• A menu is a list of food and 
   beverage items served in a food 
   and beverage operation.
  • It can be printed on paper, 
   written on a chalk board, 
   displayed on a sign behind the 
   register, etc.
  • The menu is the basic game plan 
   for the restaurant and a tool 
   used to meet the needs and 
   wants of a customer.
  • The menu expresses the concept and theme 
   through the choice of foods on the menu, the 
   prices, and the design of the menu itself.
  • The menu serves as a type of contract 
   between the foodservice establishment and 
   the customer.
  • Consumer groups, governmental regulatory 
   bodies, and even industry self-regulatory 
   bodies ensure that what is seen on the menu 
   is what the customers get on their plates.
        Types of Menus
  • A fixed menu offers the same foods every day.  
   Once it is developed it hardly ever changes.  
   These are typically found in fast food 
   restaurants, ethnic restaurants, and 
   steakhouses.
        Types of Menus
  • A cycle menu changes foods 
   daily for a set period of time 
   and at the end of that time the 
   menu repeats itself every 
   week, 2 weeks, or month.  
   Some are written on a seasonal 
   basis to take advantage of fresh 
   foods.  They provide variety for 
   people who eat in the same 
   place everyday such as schools, 
   hospitals, and other 
   institutions.
        Types of Menus
  • A market menu changes with the availability 
   of food products.  It takes advantage of foods 
   that are in season, inexpensive, and easy to 
   get.  These menus challenge the chef’s 
   creativity to use fresh and seasonal products.  
   As soon as a product is no longer available it is 
   removed from the menu.  These menus often 
   change each day.