WRITING MENU DESCRIPTIONS

The idea behind menu descriptions, are to provide just enough information about food and beverage items that entice the consumer and provide some necessary selective information.

The GOAL…make the food sound appetizing

1. Balance the information

Find the correct balance of not enough and too much information. Generally, listing major ingredients, cooking methods and/or origin of some products should be adequate. With some items, portion size and/or quality may be important determining factor for the consumer.

* Salmon versus Copper River King Salmon versus Cedar Planked Copper River King Salmon

* Chicken versus Chicken Breast versus Grilled Chicken Breast

* Steak versus Porterhouse Steak versus Grilled Porterhouse – 21 day dry aged USDA Prime grade.

* House Salad versus Mixed Greens with Mustard and Dill Vinaigrette

2. Select a menu description format.

The heading with a description or heading as a description. Each one contains variations within them

A. Heading with a description

CHICKEN
Grilled 8-ounce boneless breast of chicken with mustard mayonnaise and steamed broccoli and carrots.

B. Heading as a description

Grilled boneless breast of chicken with mustard mayonnaise and steamed broccoli and carrots.

3. Stay Away from Abbreviations and Slang:

Example: w/ for “with” & for “and”
grat for “gratuity”

Example: veggies for “vegetables”

4. Use Capital Letters Appropriately and Consistently

Option A –Use capital letters for the first letter of each word except for conjunctions.

•Grilled Chicken Breast, Orange and Raisin Couscous, French Green Beans with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

Option B –Use capital letters for the first letter of the first word in the sentence and for each proper noun.

•Grilled chicken breast, orange and raisin couscous, French green beans with roasted red pepper coulis.

5. Be Aware of Commonly Misspelled Words

•Cesar instead Caesar
•Carmelized instead Caramelized
•Portabella instead Portobello or portabello or portobella
•Barbiecue instead Barbecue or Barbeque
•Potatoe instead Potato
•Vinagrette instead Vinaigrette
•Desert instead Dessert
•Ah joos instead Au jus
•Hors douvre instead Hors d’ oeuvre
•Blue cheese – any blue-veined variety. “Bleu” cheese is the French spelling
•Fillet – a boneless piece of meat, fish or poultry. “Filet” is the French spelling

6. Truth in Menu Laws

These laws govern menu descriptions. The federal government’s pure food, drug and cosmetic act of 1938 forbids the use of any pictoral or language description that misrepresents an item.

Truthful representation involves more than just the description. Photographs, graphic illustrations, printed advertisements and verbal descriptions by employees must also be accurately represented.

It’s important that “what is said, stated and shown” is ACTUALLY what is ultimately delivered to the customer. Otherwise a restaurant can be liable for fraud

1. Representation of QUANTITY – Size or quantity must be accurate. Steaks must represent pre cooked weight. Shrimp cocktail advertised as 6 jumbo shrimp need to be 6 jumbo shrimp.

2. Representation of QUALITY – 21 day, dry aged prime grade needs to be that. Not wet aged prime grade.

3. Representation of PRICE – If pricing structure includes a cover charge or service charge, it needs to be brought to the attention of the customer. If extra charges are incurred for all white meat, or side of guacamole, then it needs to be stated at the time of ordering.

4. Representation of BRAND NAMES - Any brand name product that is advertised must be the one served. A generic product may not be used in place of it.

5. Representation of PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION – Substitutions are commonly made when product has run out or was never delivered. However, the customer needs to be informed of this. Maple syrup instead of maple flavored syrup, Turkey lunch meat instead of Fresh turkey, whipped topping instead of whipped cream.

6. Representation of POINTS 0f ORIGIN – Products identified by the point of origin must be authentic. Lake Superior Whitefish, Florida Stone Crab, Maine Lobster, Champagne.

7. Representation of MERCHANDISING TERMS – Exaggeration in advertising is acceptable as long as it doesn’t mislead. Serving the best gumbo in town is very different than saying we use the finest meats around indicated prime grade. Other phrases such as: Fresh daily, Black Angus beef, Kosher meat, Organic, grass raised beef, Fresh squeezed orange juice is different then fresh orange juice..

8. Representation of MEANS of PRESERVATION - Fresh – not previously frozen, not processed, and with no preservatives or additives. Frozen orange juice is not fresh orange juice.

9. Representation of FOOD PREPARATION – This may often be a determining factor in a customer’s selection. Grilled is not griddled, microwave is not steamed, sautéed is not stir-fried.

10. Representation of VERBAL and VISUAL PRESENTATION – whole strawberries pictured on a shortcake are different than sliced, six shrimp are different than 5, broccoli is pictured but it’s not in the dish, sesame bun is pictured or described but not given..

