Restaurant Menu Optimization and Strategies

This assignment delves into the strategic aspects of designing restaurant menus. It examines factors influencing customer choices, menu pricing strategies, and techniques to optimize menu layout and content. The discussion also covers the impact of menu design on profitability, customer satisfaction, and environmental sustainability by addressing food waste reduction.

Running head: FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT
Food & Beverage management
[Bellini Italian Restaurant]
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Executive summary-
The study covers a very brief but an interesting discussion, which is beneficial for the restaurant
chains across the globe. Offering the most attractive menu style has always been a challenge for
the different restaurants across the globe. The paper shows the pros and cons in brief of the three
strategies such as the “a la carte”, “all you can eat buffet style” and “Table D’hote (Deals)
service”. The paper also depicts the importance of monitoring the operation for sales volume and
the food wastages.

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Table of Contents
Introduction-....................................................................................................................................3
Main body-.......................................................................................................................................3
1. Analysis of the effectiveness of Francesco’s strategy-............................................................3
2. Key information to observe over the coming few weeks-.......................................................5
2.1 Customer visitation and perception-..................................................................................5
2.2 Maintaining food preparation and the wastes on a daily basis-.........................................6
2.3 Different contribution margins (buffet vs. a la carte)-.......................................................6
2.4 Overall outcome on the sale volume and profitability-.....................................................6
Analysis (Discussing the key points)-.............................................................................................7
Investigating the problem and recommending the relevant solutions-............................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References-......................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction-
There are few specific strategies, which reputed bar & restaurant chains across the globe
implement to reduce the wastages of food and increase the sales volume. Strategy making is
required in the entire services, which is offered to customers at such places. However, there are
certain areas that specific consideration while planning the strategies. Planning the most
appropriate menu is the one such consideration that restaurant chains nowadays plan.
Additionally, they do not rely on a single menu style. They rather keep on scuffling between the
different types of standard menu depending on the sales volume, which they monitor after
implementing the particular menu style (AbuKhalifeh and Som 2012). This particular study is
based on an authentic Italian restaurant, which is based in Australia. The study focuses on a
given case scenario that state some critical issues in the Bellini Italian Restaurant. Those issues
are decreasing sales volume and wastages of food in particular. Francesco Del Piero who is the
owner of the restaurant is worried on the performance. The owner has decided to switch over to
“all you can eat buffet concept” from the previously implemented A La Carte menu style. The
study focuses its inspection on the viability of the adopted strategy in terms of sales volume over
the coming few weeks and the food wastages on a daily basis.
Main body-
1. Analysis of the effectiveness of Francesco’s strategy-
It rather appears as a potential option to switch to. The “all you can eat” buffet menu style looks
effective in reducing the average spending on the food & drink items on a daily basis. The
selected style offers foods and drinks in a packaged system, which means that customers are

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actually buying an entire menu for a specific time. However, the previously used menu was “a la
carte” that had the different strategies combined to it. As per this strategy, customers can avail
their choice of foods. In such strategy, there will be different pricing attached to the different
products. They can be either the costlier or the cheaper. Additionally, customers have to wait for
their ordered item as they will be served in their preferences. Moreover, this will take time to
prepare the stuffs. However, in the Buffet menu style, everything will be prepared depending on
the time such as the lunch and the dinner package (Gormley, Rawal and Little 2012).
A la carte is a traditional method of offering food and drink to customers; however, the same has
not worked in favor of the case study restaurant. The strategy indeed proved to them costlier. The
sales volume had decreased. On the other hand, the food wastages had increased (Pugh et al.
2013). The new strategy “all you can eat” in buffet style might prove to be handful in increasing
the sales volume and reducing the wastages of foods. These outcomes are expected because the
chosen menu style offers food & drink in a package system. Therefore, there will be much
numbers of units sold on a daily basis, which means an increase in sales volume and so the
profitability. This is indeed also useful in reducing the food wastages as customers are visiting
for a buffet style of menu. They are aware of the products, which will be offered to them. In the a
la carte system, there can be some products, which had no customers for it. Henceforth, there
might be a significant reduction in the food wastages (Kallbekken and Sælen 2013). Following
points will justify the selection made by Francesco Del Piero:
 This will help in reduce the average spending on the food items. In the “all you can eat”
buffet style menu, there is a combination of different products. Additionally, different
products will have different pricings as well. Some of the products might be very cheaper
as well. On contrary to this, the “a la carte” system offers a long list of delicious items.

