10.2: Menu Strategies

Menu Writing Strategies Checklist

What technique(s) are usable to meet and overcome the competition, to be profitable, and to expand or grow?

All of these involve marketing decisions to create the appropriate ‘bundle’ of resources:

1. Product,
2. Price,
3. Promotion, and
4. Place (placement?)

The menu is (not only) a major ‘communications and selling’ tool, and control mechanism but also a potential research and experimentation device that are usable to increase restaurant profits. Information on popularity and profitability of items can give a restaurateur important information on future menu decisions.

Menu Location and Sequence

Menu organization makes a difference.

1. Eye motion patterns – example single-fold menu the area just above and to the right is the best place for profitable items.
2. Menu should follow the meal sequence (both food and beverages)
   1. Appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts
   2. Cocktails, wines & beers, after-dinner drinks
3. The top item on any entrée listing has the best chance of selection (as well as top group – i.e. steaks, seafood, poultry, etc.)
4. Multiple menus or one?
   1. Specials: house specialties or limited time offers
   2. Larger, bolder type
   3. Longer description
   4. Place in special boxes or panels
   5. Color or illustrations

Additional information is provided in the ‘data analysis’ chapter.

Menu Content

Think of your menu as an extension of your marketing efforts which should be ‘seamless’ in approach. The menu content has to be clear and concise, appealing to the customers tastes, indicate value and affordability for the customer. Studies show that if for example, pricing for appetizers and desserts seem ‘conspicuously higher’ in relation to the main courses, customers feel a lack of value and will not return. In sum, pricing for either appetizers or desserts that does not make sense to the customer is a deal breaker no matter the value your main courses create. Some restauranteurs try to edge out more profit in these areas to disastrous ends. Important considerations and elements follow.

1. Menu type – A la carte, Table d’hote, Prix fixe
2. Listings
3. Variety
   1. Temperature
   2. Cooking methods
   3. Texture
   4. Shapes and sizes
   5. Color
   6. Balance
   7. Price
4. Composition – make-up of the plate or meal itself

Writing the Menu

Writing the actual menu is an important step in the menu creation process. The terminology you use and accurate description of your menu inclusions are very important elements. Customers read the menu item and form an impression of what it will look like and how it will taste. Pay attention to the following aspects of description and accuracy.

1. Descriptive terminology
   1. Explaining
   2. Signaling quality or value
   3. Selling
      • Do descriptive labels increase sales?
      • Do descriptive labels make customers believe the food tastes better?
      • Do descriptive labels influence customers’ attitudes toward a restaurant and their intent to return?
   4. Basic findings when given descriptive labels (Wansink, Painter & van Ittersum, 2001):
      • Sales increased by one-fourth
      • Food consistently rated higher in quality and better value by customers
      • Customers formed more positive attitudes about the restaurant
      • Believed the restaurant was keeping up with trends
      • Increased likelihood that customers would purchase those items again on return visits
      • Did not influence willingness to pay more money for these items
      • Descriptive menu labels can stimulate first-time consumption and encourage repeat sales
      • Words of caution – if food is of only average or below-average quality – descriptions may have little or negative effect. Descriptions may raise customer expectations about the quality of menu items (Findings in Cornell Hotel & Restaurant Quarterly, December 2001).
   5. Types of descriptive labels:
      • Geographic labels (e.g., Cajun or Italian)
      • Affective labels (e.g., home-style or grandma’s)
      • ​​​​​​​Sensory labels (e.g., tender or silky)
      • ​​​​​​​Methodology (e.g., broiled, smoked, etc.)
      • ​​​Quality or branding (e.g., Certified Angus Beef, USDA Prime, etc.)
   6. Negative Terminology – refrain from using it
2. Accuracy in Menus
   1. Be certain you can substantiate your written and spoken words with product, invoice, or label.
   2. Representation of quantity – double martinis = 2 times normal size, jumbo eggs are recognized egg size, etc.
   3. Representation of quality – federal and state standards are used and stated, exception prime rib – meaning: primal ribs rather than USDA Prime grade.
   4. Representation of price – any additional charges are brought to the immediate attention of the customer (e.g., bottled water charge, service charge, extra charge of white meat only, etc.)
   5. Representation of brand names – Coca-Cola, Tabasco, etc.
   6. Representation of product identification – e.g., maple syrup vs. maple-flavored syrup
   7. Representation of points of origin – e.g., Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee using Chinese crawfish
   8. Representation of merchandising terms – “World’s Best Jambalaya”, Mile-high Ice Cream Pie”, vs. “we use only the finest beef” or “homemade”
   9. Representation of preservation –frozen vs. fresh
   10. Representation of food preparation – baked, broiled, etc.
   11. Representation of verbal or visual presentation – should portray actual contents with accuracy
   12. Representation of dietary or nutritional claims – “heart healthy” (specific guidelines by AHA), salt-free or sugar-free, low calorie must be supportable. Restaurants are generally exempt from providing nutritional information on menus but are currently under attack by a segment of the population.
       • ​​​​​​​Absolute claim – low-fat or calorie-free
       • ​​​​​​​Relative of comparative claim – light or reduced (reference can be made to the restaurant’s regular product, another restaurant’s product, a value obtained from a reliable data source, a national/regional average, or market-based norm.
       • ​​​​Implied claim – implies that a nutrient is present or absent (this area is gray one decided on a case-by-case basis)

Additional examples and ideas are available at: <https://designschool.canva.com/blog/...hology-design/>

Physical Components of the Menu

1. Menu Cover
   • Padded, custom designed, insert-type, laminated, paper
2. Menu Layout
   • Categories, subheadings, using prime space, clip-on
   • Using leftover space – stories, history, etc.
3. Desktop publishing or outsourcing
4. Type of paper – this depends on the theme or the restaurant and length of use.
5. Color – lighting, image, theme, contrast between type and paper colors.
6. Type – old style, modern, etc.
7. Artwork – some parallel the restaurant theme and positioning also with sparking interest.
8. Menu Aesthetics Checklist – follows theme, branding, pricing.