Chapter 3

The Menu

The Menu
Lists items available for selection by a customer. Most important internal control of the food service system. Major determinant for the budget. Gives customers a sense of who you are as an operation. Part of an organizations brand identity.

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Menu Trends
Menu items from other countries. Vegetables (meatless entres). Self-contained foods (wraps and calzones). Focaccia and flavored breads.

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Menu Presentation

Function of menu customer education Spoken Menu orally presented by dietetic technician to a patient Braille, picture, & large-type menus for customers with vision, hearing, or speech impairments Table dhote food items grouped together & sold for one price A la carte food items priced individually
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Menu Pattern
An outline of the menu item categories for each meal (appetizers, entres, and desserts). Number of menu item choices in each can vary according to the goals of the foodservice operation. One of three basic types of menus used.

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Types of Menus

Static Menu
Same menu items are offered every day. Frequently used if restaurants concept is built around the menu, including:

Dcor Advertising campaign Market segment identified as the target audience

Examples: Red Lobster, Olive Garden

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Types of Menus (cont.)

Cycle Menu
Different items each day on a weekly, biweekly, or some other basis, after which the cycle is repeated. Seasonal cycle menus are common. Used in healthcare institutions and schools. Offers variety with some degree of control over purchasing, production, and cost.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Types of Menus (cont.)

Single Use
Planned for service on a particular day and not used in the exact form a second time. Used in on-site foodservice in which the customer does not vary much from day to day. College and University foodservices use single-use menu as monotony breaker.

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Degree of Choice
Number of choices determined by goals of each foodservice operation Static menu might have few choices in limited-menu restaurant Cycle or single-use may provide selection for some items but not others

i.e. catered business lunch, no choice for center-of-the-plate or salad but choice of bread, beverage, or dessert
Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

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Menu Structure

Issues to consider in menu structure:

Location of foodservice Name of the foodservice (what it says to a customer) Primary target audience Menu priorities Capabilities of the staff

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Menu Structure (cont.)

Balancing labor & food cost is challenge Menu planner concerns:

Adding variety to seasonal menus Keeping cycle menus exciting Offsetting high-priced items with low priced

Grazing eating small amounts of food throughout the day

Grazing = flexibility + frequency + food

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2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Breakfast and Brunch

Breakfast
Fewer people eat breakfast than lunch or dinner, accounts for ~20% of daily restaurant traffic. Commercial and on-site foodservice operations usually offer traditional breakfast items and light and healthful options.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Breakfast and Brunch (cont.)

Brunch
Mid- to late-morning meal. Combo of breakfast & lunch type items. Commonly served on weekend or catered events. On-site foodservice operations may serve brunch in lieu of both breakfast & lunch on weekends and for special occasions.

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Lunch

Difficult meal to deliver to customers.

More complicated than those served at breakfast. Must be produced faster than dinner items.

Meal most eaten away from home.

60% of individuals consume a commercially prepared meal at least once a week.

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Lunch (cont.)

Lunch-to-go
Quickly growing trend for workers. Must travel well. Cheap and fast. Packaging, while adding cost, is secret to successful lunch-to-go program.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Lunch (cont.)

Catering
Remains one of the big profit makers. Time is most important factor (usually part of the contract). Offered by many restaurants.

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

School Lunch

The goals of the USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) for Healthy Children are:
Incorporate culinary principles of taste & presentation Incorporate regional, cultural, ethnic, & other preferences Provide safe meals for children Make meals accessible to all children Reinforce classroom nutrition education

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

School Lunch (cont.)

Increase appreciation for food origins, cultural food history, variety of foods, and relationship to environment and agriculture Support & teach principles of social meal Educate in preparation & service of healthy, economical meals Serve in encouraging environment with adequate time for meal service Link with school nutrition policy promoting healthy food choices throughout the school

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

School Lunch (cont.)

