Translate your menu
Add Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, or Dutch translations, review every field, and let diners switch languages on the public menu and in PDFs.
What translation does
MenuSquared can translate a menu into six languages: Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Dutch. Each language is a translation layer on top of your original text, not a separate copy of the menu. Add a language, review what came back, and publish. Diners get a language switcher on your public menu, and you can export a PDF in any language you've added.
Your menu's base language is whatever it's actually written in, English by default. Set it in Menu Settings, under Languages, if your menu is authored in something other than English: every translation is generated relative to the base, and the base itself is never touched by the translation tools.
Adding a language
- Open Menu Settings and find Languages, below Currency.
- Choose "+ Add language" and pick from the languages you haven't added yet.
- Wait a few seconds while it translates. Every menu name, section title, item name and description, promo card, and applicable template field is sent for translation in one pass, then saved as a new language row.
Each language costs 1 AI credit, drawn from the same shared pool as your other AI features. It's not Pro-gated: any plan can add languages using its normal credit allowance.
Only remove and re-add if you need to reset
Removing a language deletes that translation layer entirely. If you just want fresher text, use Regenerate instead of removing and re-adding, it does the same job without spending a second credit on a language you're about to recreate.
Reviewing and editing
Click the pencil icon on a language row to open the review dialog. It lists every translatable field, menu name, tagline, section titles, item names and descriptions, promo card copy, with your original text shown alongside an editable box for the translated version. Fix a word choice, tighten a description, or correct a dish name, then save. Your edits stay in place until you regenerate that language.
The editor canvas stays in your base language
The design canvas always renders your base language, it doesn't preview other languages as you build. The review dialog is where you check a translation's wording. To see it rendered in the actual template, view the published public menu and switch languages there, or export a PDF in that language.
Keeping translations current
Every language row shows a status chip: Up to date or Outdated. It goes outdated when you edit the base-language menu after generating that translation, a new item, a reworded description, a renamed section. An outdated translation keeps working exactly as before; nothing is hidden or blocked. The chip is just a signal that the base has moved on since you last translated.
Click Regenerate (the circular arrow) to re-translate against the current base text. This replaces the whole language layer, including any manual edits you made in the review dialog, so re-check the wording afterward if you'd previously fixed something by hand. Regenerating spends another credit.
If you add a new item and don't regenerate, it simply displays in the base language for that translation until you do, it isn't left blank.
What never gets translated
- Prices and currency never change between languages.
- Branding, your logo, colors, and fonts, stays identical across every language.
- Proper-noun dish and brand names are preserved during translation. "Margherita" and "Côte de Bœuf" stay as written, even inside a translated description, while the generic wording around them translates normally.
- Allergen and dietary labels translate automatically, without using a credit. The 14 EU allergen names and the dietary tags (Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Spicy) switch to the official term in the diner's selected language, hand-checked rather than AI-generated. The short badge codes (V, VG, GF, NF, HOT) stay as-is in every language.
A few other things to know: image export (PNG/JPG) renders the base language only, translated image exports are on our roadmap. V1 supports Latin-script languages only, the six listed above, so accented characters display correctly but non-Latin scripts aren't offered yet.
The diner toggle and PDF export
Once a menu has at least one added language, a small language switcher appears at the top of your public menu, showing a two-letter code for each available language. Diners tap to switch, the whole page, including allergen and dietary labels, re-renders in that language instantly, no reload.
When exporting a PDF, the Export panel shows a Language selector once more than one language is available. Pick any language you've added and the exported PDF renders fully in that language, ready to print for a specific market or table.
Tips & frequently asked questions
Can I preview a translation before diners see it?
The review dialog is the place to check wording field by field. The editor canvas doesn't render other languages, so to see a translation in the actual template layout, view the published menu link and switch languages there, or generate a PDF in that language.
Does regenerating keep my manual edits?
No. Regenerate re-translates the whole language from the current base text and replaces the existing layer, including anything you fixed by hand in the review dialog. If you only need to touch up a line or two, edit it directly in the review dialog instead of regenerating.
Will prices or my logo change with the language?
No. Prices, currency symbols, your logo, colors, and fonts are identical across every language, only text content translates.
What happens to a translation if I 86 an item?
An 86'd item drops out of every language the same way it drops out of the base menu, sold-out status isn't language-specific. Print still shows 86'd items, translated, per your 86 board settings.
Do I need Pro to add languages?
No. Translation isn't plan-gated, it just spends AI credits from your existing pool, 1 per language per generation, the same way descriptions or seasonal ideas do.