Ch. 5 The Menu – Flashcards
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What operational functions does the menu drive?
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The menu is the single most important planning tool in a foodservice operation, a well planned menu serves as catalyst that drives all operational functions. Front of house concept: printed list of entrees, sides, and beverages Food service manager concept: plan for several functional menus, planning and implementation of menus Master menu Environmental Factors that influence the menu: social issues, sustainability, regulations and contracts, meal counts and sales data, outcomes that meet guest expectations
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What is a static menu and where is it used?
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Same menu is used each day; used in restaurants, hotels, and hospital room service programs -can include daily specials to add variety
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What is a single-use menu and where is it used?
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Menu is specifically planned and used only once, usually for a holiday or catered event
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What is a cycle menu and where is it used?
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Carefully planned set of menus that is rotated at definitely time intervals Usually one to eight weeks depending on the type of foodservice operation: hospitals typically 1 week, LTC and correctional facilities 3-8 weeks, retail operations in hospitals and businesses 5-8 weeks
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A la carte menu:
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food items are priced separately
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Table d'hôte menu:
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offers a complete meal at a fixed price
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Du Jour menu:
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menu of the day
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What is the usual cycle length for different types of facilities?
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-Usually 1-8 weeks depending on the type of foodservice operation. -Hospitals usually 1 week -LTC and correction facilities 3-8 weeks -Retail operations in hospitals and businesses 5-8 weeks
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What are some advantages of a cycle menu?
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-Repetition of menus are allowed -Standardized in preparation procedures -Simplifies purchasing and forecasting
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What are some disadvantages of a cycle menu?
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Menus can become monotonous or repetitious
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What can seasonal menu cycles compensate for?
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They combat monotony and allow seasonal fruits and veggies to be used
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How can the monotony of a cyclic menu be improved?
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Changing the menu cycle from "7 days" to "8 days"
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Selective menu:
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Includes 2+ choices in some or all menu categories -Full service menu: offers at least 2 choices in every category -Allows more customer choice -Demands more staff skill and flexibility to meet choices
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Full-selective menu:
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offers at least two choices in every category
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Semi-selective menu:
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Includes one or more food choices in some of the menu categories -Used in a facility with a shorter length of stay -Used in some restaurants or for a banquet (where the meal is selected in advance)
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Nonselective menu:
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House menu or pre-selected menu -Offers no choice of food items -May use a "write-in" list of alternate food choices -Require less labor (menus are not distributed and menu items don't need to be tallied- except "write-ins" are usually tallied
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What is the difference between a menu pattern and a meal plan?
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-Menu pattern: an outline of food to be included in each meal and the extend of choice at each meal -Meal plan: the number of dining options offered within a specific time period Trend is moving away from structured plan because of the desire of many patrons to eat what they want and when they want it
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What are demographics and why are they important in menu planning?
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-Refers to statistics of populations- age, gender, health status, ethnicity, level of education, and income -Trends in statistics of populations are important to the menu planner because eating habits vary among population groups and change frequently
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How is the population of the U.S. changing and how will it impact menu planning?
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-EX: persons 65+ currently make up 13% population; in 2030 projected 30% -Hispanics are the largest minority- make up 16% population -Asians make up 5% and are the fastest growing segment
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What does socio-culture mean and how does it impact menu planning?
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Refers to the combining of social and cultural factors of a population; includes marital status, lifestyle, ethnic background, values, and religion -Large impact on menu planning due to the increasing diversity and rapidly changing lifestyles in the US -Food habits are mostly based on ethnic and cultural background, but in today's society people are becoming more knowledgeable about ethnic and regional foods -local and regional food preferences (sweet tea) -religious food restrictions -expectations about when meals will be served
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Facts about Catholics that may be helpful when planning menus:
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-Some fast during certain church observation days -Fasting includes avoiding meat, but eggs, dairy products and condiments with animal fat are permitted. Fasting permits one full meal per day with some snacking -Prior to 1966 in the US, abstinence was observed every Friday. Now, they only avoid meat on the Friday's of Lent (40 days before Easter)
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Facts about Seventh Day Adventist's that may be helpful when planning menus:
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-Majority are lacto-ovo vegetarians and therefore don't eat meat or meat products. Those that don't eat meat don't eat pork -May avoid strong seasonings such as pepper and mustard -Tea, coffee, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited -Water is consumed before or after meals; eating between meals is discouraged
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Facts about Judaism that may be helpful when planning menus:
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-"Kosher" means that a food is "clean" and permitted for consumption, while anything "unclean" is strictly forbidden -"Clean" foods include those with a cloven hoof that chew a cud- cattle, sheep, goats, and deer. "Unclean" includes pork and shellfish -Meat and milk cannot be combined in the same meal. Milk or milk foods can be eaten before, but not during the meal. After eating meat, 6 hrs. must pass before milk consumption -Jewish homes often have 2 separate sets of dishes, silver and cooking equipment to ensure milk and meat are kept separate -Saturday is the Sabbath and a day of rest; no food can be cooked or heated
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Facts about Muslims that may be helpful when planning menus:
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-Islamic dietary laws are called "halal" which is also the term for all permitted food -Prohibited foods are called "haram" and include pork, alcohol, birds of prey, gelatin, some shellfish, foods that contain emulsifiers (made from animal fats), and bread or bread products that contain dried yeast, and sometimes caffeinated drinks such as coffee -Some Muslims choose to fast on Mondays or Thursdays or both -the month of Ramadan requires mandatory fasting during sunlight hours
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Why should we know information about common religions for menu planning?
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Menu planning is based on the nutritional requirements of the population the menu is designed for
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Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA):
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levels of essential nutrients considered to be adequate to meet known needs of practically all healthy persons; they were not intended to address individual needs
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Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI):
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specific nutrient recommendations for groups and individuals
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U.S. Dietary Guidelines (including Food Guide Pyramid and MyPlate):
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Developed by USDA and can be used to plan menus for individuals -Balancing calories, foods to reduce, foods to increase
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What are budgets based on for various types of foodservice operations? What is the typical cost/per day for the various types of operations?
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In Retail operations, the amount to be budgeted is based on projected income from the sale of food -Income must generate adequate revenue to cover raw food cost, labor, operating expenses, and allow for desired profit
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What are some strategies to balance menu costs?
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Schools, health care facilities, prisons, and other non-commercial foodservice operations design menus based on an average raw food cost per unit of volume (usually person, meal, or day) -Ex: private LTC- $6-8 per resident per day
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Some "do's" in menu development:
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-Balance low cost entrees with high cost entrees -Serve lighter entree at lunch. Usually customers/patients expect a more substantial evening meal -Some older people will expect a hot entree at lunch; pairing hot and cold entrees might make sense for some menus
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Some "don't"s in menu development:
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-Avoid 2 entrees that are a casserole at the same meal -Avoid 2 entrees that are similar such as sliced turkey and sliced roast beef -Avoid serving 2 sandwich entrees at the same meal
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In healthcare, who is allowed to order diets for the patients?
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Physicians
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What is a diet manual?
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Comprehensive diet manuals created and updated regularly to provide information about the nutritional needs and issues associated with various diseases and conditions. -Many hospitals and dietetic associations have them for sale
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What are "extended" menus?
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Menus that are generated from a master menu and a diet manual that defines the modified diets for a particular facility -serve as a tool for menu analysis to ensure that modified diets are prepared and served according to physicians' written orders
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How does Personnel effect menu planning?
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understanding the relationship between the menu and the availability and the skill of employees are factors to consider in determining the complexity of the menu
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How do Equipment and physical facilities effect menu planning?
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the menu planned for any given day must be one that can be produced in the available work space and with the available equipment
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How does Availability of food effect menu planning?
