DOES YOUR MENU MAKE SENSE (and DOLLARS and CENTS)?

I love art and music and would guess that most professional cooks and chefs are like me in that regard. Those engaged in one art form or craft tend to appreciate the dedication and skill required to be expressive in any form. I truly appreciate concept albums that seasoned musicians create, but mostly admire original work or at least a personal signature on traditional music. Records like The Moody Blues Days of Future Past, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, The Eagles Desperado, or George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess are, in my mind fabulous. These records tell a story, reflect the unique talents of the players, draw people in and simply make sense. The listener would never think that the parts were anywhere near as important as the whole. Sometimes record companies release “Best of” albums to try and squeeze out a bit more profit and attract a different audience without the patience to try and understand what the artist is all about. Then there are artists who release an album of “covers” written by someone else – a hodge podge of songs that they have little connection with. But does this make sense?

The same applies to restaurant menus. A menu should tell a story; a story of the operation, the chef, the influences that helped to create a uniqueness worthy of a guest’s time and money. When a menu is little more than a “best of” or “cover” of dishes that fail to reflect on a story, then it doesn’t make sense and will leave the guest experience disconnected. So, why not think about creating a menu with the story in mind? People remember stories, they re-tell them, they connect with them, and they invest in them. Profit in a restaurant is realized when the main course is complemented by the right “bookends.” Each dish (character) contributing to the story. Consider this:

AMUSE BOUCHE:

This tiny, one bite culinary treat has a purpose. It is the foreword to a meal (story) that builds interest and anticipation. It should be flavorful and beautiful, but not over-powering. The amuse bouche should give the guest pause and turn the conversation to food and what the rest of the story might be like.

APPETIZERS:

The appetizer is an introduction to the experience of dining in a particular restaurant. It is the first chapter that encourages the guest to think in terms of a concept that would never be fully embraced without participating in the full number of courses. The appetizer should express something about the chef’s style and establish a storyline by introducing the primary characters of sight, sound, smell, texture, and taste. It is the chef’s key to flavor which includes all these senses.

Your appetizer list should not stand alone, it should connect with the entrees, salads, and desserts. Remember, this is not a “best of” menu, but rather a concept album the works together. The guest should see the connections and the server should view the well-designed menu as a tool for helping the guest understand the story. Too often, menu appetizer lists are simply a compendium of more food. Make sure the guest understands the reason to order beyond just another plate of food.

ENTREES:

Entrées are the main characters in your story. Make sure the characters are interesting, likeable, uniquely yours, important to the story, and reflective of the chef’s history and style. Being a copycat might be an easy road to take, but it rarely proclaims a reason for guests to choose you once or return time and again. Don’t give the full story away on your entrée list – build in the opportunity for intrigue and surprise – an unanticipated guest character. There is no need to impress your guests with an expansive list of fifteen or more entrees – keep it manageable, execute it extremely well, keep your “stars” always available, and slip in some surprise items on a regular basis. Put your guests in a position to wonder, “what will they do next?”

Portion sizes on appetizers and entrees should satisfy, but not totally fulfill a guest’s satiety. Remember, the way to create an experience is through several courses. The way to profitability is to do the same. One bite for the amuse bouche, three or four bites of an appetizer, four ounces of protein on the entrée with complementary starch and vegetable will be more than enough and will leave room for the lasting impression – dessert.

DESSERT:

Three or four exceptional desserts, light, fresh, filled with character development and a happy ending. Everybody wants dessert, it is the course that memories are made of, and dessert is where profit lies. If you aren’t selling desserts, it is likely because they don’t fit the storyline, they are excessive, or the stage isn’t set for service staff to reveal how essential they are to the experience.

If your menu makes sense from the perspective of a story, then the stage is set for that same menu to make “cents”. Plan correctly and let your menu speak for itself. Design the perfect tool for your service staff to do their job of storyteller first, and then sales will be the result.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER