10.1: Designing the Menu

Chapter 10 Learning Objectives

1. Gain a working knowledge of the different forms of menus.
2. Gain a working knowledge of menu layout.
3. Gain a working knowledge of menu wording.
4. Understand the importance of menu illustrations and graphics.
5. Understand appropriate menu typefaces.
6. Understand the importance of menu covers, paper, and colors and their importance to concept.
7. The ability to apply menu-writing strategies.
8. Comprehend the physical components of a menu.

“You know, for 300 years it's been kind of the same. There are restaurants in New Orleans that the menu hasn't changed in 125 years, so how is one going to change or evolve the food?”
Emeril Lagasse

“I like a restaurant called Bruci, and there's some really nice people who work there and good food. They change their menu a lot, so maybe that's what keeps me coming back. I never know what I'm going to get.”
Paul Dano

The Restaurant Menu

The menu is one area of concept development that seldom receives the attention it deserves. The menu is indicative of the food the operation will serve – but the thought process behind the menu goes much deeper. In essence, the menu is actually a major portion of your marketing process and assumes the chief role of ‘bill payer’ and ‘profit generator’ for the operation. The menu must be able to provide funds to cover the cost structure the operation and provide an adequate profit as well – while appearing attractive to the consumer in terms of food and value.

Types of Menus

Based on a restaurant theme or concept, there are various ways of presenting a menu that is inviting to customers and best accomplishes your marketing and positioning goals.

Day part menus

This menu pricing method focuses on a particular meal period. For example, a restaurant might consider separate menus for each day part: breakfast, lunch, dinner, high tea, snack, late night, and so forth. This is also a very effective way of addressing or targeting different demographic profiles or market needs.

Cycle menus

These menus repeat themselves according to some predetermined pattern. Broad cycles could be used to change and invigorate a menu on a seasonal basic to take advantage of season items and, or, lower price points based on product availability. Another example for consideration would be to offer specific specials each day, so that, say, each Wednesday pasta is served, every Thursday salads are highlighted, and so on. Cycle menus can be very important if your target market is a captive audience. For example, if a restaurant is located near a school, industry, business center, or shopping district, in many cases, customers look forward to a particular entree on each day of the week. An added advantage of cycle menus lie in the repetition that creates familiarity and the expectation for that same food on a particular day - diners form habits regarding what and when they purchase food, a behavioral trait.

Another possibility is to create different day part menus running on different cycles weekly. If the restaurant marketplace is tight, this provides a restaurant the opportunity to attract the same customer for a different experience during a different day part. Creativity can be profitable.

Daily menus

Given the ease and efficiency of desktop publishing, a restaurant can conceivably print a different menu each day. This can also be a sizable marketing tool for single unit operations that could print menus that contain mostly the same items every day, but offer their customers change in the form of highlighted specials - similar to the way many fresh seafood houses merchandise their daily catches or wine bars merchandise the wines of the day or week. This form of menu creation provides a single unit foodservice operation an effective way of competing with major well-known restaurants that cannot change menu items without corporate approval. Additionally, this menu method allow a small restaurant to be proactive in terms of product freshness and availability while keeping the menu new and exciting.

A`la carte menus

This term references a menu of items priced and ordered separately, a menu form common in the operation of restaurants. These menus list a price for every menu item, so that the guest pays a separate price for each dish ordered. There are no "combo" meals or "value" meals. Menu items traditionally bundled together are separated out, putatively giving the consumer greater choice at lower cost.

'Prix fixe' menus

These are sometimes referred to as "bundled," fixed price," "all-inclusive," or "table d'hôte" menu. These menus are the opposite of a` la carte menus because there is one price for a set meal or a set combination of items. Many restaurants in the United States convert their menus to prix fixe only certain holidays such as Thanksgiving. Generally, this practice is limited to holidays where entire families dine together, such as Easter and Thanksgiving, Christmas, or on couple-centric holidays like Valentine's Day. Customers often associate these menus with value. Such menu structuring is also very effective when guests are cost conscious.