11. Representation of DIETARY OR NUTRITIONAL CLAIMS – Accuracy in this area is essential, particularly if the restaurant is dealing with a captive audience from a nursing home or school. Foods listed as salt or sugar free need to be exactly that. Certain phrases or claims may need to be documented and verifiable such as:

· Low fat – generally the product contains no more than 3 grams of fat per serving (for meat, no more than 10% by weight, for milk no more than 2% by weight.

· Low sodium contains no more than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving, Salt free indicating no more than 5 milligrams of salt per serving.

· Lite or Light contains at least 25% less fat, sodium, or calories than the original product.

"Bridging the Gap"

In most restaurants there is a natural downtime most often during the period between lunch and dinner. Consider “bridging the gap” between lunch and dinner downtime by creating events to build and bring in revenue. Ex: a raw bar, an afternoon tea, a wine tasting, tapas, book clubs, happy hour appetizers etc.

A Menu Defined...

a document that conveys the appropriate image, products, services, and other information to its customers, employees and managers.

• It’s essential to the concept and acts as the central theme that controls, directs, and influences all foodservice functions in the operation.
  
• There are many different sizes, shapes and kinds of menus available for all of the different places and situations that food and beverages are sold.

Market Trends

• Market Trends – The market is constantly changing. To be successful, the menu planner needs to keep pace with changes. Research and consider the impact of new developments (fads and trends). Market trends allow owners and managers to understand the needs of the general or specific clientel associated with a particular business. They allow one to understand the restaurants are more than JUST a place that sells food and beverages.
  
• Over the last decade, the American eating pattern has changed dramatically. Americans have turned food into a hobby, with the success of restaurant television shows and the popularity of the food network. People have become more experienced in terms of restaurant usage, menu items, ingredients, seasonings, and spices. More Americans are growing up with ethnic flavors and are well traveled which makes the world such a smaller place. Increasing customers’ needs for flexibility and variety of menu items because of health concerns and well developed palate.

• Fads – Short-term popularity of an product, concept or service. Examples: Sizzle plates, sliders in fine dining restaurants, deep-fried Twinkies, diets.
  
• Trends – Long-term popularity that often evolves or has evolved generally from some political, social, economic or environmental influence. Trends are often woven within an individual’s lifestyle. Examples: Healthier eating (organic, natural, low fat), healthier lifestyle (health clubs, no smoking)

2008 Restaurant Industry Overview

• Sales: $558 billion
• Locations: 945,000 — serving more than 70 billion meal and snack occasions
• Employees: 13.1 million — the industry is the largest employer besides government

Influencing the Menu

The menu is essential to the concept and acts as the central theme that controls, directs, and influences all foodservice functions in the operation.

Trends in Cuisine

“Restaurants are one of the primary ways we fill our bodies, occupy our social lives, spend money, learn about the world, and conduct our business”
– Phyllis Richman, Retired Washington Post Food Critic.

The restaurant industry has become an essential component of today’s lifestyle, rather than just a luxury for special occasions.

Time, Convenience, and Entertainment are essential factors in American’s lifestyle with cooking evolving from an essential chore to a recreational activity.

TRENDS IN CUISINES - Cuisines tend to be headed in 1 of 2 directions. Chefs are either fusing one or more cuisines together, or they are focusing on regional and authenticity of cuisines.

A 2003 study by Mark Clements Research – 85% people chose Italian as their favorite ethnic food. In addition, Asian cuisines (Korean, Japanese, Thai), Middle Eastern, Caribbean, and Mediterranean foods are moving mainstream and Italian, Mexican, and Chinese are hardly considered ethnic anymore. They are as common as meatloaf and mashed potatoes and are so ingrained in the American culture they are considered common. The influx of immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America are causing widespread increases in food choices offered in American restaurants.

More Americans are growing up with ethnic flavors and are well traveled. These diverse experiences are contributing to more discerning tastes. Diners are becoming more adventurous and American palates are more knowledgeable than ever before.

Americans have turned food into a hobby. People have become more experienced in terms of restaurant usage, menu items, ingredients, seasonings, and spices. In fact, 66% of consumers agree that their favorite restaurant foods provide flavor and taste sensations that cannot easily be duplicated in their home kitchen

Restaurants are becoming more of a source of meals for people on the go…On a typical day, 21% of U.S. households used some form of takeout or delivery.

31 percent — Percent of consumers who have used the Internet to view a restaurant's menu, up from 12 percent in 2000

45 percent of 25-to-34-year-olds have used the Internet to find out information about a restaurant they have not patronized before.