FOOD AND BEVERAGE MENUS
A primary objective of food and beverage establishments is the selling in its widest sense of the product: food and /or beverages. The common and major aid is the menu, in all of its many forms. Once customers are on the premises of a catering establishment one of the main sales tools is some form of a menu. The other aspects, which are also sales tools, are the facilities provided, the degree of comfort and decor, the quality of the staff and the standard of the food and beverages available. The menu should be an extension of the three policies – marketing, financial and catering.
The marketing policy is reflected in the menu by such things as the requirements of the sector of the market that is being aimed at and the interpretation by the establishment of the needs of that market.
The financial policy is reflected in the menu by the pricing and cost structure.
The catering policy is reflected in the menu by the size and type of the menu, and by the quality of the food and beverages offered.
The main aim of a food menu or beverage list is to inform customers in a clear way of what is available to them. As a sales tool it often will, by the use of well-planned and presented advertising, techniques, direct the customer as to what to buy. With the careful yet effective application of design, layout, typography and graphics, a menu can complement the atmosphere and type of service and with the correct use of language and location of items, will result in a reliable and useful sales medium. The most powerful deterrents to sales are ignorance and fear by the customer. A good menu sets out consciously to assist customers by gaining their confidence and setting them at ease.
Basic menu criteria
There are a number of basic factors to be considered to ensure that a menu is to be an effective sales tool:
1. General Presentation
General presentation is very important as it identifies the image and personality of that particular unit or department whether it is a steak house or a cocktail bar. The following points should be taken into consideration.
(c) The menu should be attractive: should look interesting and inviting.
(d) It should be clean: considering having them either plastic coated so that they can be regularly wiped clean or printed on in expensive paper or card and regularly replaced or contained within a presentable and durable cover.
(e) It should be easy to read: It is usual to use different sizes of typeface for such things as headings and the items appearing under them. How typeface style is used can help customers to make their choice of food and beverage items more easily. The use of attractive graphics, colour and blank space can also help with aiding customers to make their selection by directing and attracting their eye.
(f) It should complement the occasion: When there is a different occasion then the menu is supposed to portray different styles and presentation of e.g. wedding, at a restaurant within a holiday camp.
(g) It should reflect current awareness: The menu should take into consideration the current trends in eating habits, so as to be fully aware of customer requirements.
(h) Design: By the careful use of graphics, typography and colour the menu can not only be interesting but can direct the customer’s eye to specific items that the caterer wishes to sell.
2. Menu content: The content can be examined under the following headings:
(a) Language: The language used must be in keeping with the type of operation. If a foreign language is being used it must be used accurately. It is necessary to provide a simple but accurate translation of the menu items to aid sales. A descriptive flamboyant type language is also often used on menus for themed establishments. It is necessary that customers should clearly understand what the items are and not be left guessing.
(b) Accuracy: A very basic requirement for all menus is that when seen by customers they are accurate as for as pricing and availability are concerned, with the correct spelling and description of dishes and drinks. In addition, it is not uncommon to find that the actual dishes when presented to customers do not match up to the name of the dish as on the menu may because the caterer is not all that concerned with accuracy. However, the knowledgeable customer is not likely to return to this type of restaurant again.
(c) Pricing: The correct pricing of all food menus and restaurant lists is very important to the success of an operation. It is essential that in total all necessary costs are covered, that the prices are attractive to the particular segment of the market that the operation is in and that the prices are competitive in relation to the level of quality of food and drink and service offered. There are various factor which can affect the pricing strategy operated such things as the size and type of operation, the location the profit required the level of competitions etc.
(d) Sales mix: The tem ‘sales mix’ refers to the composition of the total sales as between the main components such as food and beverages, and also within a component such as food to items such as appetizers and soups, fish and meat etc. it is very important that the caterer when designing a menu or beverage list considers the importance of the actual or potential sales mix of items that the customers will choose.
3. Size and form: The size and shape of a menu can add to and complement the uniqueness of the facility. A food or beverage menu must be easy for the customer to handle and in no way confusing to read. The various forms that the menu can take are unlimited. From a menu chalked up on a blackboard, to a large illuminated display board with photographs, menus printed in the shape of a fan or even hand printed onto silk handkerchiefs etc.
