Chapter 3: THE ELEMENTS & MECHANICS OF MENU

DESIGN
Learning Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the student must be able to:

1. Explain the elements of a menu:

2. Describe how the presentation of the menu affects the financial performance
of the Hospitality industry;
3. Explain Menu Engineering and its categories;
4. Describe the proper presentation of menu and;
5. Understand the common mistakes in menu preparation.

Menu planning should be adaptable to changing circumstances continuous and

up-to-date. Whether it is a nonprofit or a commercial establishment, the menu
planner should be aware of new products and trends in customer preferences, as
well as menu items that are effectively offered by the competitors.

ELEMENTS OF A MENU

The design of a restaurant menu reflects

the restaurant itself. Restaurant menu
designs should reflect your restaurant’s
concept, location, and theme, whether
formal, informal, or fun. The font and color
scheme of your menu should also
complement your restaurant’s theme.

Here are five features that your menu

must have in order to carry its weight and
make its presence worthwhile:

1. READABILITY

One of your menu’s most important features should be its readability. Use
plain fonts that aren’t overly styled, as this might make it difficult to read. It’s also
a good idea to use lettering that contrasts with the background to make it pop.
In the text, use vivid and appealing language, but don’t go overboard or your
menu will look cluttered.

2. ALLURE

When it comes to making your food sound enticing, it’s not just about your
language make sure your menu dishes seem appealing and delicious by taking
photos of them. Don’t use images with poor lighting or sloppy food preparation;
instead, pay attention to the finer details of the photography process to
guarantee that your images are always appetizing and ready to eat.

The design of the menu should be attractive and in line with the overall
theme. Choose a color scheme with only a few key colors and avoid using too
 many various colors, since this will only detract from the design. Don’t forget to
link the menu pages with borders or other graphic components.

3. VARIETY

Although this point is more about the menu items than the menu design, it
is still an important factor to consider. People like to see a variety of options (in
terms of food and pricing), so your menu should have some variety – not too
much, but enough to appeal to a wide range of preferences. Include some
seasonal foods in your rotation to give it a sense of urgency.

4. BRANDING

Customers may need to be informed of who they’re dealing with

occasionally. To keep your brand front and center, place your logo or name on
the main page of your menu. Other branding elements, such as a distinct font or
color scheme, can be applied if they are consistent throughout the menu.

5. ORGANIZATION

Clearly categorize your menu into sections (appetizers, beverages,

lunches, etc.) so that it makes sense and that customers can quickly find what
they want. The less time they spend looking at the menu, the more time they
have to eat and enjoy the food, and the better impression they will have.

MENU ENGINEERING
Menu engineering is a way to design a menu in order to push your most
profitable dishes and up-sell to your guests. The goal is simple: to increase profitability
per guest. With the right menu engineering. You will be able to feature the most
popular. Important and profitable dishes on your menu, you will make it easy for your
guests to choose a dish, you will be increasing you profit margins and you will have a
menu that is memorable.

Menu engineering helps restaurants by:

• Eliminating poor-performing items from the menu, helping your food costs
• Highlighting your more profitable menu items
• Creating a system for regular analysis of your menu, keeping it optimized to
help make your restaurant money

The 4 Menu Engineering Categories

 Stars: High Profitability and High Popularity

Stars are items with a high profit margin and

a high level of popularity. They’re inexpensive to
produce, and the customers can’t seem to get
enough of them. Rather than experimenting with
these menu items, remain with them and promote
them as much as possible. Make sure they’re
prominently displayed on your menu.
 Puzzles: High Profitability and Low Popularity

Puzzles are the extremely profitable yet difficult-to-sell items on your menu.
Analyze why they aren’t selling; might they be better described or displayed
more prominently on the menu? It promoted more on social media? It might also
be that the pricing is a bit too high – reducing costs marginally can sometimes
improve popularity enough to result in higher overall profits.

 Plowhorses: Low Profitability and High Popularity

Plowhorses are a popular menu item whose ingredients are on the

expensive side. With plowhorses, the idea is to make them more profitable. How?
You can either alter the recipe to make a more profitable version of the same
item, or combine it with a profit-boosting beverage on your menu. You can also
keep an eye on the size of your portions: Are these menu items being left on
clients’ plates? You may want to decrease the portion size slightly while
improving the appearance of the dish.

 Dogs: Low Profitability and Low Popularity

Dogs are the menu items that are both expensive to prepare and
unpopular with your customers. They’re taking up space on your menu that
could be used for more profitable items. Consider omitting your Dogs or hiding
them on your menu to de-emphasize them. But before you get rid of something
completely, try rebranding and re-inventing it.

THE MENU MECHANICS

I. Menu Formats & Design

Menu formats & design have been called as the silent salesperson of the
restaurant. The menu cover is a symbol of the restaurant’s identity.

