OPERATIONAL

FUNCTION
PLANNING AND WRITING A MENU
The Menu is the focal point of every food
production and service establishment. The
reputation processes and profits depend upon
the menu.
A Menu is a list of specific item, foods, or
dishes that fit the meal pattern selected. The
meal pattern is something like an outline, which
list the part of a meal called courses. It suggests
the kind of food that makes up each course.
 Organizational Mission and Goals
The menus must reflect the stated purpose
of the organization as set out in the mission
statement and the vision statement.

The Customer
The menu planner must carefully
study the population to be served,
regardless of whether commercial or non-
commercial menus are planned.
 Organizational Mission and Goals
Customer Demographics
That refers to population statistics. Specific
indicators include but are not restricted to age,
gender, health status, ethnicity, and educational
level.
Customer Sociocultural Influences
It refers to the combining of the social and
cultural factors of a population. These factors
include:
 Marital status  Lifestyle  Ethnic background
 Values  Religious practice
 Food Consumption, Trends, Habits,
and Preferences
The menu planner should keep this in mind when
choosing food to please this diverse community.
Budget Guidelines
Before every menu is prepared the amount of money
that can be spent on the food must be known.
Equipment and Physical Facilities
The menu which is prepared for any given day must
be one which can be created with the available
equipment in the available workspace.
 Production and Service Capabilities
Personnel
Availability and skilled employees are factors to
consider when determining the variety and
complexity of a menu.
Availability of Food
Before every menu is prepared the amount of
money that can be spent on the food must be
known.
Style of Service
Style of service influences the selection of food
items and the number of menu choices
 Different Types of Menu
1. A ’la carte menu- offers a large variety of dishes that are
individually priced.
2. Table d’hôte Menu- which means host's or hotelier is
composed of a set menu or a group of several set menus that
have fixed prices.
3. Selective Menu- There is a limited number of choices within
a fixed price menu within a fixed number of courses.
4. Static Menu- Is one that remains relatively unchanged for a
long period.
5. Cycle Menu- Is one that is "rotated "or repeated in
predetermined patterns.
6. Market Menu- A menu that responds to season and
availability.
 Important Factors to Consider in
Menu Planning
1. Customer Profile- The menu must satisfy the individual needs
of customers
2. Cost and Price- The cost and price of the menu should be
within the customer’s expectation and paying ability.
3. Service Time– The menu should consider the nature of the
food being served during specific meal periods.
4. Supply– They should take into account the seasonable and
availability of ingredients.
5. Kitchen staff, plant, and equipment- The menu is only useful if
the staff, kitchen, and equipment are sufficient to handle it.
6. Balance- The balance of the menu refers to harmony and a
variety of many food properties such as texture, color, flavor,
variety, and economics
Menu Patterns
It is an outline of food to be included in each meal, and the
extent of choice at each meal.
Food Characteristics and Combination
When menus are planned, one must attempt to visualize
how the food will look on the plate or tray. It is important to
consider how the flavors combine, and whether there is a
contrast in
 Texture
 Shape
 Consistency
 Color
 Shape
 Flavor Combinations
 Variety in Preparation
 Menu Writing
A. Timetable for Planning, Execution, and Growth
How far should the menu be planned for actual production
and service?
B. Steps in Menu Development
 Entrees/Main Dish
 Soups and Sandwiches
 Vegetables and sides
 Salads
 Desserts
 Garnishes
 Bread
 Breakfast items
 Beverages
 Menu Writing
C. Menu Evaluation
The menu should be reviewed as planned
before use, and again after serving. A food service
manager can best evaluate menus by looking at
the entire menu and answering the question
below.
Checklist for Menu Evaluation
1. Does the menu satisfy nutritional guidelines
and organizational goals?
2. Are the foods being offered in season available
and within an acceptable price range?
 Menu Writing
3. Do foods on every menu offer color
contrasts? Texture? Good flavor? Cohesiveness?
Shape or Shapes? Preparation Type?
Tempering?
4. Is any food item or flavor being repeated too
often during this period of the menu?
5. Do the combinations make the whole
pleasant, and are they acceptable to the
clientele?
 The Printed Menu
A. Menu design and Format
A menu card needs to be designed and written to appeal
to the guest, stimulate sales, and often influence the
customer to choose items that the foodservice wants to
sell.
 Descriptive Wording
 Truth-in-Menu Legislation

B. Menu Marketing
The way food choices are presented to potential
customers can have a major impact on sales.
 Menu Boards and Signage
 Spoken Menus
 The Printed Menu
Customer Satisfaction
a. Surveys and Comment Cards - Satisfaction surveys can
be done formally via written surveys and comment cards.
b. Frequency Ratings or Popularity Indexes - These are
established via formal or informal surveys in which
customers are asked to rate or rank menu items according
to preference.
c. Sales Data - Sales data are the primary means by which
satisfaction is measured. Modern cash registers can track
and evaluate the contribution that each menu item makes
to the financial objectives of foodservice operation
 PURCHASING: THE MARKET, BUYER,
and VENDOR
 Purchasing
Purchasing is a management function that focuses on securing
the resources that are needed to run a food service.
 Market

The medium a change of ownership takes place through.

 Commodities

Raw agricultural produce is used for food production

 Market Distribution

Food is distributed over a series of market channels from

sources to consumers.
 Market channels

The food processing and distribution system, starting with the

grower of raw food products and ending at the end client or
point of consumption.
 PURCHASING: THE MARKET, BUYER,
and VENDOR
 Intermediaries

Product movement through the distribution system is

guided by intermediary or middleman work.
 Middlemen

Goes between producers, distributors, and consumers.

 Brokers and manufacturer’s representatives

Wholesalers who do not take over ownership of

products but whose duty is to put together buyers and
sellers.
 Broker

It serves as a sales representative for a manufacturer or

manufacturer group.
 PURCHASING: THE MARKET, BUYER,
and VENDOR
 Manufacturer’s representative
Serves as a sales representative for a foodservice firm.
 The Buyer

The buyer is a member of the administrative professional

team and is held to high standards of work performance
and ethical behavior.
 Negotiation

The communication skills people use to confer with others

in order to reach an agreement or a compromise.
 Ethics

Moral Science in Human Behavior