Menu Planning: Factors, Development, and Service Methods Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of menu planning, encompassing various crucial aspects for successful food service operations. It begins by outlining the factors and principles of recipe development, emphasizing the importance of flavor, ingredients, and nutritional value. The report then delves into the factors that influence menu-planning decisions, such as balance, variety, occasion, and dietary restrictions, and how these considerations impact the overall customer experience. Furthermore, it explores the methods of service, including table setting, plate selection, and food presentation. The report also covers the stages involved in menu product development, focusing on sales mix, competitor activity, and feasibility studies. It concludes by examining the influences of social, economic, and domestic factors on product development. Overall, the report emphasizes the importance of strategic menu planning to gain a competitive advantage, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive profitability.

MENU-PLANNING

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK A...........................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Factors and principles of recipe development.......................................................................1
1.2 Factors that affect menu-planning decisions.........................................................................1
1.3 Factors that affects methods of service.................................................................................2
2.1 Stages in the process of menu product development............................................................3
2.2 Influences of various factors while developing a new product.............................................3
TASK B...........................................................................................................................................4
Covered in PPT...........................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Menu can be described in which number of dishes are included and required to serve
customers during the lunch, dinner and breakfast. The report will cover the process of selecting
food for special occasion. Factors that has a major impact on menu-planning and its process,
requirement of resources to prepare food will be discussed. Meal planning activities and
sequence of operations in order to achieve success will be discussed in this report.
TASK A
1.1 Factors and principles of recipe development
It can be said that recipe should be developed by following different factors and
principles effectively. Such factors and principles associated with recipe will help to maintain
and develop quality of food products with quality. Some essential flavours and ingredients must
be consists in recipe which is required for the effective quality and tastes effectively. The recipe
should have a unique name so that customers in the market easily recognised it. It will help them
to tell others about the recipe in case they like it (Barnes and Hooker, 2015). The ingredients in
recipe should be in proper proportions and quantity that will help to manage the quality
efficiently. Environment has a great impact on recipe that it should be suitable and proper
according to the temperature required for recipe in order to make it more effective for customers
in the market. Product should be attractive that it will attract new consumers which will be done
by managing packaging and colours in recipe.
Nutritional value: The recipe should consider proper and enough nutritions such as vitamins,
protein etc. This will help towards improving the experience of healthy foods for customers in
the market effectively.
1.2 Factors that affect menu-planning decisions
It can be said that there are number of factors that affect the menu-planning decisions
which should be considered while planning menu decisions. Here some of them discussed below:
Balance: Balance is a crucial aspect of menu-planning that it should provide well-rounded meals
effectively. The menu should consists all the recipes such as salads, starters and desserts that it
will help customers to make their own choices with variety of recipes (Breck, Dixon and Khan,
2016). While planning menu considering this is very important to keep the balance within the
choices one is offering to their customers in the market. Menu card should considered equal
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number of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes which will help customers to select appropriate
for them.
Variety: These days there are various number of options are available for the customers, there is
wide range of options available for them. It can be said that offerings are often same for every
places that uniqueness is required in order to attract the attention of customers in the market.
Offerings should be unique enough to make a differentiate from other hotels and restaurants that
unique design, dishes and offerings will help to attract more customers which lead towards
profitability and production effectively (Lewis, 2017).
Occasion: The word occasion here represents the menu offered by hotels and restaurants which
should be flexible enough according to the festivals and occasions effectively. The event or
occasion should be considered by them in order to provide effective menu-planning accordingly.
For an example, If the menu is constructed for children's party than in that case it must include
more number of sweet and healthy dishes. The elegance of the menu should be maintained as per
the event and occasion. This will help customers to retain their trust towards hotel and restaurant
which lead towards production and profitability.
Dietary restrictions: It can be said that there are number of people and customers who are very
careful towards their diet plan that one should consider the spicy and oily food which should be
managed accordingly (Menal-Puey and Marques-Lopes, 2017). The menu should considered 4 to
5 dishes so that health conscious people can easily make their choices effectively.
1.3 Factors that affects methods of service
Set table properly: Tables should be set properly and in order wise that will help to serve food
effectively and in better manner. This will help to determine which food should be has to be
served and where effectively. This will also help customers to identify food they want and leave
a good impression on their minds which lead towards profitability. Also, keeping knifes and
forks in proper way will give allow guest to determine service quality efficiently.
