Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

The Effects of Genre in Hospitality Writing has become a way to shape our community and our lives by being a way to record, communicate and express ourselves through words. There are many different types and uses for writing and they can all be classified according to their purpose and the contents that make up the writing. Genre has become a way to classify different types of writing and has come a long way from only meaning fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, etc., but more as a way to describe culture and the way we think, live and participate in our communities. According to Kerry Dirk, Genre used to refer primarily to form, which meant that writing in a particular genre was seen as simply a matter of filling in the blanks (251). On the other hand, Carolyn Miller describes genres stating, By Proposing how an understanding of genre can help account for the way we encounter, interpret, react to, and create particular texts (65). In the hospitality industry, there are many different types of genres, which go far beyond filling in the blank. You must develop a strong understanding to be successful in writing for this discourse community. By understanding your audience, the message you are trying to send and the outcome you expect, you are putting in much more effort than filling in the blanks which I will prove throughout this analysis. In my field of profession, the hospitality industry, the amount of genres are endless ranging from hotel brochures, casino website design, any kind of advertisement, etc. The variety of these kinds of genres has specific characteristics that are put in place for a reason, which is to get the attention of a potential customer. The goal of any type of writing in the hospitality industry is to get whoever it is that is looking at your writing to use your service. Although, you must understand the different types of people you are

Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

developing your piece of writing for in order to be successful. An example would be if you were designing a flier for a special promotion the spa in your hotel is advertising. You must make sure this flier is designed to be read easily at a quick pace and is effective at catching the attention of someone casually walking by. The types of factors you must take into consideration will drastically affect your design. The restaurant industry is the focus of this paper, concentrating on the different designs of restaurant menus and how they change based on the type of restaurant, type of customer you are appealing to, style of the restaurant, price, location, etc. First, the writer must know what type of restaurant it is and the style of the restaurant whether it will be a fast-food Mexican restaurant like Chipotle or a fancy and upscale steakhouse like Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse. The design of these two restaurants will differ drastically and are the two examples I analyzed along with Applebees Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurant chain, which offers a casual dining American menu. In the following analysis, I break down the techniques used to create each menu that is most appealing to its targeted customer and why those techniques work and how effective the writing is to the reader or in this case, the customer. While classifying discourse, Carolyn Miller states, A genre is composed of constellation of recognizable forms bound together by an internal dynamic (66). This translated into the recognizable forms to be appetizers, entrees, desserts, etc. and the internal dynamic to be different kinds of menus. The first restaurant I will start with is Chipotle Mexican Grill, which offers gourmet burritos and tacos. This type of restaurant would be considered a fast casual dining establishment or also classified as fast food. Chipotle is known for its large burritos, assembly-line production and use of natural

Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

ingredients. The term natural when relating to food has created its own niche market, which I believe Chipotle caters to. This brought me back to a quote from Miller, If genre represents action, it must involve situation and motive because human action, whether symbolic or otherwise, is interpretable only against a context of situation and through the attributing of motives (66). Chipotles owners initially planned on using the money they earned from the first Chipotle to open a fine-dining restaurant. When the owners saw the success they had with the concept of Chipotles menu, they instead focused on the restaurants success and now has over 1400 locations. Chipotles menu, although does not compare to one of a fine dining menu, consists of five items: burritos, fajita burritos, burrito bowls, tacos, and salads with a choice of chicken, pork carnitas, barbacoa, steak, or vegetarian hand made in a timely matter while putting in an effort to use organic ingredients and naturally raised meat. Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. states, Its important to keep the menu focused, because if you do just a few things, you can ensure that you do them better than anybody else. I have found that Chipotles success derives from its owners ability to focus on the right market to enter itself into. Chipotle concentrated on quick, easy, affordable but delicious, quality and satisfying food without having to offer a long and drawn out menu. The owners noticed the success and positive feedback they received from their product. So instead of expanding on a bigger project that would require entering a new market, they expanded on what they already had, improving the quality and adding more locations. The second type of menu I chose to analyze was a menu from Applebees Neighborhood Grill and Bar. This is an American restaurant chain focusing on casual dining with mainstream dishes such as salads, shrimp, chicken, pasta, and riblets.

Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

Compared to Chipotle, Applebees is much more formal and instead of having a menu behind the counter, you get to sit down and read through the menu before you order. One thing I did notice about Applebees menu is the variety of items they offer including their 2 for $20 special where you pick one appetizer and two entrees from a list provided for only $20, appetizers, pick n pair lunches, entrees and main dishes, sizzling entrees, fresh burgers and sandwiches, salads, weight watchers items, under 550 calories items, kids menu, desserts, and beverages. In the article Rethinking Genre From a Sociocognitive Perspective by Carol Berkenkotter and Thomas N. Hucken, they state, For writers to make things happen, that is, to publish, to exert an influence on the field, to be cited, and so forth, they must know how to strategically use their understanding of genre (477). This quote explains that you must understand what kind of audience you are gearing your menu toward. Applebees gears their menu to the middle class, offering affordable but also desirable meals. In a society where weight loss is becoming a trend and special deals on eating out are popular, Applebees has developed a menu you for that exact target customer. With their Weight Watchers options and their Under 500 Calories options, they are catering to those who are watching their weight and/or maintaining a diet at an affordable price. They are also offering specials like their 2 for $20 deal that allows customers to purchase an appetizer and two entrees for only $20 while also offering desirable meal options. Applebees focuses on serving good food to good people and what was once a popular neighborhood restaurant has grown to become a popular restaurant in neighborhoods all across the U.S. with almost 2,000 locations and counting. I think it is safe to say that Applebees has developed an understanding on writing an appropriate menu for their target audience. As well as offering low calorie or

Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

low fat meal options, Applebees segmented themselves into the market for the middle classes. Their menu allows the middle class to enjoy a nice dining experience outside of their home for an affordable price. By Applebees understanding their market, it helps them make changes to their product or service and to better match their customers needs as well as using this information to reach their customers through advertising, promotions, etc. Unlike Applebees, a casual American dining restaurant focused on serving the middle class, Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse specializes, in fine, aged steaks and chops, lobsters and fresh fish since 1988 catering to the upper-class. Hyde Park is a formal restaurant offering a variety of options including their signature Steak Kosar dish, a 7 ounce filet mignon crowned with steamed lobster and barnaise and drenched with a creamy bordelaise sauce, and side dishes including a house favorite, the potatoes Gruyere gratin. The menu is very different compared to Chipotle and Applebees. It offers many more options and does not list the prices next to any of the items. The design of the menu is also much simpler compared to the other restaurants discussed. It has a sophisticated feel. Berkenkotter and Huckin stated, Certain core features of a genre emerge within a particular context and are reinforced over time as a situation recurs. These features, in turn, shape future responses to similar situation (479). This quote brought me back to the fact that Hyde Park started as one stand-alone location in Cleveland, Ohio and now has thirteen locations across the U.S. Their menu was so successful at the first location and catered to what their target audience was looking for, that they were able to open numerous locations in different areas and still remain successful.

Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

The audience Hyde Park focuses on are affluent people who can afford these prices, and those who do not mind spending some extra dollars to receive the best food, service and ambiance that this type of restaurant can deliver. This audience would most likely be comprised of middle-aged individuals, couples with adult children, successful professionals, entrepreneurs, etc. As someone who has worked in the hospitality business for a handful of years and also in restaurants, it is easy for me to notice the differences in menu design and the factors that influence them. Menus are writing in the hospitality industry that need special attention and has to be carefully tailored and designed to achieve the desired emotion from their customer. With the menu Chipotle offers, patrons expect to feel happy and satisfied with a quick and easy yet delicious and affordable meal. Applebees draws emotions like a feeling of satisfaction and helps easy guilt because taking the family out for a descent meal does not to break the bank. Lastly, Hyde Park hopes their patrons feel their dining experience was exhilarating, enjoyable and delicious causing them to want to dine there multiple times. Repeat business is a key factor for restaurants like Hyde Park to be successful. After finishing these analyses of the three different types of menus, I have learned that menus are more than just a way to let people know what you have to offer, but a way to communicate with your customer and get some kind of emotion from them. Genre is much more than something to be incorporated with literature, it affects our culture and more closely, menus and the techniques we use to develop them.

Michaella Pietro Project 2: Genre Analysis

Sources Berkenkotter, C., and T. N. Huckin. "Rethinking Genre from a Sociocognitive Perspective." Written Communication 10.4 (1993): 475-509. Print. Ells, Steve. Chipotle Mexican Grill (Menu). Athens, Ohio: 2013. Print. Lowe, Charles, and Pavel Zemliansky. "Navigating Genres." Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. West Lafayette, IN: Parlor, 2010. 249-62. Print. Miller, Carolyn R. "Genre as Social Action." Quarterly Journal of Speech 70.2 (1984): 151-67. Print. Slavin, Michael. Applebees Neighborhood Grill and Bar (Menu). Athens, Ohio: 2013. Print. Saccone, Joe and Rick Hauck. Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse (Menu). Beachwood, Ohio: 2013. Print.