| One area that needs your focused attention | | | | on your menu so it is well worth consulting one if |
| when you are starting out in the restaurant | | | | possible. |
| business is menu planning. Many new operators | | | | Testing and Tweaking |
| simply have no idea of how to plan a restaurant | | | | Before you go ahead and include a dish on your |
| menu that caters to what their target market is | | | | menu it is important to decide on exactly how the |
| looking for as well as being practical in terms of | | | | dish will be made and presented. It not only has |
| preparation. | | | | to meet your personal taste but should also meet |
| In this article we take a closer look at restaurant | | | | the tastes of the general public. Before you launch |
| menu planning and ten of the points that you | | | | a new menu item it is important to do some |
| have to consider as you start to assemble the | | | | testing. Get some opinions from cooks or chefs |
| necessary content. | | | | and look for slight modifications that could be |
| Restaurant Concept | | | | made to improve a dish even more. |
| Firstly, you have to think about your restaurant | | | | Kitchen Space and Equipment |
| concept and the type of clientele that you are | | | | Your menu possibilities may be limited by the size |
| hoping to attract. These things will be affected by | | | | of the kitchen space that you have available or |
| your location, restaurant premises and theme | | | | by the equipment that is required to make certain |
| among other factors. Your overall concept will | | | | menu items. Do an assessment of the equipment |
| affect the style, quality and portion sizes of the | | | | that you have and the equipment that you are |
| cuisine that you will feature on your restaurant | | | | prepared to buy at the same time as you are |
| menus. | | | | planning your menu. |
| Different Types of Restaurant Menus | | | | Something for Everyone |
| Most restaurant menus are static in that they are | | | | Try to cater to a wide range of tastes and |
| fixed for lengthy time periods and are not able to | | | | dietary requirements if possible. You may have a |
| easily be changed. The alternative is to offer a | | | | separate menu section for children or your menu |
| menu that is constantly changing. The latter is | | | | may include options for vegetarians. Allergies are |
| great for restaurants that use seasonal | | | | a concern for many these days so you should |
| ingredients that fluctuate in price such as seafood. | | | | have additional menu notes that staff can refer |
| 'Soup of the day' is another common menu | | | | to. If they are asked by diners if certain dishes |
| variation that may change as often as daily. | | | | contain peanuts, eggs or other common |
| However it makes it difficult if new menus need | | | | ingredients that people are allergic to then they |
| to be printed frequently. Options for menus that | | | | should be able to offer accurate information. |
| vary frequently include writing your menu up on a | | | | Include as much critical information about these |
| chalk board or printing out special inserts with daily | | | | ingredients on a menu as possible. |
| specials. | | | | Let Customers Personalize a Dish |
| A la carte restaurant menus require customers to | | | | One nice idea is to allow your customers to have |
| select menu items individually and everything is | | | | some input into the dish that they want to order. |
| priced separately. On the other hand Prix Fixe | | | | At the basic level they could just be choosing |
| menus offer several courses included in one set | | | | between french fries or a baked potato. To take |
| meal for a fixed price. Then there is buffet style | | | | it a step further they could be choosing sauces, |
| dining which usually requires little in the way of | | | | salad dressings, different kinds of cheeses or the |
| menus at all but rather just descriptions on the | | | | intensity of spices such as chili that may be added |
| dishes at the point where customers serve | | | | to the meal. |
| themselves. | | | | Popular Trends |
| Menu Size | | | | Trends in food can change faster then most |
| One thing to remember when putting together a | | | | people think so you may want to follow these |
| menu is to offer enough of a variety to give | | | | food trends and make alterations to your menu |
| diners a great selection while also keeping it | | | | accordingly, to keep up with the times. Members |
| reasonably simple so that they don't get | | | | of the public have been educated about cuisine by |
| overwhelmed. A simple menu will also likely reduce | | | | celebrity chefs on TV or may be following the |
| the number of errors while orders are being | | | | latest dietary craze that is getting attention in the |
| taken and give staff less headaches remembering | | | | media such as the low-carb diet. |
| details on each dish. A menu with a smaller range | | | | More than One Menu? |
| of offerings will also make it easier for you to | | | | More upscale restaurants usually need more than |
| manage your inventory and to reduce food | | | | one menu. A separate drinks menu or wine list is |
| waste. | | | | common but other courses such as dessert could |
| Consult a Chef | | | | also have their own menu. You may also require |
| At the lower end of the restaurant spectrum you | | | | menus for different times of the day such as |
| can basically do your restaurant menu planning | | | | breakfast time. |
| and then hire kitchen staff that are capable of | | | | If you want to open a restaurant and succeed |
| making the dishes that you have in mind. | | | | then it is essential that you know how to plan a |
| However, if you will be hiring a chef then you will | | | | restaurant menu, how to set menu prices and |
| need to consult with him or her on the style of | | | | how to design a menu in a way that maximizes |
| cuisine that he or she specializes in. A chef will no | | | | sales and the diner's experience. |
| doubt be able to offer invaluable tips and advice | | | | |