In France, table d'hôte refers to the shared dining (sometimes breakfast and lunch) offered in a vacation named chambre d'hôte (similar to "bed and breakfast"). Every guest of a chambre d'hôte can join this meal, cooked by the hosting family. It is not a restaurant, there is only one service, and the price is fixed and usually included in the vacation. Everyone sits around a large table and makes small talk about the house, the country, and so on.

What is closer in French to the meaning of table d'hôte in English is a menu ("lunch special" or "fixed menu"). It usually includes several dishes to pick in a fixed list: an entree (introductory course), a main course (a choice between up to four dishes), a choice between cheese or dessert, bread, and sometimes beverage, typically wine, and coffee, all for a set price fixed for the year (typically between 15 and 50 euro). The menu du jour, a cheaper version with less choice, and only a side dish and with a set main course, the plat du jour ("dish of the day") changed every day, is usually ranges from nine to 15 euro.

Downtime menus

These menus were created to bring in guests during the slower restaurant day periods. These are usually limited menus with lower prices, offered during normally slow periods of the day with the intention of boosting sales revenue. Examples of downtime menu would include the 'early-bird' special menus, late night menus, and mid-morning break menus offered by restaurants that are open 12 to 14 hours a day.

Casual Menus

These are sometimes referred to as 'limited ' menus. They are similar to the downtime menus, however, they are not priced as low, and they typically offer a slightly larger item selection scheme. A limited menu is useful if you have a small kitchen, but a large dining room and lounge, where speed is essential. Having fewer menu items helps to remove much of the stress on the back of the house, which allows you to turn tables more quickly.

Cafe menus

These are menus used by high-end restaurants wanting to offer patrons a choice between the regular (higher-priced) menu offerings in the main dining room, and a more limited (lower-priced) selection in a separate area of the restaurant. These are similar to the type of menu offered in a country club or hotel grillroom as compared to its offerings in the formal dining room. The idea is to broaden your market, gain more exposure for your operation, and perhaps convert some cafe` customers to main dining room customers at some point in the future. With technology, the only limits to the look and changeability of the modern menu is the originator’s imagination.

Interactive menus

Some operations allow guests to mix and match their orders. For instance, Macaroni Grill allows guests to create their own pasta dishes. The guest does this by checking off different options on a card and then handing the card to the food server. Some caters have several lists of food and beverage items, each of which is individually priced. The client picks menu items from the caterer's lists and eventually arrives at a personalized menu for the event.

This concept also works for the beverage menu. An emerging trend find the operator inserting the sine list into a computer program that then allows the guest to pair food order with the wine order. When a guest at Aureole restaurant in Las Vegas asks for the wine list, the sommelier brings an IPad computer to the table and instructs the guest on how to use it. The guest can sort wines by color, price, dryness, and so on. The guest can also ask the program to recommend appropriate wine and food pairings. The integration of technology into the selection process has proven to be a winner with guests who enjoy the choice interaction as well as the manager of the operation who can make wine menu revisions instantaneously. Another advantage for the operator is the eliminated printing and related costs of keeping menus current. One drawback: guests tend to play around a lot with the technology thereby slowing table turns (the amount of time the guest remains in the restaurant). Consequently, based on the cost of this technology and the necessity for more rapid customer table turnover, this option may not be feasible unless you run a high-priced operation.

Tabletop displays

These can be used effectively to promote your profitable menu items or specials, but only if you minimize the amount of copy. Customers typically do not usually read them in depth. You have to let pictures tell the story in most cases or larger font size if you use table displays to supplement your menus.

Catering menus

Those restaurants that offer catering, whether on or off-premise, usually have some version of a separate catering menu. Some operations do not want to use a separate menu, preferring to build each party from scratch - that is, they develop a custom menu for guests who would like to incorporate their personal preferences in to the menu. If printed menus are used, keep in mind that customers may review them in their homes or offices, where you will not be present to guide their choices and sell the event. By the time you meet with the customer, their initial choices may have already been made. Therefore, the menu itself, and other related materials you dispense to the public must inform and convince customers that your property is a good choice for their event. Proper packaging is vital in such cases. These materials must contain enough information to sell the even without you around. To do this, make sure that you highlight any awards, testimonials, favorable reviews, chef's credentials, and the like. Tandem marketing is equally a good idea. Include your catering department on your other restaurant menus and any supplemental promotional materials.