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Prices are high because customers can also buy a single product only. It is evident that
the buffet system will also include cheaper products as well. This will help in reduce the
average spending on the foods and drinks items. Consequently, the profitability margin
will increase (Wansink and Love 2014).
 The chosen strategy will also help in increasing the sales of unit. This is because the
opted menu style will be offered in package system to the customers. This means that an
elevated unit of food items will be sold to the customers. This indeed had never been the
case with the Bellini Italian Restaurant. Moreover, this might help the company to attain
one of its objectives, which is to increase the sales volume (Ozdemir and Caliskan, 2014).
2. Key information to observe over the coming few weeks-
2.1 Customer visitation and perception-
Customer visitation is very vital for the planned business objectives. This indeed will enhance
the probability for an increased sale. The case study hotel is suffering of two important issues
that also include sales volume as one of the main concerns. Customer visitation will only ensure
the success of the adopted strategy (Shapiro and Gómez 2014). Perception is another important
point, which will influence the sales volumes. If customers have positive perceptions for the
changed menu style, this will simply convey the success of the selected menu style. Additionally,
perception is the other point that needs to be considered while monitoring the performance of the
implemented strategy (Cui, Lui and Guo 2012). Monitoring the performance of sales volume and
customer’s perception towards the offered menu is very important to bring flexibility in business
operations. Flexibility is utterly required to quickly scuffle between the different strategies to get

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a maximize output. Flexibility is the one thing, which will keep on encouraging for adopting
different menu styles to attain the maximum benefits (Bock et al. 2012).
2.2 Maintaining food preparation and the wastes on a daily basis-
Keeping a track on the food prepared and the wastages occurred on a daily basis is of utter
importance in the hotel industry (Plugge, Bouwman and Molina-Castillo 2013). This is indeed
required to have knowledge on the expenditures and the outcome. Cross checking the wastages
will help to reduce the quantity of purchasing of the required materials. Henceforth, this will
reduce the expenditures made on the required materials. Additionally, this will enhance the gap
between the cost of purchasing and the cost of sales. Moreover, this will enhance the profitability
margin, which is one of the objectives of the chosen case study restaurant (Terungwa 2012).
2.3 Different contribution margins (buffet vs. a la carte)-
This is indeed a very important part of strategy, which will help the case study restaurant
management to differentiate between the two strategies. The management will be able to
understand the differences in regards to the sales volumes and the wastages of foods by
monitoring the performance of the adopted menu style over the few coming weeks. There are
pros and cons in both the menu style. However, the performance of the different menu style will
only help in decide the best strategy for the Bellini Italian Restaurant. A comparative analysis of
both the menu style will help in making further strategies. Moreover, the owner can also decide
to discontinue with the chosen menu style if it does not make any significant difference
(Cornelli, Kominek, and Ljungqvist 2013).
2.4 Overall outcome on the sale volume and profitability-

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The sales volume and the overall profitability will encourage the owner to continue with the
chosen menu style. However, it fails in fulfilling the set objectives this will certainly open up
doors to a new menu style. If the overall sales are more than what was in the previous few weeks
then this will mean that customers have responded positively. On contrary to this, if it is further
below in terms of profitability this will certainly mean a failure (Laureani and Antony 2012).
Analysis (Discussing the key points)-
The few key points are the volume of unit sales and the wastages of food. The sales volume
might increase after implementing the “all you can eat” buffet style system. This is because of
many reasons such as this will allow a sale of large unit as it is offered to the customers in
package system. Indeed, this was never possible in case of the a la carte system as customers use
to scuffle between the choices of foods. Moreover, there is high probability of an increased sales
volume. Additionally, this will also help in reducing the wastages of food. Foods are offered to
customers in package system, which mean that everything is planned. There are very high
chances of a comparatively reduced wastage of food. On the other hand, in the “a la carte
system”, customers order their choice of foods. There can also be the instances like some dishes
remain unsold. In the “a la carte” system, prices are very high for a particular item. This means
that high expenses have been made on that particular product. Moreover, if such products remain
unsold, this will affect both the profitability margin and the amount of wastages (Beretta et al.
2013).
Investigating the problem and recommending the relevant solutions-
Auditing would have been the choice for investigation other than the strategy used by Francesco
Del Piero. This indeed covers an utmost research on the stocked materials, sales volume and

