Menu Planning and Product Development - Essay Example

MENU PLANNING AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Introduction Five years working as an Executive Chef of The Restaurant Group has given me a vast experience in the restaurant business. I, therefore, have exemplary skills in menu planning and development. Throughout my whole career, I have come across different types of menus. Some have been formed so poorly anyone would wonder the competitive spots it puts the restaurants in. Most successful restaurants have clear and impressive menus which reflect the real image of the restaurants and the products they offer. The menu planning is essential in order to come up with ideal menus. A quality menu is crucial for any restaurant business because it is the first impression of the establishment and because it communicates everything about the type of operation and services offered in the restaurant. It also shows the facilities, organisation, production and staffing methods. It is the menu that depicts the restaurants image, concept and overall mission. It acts as a sales tool and gives the restaurant competitive advantage over other restaurants. Menu planning can, therefore, determine the success of a restaurant. In this seminar, two lessons will be learnt and discussed in depth. Lesson one will be to understand the factors that influence menu planning decisions. Everyone will also be expected to understand the product development planning process. Menu planning decisions Lesson 1: Factors That Influence Menu Planning Decisions Menus are vital tools for sales and also for the development production plan. Menus are listings of items the foodservice operation has for sale (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). The menu presents ideas like the type of outlet, that is, coffee shop menu, fast food restaurant menu; it also gives an idea of the meals offered, courses available and price-based classification (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Formulation of a menu depends on many factors including the taste and art of selection of dishes based on the studied foundations. Failing to formulate a menu can have undesirable consequences on sales (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Menus must be created with the tastes and preferences of the customer in mind as they are the most valuable asset to the foodservice operation. Research must, therefore, be done to know exactly what the customers like or what their tastes and preferences are (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). It should, therefore, be designed in a manner that it facilitates sales and marketing. The menu creates an image of the enterprise. The appearance should, therefore, be in line with the picture the food service operation desires to project. The image may be elegant, professional, fun, cultural and ethnic or stylish depending on the target markets desire. Whichever the picture for the foodservice operation, one thing must be put into consideration the visual cues presented by the menu. The ease with which a menu can be read, its physical design, layout, the artwork and the typing styles of the menu should be able to influence the customer. Colour should be considered in the presentation of food in the menu to improve the presentation of dull food (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). The key goal is to capture the attention of the customer and probably impress him enough to remain loyal to the foodservice operation. The menu plans for the whole foodservice process and success in menu design has a direct influence on other activities in the foodservice operation (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Menu planning decisions are influenced by a number of factors as explained below. Cost and budget Foodservice operations operate within their budget and, therefore, the amount of money available to feed a single person significantly influences menu planning. The amount of resources that can be used depends on the income from food sales and the relative cost percentage. The cost of providing the meal should not surpass 40% of the selling price (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Menu planning requires careful consideration of the relative costs of food, labour and equipment. The menu arrived at will be cost-effective and will suit the food-service’s capability. Furthermore, it does not require extremely high budgets to make meals of quality and that are satisfactory to customers. Equipment The equipment available for the preparation of meals will determine what can and cannot be prepared within the foodservice joint (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). It will also determine the amount produced. The staff of the facility should, therefore, have knowledge of the equipment available in order to make accurate menu planning decisions (Brown, 2003). For example, if the facility does not own ovens, then baked goods should not be included in the menu. Refrigeration and storage space also determines the amount of prepared, unprepared and frozen foods that can be held in the facility, therefore determining menu planning decisions. If a new menu item is added the facility must in turn purchase equipment to be used in making the item (Brown, 2003). The type of kitchen will play a vital role in menu planning. A facility that wants to include a variety of products in their menu should make sure they have the complimentary equipment used in the cooking the products. Seasonal fluctuation of raw food products The food service operations depend on natural food products as they primary resource. Climatic conditions may affect the suitability of various dishes. When the climatic conditions are favourable, fruits and vegetables