You may have a menu design in just about any size dimensions up to 11x17 full-size menus ready for duplication and final production by you; complete with rights to intellectual property provided on a CD for final distribution to you.

    The menu design below is based upon the work done for the Café Cuban Breeze.     Menu     Print Version     Instructions
       

In the lower left-hand corner of the inside of the menu,	Visit our website @ http://Shop-Las-Vegas.com/Café-Cuban-Breeze.htm
it will tell people where to find you @ Shop-Las-Vegas dot-com !   Your own page where SEs can crawl & include in SE results within 60 days of set up !   You are now present in cyberspace !   Café-Cuban-Breeze.htm is your first page name.

  Looking for Menu Design Software Tools

Frank has been a software engineer now
for over 35 years.

Frank is not interested in writing
anymore major applications
such as a restaurant menu design tool.

What he is obviously interested in
is representing good, solid software products.
There are two such products for designing
table menus Frank is currently looking at.

Why an application-specific software tool?     Your table menu is a "living," changing list of your offerings.     Those that have made a living in the area of data processing have a deep appreciation for this element:   change.     Those that have worked (and sweat) by the seat of their pants just don't get it, ie, working smarter.

    This webportal, and its sister site in Phoenix, Arizona would not be possible without such software tools.     So-called "front-end" software engines that generate the results based upon rules and guidelines pre-programmed into it.

    Frank and Shop Las Vegas do not want to go into competition with such a software vendor, but to be associated with them.     To provide our restaurant clients with the right software that will be updated and maintained by such a vendor is our goal.

Objectives

    Provide the client with a software product that lets them build their menu into a database, a database concept that provides visual preview and many print options including optional graphics.

    To illustrate this, here is the leading candidate for which we are seeking vendor affiliation with and several illustrations as to how it works.     We do not want to charge our clients much more than a nominal fee for finding same, but of course, this is business.

    Please keep in mind that Frank has a very unique (senior) capability for both software design and restaurant ownership experience.     And, unfortunately, there is no product that has been found to transform a table menu into an online menu, complete with spacing and html code (simple code) to replicate.

    That is, an online menu should have hyper-text index links to allow the online browser to literally "jump" around the menu.     Although, the product being evaluated below does have a "Plus" version that allows you to take your menu design and create a PDF (portable data file) and upload to your website, and has several advantages for printing versus cryptic html formatting limitations and removes the issue of the user reviewing having to have the fonts installed on their computer system.     The trade off of bulk in PDF size and bandwidth will not be a major issue in the future due to the consumer demographics moving towards hi-speed cable connections and appliances not yet invented.

    The following (illustrated) software product is for offline, table menu design.

Database

    In the database, each menu item will be cataloged by category and have up to three optional prices representing the possible variations.

    The software will take this information and automatically format it for print design.


    Once all the menu items have been entered, irregardless of how often you change your menu motif, you will not have to touch the items in the database.

    If you do need to change a price or description or item, you make the adjustment in the database and then reprint the menu without any other efforts.     The software (front-end) should do the rest for you.

    Naturally you can change, add or delete food items whenever you like.

    You create new menus by simply dragging food items onto any of the 100 pre-designed style formats.     See illustration below.


    The next step is section headings, eg, Appetizers, Deli Sandwiches, Specials and "serving" notes, etc.

    Headings can be different sizes and contain powerful design options that allow you to customize your menu in a way not possible with a word-processor type software product.


    To create a new menu, you simply drag food items and headings from the database, and drop them on your menu.

    The software will format the menu automatically based on which of the 100 menu styles you have selected (per spec of the evaluated program.)

Change Menu Styles in an instant !


    At any time you can change to a completely different menu style and your entire menu will be automatically formatted for the new menu design.

    There is no need to hassle with tabs, text formatting or fonts.     The software does it all for you, instantly.

    If you have ever struggled to set up a menu with a word processor or some other one-dimension publishing software product, you will really appreciate this feature.

Add a watermark, clip art or your restaurant logo is a snap !


    Two fundamental areas must be available to make the software utilized 100% flexible:   robust library provided with the product and the ability to add your own artwork, eg, restaurant logo, or other new items.

    Now, you're cookin !

    All that's left is to print your menus now.

