Menu Planning

MODULE 6

OVERVIEW

Menu planning plays a vital role in the success of the food service
both from the financial point of view and gaining the goodwill of patrons,
employees, and the general public. As the menu planner selects the dishes to
be served.

In this module we will tackle how and why menu planning exists.
How it is performed and how menu helps succeed any food services industry
as well as canteen management.

Questions for Discussions:

1. What is Menu? Explain.

2. How Menu Helps Food Service Industry?

3. Do you experience to check any in the menu? What is your observation?

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, the student should be able to:

a. Discuss what is menu.

b. Create menu planning.
c. Appreciate what menu help in our daily life.

Menu Planning
Types of Menu
Menu is a French word which means
“small” or „detailed‟ and has come to mean a list
of dishes that are to be served at a meal or the
meal itself.
There are certain ways by which menus
are classified. However, whatever is the basis for
classification, the popular once are known
according to its use. Most of the menu types are
referred to by their French name:
Cyclical Menu
As its name implies, a cyclical or cycle
menu is a set of carefully planned menus rotated
according to a definite pattern. The repetition of
each item or menu enables the planner to draw
conclusions as to the comparative popularity of
the different menus. This is very common in
Menu Planning
chain restaurants. This type is often called a
master menu because the principal items or
entrees can be worked out for a definite period
of anywhere from two to six weeks or more.
Food service institutions like schools
and hospitals also use this menu type. This menu
is a useful guide although it may not always be
possible to carry it out due to adverse factors
like weather or market.
A La Carte Menu
The term a la carte is directly translated
as „from the card‟. This means is served in
deluxed or first class restaurants. The special
dishes that make up the menu are changed
according to season, bringing an added appeal of
variety though this is done in a more periodic
table rather than day-to-day basis.
Plat Du Jour Menu
This type‟s name can also be interpreted
as „specialty of the house‟. The dishes in the
menu are changed daily or may be featured for a
short period of time. This menu is actually a
modified form of the a la carte menu and is
offered in medium-size restaurants.

Function Menu
Sometimes called special menu, this
type is only offered during special occasions like
weddings, baptismal parties, anniversaries, and
the like. Orders are placed far in advance before
the celebration. The charge is done on a per
plate basis with fair discounts for a large number
of guest.
Questions for further discussion:
a. What kind of menu have you seen so
far? Where?
b. In preparation of school canteen for
Publicity, what kind of menu is you
preferred to choose? explain
Menu Planning
Basic Factors in Menu Planning
Menu planning is the preparation in
advance of menus to be served.
Traditionally, menu planning is the
responsibility of one individual such as the chief
cook or chef, the manager, assistant manager or
the chief dietitian in a hospital food.
Since menu planning is critical to the
success of the food service establishments, there
are important factors to be observed and
considered. These include the needs and desires
of patrons, variety, menu appeal, season,
availability of food and equipment, nutrition and
prices.
NEED AND DESIRESOF PATRONS
The likes and dislikes of patrons are
very important considerations in menu planning.
For example, the patrons of school cafeterias
differ from those of an exclusively male
company. School canteens cater to young
children who need light but nutritious food.
Male workers in construction firms prefer
heavier dishes due to their strenuous physical
work.
Needs, desires, and eating habits of
patrons also depend on racial and social
background, religious affiliation, climatic and
geographical conditions, and individual
differences. Some groups love dishes seasoned
with hot pepper and other spices. Other groups
relish dishes with plenty of vegetables. Still
other prefer bland or salt-free while opposite is
true to other individual.
 Menu Planning

VARIETY 2. In terms of menu offered, which

People are, generally, never satisfied or
contented. They easily tire of the same meny\u
served over and over to them. An imaginative
menu planner should know to vary dishes.
Considering that people with individual
differences patronize his/her establishments, the
menu planner should offer varied intelligent
choices to them.
basic factor in menu planning was
considered and followed by the food
service centers you visited? Which
factor was ignored?
3. Explain why all the basics factors in
menu planning are important.
In planning the menu, the planner
should set a schedule that is regular and
uninterrupted.