and other raw foods will be in plenty therefore leading to their low prices. It will, therefore, be essential to include dishes made from these products in the menu. However, when there are adverse climatic conditions, there will be fewer food products therefore leading to high prices of the commodities. This will result in the service including less of the dishes made from these products in their menus (Brown, 2003). The skills and knowledge of the staff The skill levels of cooking and service staff need to be carefully determined before planning a menu (Brown, 2003). The facility should only include items in the menu that can be produced by the cooking staff of the organisation. If an item is included in the menu and the employees cannot make in an up- to-standards ay, then it should not be included in the menu. Personnel skills should, therefore, be tested as they affect menu planning. The kitchen staff should be capable enough and know how to use the equipment available and also cook the dishes listed in the menu (Brown, 2003). Current Trends Traditional dishes may be attractive, but the restaurants should ensure they include the modern and current trends in their specific locations (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Towns and cities that are home to universities are often open to new ideas and accept new trends readily. Areas that are heavily populated with old people, however, prefer the ethnic foods that they are already used to and do not appreciate change in menus to bring something new and interesting. Current trends should, therefore, be factored into the menu planning process depending on the location (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Other factors include the customers targeted by the facility. If old customers are targeted, then the menu should include food suitable for most old people. Childrens menus require playful, colourful and eye-catching menus. This must, therefore, be considered in menu planning. If it targets corporate, then the dishes listed in the menu should be appropriate for the corporate. Another component is the type of service provided by the facility. A buffet style will be different from served food that is prepared and plated in the kitchen. The menus are, therefore, different in design, and this must be considered in the menu planning process (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Location of the facility influences menu planning since one can only include the dishes whose raw food products are readily available in the location (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Wording is also a crucial factor to consider. The language must be easily understood. In the case of other language texts, such as French, they must be translated into English. The wordings must also be spelled correctly (Drysdale and Galipeau, 2008). Principles of Recipe Development A recipe is a set of instructions showing how to prepare something, especially a culinary dish (Hu, 2010). Recipes typically consist of components such as: the name of the dish, the cost of preparing the dish, the ingredients required together with their quantities, the equipment needed to make the meal, a systematic list of the steps of preparation and the number of servings the recipe will produce. Before beginning recipe development, project planning should be done (Hu, 2010). It involves a list of activities. They include: evaluation of priorities and objectives, development of action steps more clearly in sequence, inclusion of all tasks, organisation and reorganisation of the work, allocating time correctly, judgment of physical environmental factors, communication with others, provision of motivation and sense of accomplishment, and recording for future reference and evaluation of information (Hu, 2010). A recipe is then developed. A well-developed recipe should meet important needs such as increasing the visibility of the product, its usage and keeping safety problems of the product at a minimum. Recipe testing is then done. In recipe testing, a focus group may be brought to test the procedures and the outcomes. This helps to determine the success of the recipe. Next is evaluation of the recipe. It involves evaluating the cooking or processing and the directions of the recipe. When evaluating, the cooking method is ascertained to be logical. The need for special equipment, time requirements, and difficulty of techniques and cooking skills are also looked into. The evaluation process could also include checking if the information could be added to special services. Such information could be advance or partial cooking, storage or freezing conditions, suggestions for use, nutritional information and garnish or serving suggestions. The recipe is evaluated for clarity, use of correct wording, accuracy, explanation of recipe idiosyncrasies and whether the recipe has undergone a series of tests with good results. The recipe is then written. It should be reproducible, easily prepared, concise, interesting, pleasing to the senses, and economical (Hu, 2010). Factors Influencing Service Methods There is a variety of serving methods such as table service, assisted service, self-service, single-point service and specialised service (Brown, 2003). The type of service a foodservice operation uses depends on several factors such as the kind of establishment. Schools and other institutions would typically use a cafeteria system which uses self-service method. Other factors include the time available for the meal. Single-point service is the best for food joints that do not require customers to take too much time having the meal at the joint (Brown, 2003). Most of the food bought here are takeaways. The type of menu also presented influences the service type in that; different menus