2. A menu is a list of specific foods offered by
food establishments to its consumers for a specific
period. Planning the menu is the process of listing
down these foods which can be served for
breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks. Menu plans
may be for one day, for a week, three weeks, or
even a month. Planning the menu is important for
the following reasons:
» it enables the planner to think ahead and assures what
to prepare in advance.
» It maximizes the use of available resources like food
supplies, fuel, tools, equipment, and food in season.
» It enables one to predict the expected cost/budget for
food.
3. » It helps anticipate possible problems that may come
up based on the menu planned.
» It assures varied and interesting meal that would
meet the needs and desires of costumers.
Goals in Menu Planning
• Nutritive Goal- the meals must not only satisfy the
palates of costumers but they must be nutritious as
well.
• Economic Goal- the meals must be planned to
meet the meal budget of costumers. It must
consider the affordability level of costumers to
ensure patronage.
4. • Managerial goal- the meals must be planned
according to the material and human resources
available. This means that the manager should
consider the number of workers, the skills they
have, the food supplies, the tools and equipments
available, the time for preparation, and the money
available for purchase.
• Aesthetic goal- the meal should be
pleasing, attractive, and satisfying to the costumers.
There should be an aesthetic combination of dishes
in terms of color, texture, flavor and temperature.
Attractive dishes are certainly inviting to the
costumers.
5. Factors to Consider in Menu Planning
∞Availability of Foods- a menu is primarily based on
what can be bought in the market. In fact, this should
really be the basis for planning for planning specific
dishes. Always consider food in season. Think of
available ingredients as substitutes for those off-
season.
∞Food Habits of Costumers- food managers can make
a survey I the vicinity where food establishment is
located. The survey can consider the culture of the
people living in the vicinity (their
customs, traditions, religion and etc.) people will
patronize a food establishment where their needs and
desires, as well as their beliefs and practices are not
violated in the food they eat.
6. Amount of Money Available- a food establishment has a
definite budget intended for food preparation. Control
in expenses, by operating within a given budget, allows
the food manager to predict cost and, at the same
time, predict profit. It is important, however, that
expenses incurred in food compensates for the bulk of
sale expected or predicted for the day.
Amount of Time Available- food preparations mst met
deadlines. Costumers has their own meal schedule to
meet. Quick service is one important asset of an ideal
establishment. Food ordered should be prepared in the
shortest time possible. To realize this, time-saving
techniques must be employed by the cooks especially if
orders keep coming in.
7. Type of Costumers- this refers to the
age, sex, occupation, socio-economic status, and
nutritional needs of the costumers. For instance, the
school canteen where students are the major patrons of
the establishment, the canteen manager must offer foods
high in carbohydrates and protein since most of the
students are growing kids. Set menus offered at affordable
prices and snack items using foods in season should also
be offered.
Environmental Conditions- here, one thinks of hot
summer months and the cold rainy months. Specific
dishes offered in food establishments should consider the
environmental temperatures. Special hot foods can be
offered on cold rainy days and vice versa. Aside from the
regular menu of the establishment, will be seasonal
offerings in keeping with the conditions of the
8. Occasions- special occasions like
Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries and etc. require
special menus. The manager must prepare a complete
list of main dishes, entrees, appetizers, salads and
desserts from which patrons will choose from.
Types of Business- this includes the kind of food
establishment you will have, either
luxurious, canteens, carinderias, coffee shop, cafeteria
and the likes.
Hours of Business- includes the time of the day that the
establishment will be opened.
Types of Menu- the type of menu is considered in this
factor. It will be either A La Carte, or Du Jour Menu.
And the way these foods will be served-buffet, self-
service os sit-down.
9. Personnel and Facilities- includes the number of
employees needed to work in different areas such as in
preparation, cooking and service.
POINTS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PERSONNELS
AND FACILITIES
a) To plan menus adequately, it is important to analyze
your prospective costumers.
b) The menu affects the number of people employed.
c) The kitchen facilities and kitchen layouts including
the service area, affect the menu.
d) The menu affects the way food is prepared and the
size of the portion served.
10. TYPES OFMENU
• A la carte- each food is
priced individually and the
costumer has to choose any
from the list in the menu
book. The costumer is free
to order what he wants.
This allows feasibility to
choose depending on the
budget of the costumer an
what the costumer wants to
eat at a particular time.
11. • Table d’ Hote- this is a
set menu for a family or
group with a fixed price.
A good example is the
menu offered by the
school cafeteria. They
offer complete student
meals at prices that are
affordable to the
students.
12. • Du Jour Menu- this
refers to the menu for
the day. This can be
interpreted in two ways:
1)a special menu offered
for the long day in
addition to ala carte
dishes or regular dishes
and 2)the only menu
offered for the day
which is case is a limited
menu.
13. • Semi-A La Carte Menu-
this type offers different
combinations of entrée
or main dish with
accompanying salad and
a beverage. The
advantage of this kind is
that it allows costumers
to choose from different
kinds of food
combinations at a fixed
price which would meet
the budget of the
costumers.
14. • Short orders- this is • Cyclical menus- also
shown in the growth of called master menus
many specialty houses where the principal
offering only one or two entrees are worked out
types of food such as for a definite period of
pizza and pasta, fries and time. At the end of the
hamburger and the period, the menu is
likes. It is possible to repeated , hence the
improve the quality of menu is used over and
cooking , and at the over again for a
same time, reduce food particular period of
cost by minimizing the time.
waste due to leftovers.
