Chapter 4

The Menu

Objectives• After reading and studying this chapter, you

should be able to:– Identify factors to consider when planning a menu– List and describe some common menu types– Discuss methods for determining menu item

pricing– Identify factors to consider when determining a

menu’s design and layout

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The Menu• Heart of any restaurant

– Important factor: quality of food

• Considerations:– Needs of guests in target market and trends– Capability of cooks– Equipment capacity and layout– Consistency and seasonal availability of

ingredients– Price and pricing strategy

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The Menu (cont’d.)– Nutritional value– Contribution theory– Accuracy in menu– Type of menu– Actual menu items– Menu analysis– Menu design and layout– Standard recipes– Food-cost percentage

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Capability/Consistency• Capability to produce the quality and quantity

of food necessary – Basic consideration

• Standardized recipes– Ensures consistency

• Well tested• List quantities of ingredients and step-by-step methods

to produce a quality product

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Capability/Consistency (cont’d.)• Elements that have an effect on capability and

consistency:– Menu complexity– Number of meals served– Number of people to supervise

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Equipment• Equipment must be installed in an efficient

layout– Systematic flow of items from receiving clerk to

guests • Critical to operational efficiency

• Avoid overuse– Too many items requiring one piece of equipment

• May slow service

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Availability• Constant, reliable source of supply at a

reasonable price must be established– Take advantage of seasonal items when they are

at their lowest price and best quality – High-quality ingredients make a high quality

product• Fresh must be fresh

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Price• Factors in building price-value:

– Amount of product– Quality of product– Reliability or consistency of product– Uniqueness of product– Product options or choices– Service convenience– Comfort level– Reliability or consistency of service– Tie-in offers or freebies

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Factors in Pricing• Menu items

– Selected to complement the restaurant image – Must be appealing to its target market

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Menu Pricing Strategies• Comparative approach:

– Analyze competitions’ prices• Individual items are selected and priced• Cost must equal predetermined food-cost percentage

• Ratio method:– Price individual item and multiply by ratio amount

necessary to achieve desired food-cost percentage– May lead to weighted average approach

• Food-cost percentage, contribution margin, and sales volume are weighted

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Calculating Food-Cost Percentage

• Food cost – Is reflected in pricing– Varies with sales– Provides a simple target for which to aim– Is a barometer of the restaurant’s profitability

• Inventory– Time-consuming – Complicated

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Nutritional Value• Greater public awareness of healthy food and

individual wellness prompted:– Changes in cooking methods– Changes in type of cooking oil– Demand for healthier items, like chicken and fish– Use of boiling, poaching, steaming, roasting, etc.

• Opposed to frying

– Lower-fat menu items– More meatless and vegetarian options

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Contribution Margin• Difference between sales price and item cost

– Amount left over goes towards covering fixed and variable costs

• Example:– Steak selling price: $14.95– Steak cost: $ 5.00 – Contribution margin: $9.95

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Flavor• Flavor is a sensory impression of a food or

other substance determined by chemical senses

• Other factors: – Aroma– Texture– Sight– Sound

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Accuracy in Menu• Restaurants must be accurate and truthful

when describing dishes on the menu– Beef described as prime must be prime

• Some restaurants have been heavily fined for violations of accuracy in menu

• Menu-labeling calorie count requirement – New York became the first municipality to enact

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Sustainable Menus• Seasonal, sustainable ingredients

– Drive the menu at many contemporary restaurants

– Example: Founding Farmers restaurant• Bankrolled by the North Dakota Farmers Union• Meets leadership in energy-efficient design standards

and Green Certified Restaurant operational standards

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Kids’ Menu• Restaurants that cater to families usually have

a separate kids’ menu– Bold colors and catchy make-believe characters

• Other amenities:– Play areas– Fun placemats– Crayons– Small take-home prizes

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Menu Items• Menu items depend on the type of restaurant:

– Range of items is critical to the overall success

• Include:– Appetizers and soups– Salads– Entrees– Desserts– Matching/pairing

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Menu Types• Include:

– Dinner-house: separate similar entrées– À la carte: individually priced items– Table d’hôte: selection of several dishes from

which patrons make a complete meal at a fixed price

– Du jour menu: lists items served only on a particular day

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Menu Types (cont’d.)

– Cyclical: generally used in institutions• Menus are repeated in cycle every few days

– California: order any menu item at any time of day– Tourist: used to attract tourists – Degustation: sample of the chef’s best dishes

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Menu Types (cont’d.)• Lunch and dinner menus

– Lunch menus need to be easy to read and food must be produced quickly

– Dinner menu portions and prices tend to be larger

• Degustation (chef’s tasting) menus:– Sample of the chef’s best dishes– Served in several courses– Takes longer to serve

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Menu Engineering• Several approaches

– Must be a balance:• Price perception

– Bayou and Bennett recommend analysis by:• Individual menu items• Categories of menu offering• Meal periods or business categories

– Menu management software applications: • Can help answer questions

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Menu Design and Layout• Should reflect the ambience of the restaurant

– Menu size may range from one to several pages– Come in a variety of shapes

• Generally 9” x 12” or 11” x 17”

– Printing and artwork should harmonize with the theme of the restaurant

– Names of dishes should be easy to read and understand

– Should include a strong focal point

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Menu Design and Layout (cont’d.)

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Figure 4.5: Focal point of a single-page menu

Figure 4.6: Focal point of a two- or four-page menu

Standardized Recipes• Used to maintain consistent food quality

– Clearly indicates:• Portion size• Ingredients• Weights• Production steps (e.g., cooking methods and time)

– Acts as a control device:• Same ingredients in the same amounts are used over

time

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