Drink lists

In some cases, it might be a good idea to have a separate wine list, drink list, waters list, and so on. These have great merchandising appeal, and they can free up space on the food menus, making them more attractive to view and easier for guests to handle. They also afford servers the opportunity to interact with guests, thereby giving them the opportunity to up-sell and increase the average check. Another practical consideration is the need for change. Separate menus allow for easy replacement more rapidly and inexpensively. An additional advantage is increased sales resulting from item placement. A separate un-cluttered menu allow for more descriptive and enticing wording. A menu is a sales tool that often must act on its own. Always give your menu the opportunity to help sell the restaurant's products.

Beverages are a significant portion of a restaurant's profitability in most cases. Most alcoholic beverages represent 18% food cost items. You can pair wine ‘suggestively’ with menu items and other alcoholic beverages can be offered before or after dinner. Soft drinks and tea are extremely profitable beverage items. For many years, water traditionally was served free to each guest upon seating. In the twenty-first century, water is a suggestive sell item that come with a cost. "Did you want artesian, spring - or tap?" is the typical question a guest must field from their waiter in the current marketplace. Why a cost for water? First, a charge for all water items is a profit center that can increase profit, or offset costs for other menu items, or simple defray the expense of water service. Said differently, the cost of water service is not the water but rather the expense of the chemicals and electricity to clean the glass. In a full service high volume restaurant these cost can ultimately be extensive. The need for viewing water service as a profit center or as an expense brings home the importance of cost controls and an eye toward profitability needed in today’s marketplace.

Dessert menus

In addition to wonderful selling tools with space for pictures and descriptions, these menus also offer great up-selling opportunities. They work better, when, instead of a printed menu, you have a dessert cart or tray that can be useful to display the products. Desserts are a good example of customers eating with their eye first.

Which is the best menu form for me?

There are numerous type of menus to choose from - so which is best? This is not really the best question to ask as it traps one into thinking that a single choice must me made - that is not the case. Think of your menu as a vital instrument that informs your existing, and potential customers, of what you are offering. In most cases, it is the initial sales contact with the guest, it suggests, it guides, it does not apply pressure that customers resist - it should entice their desire to try something new, and appeal to their wants. Why should any operation be limited to one type of menu? As the aforementioned information suggests, different menu types accomplish different needs. This is why it is important to understand your customer.

A practical look at menu use: a restaurant might use an extensive menu with descriptive elements to inform and entice the guest, including an a1 la carte section. For the more cost conscious customer, a prix fixe separate menu could be place at the table as well offering an appetizer, entree and dessert selection at a special set price. A nicely appointed beverage list of alcoholic drinks, wine by the glass, coffee drinks, and so forth could help guests with drink choices and act as a reference for the waiter to inform or up-sell. At the end of the meal, the customer can review the dessert menu pre-placed at the table to quietly suggestive sell the customer as the meal progresses. Remember, the items on the menu are primarily what you have to offer your clientele. Use them in varied way to present your products and services in the best light possible and in ways where each profit center gets the most attention.

Menu Layout

When designing a menu, one should avoid a cluttered look. There should be roughly 40 to 50 percent blank space on any type of menu of menu board, so that it does not appear crowded. In addition to the blank space, one should utilize wide margins and sufficient space between menu items. A crowded menu is difficult to read, which could confuse or frustrate your guest. From a more practical standpoint, a crowded menu design also makes it more difficult to highlight the more profitable items you want to promote - the menu is one of your best marketing tools.

Course headings

The menu should follow the customers' logical or ordering sequence. Course headings should divide the menu into various categories, such as appetizers, salads, entrees, desserts, and drinks. These headings should be in a larger and/or bolder type than the rest of the menu.

