What Menu Printing Actually Costs in the UK (2026 Prices)
5,000 A4 folded menus cost £249.14 printed and delivered anywhere in the UK, which is 5.0p per menu. A run of 1,000 A5 flat menus is £89.32, or 8.9p each. Those are live shop prices, not a "from" figure someone hopes you will not check. Prices correct as of September 2026.
How much does it cost to print a restaurant menu?
It depends on size, page count, fold and quantity, but here is a real answer rather than a range. A single-sheet A5 flat menu is 8.9p each at 1,000 copies and 0.97p each at 50,000. A folded A4 menu with 4 pages is 10.8p each at 1,000 and 2.7p each at 50,000. Every price includes full colour printing on 130 GSM gloss stock, both sides, plus free UK delivery, and there is no minimum order.
UK menu printing prices by size and quantity (2026 price list)
Here is the full list across the four formats I print most for takeaways and restaurants, at five order sizes owners actually ask for. Every figure is a live shop price, not an estimate, and each includes free UK delivery.
| Quantity | Format | Price | Per menu |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | A5 flat | £89.32 | 8.9p |
| 1,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £108.34 | 10.8p |
| 1,000 | A4 two fold, 6pp | £118.34 | 11.8p |
| 1,000 | A3 bi-fold, 6pp | £228.32 | 22.8p |
| 2,500 | A5 flat | £99.01 | 4.0p |
| 2,500 | A4 folded, 4pp | £182.02 | 7.3p |
| 2,500 | A4 two fold, 6pp | £182.02 | 7.3p |
| 2,500 | A3 bi-fold, 6pp | £296.02 | 11.8p |
| 5,000 | A5 flat | £115.12 | 2.3p |
| 5,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £249.14 | 5.0p |
| 5,000 | A4 two fold, 6pp | £249.14 | 5.0p |
| 5,000 | A3 bi-fold, 6pp | £398.12 | 8.0p |
| 10,000 | A5 flat | £215.20 | 2.2p |
| 10,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £345.12 | 3.5p |
| 10,000 | A4 two fold, 6pp | £372.12 | 3.7p |
| 10,000 | A3 bi-fold, 6pp | £624.00 | 6.2p |
| 50,000 | A5 flat | £484.02 | 0.97p |
| 50,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £1,342.20 | 2.7p |
| 50,000 | A4 two fold, 6pp | £1,282.20 | 2.6p |
| 50,000 | A3 bi-fold, 6pp | £1,950.20 | 3.9p |
Prices correct as of September 2026. Every row above includes free UK delivery.
What changes the price: size, pages, fold and quantity
Quantity moves the price the most. Set-up is a fixed cost spread across the run, so a bigger order lowers the cost per menu even though the total is higher. A4 folded menus fall from 10.8p each at 1,000 to 2.7p each at 50,000.
Size is next. A3 bi-fold menus use twice the sheet of an A4 folded menu and cost roughly double at every quantity, £228.32 against £108.34 at 1,000. If you are unsure which sheet fits your menu, the A4, A5 and A3 size guide covers what each format holds.
Fold and page count matter too. A flat A5 sheet needs no finishing pass, which is why it costs less than a folded menu of similar size. Going from a single fold to a two fold adds a little at low volumes, £118.34 against £108.34 for 1,000. Paper stock is a separate lever: every price above is 130 GSM gloss, and heavier board or a laminated wipeable finish costs more, covered in the guide to menu paper and GSM.
Direct Menu Printing prices vs the rest of the UK market
Google's AI Overview for "menu printing prices" currently quotes about £275.00 for 5,000 bulk A4 takeaway folded menus, without naming a supplier. My price for that run, 5,000 A4 folded menus, is £249.14, taken from a published price list, not an estimate. menudesignandprint.com publishes £200.00 for 1,000 A4 folded menus, £230.00 for 2,000 and £305.00 for 5,000, verified 2026-09-16. At 1,000 menus, same specification, that is 20.0p a menu against my 10.8p, roughly half.
| Supplier | Quantity | Format | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Menu Printing | 1,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £108.34 |
| menudesignandprint.com | 1,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £200.00 |
| Direct Menu Printing | 5,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £249.14 |
| menudesignandprint.com | 5,000 | A4 folded, 4pp | £305.00 |
How much should I charge for a menu design?
