MENU PLANNING From design to evaluation 1 Rationale

MENU PLANNING From design to evaluation 1

Rationale Everything starts with the menu. The menu dictates much about how your operation will be organized and managed, the extent to which it meet its goals, and even how the building itself - certainly the interior - should be designed and constructed. 2

Objectives w To explain the importance of a menu w To explain the basic rules of menu planning w To identify factors to be considered when planning a menu w To identify constraints in menu planning w To plan and write a menu 3

Must Satisfy Guest Expectations w Reflect your guests’ tastes w Reflect your guests’ food preferences w Ascertain your guests’ needs 4

Must attain Marketing Objectives w Locations w Times w Prices w Quality w Specific food items 5

Must help to achieve Quality Objectives w Quality standards: flavor, texture, color, shape, flair, consistency, palatability, visual appeal, aromatic apparel, temperature w Nutritional concerns: low-fat, high-fiber diets, vegetarian 6

Must be Cost-Effective w Commercial financial restraints profit objectives w Institutional minimizing costs operational budget 7

Must be Accurate w Truth-in-menu laws exist in some localities, cannot mislabel a product n n “butter” must use butter not margarine “fresh” must be fresh, not fresh frozen “homemade” not purchased “ready-to-heat” “USDA Choice” actually “USDA Good” 8

Facility Layout/Design and Equipment w Space w Equipment available w Work flow w Efficiency 9

Available Labor w Number of Employees w Required Skills w Training Programs 10

Ingredients w Standard recipe w Availability of the ingredients required during the life span of the menu w Seasonal ingredients w Cost w Miscellaneous cost (flight charges, storage) 11

Marketing Implications w Social needs w Physiological needs w Type of service (fast food, leisure dinning) w Festival w Nutrition 12

Quality Levels and Costs w Guests’ expectation w Employees’ skills and knowledge w Availability of equipment w Specific ingredients w Food costs and selling prices 13

The Menu and the Food Service Operation 14

The Menu Dictates Production and Service Equipment Needs Tableside service w carving utensils, trolleys, gueridon, salad bowls, suzette pans, souffle dishes, soup tureens, large wooden salad bowl, rechaud, Voiture (heated cart for serving roasts) and. . . 15

The Menu Dictates Dining Space w A take-out sandwich or pizza operation would require no dining space and the amount of square feet required person would be minimal. w On the other hand, if a restaurant offers a huge salad buffet, dessert selection or an after-dinner trolley, wide aisles would be needed to allow guests ease of movement and moving of equipment. 16

How and When Items Must Be Prepared w To stimulate guest interest, the menu planner may offer a dish prepared in a variety of ways: n n Cooking methods Poached, broiled, batter-dipped, deep fried w The finished product must be prepared using the method indicated on the menu w Small quantities cooking (a la carte) w Batch cooking 17

The Menu and the Service Plan w w w w Type and size of dinnerware Types of flatware Garnishes (place be service or production staff) Timing requirement for ordering Additional dining service supplies to serve the item Special serving produces Special information (doneness of the steaks, over easy or sunny side eggs, etc. ) 18

Menu Design w First impression is always important, the entire menu should complement the operation - Theme - Interior Decor - Design (Merchandising) - Creativity - Material - Color - Space 19

Menu Design - Type style and/or lettering Names of food items Description Popular items are at the top of a list Clip-ons, inserts (daily specials) Operations address Beverage service notice Separate menus for each meal period Separate menu for host/hostess and guests 20

Menu Styles w A table d'hôte (a complete meal for one price) w A la Carte (items are listed and priced separately) w Combination (combination of the table d'hôte and a la carte pricing styles) w Fixed menus: a single menus for several months w Cycle menus: designed to provide variety for guests who eat at an operation frequently - or even daily 21

Types Of Menus w Breakfast (offers fruits, juices, eggs, cereals, pancakes, waffles, and breakfast meats) w Lunch (features sandwiches, soups, salads, specials; usually lighter than dinner menu items) w Dinner (more elaborate, steaks, roasts, chicken, sea food and pasta; wines, cocktails, etc. . ) 22

Types Of Menus - Specialty w w w w Children’s Senior citizens’ Alcoholic beverage Dessert Room service Take-out Banquet California (breakfast, lunch and dinner menu items on one menu) w Ethnic 23

Basic Rules Of Menu Planning w Know your guest - Food preference - Price - Age w Know your operation - Theme or cuisine - Equipment - Personnel - Quality standards - Budget 24

Selecting Menu Items w Menu category: Appetizers l Salads l Entrees l Starch items (potatoes, rice, pasta) l Vegetables l Desserts l Beverages l 25

Menu Balance w Business balance - balance between food cost, menu prices, popularity of items, financial and marketing considerations w Aesthetic balance - colors, textures, flavors of food w Nutritional balance 26

Menu Layout Artwork: w Drawings, photographs, decorative patterns, borders Paper: w Texture Cover: w Color w Texture 27

Common Menu-design Mistakes w w w Menu is too small Type is too small No descriptive copy Every item treated the same Some of the operations’ food and beverages are not listed w Clip-on problems w Basic information about the property and its policies are not included w Blank pages 28

Evaluating Menus w Must set standards w Determine how menu is helping to meet standards 29

Important Pricing Considerations w The Concept of Value (price relative to quality) w The Basic Law of Supply and Demand w Volume Concerns Must be Considered w Price Charged by the Competition for a similar Product 30