Wine & Bar Essay
Kazazian
Building Menu Muscle
Part 1: Menu Format & Design Techniques
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How to Make the Most Out of Any Menu
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Building Menu Muscle How the Menu can Increase Sales & Profit § By boosting check average
§ Increase guest frequency and visits per month
§ Increase profitability by increasing selection rates on high gross profit items
§ Improve kitchen efficiency resulting in shorter ticket times and quicker table turns
Menu Format
FROM: Plastic laminated menu § Durable & easy clean-up
§ Can be expensive
§ May cause operators to resist necessary menu changes
TO: Plastic jacket with paper inserts § Usually less expensive over time
§ Less expensive to change and replace inserts
§ More flexibility
“The menu is probably the single most important thing in the restaurant that will make the biggest difference at the lowest cost of anything you’ll do.” -- John Gruner
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Building Menu Muscle
Add more menu categories
§ Does not add more products to inventory
§ Do more cross-utilization of existing product
§ Gives the impression of more menu choices
§ Tends to make the menu more interesting
For example -
Pizza Local Favorites Lunch Specialties Dinner Classics Dinner Specialties Seafood Steaks Pastas Combination Dinners Sandwiches Burgers Side Orders From the Grill Lighter Fare Chili & Tacos
Identify your “Prime” Menu Items
Prime menu items are those that you would prefer to sell and can be based on the following factors –
q Gross margin
q intensity (prep)
q Final time
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Building Menu Muscle
q and different
q Superior / .
winning
Desserts
Profitability Rating - Desserts
Sales Food Food Gross Price Cost Cost % Profit
Fudge Brownie Sundae 3.95 1.03 26% 2.92
Apple Honey Cobbler 3.25 0.46 14% 2.79
Strawberry Cheesecake 3.25 1.14 35% 2.11
Low-Fat Strawberry Shortcake 2.99 0.45 15% 2.54
Apple Caramel Crunch Cake 3.79 1.02 27% 2.77
Banana Split 3.79 0.68 18% 3.11
Gross Profit
1. Banana Split 3.11
2. Fudge Brownie Sundae 2.92
3. Apple Honey Cobbler 2.80
4. Apple Caramel Crunch Cake 2.77
5. Low-Fat Strawberry Shortcake 2.54
6. Strawberry Cheesecake 2.11
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Building Menu Muscle
Consider eye scanning patterns for “strategic placement” of menu categories
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One - Panel Two - Panel
Three - Panel
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Menu Case Study
Use design & graphic techniques to highlight “prime” menu items
Entrees
Grilled Red Snapper 14.95 Fresh snapper with sauteed and lump crabmeat served with steamed season vegetables Stuffed Shrimp 12.95 Eight large Fried Shrimp, battered and stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and jalepeno Marinated Chicken Breast 8.95 Marinated Boneless Breast grilled and topped with a slice of pineapple Rio Grande Chicken 9.95 Seasoned Grilled breast topped with Green Chili Sauce, sauteed red onions and Monterey Jack cheese Grilled Chicken with Raspberry Sauce 8.45 Boneless Breast of Chicken grilled and served with crisp garden vegetables and our homemade raspberry sauce Pan-Grilled Shrimp Pasta 9.95 A generous portion of shrimp over black pepper angel hair with mushrooms, green onions, fresh garlic and spicy butter sauce Crab Alfredo Pasta 10.95 Sweet Crabmeat served over linguini in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce
Many industry experts recommend that the
three items you want to sell most should be
positioned first, second and last within a menu
category.
Place non-prime menu items in the middle or center
positions
High Profit
High Profit
High Profit
Low Profit
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Menu Case Study
Use design & graphic techniques to highlight “prime” menu items
B o x i n g
E N T R E E S
GRILLED RED SNAPPER
Fresh snapper with sautéed and lump crabmeat served with steamed season
vegetables
14.95
CRAB ALFREDO PASTA
Sweet Crabmeat served over linguini in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce
10.95
STUFFED SHIMP
Eight large Fried Shrimp, battered and stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese
and Jalapeno
12.95
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE
Boneless Breast of Chicken grilled and
served with crisp garden vegetables and our homemade raspberry sauce
8.45
PAN-GRILLED SHRIMP PASTA
A generous portion of shrimp over black pepper angel hair with mushrooms, green onions, fresh garlic and spicy butter sauce
9.95
RIO GRANDE CHICKEN
Seasoned grilled breast topped with green
Chili Sauce, and sautéed red onions and Monterey Jack cheese
9.95
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Menu Case Study
Background Shading
Grilled Red SnapperGrilled Red Snapper 14.95 Fresh snapper with sauteed and lump crabmeat served with steamed season vegetables
Stuffed ShrimpStuffed Shrimp 12.95 Eight large Fried Shrimp, battered and stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese and jalepeno
Marinated Chicken BreastMarinated Chicken Breast 8.95 Marinated Boneless Breast grilled and topped with a slice of pineapple
Rio Grande ChickenRio Grande Chicken 9.95 Seasoned Grilled breast topped with Green Chili Sauce, sauteed red onions and Monterey Jack cheese
Grilled ChGrilled Ch icken with Raspberry Sauceicken with Raspberry Sauce 8.45 Boneless Breast of Chicken grilled and served with crisp garden vegetables and our homemade raspberry sauce
PanPan--Grilled Shrimp PastaGrilled Shrimp Pasta 9.95 A generous portion of shrimp over black pepper angel hair with mushrooms, green onions, fresh garlic and spicy butter sauce
Crab Alfredo PastaCrab Alfredo Pasta 10.95 Sweet Crabmeat served over linguini in a creamy Parmesan cheese sauce
E N T R E E S
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Building Menu Muscle
Changes to Consider r
Changes to Makee
ACTIVITY
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
ASSISTANCE FROM
DUE DATE
STATUS / COMMENTS