Menu planning for restaurants involves doing some research and analyses to determine which foods customers order more often, trends that are popular and ingredient prices for each menu item.
Determining and refining a menu are ongoing tasks, but restaurateurs can reduce waste, encourage customers to order more expensive items and promote signature house specialties by using menu-engineering techniques to influence diners. All restaurateurs can impact their guests’ dining choices by employing simple techniques when designing menus.
Restaurant owners interested in learning the basics should read this article on restaurant menu engineering at Menu Cover Depot.
Menu engineering works constantly to influence diners, but managers should also train servers to recommend profitable items or foods that need to move before becoming unsaleable. Designing restaurant menus to use the fewest ingredients possible saves money by reducing waste from spoilage. Using staple ingredients in creative ways lowers food costs and prevents getting stuck with an inventory of exotic ingredients that are only used to prepare one or two dishes. If a restaurant’s reputation depends on carrying expensive or exotic ingredients, then menu-engineering, promotional strategies and server recommendations are critical for keeping the products moving quickly enough to minimize waste.