Introduction to Culinary Arts: Presentations

Chapter 21 Menus

Sec.
21.1 Planning the Menu

Sec.
21.2 Pricing Menu Items

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• The focal point of the
operation.
• Presents what is sold.
• Presents the prices of
items sold.
• Must reflect
operational goals and
objectives.
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Purpose of a Menu

• Menu: list of food and drink available

– Two functions: planning and communication
– Management plans menu in food-service
operation
– Executive chef plans menu in hotel
– Central management plans menu in chain
– Chef plans menu in individual restaurant
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Purpose of a Menu (continued)

• Menus as Planning Tools
– Factors affecting menu choices
• Customers’ needs and expectations
• Prices
• Mission statement: organization’s goal
• Type of food served
• Service style
• Workers’ skills
• Required equipment
• Competitors
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Purpose of a Menu (continued)

• Menus as Communication Tools
– Provides information on location, prices, hours,
history, new items
– Informs customers about food choices
– Influences customer choices
– Creates an overall impression of the
establishment
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Types of Menus
One of three basic menu types is generally used:

• Static
o The same menu items are offered every day.
o e.g., Restaurants, hospital room service
• Cycle
o A series of menus offering different items each day on a
weekly, biweekly, or other intervals
o Onsite foodservice with relatively captive clients
o Customers have limited options for dining out
• Single Use
o A menu planned for service on a particular day
o e.g., Wedding, catering
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Planning a Menu (external)

• Type of Place and Customers
– Geography and culture relating to food
preferences
– Economics: price should reflect value
– Population density: affects number of items on
menu
– Industry guidelines and governmental
regulations: primarily for institutional settings
– Age: special menu sections for senior citizens
and children
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Planning a Menu (internal) (continued)

• Facility, Staff, and Equipment Limitations

– Number of people served influenced by menu,
the service it requires, and its physical space
– Consider cost of food, labor, and equipment
– Training staff costs time and money
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Planning a Menu (continued)

• Balance and Variety
– Variety: use different cooking methods
– Balance: accommodate different tastes
– Special needs: allergies, diabetic, vegetarian
– Religion: be sensitive to dietary restrictions
– Regional cuisine: serve food specialties
– Trends: use market research
– Various price levels: keep in customers’ range
– Product availability: need sufficient supply
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Planning a Menu (continued)

• Truthfulness
– Truth in Menu Laws
• Designed to protect consumers
• Administered by local and state agencies
• Focused on accurate labeling of food
• Require honest pricing
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Organizing and Designing a Menu

• Organizing a Menu: organize by categories
– Hors d’oeuvres
– Appetizers: hot and cold
– Soups: hot or cold
– Salads
– Sandwiches
– Main courses: entrée in United States
– Side dishes
– Desserts
– Hot beverages
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Organizing and Designing a Menu

(continued)

• Designing a Menu
– Printed menu: common format with cover and
back; permanent
– Table tent menu: folded card
– Spoken menu: server verbally shares menu
– Menu board: menu items listed on board for all to
see
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Organizing and Designing a Menu

(continued)

• Design Guidelines for Printed Menus

– List restaurant vitals (name, address, phone)
– Design shape and size to match restaurant
concept
– Avoid photos inside menu
– Emphasize items, not prices
– Use graphics sparingly
– Use print, not script
– Use numbers for prices
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Organizing and Designing a Menu

(continued)

• Writing Menu Item Descriptions

– Check for misspellings, grammatical errors,
unnecessary words
– Use language to reflect restaurant’s concept and
style
– Describe food in a positive, attractive manner
– Eliminate unnecessary words
– Eliminate restaurant jargon
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Organizing and Designing a Menu

(continued)

• Writing Menu Item Descriptions (continued)

– Provide customers with a roadmap for their
dining experience, one with full directions
– Make sure it is easy to read
– Use words that are in keeping with current food
and restaurant trends
– Be positive!
Sec.
21.1
Planning the Menu