    By having the proper software tool and today, an inexpensive laser jet color printer, you will save some serious printing cost !     And, when food costs change, you'll be able to react within minutes with a new menu and new prices - a must in today's highly competitive marketplace.

    No more nasty looking "white-out" inking and hand-writing in that expensive publishing job you just did a few months ago, for instance.

Spell Checker Capability

    You can spell-check your menus
using a 100,000+ word American English dictionary

plus any of nine foreign language dictionaries.


    <--   A special culinary dictionary



    This software product is packed with features that separate it from run-of-the-mill design programs, eg, symbols and hi-lighting, borders and design tool graphics.     Variety of column options without the need to readjust tabs or to reformat text.

Hi-light new or high-profit food items  
with hospitality symbols.  

    You can add colorful borders or special design graphics, using a palette of over 1 million colors.



Making it Fit ...

    Lastly, you can fit your menu onto the desired number of pages in a matter of seconds.










Vendor Warranty

    No product would be complete without an
unconditional 30-day money back guarantee.

    The software product will also operate on older computer hardware using Windows 95 or 98.

    Warning:   it is the printer that is key to your success.

    The product is not only sold by the vendor, but used.     That's right.     There is nothing more key to the success of a software product than well tested, and when the vendor tells me that they are in the business of providing a design service for restaurant clients, they've got my attention !

    As a client of Shop Las Vegas, we will be happy to put you in touch with them for either their full line of restaurant services (and supplies) or to acquire this fantastic software product !


    You won't need a graphic artist
to do your layout.

    You won't pay the print shop
to print your menus.     Sample Menus.


The Easy Way to Create and Print Restaurant Menus

It will allow you to quickly create your own professional menus at a fraction of the cost of print shop menus.     Whether you need 'daily specials' or an elaborate dining room menu, the software tool will produce same quickly, top-quality designs and artwork without the expense or hassle of using a graphic artist, desktop-publisher or expensive print shop.

The tool is easier to use than a word-processor.     And, since it was specifically designed to create menus, it contains features that are not available with any desktop publishing programs !

*   Over 100 pre-designed Menu Styles with Menu-smart text alignment
*   Drag and Drop foods from a list to create menus, no need to retype
*   No other software required
*   Create and save color menus of any size or style including table tents
*   Special Culinary Dictionary and spell-checker, including foreign languages
*   Add your restaurant logo and choose from hundreds of clip art images and backgrounds
*   Plus! Version has additional fonts
*   Plus! Version has a feature for creating PDFs for use on website, e-mailing, etc.
*   Add-Ons for Menu Design Illustrations and Food Photos CD

Add wit and personality to your menus with Menu Design Illustrations.   Included on this CD are 60 vibrant original illustrations** of foods and hospitality themes drenched with intensely colored ink.


Photos are the perfect addition to menu program.     Included on this CD are 100 culinary photographs* of the highest quality,   from inviting ingredients
to tools of the trade.

Each photo image comes in 6 variations including original photo, watercolor, drop shadow, charcoal, sepia, and menu background (600 images total).
All images are color corrected and background free.     Simply place the images on your menu using the program.
** All 60 illustrations come in both color and black and white as well as 6 additional variations including watermark,
quad color, aged, sepia, grayscale, and web-ready GIF format (480 images total.)
Print images are color corrected, and background free.     Web images are transparent GIF format.

More Over-Sized Illustrations

Your Desktop       Food Item Dialog Box       Menu Heading Dialog Box

Preferences       Menu Header       Menu Footer       Category

Hi-Light Options       Price Options       Symbol Options

Menu Border       Background       Heading Artwork

PDF Preferences   (Plus! Version Only)

Online Help

File Menu Bar       Edit Menu Bar       View Menu Bar       Design Menu Bar       Tool Menu Bar

Professional Evaluation

    As a professional programmer, I find the software product to be as promoted in the testimonials :   excellent.     The things that I would improve upon are menu samples.     The product provides only one very simple menu with half a dozen items in two categories.     The author should provide complex menu designs as well as a variety of styles.

