A restaurant menu is one of the most important things for a successful restaurant. Creating a menu needs time, attention and discussions with other people in the business such as the chefs to ensure that it will be appreciated and loved by the dining guests. Here are some tips to help plan a restaurant menu.
Determine the theme and style – To make the right menu, it is important to first decide the vision of the restaurant. You would want your menu to be distinct from that of your competitors. While you may offer similar foods, you can make these with your unique ingredients to make them stand out. Make a list of items that you would offer and their prices.
Plan the list – Organize the menu as you would want the items to be listed. You can mention the cheaper food items first.
Restaurant Menu prices – While pricing your food, keep in mind that they are not more than the prices listed in the restaurants of the competitors. Also, decide if the restaurant would be informal or formal or semi-formal. Your target customer will also play an important role in deciding the menu and the prices.
Design of the menu – Make some samples of what your menu will look like. This can include some pictures, emphasis on your signature dishes and the list of items for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The design should be attractive, professional, and easy to navigate. The font and colors of the menu must match the theme of the restaurant. Make sure the font is not too small for the eye. Revise thoroughly to ensure that there are no errors.
Food descriptions – The description of the dishes should stimulate your customer’s appetite. It should be written properly and arranged as per order such as appetizers, main dishes, desserts and beverages.
Changing menus – Most restaurant menus are static in that they stay fixed for long periods of time. Alternatively, you can also offer a menu that is always changing. This is good particularly for restaurants that use seasonal ingredients that fluctuate in price. However, it can be difficult to print new menus frequently. In this case you can write your menu on the chalk board or print out special items along with the daily specials.
Reasonable variety – One of the important things to keep in mind while designing a menu is to offer good variety to your customers while also keeping it reasonably simple so that they do not get overwhelmed by too many items. Also, a menu with a smaller range of offerings will make it easier for you to manage your orders and avoid food wastage.
Menu printing – Ensure that you get the menu professionally printed. Use professional paper and hire a printing company to do the work.
Designing a menu is an important job. It conveys to the public the food that they can enjoy at your restaurant. A sloppy menu can reflect negatively on your restaurant. Think of your menu as an important marketing tool that will help promote your enterprise and also draw repeat customers.
