Designing A Menu

Importance of The Menu The menu style and design reflects the restaurant’s personality and the customers who frequent it. The menu can be a creative way to market a restaurant and is the main way a restaurant communicates with its customers. The menu needs to reflect what the customers want… the-chicken-part-1

Factors that impact style & design of a menu… Target Customers Price Type of Food service Equipment Skill of Workers Geography & Culture Eating Trends

Where to Start? 1. Decide on type of food that you want on menu 2. Organize it in an appealing way for customers (dishes grouped in categories are easier for customers) 3. The look and feel of menu also influences what customers think of restaurant 4. Menus design, cover, weight of paper, and descriptions of food items influence customers

Choose a Format… Printed Menu Menu Board Spoken Menu

Printed Menu Format A printed menu format is any form of printed menu list that is handed to customers as soon as they sit down Advantages : menus can be changed daily using a computer Printed Menu Terms… Clip-on : Is a special list that is fastened directly to the menu Table Tent: Folded cards that stand on the table and list daily specials

Menu Board Format A printed menu format is any form of printed menu list that is handed to customers as soon as they sit down Advantages… Easy to change Informality Flexibility The menu board format is great for cafeterias & fast food restaurants as well as upscale restaurants…for Example: a chalkboard menu in an upscale restaurant can emphasize freshness and creativity!

Spoken Menu Format The spoken menu format is when customers are seated and then the server says what foods are available and what the prices are. Advantages … Friendly Increases conversations between customers & servers Disadvantages can be that the spoken menu does not give the customer time to study the menu & make a decision

Regardless of size or style…all printed menus are broken down into categories The type of restaurant determines the categories and the order in which they are listed

Menu Categories Appetizers : Can be hot or cold and served first Soups : Can be hot or cold, may appear with appetizers Salads: Salads made with fresh, crisp vegetables or fruit & nuts Accompaniments: Vegetables and starches that serve as side dishes

Menu Categories (cont.) Cold Entrees : Salads topped with meat, cold meat & cheese platters Hot Entrees: Meat, Poultry, Fish, Seafood, Casserole Sandwiches: Can be hot or cold, hamburgers to grilled cheese (sandwiches sometimes only shown on lunch menus)

Menu Categories (cont.) Desserts: desserts can be displayed on separate menus or even dessert trays, Can be hot or cold Cheeses & Fruits: Cheeses such a sbrie or gouda can be listed with fresh fruits as an alternative to an appetizer or dessert Beverages: This category lists drinks and prices

Creating Your Menu You will now break into groups of four & each group will be designing a menu for a new local restaurant. Steps to follow… One person from your group will draw an index card. On your card, it will list the specific type of menu your group will create. (Du Jour, A’ La Carte, Semi’ A La carte, Table d’ Hote, Prix Fixe, Meal Based, California or Ethnic) Your group must create a menu with 1. At least four categories 2. At least six dishes for each category 3. Dish descriptions need to follow the truth-in-menu guidelines and should appeal to customers

Creating Your Menu (cont.) 4. Decide which pricing method you will use for your menu 5. Price your dishes 6. Organize and plan out design and flow of your menu After each group has made their menu, they will present it to the class. Students will peer assess by completing a rubric for each groups menu. REMEMBER…Your group will need to consider all the planning principles, truth-in-menu guidelines, pricing, style and design factors as you create your menu.