diff --git a/docs/labwc-theme.5.scd b/docs/labwc-theme.5.scd
index 6593728b..af431479 100644
--- a/docs/labwc-theme.5.scd
+++ b/docs/labwc-theme.5.scd
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ A theme consists of a themerc file and optionally some xbm icons.
 	Vertical padding size, used for spacing out elements in the window decorations.
 	Default is 3.
 
+*menu.items.padding.x*
+	Horizontal padding of menu text entries in pixels.
+	Default is 7.
+
+*menu.items.padding.y*
+	Vertical padding of menu text entries in pixels.
+	Default is 4.
+
 *menu.overlap.x*
 	Horizontal overlap in pixels between submenus and their parents. A
 	positive value move submenus over the top of their parents, whereas a
diff --git a/include/theme.h b/include/theme.h
index d8692349..35972481 100644
--- a/include/theme.h
+++ b/include/theme.h
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ struct theme {
 	float window_inactive_button_close_unpressed_image_color[4];
 	/* TODO: add pressed and hover colors for buttons */
 
+	int menu_item_padding_x;
+	int menu_item_padding_y;
+
 	float menu_items_bg_color[4];
 	float menu_items_text_color[4];
 	float menu_items_active_bg_color[4];
diff --git a/src/menu/menu.c b/src/menu/menu.c
index b27c6331..f02939ef 100644
--- a/src/menu/menu.c
+++ b/src/menu/menu.c
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
 #include "theme.h"
 
 #define MENUWIDTH (110)
-#define MENU_ITEM_PADDING_Y (4)
-#define MENU_ITEM_PADDING_X (7)
 
 /* state-machine variables for processing <item></item> */
 static bool in_item;
@@ -88,12 +86,12 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text, bool show_arrow)
 
 	if (!menu->item_height) {
 		menu->item_height = font_height(&rc.font_menuitem)
-			+ 2 * MENU_ITEM_PADDING_Y;
+			+ 2 * theme->menu_item_padding_y;
 	}
 	menuitem->height = menu->item_height;
 
 	int x, y;
-	int item_max_width = MENUWIDTH - 2 * MENU_ITEM_PADDING_X;
+	int item_max_width = MENUWIDTH - 2 * theme->menu_item_padding_x;
 
 	/* Menu item root node */
 	menuitem->tree = wlr_scene_tree_create(menu->scene_tree);
@@ -138,7 +136,7 @@ item_create(struct menu *menu, const char *text, bool show_arrow)
 		&rc.font_menuitem, theme->menu_items_active_text_color, arrow);
 
 	/* Center font nodes */
-	x = MENU_ITEM_PADDING_X;
+	x = theme->menu_item_padding_x;
 	y = (menu->item_height - menuitem->normal.buffer->height) / 2;
 	wlr_scene_node_set_position(menuitem->normal.text, x, y);
 	y = (menu->item_height - menuitem->selected.buffer->height) / 2;
diff --git a/src/theme.c b/src/theme.c
index f56ba8e5..5ae471ce 100644
--- a/src/theme.c
+++ b/src/theme.c
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ theme_builtin(struct theme *theme)
 	parse_hexstr("#dddad6", theme->menu_items_active_bg_color);
 	parse_hexstr("#000000", theme->menu_items_active_text_color);
 
+	theme->menu_item_padding_x = 7;
+	theme->menu_item_padding_y = 4;
+
 	theme->menu_separator_line_thickness = 1;
 	theme->menu_separator_padding_width = 6;
 	theme->menu_separator_padding_height = 3;
@@ -167,6 +170,12 @@ entry(struct theme *theme, const char *key, const char *value)
 	if (match(key, "padding.height")) {
 		theme->padding_height = atoi(value);
 	}
+	if (match(key, "menu.items.padding.x")) {
+		theme->menu_item_padding_x = atoi(value);
+	}
+	if (match(key, "menu.items.padding.y")) {
+		theme->menu_item_padding_y = atoi(value);
+	}
 	if (match(key, "menu.overlap.x")) {
 		theme->menu_overlap_x = atoi(value);
 	}