Placemats

Placemats are a simple addition that can tidy up a whole table setting. You lay them straight on the table under a single plate, so the table looks neater and it is easier to keep a consistent look that matches the character of the venue.

It is also a surface a guest naturally looks at during the meal. You can use it for the menu of the day, the lunch offer, a QR code to the full menu, a logo or artwork matched to the interior.

A placemat is a single-sheet item, easy to swap quickly between guests. It works wherever efficient service and a repeatable look for the tables matter: in restaurants, bars, cafés, bistros, hotels, canteens and seasonal venues. You change it along with the crockery and the place is ready for the next customer.

What you can use placemats for

A placemat can be practical, informative and promotional at the same time. The most common uses are:

• Protection and order on the table - the placemat helps protect the table top and gives the setting a tidier look, even when the venue is busy.
• The menu of the day and the lunch offer - you can put a short menu, the set of the day, dessert or drink suggestions or a seasonal offer on it. The guest sees the information before reaching for the full menu.
• A QR code to the menu online, bookings or Google reviews - scanning the code takes the customer to the food menu, a booking form or a review page.
• Promotion and communication - the offer of the week, a discount code, information about catering, a loyalty scheme, social media or opening hours.
• Seasonal and event artwork - separate designs for the summer, Christmas, Valentine's Day, a long weekend, the terrace, weekend brunches or a themed menu.
• A version for children - a colouring page, a maze, a puzzle or space for a drawing of their own. A version like that suits family restaurants, pizzerias, hotels and cafés visited by families with children.

Placemats can be used in restaurants, bars, cafés, bistros, hotel restaurants, canteens, pizzerias, burger bars, breakfast places, food courts and catering companies.

Which format to choose

The calculator offers two practical formats. It is best to match them to the size of your tables and plates and to the way you lay them.

• A3 297×420 mm - the classic rectangular placemat. It gives plenty of room for artwork, a logo, a short menu, a QR code or the offer of the day. It is a good version if the placemat is to be practical and informative at once. It works in restaurants, bars, bistros and canteens.
• 300×300 mm - a square, more compact format. It looks good with a modern, tidy setting. It suits cafés, hotels, breakfast places, burger bars and pizzerias, and simple, centred graphic compositions.

When choosing, look at the size of the table, the diameter of the plate and the distance between settings. If the placemat is to carry a good deal of information, A3 will be more convenient. If it is mainly there as an attractive addition, 300×300 mm may look better proportioned.

Which paper to choose

We print placemats on three papers, which differ in weight, surface and character.

• Offset 80 gsm - light and economical. It works on simple everyday placemats, larger runs and busy places where materials are changed very often. It suits bars, canteens, seasonal venues and restaurants built around fast service. The natural, uncoated surface is also good for writing and drawing on.
• Offset 120 gsm - thicker and more stable than offset 80 gsm, still with a natural, matt finish. It shows simple artwork, the menu of the day, the lunch offer, a QR code and information about the venue well.
• Coated 135 gsm - a smooth coated paper that reproduces colours, photographs and vivid backgrounds well. It is worth choosing when the placemat should work harder visually and be part of the brand identity. It suits restaurants, cafés, hotels and bistros.

If the placemats are changed often and are mainly there to protect the table, offset paper is the practical choice. When bold colours and a more advertising character matter more, coated 135 gsm works better.

For children's placemats meant for colouring or drawing, offset 80 gsm or 120 gsm will be more convenient.

Printing and finishing

Single-sided or double-sided printing is available.

• Single-sided - the most commonly chosen version. One side can carry artwork, a logo, the menu of the day, a QR code or a promotional message. For most uses that layout is quite enough.
• Double-sided - useful when the placemat should carry more information. One side can be the main layout under the plate and the other a short offer, a menu, information about an event, catering, a loyalty scheme or online ordering.

When designing a placemat, remember that part of it will be covered by the plate, the cutlery, a glass or a mug. The logo, the QR code, the menu of the day and other key information are best placed at the top, along the sides or in the corners, where they stay visible during the meal.

You can check the exact price and the surcharges for the versions you choose in the calculator above.

File check and graphic design

When you place the order you choose one of the file preparation options:

• No file check - the option for agencies, designers and anyone confident the design is technically correct. The file goes straight into production, with no further control.
• File check by a designer - we check the technical preparation of the design for print, including the format, bleed, safe distances, image quality, CMYK colours, how the file was saved and whether it meets our requirements. On placemats we also look at the legibility of the text and whether the key elements are set back from the edge.

The technical check is worth choosing especially if the design was prepared in Canva, an online generator, an office program, a presentation app or with AI tools. A file like that can look correct on screen and still need the format, bleed, CMYK, resolution or safe margins adjusted.

• Simple graphic design - if you have no file ready, send us your logo, the text, the menu, contact details, artwork, photographs and your basic guidelines. We will prepare a simple design matched to the format, paper and printing you chose.

The check by a designer is about technical matters, not the content. We do not check prices, dish names, descriptions, allergens, portion weights, dates, discount codes, QR codes, contact details, terms or whether the material complies with the regulations. The customer is responsible for the accuracy of that information.

How to prepare the file for print

• Format and colours - a PDF that follows our specification is best. We also accept good quality JPG and PNG files. Photographs and artwork should be at 300 dpi at 1:1 scale, and the design prepared in CMYK.
• Bleed and margins - if artwork runs to the edge of the placemat, add the right amount of bleed. Move the logo, text, QR code, prices, contact details, the menu of the day and other important elements away from the edge.
• Remember the plate - part of the design will be covered by the plate and the cutlery. The most important content is best placed at the top, along the sides or in the corners. The QR code should be large enough, high in contrast and somewhere easy to scan.
• Match the layout to the format - A3 gives more room, but a clear composition is still best. The 300×300 mm format goes well with a simple, centred layout. On designs for children it is worth using larger elements, clear outlines and leaving enough space for drawing.
• Check the details before sending - review the prices, dish names, promotions, whether the QR codes work, website addresses, phone numbers, social media, opening hours and event dates. Our site also has a dedicated section on preparing a design and on the mistakes made most often.