Nothing, if you print with me. Design is free on every order, whatever the size or page count, with no separate design fee on top of any price in this article. You pay 20% of the order value by card when I send the first design draft, then the balance once the design is finished, before anything goes to print. Nothing goes to print unpaid. Unlimited changes are included before that final payment, and every file gets a free artwork check. Klarna and pay in three are available if you would rather spread the balance.
How do I calculate the cost of a menu in the UK?
Divide the order price by the quantity, then compare that per-menu figure across order sizes rather than comparing totals. £249.14 for 5,000 A4 folded menus works out at 5.0p each. £108.34 for 1,000 of the same menu works out at 10.8p each, more than double per menu for a fifth of the volume. That is what tells you whether stepping up an order is worth it, not the headline total. Use a full price table like the one above rather than a supplier's "from" price, which is usually the smallest quantity at its worst per-unit rate.
Don't print more menus than you need
A lower cost per menu at higher quantities is only a saving if you use the stock before the menu changes. Printing 50,000 A4 folded menus at 2.7p each is a false economy if a menu update in three months leaves half the run in the bin. I have written a full guide to working out the right quantity for your turnover: how many menus to print.
Why getting this number right matters in 2026
Every other cost in a takeaway or restaurant is moving right now. National Living Wage rose from £12.21 to £12.71 on 1 April 2026, up 4.1%, announced in the Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025 (gov.uk). The Foodservice Price Index stood at 150.4 in March 2026 then spiked 1.8% in June 2026, the largest jump of the year (Prestige Purchasing/NielsenIQ). "The 1.8% month-on-month spike is a stark reminder of how fragile the food supply chain remains," said Shaun Allen, Prestige Purchasing CEO, on 24 July 2026. UKHospitality forecast 2,076 hospitality closures in 2026 without a business rates fix, including 963 restaurants (UKHospitality, 12 January 2026). Printing is one cost you can pin down in advance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does 5,000 A4 folded menus cost?
£249.14 including free UK delivery, printed full colour on 130 GSM gloss stock with one fold and 4 pages. That works out at 5.0p per menu. Prices correct as of September 2026. The two fold, 6 page version is the same price at that quantity, also £249.14.
Is the design really free?
Yes. There is no design fee on any order, regardless of size, page count or quantity. You see a full first draft before paying anything beyond the 20% deposit taken when that draft is sent, and the balance is due only once the design is finished and you are ready to print.
What is the cheapest way to print menus?
For a first order, 1,000 A5 flat menus at £89.32 is the lowest total cost, at 8.9p each. For the lowest cost per menu, a large single run beats several small ones: 50,000 A5 flat menus works out at 0.97p each against 8.9p at 1,000.
Do these prices include delivery?
Yes, every price above includes free UK delivery. Nothing is added for postage, and there is no minimum order, so a small run of 1,000 sits on the same price list as a run of 50,000, with no separate delivery quote to chase.
How long does an order take?
Standard turnaround is 5 to 9 working days from approving the final design. If you are stuck for stock, a 48 hour express service is available on request. Nothing goes to print until the balance is paid, so the clock starts once you approve, not once you enquire.
What happens if my menus arrive wrong?
I reprint or refund, no questions asked, if a job comes back wrong. Free samples are available on request before you commit to a full run, and every file gets a free artwork check before it goes anywhere near a press, catching mistakes before they cost you a run.
Read next
- How many menus should you print?
- A4, A5 or A3: which menu size to print
- 130 GSM, laminated or wipeable
See all menu printing guides, or send me a WhatsApp on 07883 297 737 and I will price your own quantity.