For menu of single page, the page must

be encased in plastic laminate. If the menu is
more extensive, there is more space on the back
for dessert and beverages. The focal point for
single page menu is just above the center, an
ideal place to list a special item that may be
highlighted to increase sales. This item should
also yield a good profit margin because it is a
high selling items.

For menu of more than 1 page. The

outside cover may have the name of the
restaurant and a picture of appropriate to its
style. The layout, type face, illustrations, graphic
design, paper color and menu copy are matter
of personal choice. Menus with two or more
pages may be laid out in an appealing way with
 signature item or special dishes highlighted or boxed in the focal point.
Beverages may appear on the back page or even as a suggestion to
accompany a certain dish.

Designers should think about the menu’s “hot zones” when deciding
where specific menu items should go. A hot zone is the area where a guest’s eye
usually falls first, and it is the area that all quests will notice, even if they merely
peek at the menu briefly to make a quick decision. Knowing where the hot zone
on a menu is allows the designer to place the items she wants to sell in the hot
zone. Items that are displayed there are more likely to attract the attention of the
guest and, as a result, to gain a larger share of the business over time. Highly
profitable items are best located in the hot zones.

II. Menu Presentation

The most typical menu is one printed on thick paper with a logo, graphic,
or theme on the front. The menu cover should portray an accurate image of the
business and indicate the formality, price range, and even theme of the dishes
supplied to the customer. A la carte options are available on the left and right
sides of the fold on the inside. The time it takes to read a menu and make a
decision needs to be addressed in your menu design and presentation.

Menu psychology is a presentation method that uses graphic design and

layout to influence customers. The following includes the factors to consider in
presenting the restaurant menu:

• Paper Quality

The menu planner chooses the paper quality that will be used in designing
a menu. The menu planner must consider how frequently the menu will be used
while selecting the paper. If the menu will be updated on a daily basis, a less
expensive and less durable material, such as uncoated and lightweight paper,
might be used. On the other hand, A menu that does not change frequently,
would need to be printed on a durable, coated, heavy stock, water-resistant,
and stain-resistant paper.

Durability is also an important consideration when selecting the paper for a

cover. When choosing paper, the menu planner must weigh four factors:

1. Strength
2. Texture
3. Color
4. Opacity (Opacity refers to the property of paper that minimizes the “show-
through” of printing to the back side of a sheet.)

• Font size and Style.

The print on a menu should be sufficiently large and in a print that is
easy to read. Increase the font size to capture the customer’s attention to an
item; reduce the size to direct the customer’s attention away from an item.
Avoid using difficult-to-read fonts, especially in low-light situations.
 There are many styles of font style. The three that will be discussed are:
roman, modern, and script.

 Roman type is characterized by a combination

of thin and thick lines. It is easy to read and is
used in newspapers, magazine articles, and
books. Roman type should be used in the
descriptive copy on the menu

 Modern type does not have the thick and thin

lines that are found in Roman type. Its letters are
thick block letters. Many government buildings use modern print on
exterior signs. Modern type can be used for headings and
subheadings on menus.

 Script type looks like

handwriting. Script is difficult
to read and is used only for
headings or subheadings
on the menu. Headings on
the menu might be
Appetizers, Soups, Salads,
Entrées, and Desserts.
Subheadings might consist of the names of the items offered, such
as Stuffed Mushrooms as an appetizer or Sirloin Steak with
Hollandaise Sauce for an entrée.

The menu planner

must also decide on the
font size. Font size is
measured in points;
starting with 6 points and
going up to 192 points.
Most menus should be
done in at least 12- point
type. Smaller type is too
difficult to read. For the
descriptive copy, space
between lines must be
allowed, called leading.
L
e
When there is no
a
space between lines, this
d
referred to as set solid. It is
i
important that the style of
n
type be appropriate for
g
the style of the restaurant.
If the restaurant is modern, the menu should be modern as well.
i
s

a
l
s
• Eye Gaze motion

The pattern of gaze movement describes the moving directions of eyes

when customers read the menus and how such movement affects the
ultimate choices. When reading a menu, the eye follows a set pattern. As a
result, the main menu sales area is in the center of the threefold menu. The
number of folds in the menu, as well as the page structure, images, and
layout, will affect the gaze motion patterns. It’s common to list things in the
order in which they’re consumed.

• Color and brightness.

The colors selected for the paper and type on a menu should go
together. A red background with yellow lettering, for instance, would clash
horribly. Pink paper with black type would blend well. Professional printers or
graphic artists can help the menu planner coordinate the colors of the paper
and the type. Also, to attract customers’ attention, increase the brightness,
color, or shading of visual elements.

• Spacing and grouping.

To bring attention to the product items. Use borders around them or

group them together within a space.

