Frequently Asked Questions

• Why buy from the Menu Shoppe?

  We're a family company, started by our late patriarch Marvin Doerfler in 1972. Marvin grew up in a multiple-generation family of New York City restaurant supply and menu-printing professionals, and if you've heard of a fancy-schmancy New York City restaurant from the 1930s into the 1990s, chances are diners were ordering from menus produced and printed by a Doerfler. 

  Our current owners are Marvin's wife and their sons, along with a smattering of in-laws and friends. We're a close-knit family, an ohana, where no one gets left behind -- or unscathed for that matter -- and a life-celebrating mishpacha. 

  But most of all, we believe in friendly service and quality products at the lowest possible prices. 

  We guarantee the life of our menu covers.  On most product pages on our web site you will find our estimate of the use life of our cover before it starts to show signs of wear.

  If your cover shows premature wear we will replace it at a pro-rated cost. (If your covers last half the time we estimate, we replace them for half the cost. If your covers last two thirds the life we estimate, we'll replace them for two thirds the cost.) Burn marks from being held too close to an open flame, shriveling due to covers accidently put through the dish washer, covers left out in the rain, or similar events are not covered, of course. We're generous, but not crazy..

  So in a nutshell, we've got:

  • Best quality at competitive prices = guaranteed best values for you.
  • Awesome family vibes and a true commitment to eating, drinking and selling great menu covers and other products.
  • We offer a large selection of styles, colors and sizes.
  • Custom sizes available at no extra cost.
  • We stand behind our products and will bend over backwards to make it right.
• How long will my menu covers last?

  Our covers are custom made in the United States. They should last as long or longer than any other menu covers being sold on the internet today. The length of time they will actually last will depend on how often they're used and how well you take care of them.

  Deluxe Cafe and Semi-Rigid Cafe Menu Covers with vinyl binding and clear inside pockets should last 1 1/2 to 2 years. Click here to find out more about our menu covers and why we can make this claim.

  Fine Dining Menu Covers, Binders and Holders, with or without padding, made of washable, heavy duty material with turned and finished edges should last 2 to 5 or more years with regular use. "Value boxes" on our website give you estimated lifespans for each specific material.

  Pad N Seal menu covers made of heavy duty vinyl should last about the same length of time, however the clear inside pockets may start to crack after a year, depending on how often you change your paper menu inserts and how heavy the usage to which the menu cover is subjected. This is not recommended as a full service menu cover.

  Crystal clear, heat sealed menu covers are perfect for 'special' menus for after hours, at the bar, weekends, etc., where frequent changes make lamination impractical. They are NOT recommended for heavy duty use. You should expect to have some seam tears now and then and have to replace a few of them every four to six months. The extra rigid covers should last twice as long.
• What are your credit terms?

  Terms: Our prices are FOB from our factory and do not include shipping/freight costs, which are paid by the customer. We accept PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. We can provide instructions for ACH or fed wire payments from banks in the United States.

  We can only accept PayPal payments for US shipping addresses.

  We collect sales tax in California and Georgia.

  We offer credit terms of net 30 days (from order) to firms who have previously established credit with us and placed at least one pre-paid order. Please contact us by phone or email to inquire. "Net 30" means the later of 30 days from the date of order or seven days from the date of shipping.
• When can I expect my order?

  All quoted turnaround times are estimates and not guarantees.

  IN-STOCK items are generally marked as such and ship within 1-3 business days from our Georgia warehouse.

  QUICK-SHIP items are generally marked as such and ship within 4-6 business days from our New Jersey factory (in some cases, orders are fulfilled from other distribution centers, all in the USA).

  MADE-TO-ORDER items generally take 15-20 business days to produce in our New Jersey factory. If your order contains an art imprint, this time starts once your art proof has been sent to you, has been approved, AND all materials necessary to complete the order are at the factory.  Art proofs usually take 5-7 business days.

  Some important exceptions:
  Clear spiral covers usually ship in 5-7 business days.
  Deluxe sewn-edge covers usually ship in 14-18 business days.
  Items made with natural cork, genuine leather, metal, faux ostrich, or wood usually ship in 18-22 business days.
  PAJCO covers usually ship in about 30 business days.

  Made-to-order items are produced in a first in/first out fashion, scheduled by our New Jersey factory's production manager on a weekly basis. Importantly, note that orders are not put into the production queue until art is proofed AND all materials are at the factory. Although we try to accommodate each business’s unique situation and communicate those needs with our scheduler, our sales manager is not able to make an order skip the line.

  Please note: if you cancel or change an order after production has begun, we cannot issue refunds, and we may be unable to modify your order.

  Shipping

  We ship to all U.S. and Canadian street addresses via UPS. This includes AK and HI, PR and other U.S. territories.

  We CANNOT ship to post office boxes or outside of the U.S. and Canada.