    Other (minor) issues relate to the dialog boxes for styles and backgrounds.     Many of the backgrounds, I would not recommend.     That is why I also ordered the two above CDs for more flexibility and variety for food photos and illustrations that work with the product.     The background dialog provides a preview of each graphic file while the styles dialog utilizes a common pop-up list.     Pop-up list are fine for short list, but for a hundred styles, no.     And, there is no preview of the style which may be a complicated issue that I do not understand the limitations of.

    The manual and online help are as advertised, brief.     It would be nice where the basis of style definitions and background graphic files is by "name" that they have a print-out in the manual and/or the online help.     Another possibility, for constructive improvements, would be to have the various backgrounds grouped by type of restaurant from fast-food to seafood to fine dining, etc.

    Most of the testimonials were given by veteran computer users.     I feel that the novice computer user should review the manual and get some ideas of the integrated functionality to be found in all the dialog boxes and better understand how powerful the product is.     If I lost you in that term, dialog box, here are a couple of examples found in the product:   Food Item   and   Menu Heading.   Otherwise, because of the inherent power and control the product provides the designer, it could be intimidating.     (That's a good thing -- many products are feature-less.)

    My order arrived on Saturday, and it was missing the Illustrations CD.     I immediately emailed the vendor which was closed on the weekend, evidently.     Monday morning, my computer had an appology email sent to me and "Next Day Air," I received the CD.     Very good service .. excellent !

    As I learn more about the product, I will add to my comments here.     As for the two CDs, I have only installed the Food Photo CD and haven't even cracked the seal on the Illustrations CD, but I will be speaking more on their content and value to purchase.     My past experience, though, says "get the food photos."     (1)   They are royalty-free for use anywhere you like, as often as you want.     Some restaurant owners that I have talked with, do not like using cuisine photos that do not represent their offerings.     That is understandable, but we aren't talking about presenting lasagne and you are a steak house.

    My professional opinion, is the more royalty-free photos that I can have in my inventory, the easier it is to produce Specials Menus, or flyers.     The product is terrific and makes me wish that I was in the business versus computer industry.     It is very efficient and will save you not only time, but professional image each and every style will provide you effortlessly.

What size menu can I create with?
Any size. 8.5x11, 8.5x14, 11x17, A4, A5, or any custom size - whatever paper size your printer can handle.

What style of menu can I create with?
Any style. From fine dining to carry-out, elegant to casual, formal to children's, and everything in between.

Can I also print daily specials menus?
Absolutely -- excelling at specials menus because it keeps all of your food items in a list.     When you're ready to create your specials menu, you simply select from the list; there's no need to retype anything.

What kind of printer do I need?
Any printer that is compatible with Windows will work.     It could be color, black & white, ink jet, or laser. The better printer you have, the better your menus will look.

Can I take my menu output to Kinko's
instead of using my own printer?
Yes*, if you purchase Plus! Version, you can convert any menu into a PDF file which can be taken to Kinko's or your local print shop.     *The standard version does not offer PDF capability.

How can I put my restaurant logo on my menu?
If you have a scanner attached to your computer, you probably already know how to do that.     Otherwise, just about any print shop or computer retailer will scan your logo for you for a few dollars
and give you a logo file that you can then use with the program.

Do I need to learn complicated word-processing commands to use it?
No.     The program was designed from the ground up to free you from the drudgery of complicated word-processing and desktop publishing commands.     It does not use or require any type of word-processor or desktop publisher.

Can I use my own fonts and clip art with it?
Yes.     You can use any font that is installed on your computer and the program lets you use all of the most popular forms of clip art.

Can I export my Menus to use on my Web site?
Yes.     The program contains an HTML export and the Plus! Version allows you to convert any menu
into a PDF menu file which can then be uploaded to your web site.

How much hard disk space on my computer do I need to install?
The minimum requirement is 13 MB of available hard disk space.
(Full installation requires 215 MB of available hard disk space.)

Is the software guaranteed?
Yes.     If not 100% satisfied with the product, you can return it within 30 days for a full refund.
No questions asked!

Do you offer technical support if I have a question after receiving my software?
Yes.     Unlimited no-charge support is available from support specialists
for all current versions of their software.

Is there a network version?
No.     The Program has not been designed to be used by multiple users, at the same time, on a network.

Will the program work on a Mac?
Yes!     With the introduction of Apple's Boot Camp, you can now run Windows XP programs, including this program, on a Mac.

