Introduction
In the different centers where food is provided or distributed, they must have or take into account the elaboration of the menu as an important point because this material is very useful to gain both good image as an institution or food service center as well as have adequate management of the resources found for the preparation of food. Since the menu is a support material in these food services in which the dishes offered in a certain business are captured, so that customers know it and decide on the different options that best suit or comply with them. with your needs.
For this case, the following work will reveal aspects related to menu planning in food service centers. As well as making known what factors can influence this process, the classification or types of menus that are known as well as the objectives that these have, among others.
Elaboration of Menu
Menu concept
With the term menu we mean the list of the preparations that will make up a meal. And that they will be served according to a certain order. 1.2
To prepare a menu, the following will be taken into account:
- The presentation The economy Gastronomic standards
Menu making process
For its elaboration, basic factors and rules are taken into account, since it depends on what is going to be bought, stored, produced and distributed, as well as the care that it must have, both in the elaboration process and in the time it has. to dedicate to obtain the desired result or results.
The process that involves the planning of the menu in a food service is usually a complex task, for which it is recommended that it be prepared as a team. The team must be made up of trained personnel with the following characteristics:
- Nutrition knowledge Know the food and food preferences available in the region Satisfaction of the tastes of the users and not their own Sense of flavors Artistic skill Training in food preparation techniques and equipment Knowledge of food control and costs Ability to use the equipment and work staff Taste for working with food and preparing recipes Mind open to changes and innovations
The elaboration of the menu takes a long time (3 months), the content of this needs periodic reviews, this due to stationary factors, costs, and the need for renovation. Before preparing the menu, a review or investigation of the area where the food service is located should be carried out, so that the preparation is more precise and these questions are answered:
- What preparations will sell best? What other similar food services are offering and at what price? What food is available in the area that has particular appeal? What type of customers are you trying to serve? What price range? or costs are sought to fit the budget? What specialties will be offered? What are the peak hours of service?
An important detail is that consumer satisfaction is the main goal of menu planning.
Menu planning goals and policies
The menu planning process has different specific objectives since it will depend on the type of food service. But in general they are:
- grading users Filling the nutritional needs of users staying within budget limits helping to create the image of the food service
The factors that contribute most to produce an image that a user is forming from the food service are:
The menu and quality of service
The policies that will guide the planning, execution, control and evaluation of the menu program will be:
Food budget
Meal pattern to be served throughout the day
Length of meal service periods
Menu type
Selective
Not selective
Static
Menu cycle or Orders and special events
Factors Affecting Menu Planning
The factors are grouped into:
- Customer Factors Internal Service Factors and External Factors
Customer factors
Two aspects are included in this type of factor:
Sociocultural factors and the;
Nutritional needs
Sociocultural factors
The most important sociocultural factors are eating habits and preferences, as well as eating behavior and motivation.
Regarding eating habits, it refers to the practices and attitudes that will determine what, when, why and how a person or group of people eats, in relation to their age, sex, culture, race, religion, economic status and social, as well as the geography area of residence.
Food preferences refer to the degree of taste for a certain food, which will be determined by eating habits and patterns.
Motivation is what leads the customer to consume certain foods, in a given time and in a certain place. Among the main reasons that influence decision-making in this regard are:
- Hunger or appetite Social pressures (weddings, business meetings) Habit Psychological factors (reward or punishment)
Nutritional needs
It is necessary to keep in mind those health problems related to food and nutrition, which are present in the region where the food service is located. Since there are people who become aware of the importance of nutrition and its relationship with health and well-being.
Internal service factors
In this type of factor are:
The premises and teams, Production capacity, Budget, The type and style of service.
The premises and equipment
It may happen that the menu determines the premises and equipment required for their preparation.
Production capacity
This implies that to promote a menu, the following must be taken into account:
- The number and skills of the personnel available for your production The quantity as well as the capacity of the equipment available The time that must elapse in production and service
Budget
It is important to balance menus with costs, as well as knowing how much exactly how much money is available before it arises.
Type and style of service
At this point the type of food and preparations that can be included in the menu are taken into account.
External factors
These include:
The weather and the seasons
Food availability
Regulations
The weather and the seasons
Well, it will not be the same presence in a cold climate as in a hot climate, or in the summer than in the winter. As well as factors like; special parties, holidays even on Sundays when people's preferences also change.
Food availability
Planning a menu for a big city is not the same as planning a small town.
Regulations
These are the ones that state agencies impose on the quality of the food that should be used or avoided to ensure the health of the users.
Rules for making a menu
Firstly, the main dish must be fixed and then the other dishes, these according to the following characteristics:
The season: it is a factor to take into account when preparing a menu. Since in season they are tastier and cheaper.
Variety: should be avoided; repeat the raw material in different preparations, cooking methods.
Color combinations must be used, this in order to achieve presentations that are more attractive to the customer. It must also represent the reason for the food, it is essential for the choice of dishes, especially if it is special events.