• Listing of Menu

Items on the menu should be listed in the order in which they are
consumed. Most menus list appetizers, soups, salads, entrées and
accompaniments, and then desserts. In each category, the most profitable
food items should be listed first and last, with the most popular and least
profitable food items in the center. When reading down a column of any list,
the eye is trained to carefully look at the first few items, skim the middle
section, and then study the last few items before looking at the next column.
Very popular items are likely to be ordered regardless of their place on the
menu, however.

a. Hors-d’oeuvre, Appetizer, or Starter

- are of spicy in nature in order to
stimulate the appetite for the
dishes that are to follow in the
course.
- Served from a rotating trolley or a
tray a small amount of each
variety being placed on the plate
to make up a portion.
- Examples include Small fried items such as turnovers, empanadas,
samosas, and egg rolls are often served with a dipping sauce.
Crudité platters (cut raw vegetables served with a dip) or even dips
served with crackers or chips can be
considered hors d’oeuvres as well.

b. Potage/Soups and sandwiches

- Soup also act as an appetizer for the
further courses to come. Soups like clear
soup (consommé) and the other a thick
soup (crème, veloute, puree) are served
during this course.
- they should be prepared in combination with the
other entrées.

c. Vegetables and "sides"

- these should be appropriate to complement the
entrées. On selective menu, pair a less popular
vegetable with one that is well accepted.

d. Fish
- Fish is served, usually before the main course. Prepares the palate
for the heavier meats that follow.

e. Main Course
- The main meat course on the menu,
larger other course. A sauce or a roast
gravy with potatoes and green
vegetables are always served with this
course.

Salad
 - Small plates of salad taken after main course, quite often simply
green salad and dressing.
- It should go with the entrées and vegetables; select one that
complements or contrasts in texture with the entire meal.

f. Entremets / Desserts
- Entremets on a menu refers to desserts. This
could include hot or cold sweets, gateaux,
soufflés or ice-cream.
- Plan a light dessert with a hearty dinner for
a nonselective menu, and a heavier
dessert when the rest of the meal is too filling. On a selective menu,
the number of options may be set to two or three, with fruit, ice
cream or sherbet, and yogurt accessible daily.
- Dessert choices at a commercial cafeteria may include a two-crust
pie, a crème pie, cake or cookies, pudding, fruit, ice cream or
sherbet, and gelatin desserts.

 Balance

The menu is balanced when the quantity of offerings in each category

is proportionately balanced based on the restaurant's concept.,. A fine dinner
restaurant offering 6 appetizers, 2 soups, 4 salads 20 entrées, and 8 desserts is
considered to be well balanced. A greater number of entrées is not only
acceptable but also recommended, because entrées are the focus of the
menu and are usually the most expensive food items as well.

 Descriptive Copy

A description of how a product is cooked and served is known as

descriptive copy. Descriptive copy contributes in the sale of a menu item.
Good menu descriptions lead to higher profits. Because entrees are the most
costly items on the menu, they should contain the most detailed descriptive
language.

 Truth-in-Menu

Each and every item on the menu must be described accurately. The
various Truths-in-Menu laws are overseen by dozens of agencies and
administrative entities, taking the labeling of food to much greater degrees of
accuracy. Inaccurate or incomplete menus can lead to injuries and illness
affecting guests who have food allergies. It can also be cause for legal action
by patrons who feel you have misrepresented your products or by governing
agencies for failure to comply with their requirements. Examples of
information that should be carefully described include preparation style,
ingredients, item size, and health claims.

COMMON MENU MISTAKES

 Hard to read

Poor readability due to font size, paper color, and font style;
congested menu pages with too many elements and too small font type; and
printing on dark paper with dark ink making readability difficult in low-light
situations are just a few examples.

 Inadequate management commitment.

You’re setting yourself up for failure if you don’t consider menu design
as thoroughly as any other significant capital investment decision. Leaving
the menu layout and style to your printer rather than working with a graphic
designer to highlight the menu items you want to highlight, is also a poor
decision

 Incongruent

This includes failing to suit the menu to the restaurant’s décor and style.
Your menu is your fundamental communication tool, and it should be
designed in such a manner that a customer who had never heard of your
restaurant could picture your décor, type of food, pricing range, and whether
you were serving casual or premium dining by just looking at it.

 Overemphasizing prices

When you align prices in a column down he page guests can

summarily discount items based on price alone. You can improve your sales
without changing any menu item or price. All you have to do is reposition the
items and employ menu psychology techniques on your menu.

 Poor salesmanship

Not emphasizing the items the restaurant wants to sell through

graphics, fonts, color, or illustrations reduces your influence on what items will
move.

 Poor use of space

This includes not using the front and back cover for information about
the restaurant, e.g. hours, services, history, address, etc. Since people take
menus from restaurants as souvenirs, it should contain what is referred to as
“institutional information.” To not include it would be like having custom
matches without your restaurant’s name on them.

 Too big

The size of the menu needs to take into account the size of the table,
the place setting and the table appointments. Oversized menus can be
awkward to hold and handle while sipping a martini and trying to have a
conversation with your dinner companions.