Categories

A category should fit on one page. It should not carry over to the next page or overlap another category. Guests will usually review a category only down to the bottom of the page or to the next course heading if the category is less than a page long.

Menu items

Menu items should stand out. They should be bigger than the descriptive wording that accompanies them, but smaller than the course headings. If you use descriptive wording (food ingredients, preparation methods, and so forth) for each menu item, be certain that it is clear and to the point. Avoid rambling descriptions; let the servers fill in any additional comments should the guests ask for more information about a selection.

Center menus symmetrically for aesthetic appeal. Symmetry is pleasing to the eye and tends to allow enough blank space to be attractive, as opposed to filling the page with print and illustrations.

Restaurant name

Your name should always be clearly visible on your menu. Be sure to include, in a prominent position on your menu, the name of the restaurant, address, phone number, e-mail address, and other appropriate contact information.

Menu boards

If the restaurant utilizes a menu board, it should be both visually attractive and succinct. You must keep it up-to-date and maintain it properly. Missing letters, outdated photographs, or taped-over prices will make people think twice about patronizing your operation. A menu board must capture the guests’ attention quickly. Most customers will not read the entire board until after they place their order. It is important to use as much visual stimulation as can be afforded to direct the customers' attention. One of the best menu boards is the digital, moving display. Any movement is better than no movement. However, this might be too costly for the typical restaurant operator. On the other hand, an attractively lit marker or chalkboard can be very effective to inform and entice your clientele.

Menu Copy

It is extremely important to remember that the menu is an extension of the 'positioning' scheme that helps create and maintain the restaurant's image in the customers' minds.

Item descriptions

Descriptions of the menu items should generate interest and sales. The copy mist speak to guests in their own language. Be concise regarding the menu's verbiage, but make your points. Said more concisely: get your message out as efficiently in terms of wording as possible. This might seem to fly in the face of visualizing a 'theme ' in the minds of customers, but you could for example created a short passage about "the beauty of Spring" if the items represent a seasonal offering. Create the springtime visualization, say, in the item name - but the efficient wording of the item description.

Copy

The copy should be enticing through the use of written imagery such as "hot," "fresh," "crispy," "succulent," or flaky," as exemplars. Use descriptive wording carefully. For example, the phrase "cooked to perfection" is becoming quite redundant in addition to waste of wording to state what should be the obvious - the item should always be ‘cooked’ perfectly. Avoid overused phrases, but do tend toward the use of descriptive language to avoid blandness. Instead of listing "assorted cheeses," utilize more creative wording such as: "an array of creamy Brie, tangy Muenster, and sharp Cheddar cheeses."

Clarity

Avoid clichés, such as 'the best-kept secret.' 'Chef’s special,' and 'as you like it.' Also, avoid words such as 'rich,' 'heavy,' and 'think,' which unnecessarily worry weight-conscious customers. Additionally, it goes without says that one should always use words that actually describe the menu item; for example, what is a "surprise omelet?" It is human nature for people to avoid what is not clear so if they are unsure, the lack of clarity equals "no." Another important reason for using clear descriptions is the need to create clear understandings in the minds of customers regarding what the item will be and how it will taste. There is not much worse than a situation where the customers receives something they did not envision or expect.

Descriptions are important

Good description and clarity is paramount for successful copy. A study published in the Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly found that menu descriptions evoking favorable feelings could boost restaurant sales by close to 30 percent. Furthermore, study participants considered these menu items to be of higher quality and value in comparison to the perceptions of persons who consumed the same items without benefit of the descriptive wording. Thus, the message is to be consistent in your writing style. Avoid using casual phrases with dignified statements that tend to confuse guests. Re-read your wording. Does it comply with the image and positioning you are attempting to create in the minds of your customers?

Well-written copy can assist guests in making the proper choices. It can also steer them toward ordering the more profitable menu items. It can prevent confusion about dishes, and it will be especially helpful to guests who may not devote too much time to reading the menu because they are involved in conversation with others at the table.

