Paper is held in place with corner cut-outs, supplied with a page protector.
7. Side Fixing - These are made from a hard-wearing fabric material. They are only available in A4 size. The number of sides to show would be a maximum of show 4.
What sizes of menu and folder are available?
We categorise the menus by the size of the paper they are designed to hold so the actual menu will be larger than the paper.
What are Standard Titles?
Standard titles are generic titles such as "Menu", "Wine List", "Guest Information" and "Thank you" which may be wanted on the front covers of products such as menus, room information folders and bill presenters. These can be used alone or in conjunction with a logo or the name of an establishment.
The following standard titles are available: Menu, Wine List, Menu & Wine List, Drinks, Guest Information and Thank You.
For online buying we have limited the titles and fonts to the most popular choices but we have many more available by contacting the sales office.
How does personalisation work?
What is personalisation?
Personalisation is the use of a name, logo or image that is specific to an establishment on a product as opposed to a generic title such as "Menu". Personalisation is available for online ordering on many of the products on this website as you can specify what you want to see on the final product.
What we require
As you work through the ordering process, you will have the opportunity to specify what personalisation you want and also how you will make this available to us. If it is simply words you can use the additonal comments box in the order process. If it’s a logo or similar please email your artwork file to us at [email protected] referencing your order number.
When supplying artwork please make sure your artwork is in a usable format. For example when designing printed menus or inserts we require your menu in Word format not a printed menu otherwise you could incur extra costs for re-typing / formatting.
- Full Colour: Please supply any artwork in 300dpi or above
- Engraving: Where possible please supply artwork in a vector format - AI, PDF or EPS
(Black only high res images may also be used but artwork charges may be incurred) - Blocked / Embossed - Where possible please supply artwork in a vector format - AI, PDF or EPS
(Black only high res images may also be used but artwork charges may be incurred)
Proofing
When we are asked to personalise a product, we take your information and produce an electronic proof for your approval. For any personalised product you have to approve artwork before we go into production. It is therefore important that you check proofs carefully before approval because errors can be costly. Only give your approval when you are happy with the result. We are happy to revise/adjust artwork before your goods go into production. Please liaise with the sales person that is overseeing your order for more details
Personalisation Area
In many areas of our site and brochure you will see that we measure the area to be personalised on a product in square centimetres (cm2). We generally offer 100 cm² on most of our blocking & embossed products and 90 cm² on most of our engraved products with larger areas available on request.
Repeat Orders
We will retain your artwork file so that in the event that you want to re-order your product(s) we can expediate the process. Any changes made to a "repeat" artwork on a new order may incur additional artwork charges.
Some personalisation methods require a blocking plate, as in the methods of foil blocking or heat embossing. We will retain your custom blocking plate for three years. After that date we will recycle the metal and your plate may no longer be available for repeat orders.
What personalisation methods are available?
There are several methods of personalisation available. Some products only allow one type while others may be personalised in a variety of ways. The major methods are:
Foil blocking
Available on most real and synthetic hide products and bookbound items.
You may choose one colour, usually gold or silver, though other colours may be available.
Has a one off set up charge and no extra cost per item
Once the plate is made it is kept and can be used on other products in the future
Heat embossing
The process and costs are the same as foil blocking
Can only be used on certain materials
Results in a darker colour indentation rather than choosing a colour foil
Metal plate
Can be single or full colour including photographs
Background colour can be silver, gold or white, each giving very different results
There can be a set up charge and for some items a per item cost - please see individual products for related costs
Full colour
Available on Merlin, Titan and Full Colour Ashmore menus and Merlin or TItan placemats.
Good quality artwork is required to produce the best results
Metal Engraving
Only available on some metal products
Minimum of 10 items may apply
There is a set up charge and an additional cost for each item engraved
Cost per item may increase as area to be engraved increases
Wood engraving
Minimum of 10 items may apply
Can have a single colour infill on some engraved products, no infill is available for certain products.
There can be a set up charge on some ranges and an additional cost for each item engraved
Cost per item may increase as area to be engraved increases
Vinyl lettering
Available on some chalk boards and pavement signs
One colour & Full colour - choice of colours
Additional cost to cover set up and production
What is the difference between a menu and room information folder?
The only difference between a menu and the room folder from the same range is that the room folder has a pocket fixed into each of the inside covers, which is also slightly larger. The pocket can be used for holding paper, envelopes etc for the use of guests. Most of the room folders offer a ring fixings.
Any product sold as a menu can be used as a room information folder and we are quite happy to use an appropriate standard title on the front.
What are my options regarding metal corners?
Metal corners are available as standard on many of the products we sell. They serve two purposes - decoration and protection.
Where corners are offered you can have either black, gold or silver corners. On some products you have the option of no corners or corners at an additional cost per item. Some items, due to the construction of the product, means that we have to fit corners as standard.
How do I fit a menu case?
We do not provide a fitting service for menu cases but we do provide all the information necessary to fit the cases we sell.
The actual fitting usually only requires basic DIY skills although fitting the electrics for illuminated cases may require more specialised knowledge.
We recommend that if an item requires installation beyond your capabilities you contact an appropriate professional. We cannot be held liable for any damage or injury caused by incorrect installation.
What is recommended for cleaning menus?
Menus are generally durable but we do recommend care in cleaning. The best method is just to wipe them with a damp cloth. Avoid using abrasives or antibacterial sprays or cloths that have been used with antibacterial sprays as these may affect foil blocking or other finishes.