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hence the profit or loss. This is indeed a very technical process of cross checking the
performance of operation.
Table D’hote (Deals) service could have been the other choice of menu style
implemented in the case study restaurant. This strategy helps to offer foods & drinks items on a
fixed price. Additionally, this should be implemented alongside the already existing “a la carte”
system. This could have helped in targeting the high income group with the “a la carte” system
and the low income group with the “Table D’hote (Deals) service”. Such a combination would
have served the need of both the high and the low income group.
Conclusion
The chosen strategy is effective and has the potentials to make things happen. However, a
combination of “a la carte” and “Table D’hote (Deals) service” would have produced a much
better result. This would have served the requirement of both the low and the high income group.
Nevertheless, Francesco should closely monitor the progress of the planned strategies. If that
does not work out then this will probably be more competitive to go with the combination of
both the “a la carte” and the “Table D’hote (Deals) service”.

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References-
AbuKhalifeh, A.N. and Som, A.P.M., 2012. Service quality management in hotel industry: a
conceptual framework for food and beverage departments. International Journal of Business and
Management, 7(14), p.135.
Beretta, C., Stoessel, F., Baier, U. and Hellweg, S., 2013. Quantifying food losses and the
potential for reduction in Switzerland. Waste management, 33(3), pp.764-773.
Bock, A.J., Opsahl, T., George, G. and Gann, D.M., 2012. The effects of culture and structure on
strategic flexibility during business model innovation. Journal of Management Studies, 49(2),
pp.279-305.
Cornelli, F., Kominek, Z. and Ljungqvist, A., 2013. Monitoring managers: Does it matter?. The
Journal of Finance, 68(2), pp.431-481.
Cui, G., Lui, H.K. and Guo, X., 2012. The effect of online consumer reviews on new product
sales. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 17(1), pp.39-58.
Gormley, F.J., Rawal, N. and Little, C.L., 2012. Choose your menu wisely: cuisine-associated
food-poisoning risks in restaurants in England and Wales. Epidemiology & Infection, 140(6),
pp.997-1007.
Kallbekken, S. and Sælen, H., 2013. ‘Nudging’hotel guests to reduce food waste as a win–win
environmental measure. Economics Letters, 119(3), pp.325-327.

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Laureani, A. and Antony, J., 2012. Critical success factors for the effective implementation of
Lean Sigma: results from an empirical study and agenda for future research. International
Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 3(4), pp.274-283.
Ozdemir, B. and Caliskan, O., 2014. A review of literature on restaurant menus: Specifying the
managerial issues. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 2(1), pp.3-13.
Plugge, A., Bouwman, H. and Molina-Castillo, F.J., 2013. Outsourcing capabilities,
organizational structure and performance quality monitoring: Toward a fit model. Information &
Management, 50(6), pp.275-284.
Pugh, M., Schramm, D., Borchert, M. and Stone, K., 2013. A la carte or buffet? A discussion of
experimental ebook models for Patron Driven Acquisition. In ALIA Information Online 2013.
Shapiro, M. and I. Gómez, M., 2014. Customer satisfaction and sales performance in wine
tasting rooms. International Journal of Wine Business Research, 26(1), pp.45-60.
Terungwa, A., 2012. Practicability of time-driven activity-based costing on profitability of
restaurants in makurdi metropolis of benue state, Nigeria. journal of contemporary
management, 13(3), pp.33-44.
Wansink, B. and Love, K., 2014. Slim by design: Menu strategies for promoting high-margin,
healthy foods. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 42, pp.137-143.