Copy as opportunity

If the menu does not include copy that touts on premise, or off-premise, catering offerings, party platters, take-out options, deliver, and so on, you are missing a stellar opportunity make additional sales and profits. You might consider printing separate menus for these products and services, one that addresses guest inquiries. It is important to remember that menus are absolutely accurate and thorough because guests usually put more deliberation into catering decisions. Additionally, decisions of this usually involve than one person whereas decisions made on the spot at the restaurant tend to be much more impulsive.

Compliment customer knowledge

The copy should not overestimate the customer's knowledge. It may be necessary to explain menu items, ingredients, preparation methods, and so forth, which are not clearly understandable or easily to remember. For instance, young customers today may not be familiar with Veal Oscar. Further, if you use foreign terms, French for example, provide an American translation as well, or, the ingredients and method described in a way that allows the customer to understand what the item is and how it will be prepared.

It is a matter of opinion whether an operation should include menu copy that describes the operation, its history, and other details. Although this may do little to drive sales and profits, it certainly can help create an identity for the restaurant. The big issue with this type of copy occurs when revision does not occur regularly. The operation should always keep such information current and contemporary.

Illustrations/Graphics

Menus should incorporate at least some graphics and illustrations that add a great deal of visual appeal and can stretch the customers' imagination. They are also very effective in highlighting the most profitable menu items. While it is possible to minimize the use of illustrations and graphics on a restaurant menu where server interaction can overcome a lack of visual imagery, in contrast, a catering menu needs such inclusions to aid in customer sales and selection decisions.

Free, high-quality clip art is available on many Web sites, or inexpensive CD's or special software programs that contain a wide variety of art for menu use are also available. The ultimate graphic element is the professionally done photograph, but this can be an expensive option. Pictures of activities are more effective than pictures of inert objects, such as a photograph of your facility, and they work especially well on catering menus. Prospective catering clients can project themselves into the setting depicted in the photo, which might persuade them to select your operation for their events.

If you plan to use food in the photographs, it would be best to use close-ups of finished products, rather than simply raw ingredients. Avoid overdone, common photos, such as a shot of a smiling chef standing next to a buffet table or working an open kitchen. Strive for a fresh approach. Be unique. There is no point in spending a great deal of money for generic photographs that customers will ignore. Bad photographs are worse than no photographs. The best quality and most expensive is the four-color (full-color) photo. When you are looking at a four-color picture, you are actually seeing an assemblage of colored dots. The dots are thicker where the colors are darker. The color separation done during the printing process determines the final quality of the photograph.

Menu Typeface

There are hundreds of different typeface styles and sizes from which to choose. Use those that make the menu easy to read and conform to your restaurant's overall theme. Typically Times New Roman is the standard font used on Window-based PC's and is part of the Times family of fonts. There are extended families, such as Goudy, Century, Swiss, Gill, and Garamond. Use extended font families because they work well together - not only for menus, but also for other things you may want to print, such as nameplates, place cards, and party announcements. As such, based on consistency, its best to stay with the same family using the following variations:

Plain lowercase
PLAIN CAPITALS
Bold lowercase
Italic lowercase
ITALIC CAPITALS
Bold italic lowercase
BOLD ITALIC CAPITALS

A font size smaller than 12 point is not suitable for restaurants. If your target market is senior citizens, you should use a larger font. Avoid the Courtier font, which looks like the old-fashioned typewriter font. It does not have a modern, professional appearance. Fonts are useful to draw attention to your most profitable menu items. For instance, consider using a unique font to highlight menu specials or an unusual font to describe the non-food products you sell, such as logo merchandise and other kinds of souvenirs.

Menus must be user-friendly and easy to read, for example, ALLCAPITALS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO READ. Menus that are difficult to read can irritate customers. Customers tend
to scan quickly and discard catering menus that are difficult to read. Desktop publishing can offer the flexibility needed to incorporate several fonts. It also offers the ability to change menus quickly, easily, and inexpensively. Although desktop publishing is a useful process when done by someone who has sufficient knowledge to do it attractively and professionally, menu software is also available.