Organizing and Designing a Menu

(continued)

• Changing a Menu
– Many reasons to change a menu
– Menu modification: decision to add, change,
delete menu items
– Menu conversion: Changing the menu radically
from one type of food to another (often
restaurant closes down and re-opens with a new
focus; often a change in décor). Dramatic
decision.
• What should you consider when you
design a menu?
– Informative
– Attractive
– Relevant
– Easy to clean and sanitize
Key elements used in menu psychology
• Eye gaze motion
– Center of the threefold menu is considered prime menu sales
area
• Primacy and recency
– List as the first or last, make it visible
• Font size and style.
– Make it more visible if you want to sell more
– Change colors, font size, and/or style
• Color and brightness.
– Utilize pictures!
• Spacing and grouping.
– Use borders around items you want to sell
 Challenges for Menu Design
• Think about where you put the items that will
give you the largest profit!

• Sales concentration area

– Where the customers eyes look first

• Sales concentration area is different on each

of the different types of menu design.
Sales Concentration Area: Single Fold

SC
Sales Concentration Area: Two Fold

SC
Sales Concentration Area: Letter/Three
Fold

SC
 Challenges for Menu Design

• Menu paradox
– Number of items available (more choices)
– Simplicity (easy ordering)
• How can we resolve this problem?
– https://youtu.be/YUZHGPeqaTs
Tips for Designing the Best Digital
Menu
1. Use categories, columns, and rows to
structure your template
2. There should be a hierarchy of text
3. Proper balance moves the eyes
4. Don’t overuse images
5. Avoid harsh contrast and saturation
6. Convey your brand
7. Your menu needs breathing room
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Factors Influencing Menu Prices

• Type of restaurant: determined by mission
statement
• Meal occasion: time of day
• Style and elaborateness of service: more service,
higher cost
• Competition: what your competitor charges
• Customer mix: determined by population
• Profit objective: popularity, volume, margin
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Menu–Pricing Methods
• Copycat Method (Nonstructured Method)
– Copy a similar restaurant’s prices
– Problematic approach since it does not address
individual situations
– Should be used for comparison purposes only
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Menu–Pricing Methods (continued)

• Factor Method
– Calculate the raw food cost: add together the
costs of the ingredients for a single serving,
– Determine the pricing factor: divide 100 by raw
food cost
– Determine the price for menu item: multiply raw
food cost by pricing factor
How much would you be willing to pay
for the desserts below? How much
does it cost to make one?
 Elaborate tiramisu Anytime tiramisu
Price $10

Price $6.00

Cost $2.50 Cost $2.00

FC% = 2.50/10.00 = 25% FC% = 2.00/6.00 = 33%

Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Menu–Pricing Methods (continued)

• Prime Cost Method
– Determine raw food cost
– Determine direct labor cost: consider time to
make dish, multiply by chef’s hourly wage, divide
by number of portions
– Add direct labor to raw food price: most
restaurants use 9% as direct labor cost
– Determine prime cost factor: divide 100 by the
prime cost
– Determine price for menu item: multiply prime
cost by prime cost factor
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Menu–Pricing Methods (continued)

• Gross Profit Method
– Designed to determine specific amount of profit
that should be made from each customer
– Used in well-established restaurants
– Requires analysis of past financial statements,
what was ordered, number of customers
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Menu–Pricing Methods (continued)

• Base Price Method
– Analyzes what customers want to spend
– Works back from what customer will spend
– Determines menu items, prices, profit level
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Deciding on Menu Prices

• Comparison Charts
– Pricing system comparison chart:
comparison of various pricing methods
– Includes two competitors’ prices
• Psychological Factors
– How a customer perceives menu items
Sec.
21.2
Pricing Menu Items

Deciding on Menu Prices (continued)

• Price Increases
– Adjust portion size to limit steep increase
– Change what is served with the item to further
justify increase
– Avoid rapid increases in short period
– Maintain quality standards with increases
– Do not increase prices of all menu items at once