4. Layout of the menu: - The larger the menu the more time – consuming it is for customers to make their selection of food or wine. However if it is too short customers may not be entirely satisfied by what is offered.
5. Nutritional content: - The nutritional content of a menu is considered more important in the welfare sector of the industry than in the commercial sector. In the welfare sector, establishments such as hospitals, residential schools, homes for the elderly etc. provide meals for long-stay residents whereas in the commercial sector the vast majority of the customers will take meals at home as well as eat out in various types of restaurant.
Types of food menu
Although there are many types of eating establishment offering many types of meal experiences, there are basically only two types of food menus: The table d’hote and the a la carte.
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1. Table d’hote menus is identified by: - Being a restricted menu, offering a small number of courses usually three or four, a limited choice within each course, a fixed selling price, all the dishes being ready at a set time. Table d’hote menus can be offered for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
2. A la carte menu is identified by: - Being usually a larger menu than a table d’hote menu and offering greater choices, listing under the course headings all of the dishes that may be prepared by the establishment, all dishes being prepared to order, each dish being separately priced, usually being more expensive than table d’hote menu.
Beverage menus/lists
The criteria used to prepare a wine menu or drinks list are the same as those used where preparing a food menu.
Types of beverage menus/lists
The various types of beverage menus are numerous, but for simplicity they may be grouped as being of four kinds: wine menus, bar menus, room service beverage menus and special promotion beverage menus.
(a) Wine menus or wine lists: Within this general heading wine menus may be subdivided as follows:
(i) Full wine menus or lists: This kind of menu would be used in an up-market hotel restaurant where the customers’ average spend would be high and where the time available to consume their meal would be likely to be in excess of one and a half hours. A full wine menu is difficult to design. A full wine between may resemble small books, often being of 15 to 40 pages in length. It is also the practice of many restaurants to give a brief description of the major types of wine as well as provide a map to show the origin of the wine. The price range of this type of menu is high because of the quality of the products.
(ii) Restricted wine menus or lists: This kind of menu would be used in a middle type market operation where the demand for a full wine menu is very limited. It is also likely to be used when a highly/skilled wine waiter is not required and where the waiting staff serves all food and beverages. The price range of this type of menu would be lower than that of a full wine menu.
(iii) Banquet/function menus: - This type of menu is of he restricted type in that it will offer fever wines than a full menu. Banqueting wine menus will usually list some well known branded wines. A point which must not be forgotten with branded wines is that customers frequently will know the prices charged for the in the local super-market or wine store and therefore the cater must be very careful as to the mark – up on these wines so as not to create customer annoyance.
(b) Bar menus and lists: - these are basically of two types: the large display of beverages and their prices which is often located at the back of or to the side of a bar or the small printed menu/lists which are available on the bar and on the tables in the bar area.
(c) Room service beverage menus/lists: The size and type of room service menus will depend on the standard of the hotel and the level of room service offered. For a luxury type unit the menu will be quite extensive. Because of the high labour costs for room service staff, a practice today in many hotels is to provide a small refrigerator in each bedroom stocked with a limited quantity of basic of drinks. There are many types of beverage units available specifically for use in bedrooms, some of which include a computer based control system, which automatically records the removal of any item from the unit and records it as a charge to the customer.
(d) Special promotion beverage menus.
This may take many forms from a free pre function reception to promote a particular beverage, to the promotion of after –lunch and after dinner liqueurs by the use of attractive tent cards or to the promotion of the cocktails of the month or to be offered at a special purchase price.
The general rules for the serving of wines
1. The progression of wines in a menu would be that light and delicate wines are served before the higher quality wines and
that young wines are served before the older wines.
2. When several wines are to be served with a menu the order of serving is normally accepted as being first a dry white wine followed by a red wine and finishing with a sweet white wine.
3. Wines from several countries may be served with a meal providing that there is an affinity between the different wines and that they are accepted partners with the food.
4. Champagne may be served throughout a meal with dry champagne being served with all courses other than with the sweet course when semi-sweet champagne would be better suited.
5. Rose wines may also be served throughout a menu although it would be unusual for a formal occasion.
6. Dry white wines are normally served with fish, shellfish and white meats such as poultry, pork.
7. Red wines are normally served with red meats for example a beef etc.
8. Sweet white wines are normally served with the sweet course.
9. Port is accepted as being ideal for serving with cheese and dessert.