Chapter 2 Menu Planning as a Control Tool
15
How the Menu Impacts the Operation
In general, the menu should be written to avoid overburdening one area of the
kitchen. Consideration should also be given to available equipment and storage, the
staff’s culinary skills, and the amount of available labor. Finally, an operation’s menu
should target the type of customer it wishes to attract. It can be used to communicate
the identity of a foodservice operation and help create its atmosphere and image. The
following sections explain the impact of the menu on various aspects of the operation.
Equipment
The contents of a menu determine what equipment is needed and in what quantities.
For example, a menu dominated by fried foods requires an operation to have a fryer
with suffi cient capacity to meet demand. If a menu offers a wide array of items, a
variety of cooking equipment is required. In an existing kitchen, the available equipment
must be considered when developing the menu.
A menu writer must also consider the capacity of the kitchen to get menu items
to customers within a timeframe. The timeframe is determined by customer traffi c
in a dining room or at a take-out counter. In an institutional setting, the timeframe is
determined by the number of guests receiving meals.
Food
When a menu is varied, a larger food inventory is required. The larger the inventory,
the more time must be spent on ordering items, and the more diffi cult it becomes to
control costs. Security also becomes more diffi cult to maintain. These topics are discussed
in another chapter.
Storage
How many items will be on the menu? Will the menu be dominated by items made
from fresh or from frozen ingredients? The answers to these questions determine the
amount of freezer space, refrigeration, and storage needed. Failure to consider these
needs when planning the menu will result in a storage crisis and a frustrated staff.
Kitchen Layout
The menu impacts how the kitchen should be designed. The design depends on
the processes required to produce menu items and the types of equipment needed
for each process. Menu developers need to know which menu items are prepared
in a sequence of steps. They need to determine if equipment is arranged, or can be
arranged, to accommodate this sequence. Designing the kitchen to provide effi cient
use of both labor and equipment is critical.
Labor
The number of employees needed—and the necessary level of skill they must
possess—is directly related to the menu. Employees in a burger-and-fries place that
uses frozen hamburger patties and French fries do not need the same skill set as the
staff of a fi ne-dining restaurant that features signature sauces and freshly made desserts.
Also, a menu with a wide variety of items may require an operation to hire additional
staff to prepare everything on the menu.