Read from DB or Text File for menu?

[wxdqz]

I currently have a registration page which has a drop down menu that is populated from a MySQL database. My problem is that now I have to add an additional 3 menus in the same manner. I think my SQL query would look something like this...is this correct?"SELECT * FROM table1, table2, table3, table4";Someone suggested that instead of connecting to the DB for the menus to just read from a text file. My question is, which is the most efficient way, DB or Text file? Second, I've never read from a text file, can someone give a sample script to populate a menu from text file or provide a link where I can find an example. Thanks.