Unit 1: Basic Concepts of Meal Management and Meal Planning
The Written Menu
Menu Descriptors
Mediterranean Turkey Panini Roast turkey on grilled rosemary
focaccia with a spinach-artichoke cheese sauce
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Menu Card/Menu Board
card“ of the business
Selling point of a restaurant
“unique“
“business
Menu Card Characteristics
Must be neat, clean, attractive, and appealing to the eye,
palate, and pocket.
Easy to read, understand, and accurate
Should please the customer
Should be profitable to the institution
Menu Card
A. Size
- easily handled
B. Appearance
- clean, simple in format
- appropriate print size and type
- ample margin space
- legible, interesting color and design
- harmonizing with the décor and food service
C. Marketing and Merchandizing Tool
- selling and public relation device
D. Descriptive Wording
- listed in the sequence in w/c they are served
- present accurate word picture of foods
Procedure
1. Choose the entrée first.
2. Pick the soup garnishes and relishes which will
accompany the main course.
3. Select your carbohydrate rich food.
4. Plan for vegetables which blend well in texture, flavor,
and color.
5. Select a salad that suited for the main course.
6. Appetizers and desserts should be appropriate.
Guidelines in Menu Writing
1. Use appropriate language.
2. Capitalize words except preposition.
3. Place the special accompaniment to the right
4. If accompanied by two or more items, write them on
the line below. To the right and left.
5. Beverage should appear at the last part.
6. Butter should not be written/included.
7. Menu should be written asymmetrically.
Importance of Menu Descriptors
• Menu descriptions allow a restaurant to differentiate
itself
• Good menu descriptions entice guests, leading to repeat
business
• Good menu descriptions lead guests to order more items
at a given sitting
How to write menu descriptors
• Descriptions can be split into parts, and their order
matters
1. name of the dish
2. ingredients
3. the “sell copy”
o Example in the suggested order: 1 > 2 > 3
Chicken Pot Pie – Roast chicken, baby carrots, spring
peas topped with grandma’s flakey pie crust.
o Example in reverse order: 1 > 3 > 2
Chicken Pot Pie – Grandma’s flakey pie crust filled
with roast chicken, baby carrots, and spring peas.
• Don’t force customers to read the description
- Joe’s Special vs. Joe’s Lasagna Special
• Reinforce how the item is categorized on the menu
- SALAD SECTION (Buffalo chicken vs. Buffalo chicken
salad)
• Add value to an ingredient by stating its geographic
origin
- Deviled Eggs – Baffoni Farm egg, bacon lardon, and
crispy shallots
•
•
•
•
Menu Design
Menu design directly influences sales revenue.
A well-designed menu can educate and entertain the
customer as well as be a communication, cost control,
and marketing tool for your restaurant.
It must be congruent with the concept and image of
the restaurant and effectively communicate the overall
dining experience to the guest.
Considering how much the restaurant depends on the
menu.
1
Unit 1: Basic Concepts of Meal Management and Meal Planning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Menu Psychology/Menu Design Psychology
Merchandizing theory in retail store
The concept of menu psychology was introduced to the
industry in the writings of the late Albin Seaberg, in his
book, “Menu Design,” published in 1971
It is designing a menu in such a way that you get the
customer’s attention and raise the odds that they will
select certain items more than others
Common Menu Card Mistakes
Format
Single Page, Two Page/One Fold, Three Panel/Two Fold
Eye Movement Pattern
Different styles of type fonts can be used as eye
magnet. (3 fonts styles)
inadequate management commitment
Hard to read
Overemphasizing prices
Monotonous design
Poor salesmanship
Poor use of space
Incongruent
Too big
Psychology in Menu Design
1. Extreme aversion
2. For two
3. Boxes
4. Centered justification
5. Buzz words
2