MENU APPEAL
Menu Pattern
The menu pattern is defined as an
More often than not, patrons are outline of food to be included in each meal. The
attracted to food that appeal to their sense. usual schedule is 3 meals a day – break-fast,
lunch, dinner or supper, served within a certain
Dishes are made appealing by introducing
time span.
creativity in terms of color, form, texture, flavor,
Because of this trend, many restaurants
and temperature. are offering snack type of foods as part of their
An all in white menu can be drab and regular menus and longer hours of service.
uninteresting. The addition of red beets, orange
carrots, and green vegetables will make this Below are example menus for breakfast, lunch
menu more attractive. Diversity if form is and dinner or supper:
possible by dicing. Shredding, slicing, cutting,
or molding food into desired shapes. Breakfast: Fruit or Juice
Egg/protein dishes
PRICES Rice or bread
Coffee, tea, milk or chocolate
The menu planner must also be familiar
with various prices food. Lack of knowledge of
the prevailing prices of food is one reason why Lunch: Soup
some items in the menu become expensive while Entrée (meat/protein dish)
others remain cheap. With imagination, Leafy, yellow or
ingenuity, and creativity, he/she can create other vegetables.
wonderful and nutritious dishes satisfying both Fruit/dessert
patrons and management.
Dinner/Supper: Soup (optional)
Entrée (meat/fish or poultry)
Something to Do! (Research)
Vegetables
1. List down the names of the dishes
on the menus of the restaurant, fast- Rice
food eatery, and coffee shop you Dessert
visited. Tell which dishes you found Coffee, tea, or milk
appealing. Explain your answer.
 Menu Planning

Most foodservices base their menus on d. Salads. Salads should be selected on the
pend on the type of foodservice. The number of basis of compability with the entrees and
choices offered depends on the following: vegetables.
a. Type of foodservice
b. Style of service e. Desserts. On a selective menu, two or three
c. Personnel available dessert choices my be included.
d. Equipment use
e. Budet f. Breads.

Schools. School foodservices aim at: g. Rice.

a. Providing nutritious and economical
meals h. Beverages.
b. Contributing better understanding of
nutrition
c. Fostering good food habits. The Menu Card
It should have the following
characteristic:
Steps in Menu Planning
a. Handy
What follows are suggestions on how to b. Clean
plan menus and the order in which the c. Simple format
components are planned. d. Appropriate print size
e. Highly legible (typewritten)
a. Entrees. This are the most expensive items f. Interesting colors
in the menu so careful planning is needed so g. Harmonious structural and decorative
that cost-cutting can be done to a great design
extent.
Reference/s:
b. Soups. If more than one soup is included in “Food Services and Management I & II”, Saint
the plan, one should be a stock soup and the Bernadette Publications INC.
other one a cream soup.
“Food Management and Service II & 1”
c. Vegetables. Choose vegetables that best
combine with the entrees. On a selective Phoenix Publishing House, Inc. 927 Quezon
menu, pair of a less popular vegetable with Avenue, Quezon City
one that is well accepted
 Menu Planning

MODULE TEST!
A. Enumeration:
a. List down the steps in menu planning.
b. 4 basic factors in menu planning.
c. Types of menu.

B. Fill in the Blanks: Find the correct answer given in the box below.
1. This are the most expensive items in the menu so careful planning.
2. Choose vegetables that best combine with the entrees.
3. If more than one soup is included in the plan,
4. Salads should be selected on the basis of compability with the entrees and vegetables.
5. On a selective menu, two or three dessert choices my be included.

Entrees Soups Desserts

Salads Beverages Vegetables

C. Essay:
a. What is menu?
b. What is menu planning?
c. How menu planning help food service industry to achieve there goals and objectives?

D. To Do:
a. Create your own menu for school canteen.

E. Research:
a. Research a variety food preparation and combination. Atleast 5.