Menu planning

Menu Planning Principles

• Menu planning involves the careful selection and organisation of food and drink items to offer a memorable dining experience.
• It is essential to consider customer preferences while designing a menu. This involves understanding the customers’ dietary needs, cultural preferences and tastes.
• The menu should contain a balanced selection of dishes, including starters, main courses, desserts, and beverages. This provides a variety for customers to choose from.
• Including seasonal and fresh ingredients is also crucial. This can enhance the taste of the dishes and meet the expectation of seasonality among today’s customers.
• Effective menu planning involves considering the profitability and cost effectiveness of each dish. This takes into account both the cost of ingredients and the skill required to prepare the dish.
• A complementary menu design focuses on creating harmony between the dishes. This principle, called menu balance, ensures that the dishes in the menu complement rather than compete with each other.

Types of Menus

À la carte Menu

• The à la carte menu offers patrons the most extensive selection, with dishes listed separately.
• Guests have the freedom to select any combination of dishes, and each item is priced individually.

Set/Pre-set Menu

• These menus offer a limited number of pre-selected courses at a set price.
• They are typically used for events like weddings or large gatherings where consistency is paramount.

Table d’hôte Menu

• Translated as “host’s table,” this menu type typically includes several courses for a fixed price.
• It’s very useful in busy service periods as it allows for better planning and quicker service.

Buffet Menu

• A buffet menu is where a variety of dishes are laid out and customers serve themselves.
• This type of menu is commonly associated with large catered gatherings or hotel breakfast services.

Beverages Menu

• A beverages menu typically includes a list of available drinks, often categorised by type: wines, cocktails, beers, soft drinks, etc.
• Some establishments may separate their alcohol beverages menu from their non-alcoholic beverages to cater for different preferences.

Special Menus

• These menus cater to specific dietary requirements, like vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or halal.
• It’s increasingly important in today’s diverse and health-conscious society to provide inclusive food options for all customers.

Remember, successful menu planning requires accurate forecasting, proper pricing, offering variety, meeting customer expectations for quality and service, and good culinary skills.