Design tips · Banners
Banners that bring people in.
What to put on the banner outside your restaurant, how big to make the text, which material to choose and how to hang it so it handles wind and sun.
A good outdoor restaurant banner says who you are and what you serve in a few words, uses big letters with strong contrast, shows one great food photo, and is printed on outdoor PVC or mesh with eyelets so it can be fixed securely.
1. Give the banner one job
Before you design anything, decide the one thing the banner has to do: tell people you are there, show what you serve, or push one offer. A banner that tries to say everything ends up being read by no one. People walking past give it a couple of seconds, and drivers even less.
2. Choose the right type of banner
| Type | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| PVC vinyl banner | Façades, railings and fences; long-term outdoor use | Fix it tight with eyelets, because it catches the wind |
| Mesh banner | Windy spots, large sizes and high positions | Lets air through; colours and fine detail look slightly softer |
| Roll-up banner | Entrances, indoors or sheltered spots | Not made for wind or rain |
| Pavement A-board | Daily specials and the menu at the door | Check that you are allowed to place it on the pavement |
| Feather flag | Being noticed from further down the street | Room for only a few words |
Many restaurants combine two: a large banner on the façade so people know what you are, and a flag or A-board at street level to catch people walking by. See our feather flags and banners.
3. Write less than you think
- Your name or logo.
- What you serve, in a few words, for example “Shawarma · Falafel · Grill”.
- One reason to come in: a signature dish, takeaway or delivery.
- A way to see the menu or reach you: a WhatsApp number or a QR code.
Opening hours, full menus and long lists of dishes belong on the menu board or the window, not on the banner.
4. Make it readable from a distance
A common sign-industry rule of thumb is about 2.5 cm of letter height for every 3 metres of viewing distance for strong impact.
| Viewing distance | Letter height for strong impact |
|---|---|
| 3 m (walking past) | about 2.5 cm |
| 15 m (across the street) | about 12–13 cm |
| 30 m (from a car) | about 25 cm |
Use light text on a dark background or dark text on a light one, and simple, bold fonts. Thin script fonts look elegant up close but disappear from across the road. More on this in our shop sign design tips.
5. Use one great food photo
One large, sharp photo of your best dish does more than ten small ones. Use a real photo of your own food, taken in good light. Check that it is big enough: banners are seen from further away than flyers, so around 100–150 dpi at full size is usually enough, but a small photo saved from social media will look blurry when it is stretched to a metre wide. Keep your logo and text as vector artwork so they stay sharp at any size. Our print file checklist covers the rest.
6. Add a QR code people can actually scan
A QR code can take people straight to your menu, your WhatsApp or your directions. A common rule of thumb is that a QR code scans from about ten times its width, so a 20 cm code works from around 2 metres. Place it near eye level, print it dark on a light background and test it with two phones before printing. You can make one with your logo in our free QR code generator.
7. Plan how it will be hung
- Eyelets at the corners and along the edges keep the banner tight. Larger banners need more of them.
- Keep text and logos away from the edges so eyelets and ties do not cut through them.
- Measure the space and the fixing points before the design starts, so the artwork is made to the exact size.
- Strong sun fades print over time. Ask for outdoor-grade material and inks for a banner that stays up all year.
8. Check what is allowed
In Malta, banners and signs on a building or in a public area may need permission from the Planning Authority or the local council, and some streets and historic areas have extra rules. Check before you print, especially for a large banner that will stay up long term.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Short answers to common questions. Have another one? Message us on WhatsApp.
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