Schools can choose one of four systems for their menu planning:
Enhanced Food-based menus NuMenus (Nutrient Standard Menu Planning) Assisted NuMenus (Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning) Traditional Food-based

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Dinner
Traditionally includes entre, potato, vegetable, & salad Supper lighter or late evening meals, menu similar to breakfast, brunch, lunch Menus getting shorter, but appetizer section is getting longer Ethnic cuisines impact menus Desserts commonly included on menu

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Factors Affecting Menu Planning

Customer satisfaction. Producing menu items at an acceptable price. Government regulations. Management decisions.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Customer Satisfaction
Sociocultural factors customs, norms, values, and demographic characteristics. Food Habits and Preferences

Small-scale surveys Formal and informal interviews Observations of plate waste Customer comment cards Tallying of menu selections

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Nutritional Influence
Should be a primary concern for planning menus. Motivated by increasing public awareness of the importance of nutrition. Food Guide Pyramid Most on-site foodservice operations have registered dietitian or consultant for nutritional aspects of menu planning.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Food Guide Pyramid

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Aesthetic Factors

Includes:
Flavor Texture Consistency Color Shape Combinations of foods

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Government Regulations

Menus will be impacted by local, state, and/or federal regulations.

Required to meet menu planning guidelines, if receive state and/or federal funding. Required to plan meals in advance for periodic review by state or federal reviewers.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Management Decisions
Food Cost include both raw and prepared food costs for each menu item. Production Capability skill of personnel and layout of the facility. Type of Service holding capability and amount of employees. Availability of Foods improvements in transportation make foods available.

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Menu Planning
Responsibility of team rather than an individual. General Considerations:

Quantity. Quality. Price. Brand names. Product identification.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Menu Planning

General Considerations (cont.)

Points of origin. Merchandising terms. Means of preservation. Food preparation. Verbal and visual presentation. Dietary or nutritional claims.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Planning Process
General principles applicable to on-site and commercial foodservice operations More variety needed in on-site foodservice Person eating out often goes to restaurant for particular menu item

Do not want change every day or week

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Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

On-site Foodservice Operations

Steps in Menu Planning: 1. Plan dinner meats or other entres for entire cycle. 2. Select luncheon entres or main dishes, avoiding those used on dinner menu. 3. Decide on starch item appropriate to serve with entre.
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2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

On-site Foodservice Operations

Steps in Menu Planning (cont.): 4. Plan desserts for both lunch & dinner. 5. After luncheon & dinner meals have been planned, add breakfast & any others. 6. Evaluate if clientele, government regulations, & managerial considerations have been met.
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2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Commercial Foodservice Operations

Systematic approach to menu planning.

Conduct a market study Perform a competitive analysis Interview restaurant critics/reviewers Attend food shows Develop a unified theme Include current trends Analyze nutritional content

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Commercial Foodservice Operations

Systematic Approach (cont.)

Ensure variety and balance of menu items Price menu accurately Check on availability of food products Match menu with skill level of kitchen personnel & balance production stations Control labor costs

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Commercial Foodservice Operations

Systematic approach (cont.)

Increase sales with menu merchandising of appetizers and desserts Test recipes and make adjustments Standardize recipes Conduct taste testing Establish garnish, plating, & portion standards

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Menu Pricing
One of the most difficult decisions management makes Covers cost of food, labor, additional operating costs (rent, energy, promotional advertising) Includes perception of value and competition

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

Pricing Methods

Factor Pricing

Raw food cost x pricing factor = menu sales price

Raw food cost & direct labor cost of employees involved in preparation of a food item but not service.

Prime Cost

Actual Cost

Actual food cost actual labor cost + other variable cost + fixed cost + profit
Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

Pricing Psychology

Odd-cent pricing creating an illusion of a bargain.

Price ends in an odd number ($4.75). Price ends in a number other than zero ($4.77). Price is just below zero ($4.99)

Pricing by the ounce customers weigh their own portions. Two-tier upscale amenities & menus for patients willing to pay for special items or service.

2004 Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 Foodservice Organizations, 5th edition Spears & Gregoire