  We ship by UPS Ground in the U.S. and UPS Standard in Canada, unless otherwise requested at time of checkout (other methods do cost more and menus can be heavy). Time in transit will vary by distance from our shipping location.

  Customs fees into Canada are the responsibility of the customer and are generally collected by UPS at delivery. Delays caused by CBSA are uncommon but do occur and are beyond the control of The Menu Shoppe, Inc. or UPS.

  Note that payment for an expedited shipping service has no impact on production or shipping times, only on the time the items take to be shipped from our factory to you.
• How do I send artwork?
  What are your turnaround times for orders containing a personalized imprint?

  If you have already read the following guidelines, you may submit artwork using our online form. Or you may send art files to sales@menushoppe.com

  How to Supply Art for Personalized Imprints

  We require art submissions electronically.  Vector file formats are highly preferred (Adobe Illustrator or EPS) but we can work with PDF, PNG and TIFF files much of the time.  Any text should be outlined in vectored form; please include the name of the font or other identifying information, if applicable.

  Proofs

  We will provide a digital proof of your order for approval.  This can take 5 to 7 business days, depending on our order volume and the complexity of your design. Note that production does not begin until you approve the proof, so the art process will add to the production turnaround time. 

  It is very important that you look at this proof carefully. 

  Custom orders are produced solely based on the details of a proof we send for your approval. Once you approve a proof, you assume all applicable costs associated with changes, corrections or replacements if the product matches the specifications of that proof, including material, size, configuration, art or text. This is regardless of any other written or verbal communication between us before or after proof approval.

  Production Times

  All quoted production times are estimates and not guarantees.

  Depending on the material, order volume (which fluctuates over the course of the year), holidays, and other factors, production times vary widely, usually from 15 to 20 business days, but longer for certain materials (more information for specific products are provided on the product pages and here) and longer when our factory has to order from our distributor one or more of the materials in your order, as some materials are custom dyed and/or ordered only on an as-needed basis.

  Made to order menu covers are produced in a first in/first out fashion, scheduled by our New Jersey factory's production manager on a weekly basis.  Note that for orders with art imprints, orders are not put into the production queue until art is proofed AND all materials are at the factory.  Although we try to accommodate each business’s unique situation and communicate those needs with our scheduler, our sales manager is not able to make an order skip the line.

  Please note: if you cancel or change an order after production has begun, we cannot issue refunds, and we may be unable to modify your order.

  Expedited Shipping

  Note that payment for an expedited shipping service has no impact on production times, only on the time the items take to be shipped from our factory to you.

  Submit artwork using our online form here.
• How can I order a sample?

  Samples of most of our products are available. Call Our Customer Service Department at 888-222-7796 opt. 1 or email sales@menushoppe.com and we will be happy to help find the right menu cover for you. Our selection of samples might not include the exact size, color or configuration you have in mind, but we should be able to help you see the general look, feel and quality of our products.

  For some (but not all) materials we have swatch decks available. We charge a $25 deposit to ship you one of these, refundable when you return the deck to us.

  Custom Samples

  We understand that before placing a large custom order, you might need to see the finished product. We can produce and sell you a single sample. In addition to the price of the item, shipping, and applicable art fees, you pay a service fee of $25 for sewn edge, $50 for most case-bound and Dynasty products, and $75 for wood, metal and leather. 

  If you place an order for 50 or more covers within 90 days of receiving the sample, the service fee will be credited toward the order (and you won't re-pay any art fees if you use the same, unchanged logo). 

  Note that normal production times apply, however -- both for the production of the sample and for the subsequent order.
• What are your hours?

  Our website is open 24/7/365.

  We are a family-run business. Members of our family share roles, some on a part-time basis. We all strive to give excellent and friendly customer service. One or more of us is working on most business days. Our phones are answered by a short auto-attendant message, but if you press 1 for sales or 2 for the business office, there's a good chance your call between 11am and 5pm on weekdays will be live answered. If you get voicemail, expect a return call  by the next business day. 

  Emails are usually answered by the next business day.
• Where do you ship?

  We ship to all U.S. and Canadian street addresses via UPS. This includes AK and HI, PR and other U.S. territories.

  We CANNOT ship to post office boxes or outside of the U.S. and Canada.

  We ship by UPS Ground in the U.S. and UPS Standard in Canada, unless otherwise requested at time of checkout (other methods do cost more and menus can be heavy). Time in transit will vary by distance from our shipping location.  

  Customs fees into Canada are the responsibility of the customer and are generally collected by UPS at delivery. Delays caused by CBSA are uncommon but do occur and are beyond the control of The Menu Shoppe, Inc. or UPS.

  Note that payment for an expedited shipping service has no impact on production or shipping times, only on the time the items take to be shipped from our factory to you.