Basic rules in menu planning
The main rules are:
Nutritional balance: it is important that the food provided is in accordance with the energy and nutritional needs of the users.
Variety: there must be variety in:
The texture: the texture of the food is felt in the mouth. (Crispy, soft, grainy, soft, chewy).
Consistency: refers to the degree of firmness, density or viscosity:
gelatinous, firm, thick, liquid.
Flavor: Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, spicy.
Shape: cubes, balls, strips, slices, zest.
Moisture: those moist or juicy foods must be combined with dry foods.
Preparation method: it should be avoided that all the preparations that make it up have the same cooking, whether fried, roasted or cooked.
Menu types
One of the types are:
Base menu: consisting of two dishes (first and second) and a dessert.
Developed menu: consisting of a base menu to which is added one more first course, a second or even a dessert.
Agreed menu: it is that fixed menu prepared by the establishment, which is contracted in advance. An exact number of diners must be reserved, a deposit must be made.
Banquet menu: it is that service that is offered to a large number of diners for a celebration, for example: company lunch, wedding, anniversary, etc. Where both the menu and the price have been previously agreed between the establishment and the contracting parties.
Depending on the place where they are held, banquets can be:
and Internal: the most used, where the facilities of the establishment are used.
and External: they are outside the facilities.
Buffet: it is in which the total or partial of the different dishes that make up a menu are presented in an orderly and decorated way so that the client can choose or serve them to their liking, for a single price already determined. Drinks may or may not be included in the price.
One of the advantages is that it allows the client to move and sit where they like best. In many of the restaurants there is a buffet by type of food and they are specified as:
Buffet breakfast Buffet lunch Buffet dinner
Cocktail: it is a type of service in which the client is offered, from trays to drinks and food that have been contracted for the event.
Brunch: it is a mix between breakfast and lunch. The main course is selected first.
Another of the ways in which they can be classified are:
- According to the food According to the variations
Static menus: the same preparations are always served throughout the day, every day.
Varied menus: they are different according to the meals and are combined every day.
According to the possibility of selection
Selective: they are wide selection, you can choose between different preparations of all the foods that make up the menu. Limited selection: can only be made among a few food groups.
Non-selective: this offers a single preparation of all the food groups that make up the menu.
Preparation of menu in restaurants
Illustration 1.- Example of selective menu
According to the organization of the menu
The menu is going to be organized having as reference a pattern or model menu of the food group lists that each meal must contain, with the number of exchange portions. one
Menu classification according to price
A la carte menu
In this the dishes or food have a separate price which allows the customer to select only what they want.4
Menu at the table
This includes a complete meal with a fixed price in which only the option to change a food.
Today's menu
It is the one that is planned daily, being this a way to use leftovers as well as offer products.
Setting up a letter
Letter
A more or less extensive list of dishes offered in a restaurant and which is provided for diners to request in exchange for a price.
- If the list is too long the client has more difficulties in selecting their dish. If it is too short, this may not be to the taste of the clients. It is recommended that the distribution of the dishes on the menu be by groups such as: starter, soups, broth, creams, pastas, eggs, vegetables, seafood, fish, meats, etc. The menu regularly contains stable dishes, it is recommended to include a group of seasonal dishes that can be renewed temporarily. The menu of the day is renewed daily. It is recommended to include a menu appropriate for children.
Layout the text
When a dish is named on the menu, it should preferably be a single line if possible, or a line to enunciate the garnish, in the following order:
- Main raw material How to prepare it Sauces Garnish Price
Orthography
- When the form of preparation is typical of a specific country or geographical area, it is called, for example: - Spanish or in the style of. Avoid indicating quotation marks around the forms of preparation. Avoid abbreviations. Words adapted to Spanish, or used internationally, will be written in Spanish. Avoid mixing languages.
conclusion
As mentioned during the development of this research, the elaboration of a menu in centers that provide food services is very useful, especially for the health area it is important to know these issues and points that compose it in order to implement them in the Workspace. Administrative practices also focus on these issues since for this to be possible and for the result to be favorable, good administration is needed, a staff trained for this work, a group of people who pursue the same objective.
As mentioned, menu planning in a food service center can be complicated and time consuming but it is very important to have these. In addition to being a very important tool for customers since it provides them with information on what is for sale within the establishment, they are prepared with characteristics as close as possible to the requirements of diners, with the sole purpose of fulfilling and satisfying their needs, in addition to getting a good impression of the place.
References
- Dolly, B. Food Services Administration. 2nd ed. Editorial University of Antioquia: Antioquia; 2007.Gil, A. Culinary techniques. 1st ed. Akal editions. Spain; 2010.Francisco Javier González. Preparation and exhibition of meals in the bar-cafeteria. 1st ed. Malaga. Internet book. Consulted June 1, 2015. Menu planning. Anonymous. © 2010. Available at:
