Whether you’re having a brunch buffet or a multicourse plated dinner, these let your guests know what they’re about to chow on and what choices they may have.

You may want your guests to be able to mull over their options if you’re giving them any. This is a more humane option over forcing an order-taker to give your guests their meal choices and then patiently wait for each of them to decide. A menu card is also an opportunity to give guests special information about the foods that you’ve chosen, like if certain eats are locally grown, organic, vegan or Kosher, for example.

Consider doing one larger menu card per table. Display it in a pretty picture frame in the middle, and it can enhance your centerpieces. Or consider laying a large one out with a note instructing your guests to pass it around. That’s a surefire way to get them talking!