#1 Frequently Asked Question Why use it instead of a word processor?     Because the program is vastly easier and quicker than using a word processor for menu design.     And, it already includes restaurant menu styles and graphics, so all you have to do is make choices from a list rather than start from scratch.     The big difference between the program and word processors or professional layout software is that it separates menu text from the style and layout so they can change independently.     Your menu text (item names, prices, descriptions) goes into a database.     Once there, when you click a button to select a style (formal, fun, metro, country, Mexican, etc.), the menu instantly changes into the new style.     Similarly, just click a button to select a format (2-panel, 4-panel, etc.) and the menu is instantly rearranged.     Though, it can instantly do all the style and formatting work for you (and save you hundreds of hours), you can manually make changes such as inserting art and borders (supplied with the program or purchased separately) and add your logo and custom graphics.

 
Testimonials

"After 25 years in the food service business, and trying probably every type of food service software available, yours is by far the most efficient, easy to use menu system that I have ever seen."

"Wow, not only was I pleased but my customers were blown away!     With my color printer I was able to run off enough copies that the savings on color printing costs alone paid for my printer."

"I purchased ABC about a year ago and have already created two restaurant menus, a take out menu, lounge menu, specials menus and tent cards, etc.     It paid for itself the first menu we created. I thought I would also let you know that our restaurant menu won first place
in our provincial restaurant association menu competition*."

"I've been an Executive Chef for over 20 Years and I've struggled with many a software program and have paid thousands of dollars to printing companies
and nothing even comes CLOSE to the menus I've created with ABC.
The owners and I are grateful for such a dynamite restaurant menu tool."

"I have been using ABC for over 10 years.     I used to have a company make my menus for
my family owned Italian restaurant.     Each year I change my menu and this has been very helpful
to adjust my menus.     ABC has saved me a lot of time and money."

"In the past ten years, ABC has been a lifesaver.     In addition to our house menu, the software allows me to produce my daily lunch specials as tent cards on the tables and weekly dinner specials that are inserted in our house menu.     I design a weekly specials page that is faxed to local businesses that includes upcoming events and notices.     Banquet and take-out menus are produced in a tri-fold format for display and easy mailing.     The menus look professional
and the program is, needless to say, cost efficient."

"I would like to let you know how much I like your product, ABC.     It is not often that you get a software product that does everything that it promises. Yours is different, it provides MORE!"

"In a matter of a couple of hours, ABC was in place and actually being used.
My whole staff now uses it with ease."

"We have been using your program for a little more than a year now.     We use it for our fine dining restaurant with very good results.     It allows our very creative kitchen staff to ‘strut their stuff’, and the only expense is for the paper.     It also allows us to add or delete items on the fly, which allows us to take advantage of food specials or items available on a very seasonal basis"

"I'm writing to tell you how much we appreciate the ABC program that we purchased last year.
It is the responsibility of the advanced students to develop a new menu each quarter.
ABC has given us a wonderful tool to accomplish this menu task."

"We utilize the program in our Menu Planning class and in our restaurant operation, XYZ at Community College of ABC.     The students in the class, after only one hour of demonstration,
are able to get on-line with the program and begin producing professional quality menus.
The ABC program allows us to produce new menus, menu cards, wine lists and table menus
to use in our restaurant operation that can be changed daily or even from one meal period
to the next, and at a fraction of the cost of a professional printer."

"Let me start off by saying that I've been using my computer with PageMaker to typeset my menus for the past 6 years.     Although PageMaker is a great program for all around desktop publishing, your program by far is the best and easiest to use for menus.     I received your ABC software by Fedex around 11:00 a.m. Monday and after loading it on my computer I had all my menu items typed in and had half my eat-in menu laid out by 3:00 p.m., and I never even used the user guide."

"Congratulations!     I think ABC is a well written, easy to use, and easy to understand piece of software.     I was able to load it, read the documentation, and re-create our menu in short order."

"We have been using ABC for four years now and are very pleased with its performance.     In fact, we are so pleased with it we are teaching it to our students in Culinary Arts."