are designed to suit various services. Menus showing courses of meals will require table service. The site of the establishments determines the type of service. When the facility is located in areas where there are many upper-class citizens, then the type of service must be sophisticated and upper-class. The kind of customer to be served is also a factor to be considered. Older customers would prefer table service while professional and clients with less time would prefer single-point service. Cost of the meal served is also considered (Brown, 2003). Low-cost meals are better served in self-service since the customer gets to choose the most pocket-friendly food. Lesson 2: Stages of Menu Product Development Planning Development of a menu product requires sufficient and intensive research before developing the product (Skarra, 2006). This way, a person can understand the customer needs and requirements. The creation of a new product for the menu occurs in different stages. First is the generation of idea. The ideas are then evaluated based using SWOT analysis. In this kind of analysis, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are determined (Skarra, 2006). Strengths may include the ability of the product to sell quickly to the consumers. Weaknesses may include difficulty in creating awareness of the product. Opportunities could be to take over the unexploited consumer market. Finally, threats could be the stiff competition from similar establishments. The product should be more desirable to the consumer market and should be in line with consumer trends. Different methods are used in determining the products to include in the menu. One method is using focus groups consisting of a number of customers in order to know the type of products they prefer. Focus groups could also consist of employees (Skarra, 2006). The product’s user habits are evaluated so that in the end only the products with the highest demand are included in the menu. After this is done, devising of a new menu commences. The concept idea is thoroughly evaluated and screened and then the concept is tested to eliminate ideas that are not feasible. The business is then analysed, the new product inclusive. Selling prices are estimated, the sales volume and the profitability of the product. Market testing of the product is then done where the products are introduced to organised test groups which evaluate the product and give information that make last-minute improvements possible. Technical implementation follows and then the product is launched. For the product to sell, active advertising and product promotion is done. The new product is then priced. The value of the products is constantly reviewed (Skarra, 2006). Influences on the Development Process A number of factors affect the development process. Cost is probably the most influential factor (Skarra, 2006). Going through the entire process may be quite costly for the establishment. Market research and product developing and testing may cost highly. That is why cash reserves must be created prior to the development process. The establishments must therefore only spend on the products which they are sure will generate high returns (Skarra, 2006). The level of competition may also influence the development process. In order to remain with a competitive advantage, the establishments must develop products that will give them a competitive edge over other similar facilities. Increased demand for a particular product also influences the development process in that; it triggers the urge of the company to include the product in their menu. The company then formulates a unique way to make the product. Profitability and feasibility of a product also influence the production process. If a product is forecasted to have weak sales, the establishment will not spend resources on it. However, a product whose revenue projections are positive will trigger the product development process. Product success forecasts also have a positive impact on the starting of a development process (Skarra, 2006). Conclusion Ultimately, menu planning is essential for any foodservice facility or restaurant. It is with menu planning that customers are drawn to the facility because of quality and attractive menus. Intensive research of the market is essential to understand what to include in the menus as opposed to including items that only the organisation prefers. The restaurants should ensure that they have skilled chefs who prepare up-to-standard dishes and that know how to make meals as stated in the menus. This leads to quality service which in turn results in loyalty of customers. When recipes are developed with great creativity and are tested adequately in the market such that potential customers love it, the restaurant continues having advantage over its clients and drawing customers closer. The product development process and planning are used when the restaurant wants to include a new product in its menu. It takes place through a series of processes through which a final product is arrived at. The product is only viable if it brings in considerable profit to the restaurant. Menu planning and product development planning strategies should be given the weight they deserve in a restaurant. These are the secrets to a successful restaurant business. Bibliography Brown, D. R. (2003). The restaurant managers handbook: how to set up, operate, and manage a financially successful food service operation (Vol. 1). Atlantic Publishing Company. Drysdale, J. and Galipeau, J., 2008. Profitable menu planning. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Hu, M., 2010. Discovering culinary competency: An innovative approach. JoHLSTE, 9(1), pp.65-72. Skarra, L., 2006. Product Development. Cereal Foods World, 51(5), 277-278. Read More