Menu Design

ADA-Friendly Restaurant Menu Design

A menu should not require perfect vision, a new phone, or comfort with QR codes to use.

Guide

Practice Why it matters
Readable HTML menu Supports screen readers and search.
Good contrast Supports low-vision diners.
Keyboard navigation Supports users who do not use a mouse.
Text alternatives for images Makes photos understandable.
Printed fallback Supports diners who cannot use QR menus.

On long menu pages, WCAG expects a way to bypass repeated blocks such as navigation, which is why skip links and clear main-content landmarks matter. ADA guidance treats accessible digital communication as part of serving the public effectively, not just as a design preference. WCAG expects link purpose to be clear from the link text or surrounding context, so labels like "Lunch menu PDF" are stronger than "click here." WCAG 2.2 sets a 4.5:1 contrast minimum for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

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