BHTM340 - Chapter 4 Summary

Chapter 4: The Menu
The Menu
➢ The most important part of the restaurant concept.
➢ Requires careful analysis.
➢ When you really know your menu, you can develop a concept.
➢ Responsibility for developing the menu may begin with the chef, individually or in collaboration
with the owner/manager & perhaps cooks & servers.
4.1 Considerations in Menu Planning

1. Needs and desires of guests
2. Capability of cooks & consistency of preparation
3. Equipment capacity & layout
4. Availability of ingredients
5. Price & pricing strategies
6. Nutritional value
7. Accuracy in menu
8. Menu items
9. Menu types
10. Menu engineering
11. Menu design & layout
12. Standard recipes
4.2 Capability / Consistency

➢ The capability of the chefs or cooks to produce the quality and quantity of food necessary is a basic
consideration.
➢ The use of a standard recipe will help ensure consistency.
➢ Standardized recipes
o Is one that, over time, has been well tested.
o List quantities of ingredients & step-by-step methods to produce a quality product.
➢ Elements that have an effect on capability & consistency of the restaurant kitchen:
o Menu complexity
o Number of meals served
o Number of people to supervise
4.3 Equipment Capacity & Layout

➢ Purchase the right equipment to achieve maximum production efficiency.
• Many establishments plan the equipment according to the menu.
➢ Avoid over use:
• Too many menu items requiring one piece of equipment may slow service.
4.4 Availability of Ingredients

➢ 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 – purchased correctly
BHTM340 – Chapter 4 Page 1
4.5 Price & Pricing Strategy
➢ Factors in building price-value:
1. Amount of product (portion size)
2. Quality of product
3. Reliability or consistency of product
4. Uniqueness of product
5. Product options or choices (including new products)
6. Service convenience (such as speed of service)
7. Comfort level (courtesy, friendliness)
8. Reliability or consistency of service
9. Tie-in offers or freebies included with the purchase
➢ Value Creation:
✓ Two components of value creation:
• What you provide?
• What you charge for it?
✓ To build perceived value, you need to:
• Increase the perception of value of what you provide.
• Lower the price you charge for it.
• Do both of the above.
4.6 Nutritional Value

➢ Greater public awareness of healthy food & individual wellness has prompted:
• Changes some cooking methods
• Changes in type of cooking oil
• Demand for healthier items like chicken & fish
• Use of boiling, poaching, steaming, roasting, etc., as opposed to frying.
• Lower-fat menu items.
• More meatless and vegetarian options.
4.7 Flavor
➢ Flavor is the sensory impression of a food or beverage.
➢ Taste involves all the senses:
o Aroma
o Texture
o Sight
o Sound
4.8 Menu Items

➢ Independent restaurants tend to be more creative than chain restaurants.
➢ Menu items selected depend on type of restaurant.
➢ Appetizers and soups:
o 6-8 is adequate for most establishments.
➢ Salads:
o Preferred starter in many restaurants.
➢ Entrées:
o At least 8 in a table-service restaurant.
➢ Desserts:
o Can be purchased, made or finished off in-house.

4.9 Menu Items
➢ Restaurants in the French tradition offer menus that follow the classical sequence of dining:
1. Hors d’oeuvre
2. Soup
3. Seafood
4. Entrées
5. Grillades (grilled meat)
6. Legumes (vegetables)
7. Salads
8. Desserts
1. Dinner-house menus:
• Separate similar entrées: beef in one section, seafood in another
2. A la carte menus:
• Offer individually priced items. Most restaurants often use this type.
3. Table d’hôte menus:
• Offer a selection of several dishes from which patrons choose to make a complete meal at a
fixed price.
• For the guest, the advantage of this type is value.
• For the restaurateur, the advantage is that the number of menu items is limited.
4. Du jour menus:
• List the food items served only on a particular day.
5. Cyclical menus:
• Generally used in institutions.
• Menus are repeated in cycle every few days (7, 10, 14, or 28 days)
6. California menus:
• They are so named, because in California restaurants, guest may order any menu item at any
time of day.
7. Tourist menus:
• Used to attract tourists to a particular restaurant.
8. Degustation menus:
• A sample of the chef’s best dishes.
9. Kids’ menus:
• Restaurants that cater to families usually have a separate kids’ menu – One using bold colors
and catchy make-believe characters.
• Restaurants can provide fun placemats, crayons & small take-home prizes for kids
4.10 Menu Items

The overall menu should reflect the ambience of the restaurant.
1. Menu size may range from one to several pages.
2. Menu may come in a variety of shapes. Generally 9 x 12” (22 × 30 cm) or 11 x 17” (29 × 43 cm).
3. Printing of the menu should harmonize with theme of the restaurant.
4. Names of the dishes should be easy to read & understand.
5. Menu should include a strong focal point.

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Chapter 4: The Menu

4.1 Considerations in Menu Planning

4.2 Capability / Consistency

4.3 Equipment Capacity & Layout

4.4 Availability of Ingredients

4.6 Nutritional Value

4.8 Menu Items

BHTM340 – Chapter 4 Page 2

4.10 Menu Items

BHTM340 – Chapter 4 Page 3

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