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…
www.hulu.com/watch/208808/portlandia-ordering-th
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 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 Printed Menu Terms…
is any form of printed  Clip-on: Is a special
menu list that is list that is fastened
handed to customers directly to the menu
as soon as they sit  Table Tent: Folded
down cards that stand on
Advantages: the table and list daily
menus can be changed specials
daily using a computer
 Menu Board Format
 A printed menu format  Advantages…
is any form of printed  Easy to change

menu list that is  Informality

handed to customers  Flexibility

as soon as they sit

down 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  Advantages…
format is when  Friendly
customers are seated  Increases conversations
and then the server between customers &
servers
says what foods are
available and what the
prices are. 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.