Menu in Restaurants
by Analyzing the restaurant menu.
A menu or bill of fare is an itemized list showing the available food in a restaurant or to be served.
The importance of menu in hotel industries cannot be over emphasized. Good menu planning can make a huge difference in hotel and catering industry. A hotel without good menu planning cannot stand the test of time since its aim is to maximize profit through the service it renders to customers.
The menu influences almost every aspect of the food service operation, from where foods are purchase and how they are prepared to whether or not the meals are popular to the customers.
If a customer is well treated and accommodated in a particular restaurant, he/she propagate such service to his friends which will lead to an increase to the number of customers that patronize the restaurant and also more profit is added.
Menu planning is one of the most important job of a caterer. When planning menu various factors must be taken into consideration.
Menu functions are in various ways: The awareness can take the following dimension.
- Awareness:-
- Menu informs and alert the catering staff of what is to be prepared and served
- It also informs the customers of what is available at a particular time
- The catering staff need to know in advance what is to be ordered by customers and various changes
- that is to be made to suits the choice of customers
In other hand, the customers need to know what the food is, how it is being prepared and where appropriate and the cost. This information need to be clearly stated and set out vividly in courses so that the menu is easily understood by customers. The menu serves as a mirror which helps to reflect the image and style of a particular restaurant before the customers. The menu should be able to match the décor of the restaurant, be attractive and well laid out as it helps to promote sales especially if dishes are presented in an appetizing manner.
2. Helps in planning dishes: – Menu help to plans dishes according to change that might arise from the customers. Since humans are dynamic, this dynamism will always leads to fashion in food change. Customers always look out for new dishes, different combination of food and fresh ideals of menus. This change does not help to ignore the wide range of popular dishes of the past but act as a compliment.
The Origin of the Menu
The word menu is derived from the French word meaning bill of fare in English term.
Menu was not presented at the table in the time past but was presented in print or format such as board and black list boxes.
The banquet consists of only two courses each made up of varieties of dishes any item from 10 – 40 in numbers. The first 10-40 dishes were placed on the table before the dinners entered.
From research, in 1541, Duke Henry of Brunswick discovers a long slip of paper where programme of dishes are arranged and by reference to it, be could see what was coming to serve his appetite accordingly. With this research, menu was developed in that manner.
Menu planning could be describe as an art or science that requires an extensive knowledge of food and the basic method of preparing, serving and understanding the various nutritive values, and sensitivity for aesthetic in combing food. Menu planning requires careful planning and observing of principles to customers satisfaction, meeting business objectives and utilizing ability, skills and availability of employment.
The menu is the most important part of the caterer’s work and its planning and compilation is regarded as an art only acquired through experience and study.
Liked it
