Author :chef ssentongo Geoffrey

Blog : culinary arts

Proper menu planning is much more than listening your favorite recipes on a sheet of paper paper and putting it in front of customers.

A good menu is a deliberate, careful blend that suits the restaurants theme and design and meets the desired price point. The kitchen team has to be able to execute the menu in their available kitchen space. And it all has to be done without exceeding food and labor costs.

Don’t get overwhelmed! Menu planning is a skillet that chefs build over time. If you’re just starting out, these four menu planning tips can help you use the menu as a tool to improve the restaurants efficiency and profitability.

1 – Consider Seasonality

Incorporating seasonal produce into your menu can have several benefits. First, seasonal produce tends to be more affordable, since the supply is so large. It also tastes significantly better.

Some restaurants completely rewrite their menu seasonally. But it’s more common to have a “standard” menu with a small selection of seasonal items that change several times per year.

2 – Plan with Cost Control and Pricing in Mind

Chefs must consider the cost of the of every ingredient when they’re planning their menus. Everything from the protein to the seasoning contributes to the overall costs in the kitchen. And the more unique items you have, the more quickly those costs can add up.

Chefs also must consider the final price of each dish when planning their menus.

3 – Think Ahead to Prevent Waste

Kitchen food waste is a common problem in Restaurants, Hotels and Catering companies that chefs can tackle in the menu planning stage. While some amount of waste is inevitable in a kitchen, a clever menu can help manage the problem.

4 – Think About Pacing and Speed

It’s tempting to think of an entree as a single, individual entity. But a chef has to think holistically. Diners rarely eat alone. So you have to consider how long it takes to prepare each different item on the menu.

HOW TO BUILD A DELIVERY FRIENDLY MENU

Gone are the days when restaurant delivery was limited to calling in a pizza from neighborhood pizza joint. Thanks to the advent of food delivery apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats, dinners now want everything from their favorite foods like..

* Burritos

* Burgers 🍔

* Stews and Chili’s

* Smoked Barbeque meat

* Pizzas

Choose items that will Travel well.

While in-house diners will eat their mea few minutes after they are prepared, delivery customers may not enjoy their food until an hour after it leaves the kitchen.

After paying for their meal and the delivery fee, they won’t be happy receiving a soggy sandwich or overcooked steak. One of the reasons Pizza has been such a staple in the delivery world for so long is its transportabiluty. If you’re not offering pizza 🍕, think through what else could travel well.

Think About packing

Just as proper plating is key to dine-in service, choosing the right containers is crucial if you want to deliver orders. Proper packaging helps keep food safe and contained-no delivery driver wants a car full of hot soup, and patrons will appreciate when their sandwich isn’t smashed

Modify Dishes that Rely on Exquisite Presentations

Along with thinking about how a dishs texture holds up during delivery, consider presentation.

Learn the Fundamentals of Menu Design

Before you can build a menu that will have delivery customers raving, you need to learn the components of any Successful menu. Whether you’re running a Ghost kitchen, Food Truck, or Restaurant,your menu will impact your purchasing, prep time, and profits. That means throwing together a menu based on your favorite dishes isn’t always the best option.

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