Summary:
- Print materials like drink coasters, counter cards and keg collars are great ways to promote your bar or restaurant.
- Creating a clean and concise design can help you highlight new menu items, special offers, upcoming events, and more. Use an eye-catching yet readable font, add your company name and logos, and make sure to include a call to action like a QR code or website URL.
- When you’re finished with your design using a free Canva account, submit your files to Little Rock Printing™ for professional printing. We offer in-house printing services, custom order sizes with no minimums, and can send you a free proof before you submit your full order.
Print marketing is super important in the restaurant industry. From menus and counter cards, to drink coasters and keg collars, various print materials are vital for bars and restaurants to provide relevant info to customers.
These print products should grab your customer’s attention and tell them about new products, promotions, upcoming events and more. They’re meant to not only attract new and repeating customers, but also showcase your bar or restaurant’s values, character and personality.
At Little Rock Printing™, there’s no print job too large or small to fit your business needs. Take a look at the print materials our team of experts recommend for your bar or restaurant, plus tips on how to custom design them for the highest-quality print.
Drink Coasters, Counter Cards & Keg Collars
Drink Coasters
Drink coasters are a must for any bar or restaurant. You set drinks down on them to protect the surface of your table or bar top—but that’s not all! Your drink coasters can also work as an advertisement for your business.
To use coasters to market your business, include your
- Company logo
- Slogan
- URL (or a QR code) to your website
Many customers will take a coaster home with them after they visit, basically turning it into a business card. Another option is to promote an upcoming event or feature a new drink on tap.
Counter Cards
Counter cards are small, self-standing displays typically placed on tables, bar tops or at the register of a restaurant. These are typically designed to be eye-catching and raise awareness about things like:
- Special menu items
- Happy hour specials
- Upcoming events
You can also add a QR code for customers to scan and peruse the menu online.
Keg Collars
Keg collars are a valuable sales tool that are often overlooked. Made of cardstock, keg collars attach to the neck of a keg and provide essential information to wholesalers and retailers. There are specific details that must be included by law (or are highly recommended to include) like:
- Package size
- Brewery or restaurant name and address
- Government alcohol warning
- ABV: Alcohol by Volume
- Beer or cider flavor/style
- Production date/batch code
- Keg pressure warning
A keg collar is also an opportunity to showcase your bar or restaurant’s personality. Just because the collar has to include some important details, doesn’t mean you can’t add in your brand’s colour scheme, logo, company name and other marketing elements.
Need other print marketing essentials for your restaurant or bar? Check these out:
Best Practices for Designing & Printing
Now that you know what each print material type is used for, it’s time to think about how you want to design them and get them print-ready for the best product possible. Our Little Rock Printing™ experts have compiled a list of design and print considerations to keep in mind for your next project:
- Visual Appeal: Eye-catching and visually appealing designs are more likely to grab your customer’s attention. Use colours, images and typography that resonate with your brand and message. Be sure to also allow for extra white space around your design so the product doesn’t feel too crowded.
- Clarity: Make sure the message is easy to understand. Clear and concise communication is crucial, as customers may only glance at your drink coaster or counter card for a few seconds.
- Consistency: It’s important to present a unified brand image across all your printed materials. Be consistent with your brand’s identity by using the same logo, font and colour scheme as your bar or restaurant.
- Call to Action: An effective design should encourage the customer to take a specific action, whether it’s trying a new menu item, putting a future event on their calendar or checking out your website. Adding a QR code is a great way to make the product actionable on the spot.
- Ready to Print: When you’re ready to print your product, be sure to save it as a print-friendly file like PDF. Remember to also crop marks and bleeds, flatten the PDF and opt for CMYK colours.
Designing with Canva
We highly recommend using Canva to design any print products your bar or restaurant needs. It’s easy to use and it’s free! Just create your free account and click the “Sign Up” button in the upper-right corner.
Here are some basic details on how to use Canva to design your product:
- Choose a Canva template for your print product type or choose from one of our Little Rock Printing™ templates. If you’re not using a template, be sure to follow the recommended minimum and maximum size recommendations:
- Drink Coasters: Width and height min 2”, max 6”
- Counter Cards: Width min 4”, max 36”; height min 6”, max 36”
- Keg Collars: We offer two keg collar template sizes at 6×6” and 6.5×6.5”.
- Add/edit basic design elements like text boxes, fonts, colours and the background.
- Insert hi-res images (300 dpi or better), graphics, logos or a QR code.
- Review your work, double-check for typos, errors and inconsistencies.
- Save and download your design as a PDF Print in Canva.
- Submit to Little Rock Printing™ for a high-quality print!
Real-World Examples
Need some inspiration for your bar or restaurant? Take a look at some eye-catching design options we printed in house.
These 2-sided drink coasters for Bronc Beer represent the product through a clear and concise design by sticking to the brand’s colours and including the logo, company name and slogan. The sides of the coasters also include the company’s website and social media handle.
These keg collar examples for Banded Peak Brewing represent two of the brewery’s beer options. Along with the legal details, the keg collars feature bold background colors, sharp graphics and plenty of empty space to allow the design to breathe.
Let Little Rock Printing™ Handle All Your Essential Print Material Needs
We’re here to bring all your printing essentials to life. To ensure high-quality products, send your finalized PDF to our team. Contact the Little Rock Printing™ experts here and check out the FAQ section below if you want more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does My Business Need Drink Coasters, Counter Cards, & Keg Collars?
In short, yes! Print materials, like drink coasters, counter cards and keg collars, are a great way to market and promote your business and/or menu items. Here are a few ideas on how you can use these types of print materials:
Drink Coasters:
- Display your bar or restaurant’s logo and name for brand awareness
- Feature a new drink or menu item to entice customers to try
Counter Cards:
- List weekly lunch or happy hour specials
- Provide a QR code for guests to check out the menu online
- Display new beer options on tap at the bar
Keg Collars:
- Provide important information regarding alcohol content, packaging date and more
- Promote your business by adding your company name, logo and social media handle
How Do I Order Proofs?
We don’t require a minimum order size, but you can order a single copy with the code “FREEPROOF” at checkout. We’ll send a sample of your design for free, so you can see what it looks like and make any necessary changes or adjustments before submitting your larger order.
Where Does Little Rock Printing™ Ship To?
Our print materials ship anywhere in Canada! Shipping charges are calculated at checkout, based on your address and delivery type:
- Canada Ground Shipping (4-5 days): $9.99
- Canada Express Post (2-3 days): $19.99
- Purolator Express (1-2 day): $24.99
- Calgary City Limits (+1 Day): $9.99
- Calgary Curbside Pickup: FREE
Can I Set Up An Account with Little Rock Printing™?
We love new and returning customers, and are happy to set up an account. You can pay as you go online, keep a card on file or apply for credit. You can request a credit application at [email protected].
