A practical approach for coffee shops
A coffee-shop menu has a practical job: show someone what to order while they are standing in line. Give the café name its own character, but build the drinks list around repeated positions for names, sizes, and prices. Milk options and extra shots need a consistent place, too.
Try Outfit for headings and DM Sans for drink descriptions and ordering details. Use the same heading treatment on the menu board, takeaway cup, and website. Reserve decorative lettering for the name or a short seasonal feature; a long list of customizations needs more restrained type.
Vision research shows that readable print depends on apparent letter size and viewing distance. Legge & Bigelow (2011) A menu that looks comfortable on your laptop still needs a test from the back of the queue.
Build your comparison with actual drink names rather than a perfect short sample. Check a large order, a decaf option, and an alternative-milk surcharge. The right system should keep your shop’s personality while giving customers a clear path through the everyday choices.
Menu-board viewing distance
Build a menu proof at the size and distance customers will encounter. Put drink categories in clear sections and let names and prices repeat in the same positions. Test the largest category and the longest drink name before deciding that the board has enough room.
Drink sizes and customization hierarchy
Choose whether prices are listed by size or attached to each drink, then apply that decision consistently. Group milk choices and extra shots separately from the core drinks. Use ordinary text for these small but useful details instead of making every line another decorative headline.
Cup branding and online ordering
A takeaway sleeve needs less information than an ordering page. Carry the same name treatment across both, but give the phone page enough room for a selected size and customizations. Check the drink total and ordering instructions with realistic content.
Check before you commit
From the expected queue position, ask readers to find a drink, its largest size, and one surcharge.
Research behind the advice
These font pairs are editorial recommendations. The cited studies did not test these specific combinations. Business applications are design advice, not measured promises of sales or bookings.