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knowledge of fruits and vegetables and their seasons
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How does Style of service effect menu planning?
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some foods are more adaptable to seated service, some to cafeteria style, the distance between point of preparation and point of service needs to be considered
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Know steps in menu development/content from selected posted slides:
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1. Entrees 2. Soups and Sandwiches 3. Vegetables and "sides" 4. Salads 5. Desserts 6. Garnishes 7. Breads 8. Breakfast items 9. Beverages
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Presentation:
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to visualize how the food will look on the plate, this is based on the sensory and aesthetic appeal of food
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Color:
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gives eye appeal and helps to merchandise the food. At least one or two colorful foods should be included on each menu.
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Texture:
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refers to the structure of food and is experienced by mouth-feel. A variety of textures should be included in a meal.
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Consistency:
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is the way foods adhere- their degree of firmness, density, or viscosity- may be described as firm, thin, thick, or gelatinous.
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Shape:
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plays a big part in eye appeal, and interest can be created through variety in the form in which foods are presented.
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Flavor Combinations:
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in addition to the basic flavors of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, vegetables are often perceived as strong or mild flavored, chili as spicy or highly seasoned. A variety of flavors in the meal is more enjoyable than duplication of any one flavor.
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Food combinations:
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should complement each other
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Variety in preparation:
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for example, a meal of baked chicken, baked potatoes, and baked squash obviously relies on only one preparation technique. Variety may be introduced by marinating or stir-frying foods in addition to the traditional fried, broiled, baked, braised, or steamed methods. Foods can be varied further by serving them creamed, buttered, or scalloped, or by adding a variety of herbs.
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What is a Menu Frequency Analysis and why would you use it?
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Menus should be evaluated for repetitiveness, review menu to determine the number of times a food item occurs, may be a count of individual items, may be a count of how often a type of meat is served, review how close together items are served
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What are posted menus used for?
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Used to produce a working menu and production schedules
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Discuss the Restaurant Nutrition Menu Labeling Requirement, Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.
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-Established requirements for nutrition labeling of standard menu items in chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments -Required that certain chain restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations disclose certain nutrient information for standard menu items
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What is market driven and demand driven menu pricing?
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-Menu items are priced according to what customers in that market are willing to pay -Demand driven-customers who want items or service styles for which there are few providers or alternatives in the marketplace
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What are cost approaches to menu pricing based on?
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based on the operations cost and profit goals
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Define Factor Method: What else is this method called? What is the formula?
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Raw food cost is multiplied by a predetermined factor that takes into account labor, supplies, and any projected profit margin Also called fixed factor and markup factor Selling price=Food cost x Factor Pricing factor=100% / Desired food cost objective (stated a % of selling price) Food cost = 40% so 100/40= Factor of 2.5 Menu food cost =$.90 Selling price= $.90x2.5=$2.25
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Define prime cost method of menu pricing: What is the formula?
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The sum of food and labor costs is multiplied by a predetermined pricing factor that accounts for food and labor through separate percentages Selling price = Prime cost x Pricing factor Prime cost = Food cost + Direct labor cost Pricing factor = 100% / (Food cost % + Labor cost %) Food cost %= 40% Labor cost= 38% Item food cost= $.90 Item labor cost=$.24 Pricing factor= 100/ (40+38)=1.28 Selling price= ($.90+$.24)x $1.28= $1.46
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Define menu engineering and who is attributed to coining this phrase:
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Refers to a specific restaurant menu analysis methodology developed by Micael L Kasavana and Donald J Smith at the Michigan State University School of Hospitality and business Determines the popularity and profitability of competing items on a menu Results of sales mix analysis are used to determine whether changes in menu pricing and menu design are needed
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Define Contribution Margin? What else is this called?
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An accounting concept calculated as total revenue from a product or service minus the total cost CM=Menu price-food cost CM=$8.00-$2.00 = $6.00(this is my profit)