Menu Covers and Paper

You can print menus separately for insertion into a reusable cover or holder. The two-panel 9-inch by 12-inch cover is a popular format. It is convenient for guests to handle, and it will easily accommodate the standard eight and a half by eleven-inch stationary, which allows for frequent change and updating. This size will also fit snugly into a standard business-mailing envelope, which is a plus for catering menus.

If you stray too far from this standard-sized bi-fold menu cover, you will have to pay more for the finished product. Having stated the most obvious cost consideration, there are marketing opportunities available with a unique size and/or shape can be a highly recognizable signature that can enhance customer awareness and drive sales revenue.

Paper stock

As the menu is a continuation of your theme or concept, use a good quality paper stock, consistent with the type of restaurant you have and the image you want to project. With professionally printed materials, about 40 percent of the cost is for paper. The two basic choices are cartridge paper, which has a matte finish, or coated paper, which has a shiny finish. The one you choose is typically considers the initial cost as well as the appearance of the color you have selected on each type of paper. The paper's shelf life may also factor into your decision. Coated paper is very attractive but it tends to crack when folded.

The heavier the paper, the better the impression you will make. Parchment has a lush texture and conveys elegance. However, while you may want your menus to have a classical look, you may unintentionally signal to guests that your operation is overly expensive because you are spending too much money on fancy menus. There is a fine line between elegance and wastefulness. Create a balance, do not use paper that is too cheap or of poor quality. For example, computer paper would be unacceptable for most restaurant operations. To the other extreme, even something like coated paper could be inappropriate because, unless a professional printer handles it, it does not absorb ink well. Bear in mind that the menu is one of your primary marketing tools - create and construct your menu for effectiveness in this regard.

Menu Color

The purpose of color is to add interest and variety to the menu. It can also be effective to highlight course headings as well as the operation's most profitable menu items. However, production costs tend to increase in proportion to the colors added to the printing process. The most cost effective method is to print with two colors: the paper color and one additional ink color. Dark ink on white or light-colored paper makes the best contrast and is easier to read.

Faxing menus

If the operation intends to fax the menu, dark ink on white paper is the best choice to insure that the recipient will be able to read the menu easily. It would be a good idea to check with your printer to be certain that an appropriate color combination is in use. As a test, fax a copy of the menu to your own operation before ordering a big printing job.

Test color and paper

Before committing to a large printing order, look at a sample of the color choice on the paper stock selected because the type of ink chosen will usually look different on various types of paper. Provide the printing company with a sample of the color you want, they can determine the best types of ink to use with your preferred paper stock.

Color equals concept

As with the paper stock, select colors that reflect the type of restaurant and any theme. For a fine-dining establishment, select classic colors for the menu covers, such as deep royal purples, rich dusky blues, dark greens, and chocolate to mahogany browns. These colors convey elegance, reliability, and a sense of permanence. Frivolous colors, such as lime green or hot pink, create a faddish appearance. For the paper, a rich cream color will impart a more cultured look than a stark white finish. It is important that the print color ‘jumps off the page’. It is impossible for a color-blink customer to read red print on a dark background. Likewise, older guests may have special vision problems. Consider the customer when choosing the color scheme.

Truth in menu laws

Dating back to their 1977 report, Accuracy in Menus, the National Restaurant Association noted eleven categories of menu misrepresentations that to avoid.

Quantity

Portion size must accurate in addition to product specifics. For example, if your menu states that large eggs are a part of menu item, then you must include that product. ("Large" is one of six federal government sizes used in the grading of fresh eggs.) The largest problem with quantity is the typically the misleading terminology that sometimes finds its way onto the menu. If the operation offers a "large" bowl of soup, or a "supersized" soda as exemplars, it might be wise to add descriptors that note the actual serving weights of the each item.