Choose plates wisely:Selection of plates is a necessary aspect that it should be kept in mind
while serving the food in order to create a good impression. Every food requires plates
accordingly that it should be identified effectively (Neto and Caldas, 2017). Plates should be big
enough to let food item stand out and not too small. Food items requires cold environment
should be placed in freezer when not in use. This will help to maintain the quality of food
effectively.
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Garnish properly and appropriately: Food garnishing is important that it will help recipe to
look attractive and delicious in order to attract customers and maintain the taste as well.
Garnishing shows the efficiency and quality of chef which should be done properly and
effectively.
2.1 Stages in the process of menu product development
The menu products are developed and improved by following several stages and factors
that can affect menu and product development process.
Sales mix: Sales mix describe the variety of food items sell by restaurant and hotels. The new
product or service is developed through assessing and identifying sales figures and analysing the
past data effectively (Orešković, Kljusurić and Šatalić, 2015). This will help to determine what
should be added in menu-planning and which item needs improvement and development for
effective growth.
Competitor activity: Competitor activities plays a vital and important role while developing a
new product effectively. New products can be also developed by identifying what products and
services offered by competitor business in the market towards customers efficiently. This will
also help to differentiate same products and services offered by both businesses in order to
provide various products to customers in the market.
Feasibility studies: Feasibility studies will help to determine plans and strategies required for
the firm in order to complete the vision. The overall process must be analysed by the business in
order to develop a new product effectively and efficiently (Sudin and Sufahani, 2018). This will
also help to evaluate weak areas which needed improvement and strategies will help to overcome
with consequences.
2.2 Influences of various factors while developing a new product
Social: Society ensure that developed products are according to their needs and requirements.
Strategies will help to make changes in products according to the taste and preferences. It is
beneficial for the firm in development process.
Economic: The income level of people also affect the product development process. The firm
should consider price of product in order to make a affordable price for customers.
Domestic: It means the internal factor of a country in which company operates. It includes,
culture, lifestyle, needs, of people.
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The staff of firm plays a important role in product development process. The skills and
knowledge will help to complete activities (Wham and Miller, 2016). The process can be
effective by working in a creative and efficient way. Also, how decisions are taken and how staff
performs in critical situation helps in this process.
TASK B
Covered in PPT
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that planning is necessary to cater needs of
customers in order to provide high level of satisfaction. Menu-planning is also a effective
strategy that helps to gain competitive advantage which lead towards profitability and production
effectively. This will also help to reduce barriers for developing a new product. It has been
suggested to management team in an hotel to develop the understanding about several principles
and considers the same when preparing the same.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barnes, K. and Hooker, J., 2015. Computer-Based Meal Planning to Satisfy Preferences for
Taste, Cost, Nutrition, and Time Spent.
Breck, A., Dixon, L.B. and Khan, L.K., 2016. Comparison of planned menus and centre
characteristics with foods and beverages served in New York City child-care
centres. Public health nutrition 19(15) pp.2752-2759.
Lewis, L.J., 2017. A study of Support Workers personal knowledge of and attitudes towards
healthy eating practices, and their knowledge of and attitudes towards healthy eating
practices in a Care Home for people with Learning Disabilities(Doctoral dissertation,
Cardiff Metropolitan University).
Menal-Puey, S. and Marques-Lopes, I., 2017. Development of a Food Guide for the Vegetarians
of Spain. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 117(10) pp.1509-1516.
Neto, B. and Caldas, M.G., 2017. The use of green criteria in the public procurement of food
products and catering services: a review of EU schemes. Environment, Development and
Sustainability, pp.1-29.
Orešković, P., Kljusurić, J.G. and Šatalić, Z., 2015. Computer-generated vegan menus: The
importance of food composition database choice. Journal of Food Composition and
Analysis 37 pp.112-118.
Sudin, A.M. and Sufahani, S., 2018, April. Optimization Technique With Sensitivity Analysis
On Menu Scheduling For Boarding School Student Aged 13-18 Using “Sufahani-Ismail
Algorithm”. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 995, No. 1, p. 012047). IOP
Publishing.
Wham, C. and Miller, M., 2016. Current Nutritional Recommendations: Elderly Versus Earlier
Stage of Life. In Molecular Basis of Nutrition and Aging (pp. 723-733).
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