Reviews

"... the best thing about ABC is that you don't have to be a "computer guru" to use it.
The software offers a generous portion of predefined menu styles that can be used as they are,
or modified to suit your own palate.     It's virtually impossible to not create a design
that reflects your restaurant's personality."

"...It helps to keep the style and nature of your menus consistent and allows you to manipulate
the menu items and prices as needed without having to retype the pages over and over again.     ABC also allows you the flexibility that any one of your staff can prepare the daily specials
or menu changes without help from you."

"...Some important features of this program include versatility, flexibility, very little formatting activity, a good collection of food clip art, excellent collection of food photos in color
and black & white, user friendly, and minimal learning time needed.
It is extremely easy to learn and use. ..
One can change from a country western style to French cafe style with one stroke
without ever having to worry about formatting."

"...This is a marvelous software package that anyone who wants to create in-house menus
should consider purchasing.     It is user friendly and easy to use.
If I were rating software with stars, I would give ABC a five star rating."

"This program is compatible with Microsoft Windows and comes with type styles
and artwork to create attractive menus in color.
No other software is needed to run ABC.
It has recently been released on CD-ROM.

After entering your food and drink items into a list, you use your computer's mouse to drag individual items over to a picture of your menu that's on the screen.
The menu entries are formatted and spaced automatically by the program.
On the screen, you can quickly move from one of the pre-styled designs to another design
(without retyping) so that you can compare and choose the design that looks best.

Logos and other artwork can be inserted into the program
and when printed on fancy papers using a high-quality printer, menus created are indistinguishable from print-shop menus."

"...ABC is a fun, intuitive program that could provide a quick-and-dirty solution to a pivotal problem -- how to make a menu look good, when you don't have time to develop a second career as a graphic designer.     We found this program easy to install and easy to use.
Estimated learning curve without cracking the slim user's manual:   20 minutes.
If you cheat and crack the manual, you can pare it to 15 minutes."

    As a professional software developer and consultant since 1981, and a consultant and vendor for American Honda Motor Company in Torrance, California since 1985, I had a desk in their Office Automation Department for the first seven years where I had the opportunity to provide computer users at the college-like campus headquarters with publishing expertise; introducing fonts in the days of DOS operating systems and crude publishing tools from the earliest versions of such leading software products as PageMaker and Arts & Letters.

    One of the many tasks that I provided technical expertise for was evaluating software products.     At this stage of my career (or "cruise-control" retirement,) a software product that utilized to the max the database concept and this product author has seeked protection under federal patent laws for such methods as formatting the menu output.

    And, as a software developer of many "power tools" for professional and amateur programmers myself, I take comfort in knowing that I do well by my clients -- even if it doesn't come from me!

    After all, at my age, I don't expect to be able provide high-end technical support for many more years and desire to have my clients self-sufficient.     The ability to perform design task and ease of printing the composition, as a programmer, I am lost for words to impress on you the capability value.

    As a professional in technical support, it is suggested that anyone should purchase the full Plus! version with the additional design illustrations and food photos to maximize the benefit in design capabilities.

    Html method of publishing menus online has very few benefits and many limitations when it comes to printing those menu pages and the embedded conversion methods of the software product make it a winner whether you are a proficient technical expert or a novice computer user.
    And now, for the unexpected.     If you read through this entire evaluation of the software and those issues associated with the website version, you know that I feel the "ultimate online menu" is not based on PDF file format.

    On the Web, you do not have any space limitations that you have on paper.     You do not have an issue to "make it fit."     Yes, it's nice to have a software product that separates data (placed in a database file) from style sheet, motif.

    Any publisher worth his weight will take a table menu, produce an index, ie, table of content of the various sections and split it into printable pages with the exact same motif.

    Whether you are changing descriptions, or pricing, it doesn't matter.     If the publisher does not have the expertise to quickly perform these tasks, I'd say they aren't a senior type.     In fact, I would expect someone that makes daily specials to be able to quickly assemble a "Days Special" sheet with minimal effort.

    Like I was saying, have both is ultimate because of all the efficiencies that the software product provides you in (print) publishing.     The Internet opens many advantages and PDF isn't one of them, in my professional opinion.

     

    Please give me a call at your earliest convenience.

    We are here to help .. (702) 363-3290

    Integrating your Advertising Campaign Online/Offline