Quality

A restaurant cannot advertise a level of quality that it does not provide to the customer. For example, the menu cannot state that an item contains crabmeat when the item contains imitation crab. The federal government has established quality grades for many of the foods and beverages restaurants use. Check that the proper grade is included on the menu. For instance, the word "prime" to describe beef offerings is not suitable on the menu unless the operation is actually purchasing and serving this quality-grade of meat.

Price

The restaurant must disclose all relevant charges. If there is a charge for, say, all white-meat chicken or for beverage refills, clearly identify this on the menu. A restaurant has freedom to select an appropriate price for the items it serves however, the consumer has the right to accurate pricing information and where charges will occur. Most customers will not revisit an operation that "baits and switches" prices (advertising one price but charging the customer a different or higher price).

Brand name

Similar to the 'quality' rule, a restaurant cannot imply that it serves a brand-name product if, in fact, it is using a substitute item. For example, a food service establishment cannot serve a customer Pepsi if the customer specifically asks for Coke. The main problem with brand names is that many of them are just not so obvious - like the name Jell-O. Many operations casually refer to any type of gelatin product; however, Jell-O is a brand name and suitable only if you serve that product.

Product identification

The federal government has established several "standards of identity." These standards define what a food product must be in order for you to call it by its standard name. For instance, orange juice is not the same as orange-flavored drink, maple syrup differs from maple-flavored syrup, and pure vanilla extract is not the same as vanilla flavoring. These would be simple mistakes to make and, as such, they often occur on foodservice menus. The stand of identity also applied to the ingredients included in a particular item. Sodium can be an issue for some customers, shellfish allergies, peanut allergies, to name a few. A clear description of the item can avoid a potential health issue for a customer.

Point of origin

This is another area of concern - operations tend to toss terms around without giving them a second thought. The term "Maine" lobster sounds quite appealing and denotes quality but can only be usable if the lobster harvest comes from the state of Maine. The "Idaho" potato is another example of a more generally utilized term as opposed to the actual point of origin of the potatoes purchased by the restaurant.

Merchandising terms

Sometimes an operation can create problems by using too much trade hype to describe menu items. It would not be appropriate to use the term "made from scratch" if, in fact, the preparation uses some canned ingredients. Equally, the term "center-cut" filet mignon would be inappropriate if the whole tenderloin was usable for that particular item.

Preservation

A foodservice operation much be careful with the term "fresh." This term implies that the food ingredients you use have never been frozen, canned, bottled, or dried. It might be possible to skirt the law saying that a menu item is "freshly prepared" or "prepared to order," but it is advisable not to push such a point. There will be days when you just cannot get a fresh ingredient and have to settle for a frozen one. There will also be times when you have to prepare items ahead of time, even though you prefer preparing them to order. Be as honest as possible with your customers because if they trap the operation in a lie, irreparable damage to the company's reputation can occur.

Means of preparation

Guests often make item selection decisions based on the preparation method used. Health conscious customers might prefer broiled chicken to fried chicken, or steamed vegetables rather than those prepared with a butter sauce. Whether or not an item was roasted, braised, fried, grilled, stewed or steamed can be an important point of choice or concern for customers these days.

Illustrations/graphics

Restaurateurs often place photos of finished food products on the menu, and especially like to show these on menu boards, or in common via the use a dessert cart. This is an appropriate practice but one must be careful to insure that the finished products from the menu resemble these photographs. Guest develop expectations on these pictorial representations and what they envision is what they expect with the menu item arrives at the table.

Nutrition

Dating back to 1994, restaurants in the United States are required to verify any health, nutrition, or dietary claims made on menus and in other forms of advertising. A restaurant must also follow appropriate guidelines when using standardized terminology such as "light" or "lite" which denotes food servings that are at least one-third fewer calories and less fat by at least fifty-percent. Proper nutrition is a forefront concern in the twenty-first century. An associated concern is childhood obesity with parents and healthcare professionals taking greater interest in portion sizes, calories included, and balanced nutrition in general. Customers are generally in search for healthier menu choices and this provides an opportunity for foodservice operators to inform their clientele about healthy menus.