Hilton Hotel: Menu Planning and Product Development Report

This report delves into the critical aspects of menu planning and product development within the context of a hospitality business, specifically using Hilton Hotel as a case study. It begins by outlining the various factors that influence menu planning designs, including economic conditions, regional and cultural preferences, current trends, and customer tastes. The report then explores the stages involved in planning menu product development, from idea generation and market analysis to concept marketing and pricing strategies. Furthermore, it evaluates the influence of different factors on the development process, such as consumer satisfaction, competition, personal preferences, and the availability of substitute products. The analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in creating and managing a successful menu to meet customer needs and drive business growth.

Menu planning and
Development of menu products

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK A...........................................................................................................................................1
A) dimensions affecting menu planning designs........................................................................1
B) stages of planning of menu product development..................................................................2
c) evaluation of the influence on the development processing...................................................4
CONCLUSIONS..............................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Menu planning is a process that decides the list of food items that are going to be served
to the customers during lunch ,breakfast and dinner in order to satisfy the clients . For a good and
healthy menu management, it is totally up to the owner of the restaurant to decide a
healthier ,presentable , balanced diet for the clients to satisfy them with their services . It plays a
very effective role in daily life's of the common people, as it balances the budget of a family and
hotels as well. Hilton hotel which is a globally spread organisation with a good brand image
providing its good services to the customers. It is an American multinational company which
provides food and beverages . This assignment will cover factors that affect menu planning,
stages of planning a menu for product development, and evaluation of influence over
development processing.
TASK A
A) Factors affecting menu planning designs
Menu is a list of food items which is offered to the customers in order to satisfy the taste
and preferences of a customers, whereas menu planning is the process of deciding the items that
need to be involved in menu and executing it.
Factors that affect a menu planning are as follows
Economic factor of society : If the people of society didn't has enough money to purchase
there daily food items than this will affect the menu planning of the firm, as they need to take
some changes, and had to add such food items in there menu which are easily affordable by the
common people and are less expensive. Hilton also deigns its menu according to the economic
condition of the people so that more and more customers will be able to afford there
services(Moreira, 2018).
Region, religion and culture: Hotel Hilton must get engaged in preparing menu according
to the region in which they are operating(Palmintier, 2018).. Like for example If they are dealing
in Europe, they must prepare food according to the choices and preferences of people over there.
Current trend- Menu should be also be prepared by Hotel Hilton by having an insight that
the food they are going to serve are healthy, so that it improves the life style of people. It will
also attract more consumers towards them.
Menu compilation factors: Colour, temperature and size can also be one of the factor that
affects the menu-planning design. If Hotel Hilton is going to target young adults than dishes
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must be prepared by them according to them. They must include fast food in their menu-
planning.
Taste and preferences of customers: The taste and liking of every person is different it
is not required that each customer has the same taste of sensation for the food that an
organisation is serving(Palmintier, 2018).. So it is totally up to the firm to make an innovative
dish that satisfy the taste of a customers and if the customers’ demands are fulfilled regarding the
food than it will results in attracting more and more people to the organisation.
Seasonal menu planning: With different season, people demands for multiple dishes
which are prepared according to season. there taste as well as preferences also changes. Seasonal
dishes are more liked by the customers as compare to daily routine meals. Due to which the firm
has to, design or organise there menu which is acceptable by the customers( (Nosoohi and
Nookabadi, 2017).. . Hilton hotel has a very strategic plans regarding the seasonal food items, it
plans its menu according to the weather conditions for example in summer they offers different
ice creams for the customers and in winter they serve the dishes according to the weather .
B) Stages of planning of menu product development
For any firm to be successfully established in the market, there are various strategies of
planning for developing a menu product. These strategies are as follows
Idea generation :
The first step for a organisation is to define the idea, aim and objectives of the product, and
why the entity is going to choose that idea for its menu development. (Palmintier, 2018). This is
the initial step of planning or creating a product. Firstly hotel Hilton has to get involved in
generating the best idea for the menu-planning. Also, alternatives must be created by them.
Market and consumer trends: For this step SWOT analysis will be done , which means
company must be involved in analysing the strength and weakness of idea. This will help them in
gaining competitive advantage. Company also need do market research about the consumer
trends and preferences. This will help them in effectively implementing the new menu planning
idea.
User patterns and habits: Company must be involve in analysing the user pattern and
habits. It will help them in preparing menu according to the need and demand of consumer. Also
it will assist them in building a good image in the market.
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Brain storming of new menu: The new menu prepared by the organisation should be brain
stormed. It can be done by asking employees to discuss various aspects with their employees or
any other people. It will help them in gaining new ideas that will enhance the market share of
restaurant.
Idea screening and concept marketing :
It is very important for hospitality organisation to do idea screening and concept
marketing. This can be done by:
Developing and marketing- Company should be involved in marketing and promoting
new idea related to menu-planning (Baiomy Jones and Goode , 2017). This will help them in
attracting and acquiring consumers. It can enhance profit margin of restaurant.
Feasibility cost: Hospitality organisation while preparing menu must determine
feasibility cost for implementing new idea. It will help them in realising if idea is feasible in the
estimated cost. Determining feasibility cost will assist in providing cost benefits.
Production issues: While doing idea screening production issues must be adhered by
hospitality organisation. This help them in effectively implementing the new menu-planning
design.
Business analysis:
By using there strength and weakness as an advantage , one can avoid competition from
others.
Break even point: While designing new menu for the hospitality organisation, breakeven
point must be measured. It is that point where the demand and supply by the company is equal.
(Palmintier, 2018).
Advertising and other promotions: Company must be engaged in advertising the new
menu planning through online channels like social media marketing, blogs and articles.
Profitability: Business analysis can also be done through profitability, it can be measured
by if company is earning more than it is implementing (Baiomy Jones and Goode , 2017).
New product pricing-
Menu-planning also includes this step of pricing the new product.
Revenue and profit; The new product pricing must be done by measuring the revenue and
profit company is going to earn after putting the new product price.
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Product cost: The cost of the product should be based on fixed and variable. The fixed
prices does not change while going through alterations of different units.
Forecast of unit volumes: Company must be involved in forecasting that how much profit
each unit is going to make. This will help hospitality organisation in preparing budget.
c) Evaluation of the influence on the development processing
The term development processing gives a brief introduction about the steps which are
involve in an organisation to improve its product quality as well also to establish its product in
the market with a satisfying market value for the customers. Product development process can be
influenced by many factors:
Idea generation:
This is first stage of product development that can be influenced by conducting internal
analyses. If company analyses its strength, weakness, opportunities and threats then it would help
in implementing ideas at workplace effectively. If entity does not have adequate knowledge
about its strong points and weakness then it might create issue in generating ideas.
Market and consumer trends are another major influencing factor that impact on
development process to great extent. If needs of customers get changed then new ideas will be
there and entity will have to use new idea to make changes in its products. Whereas if there is
modification in market situation then also it will affect entire process of idea generation.
Brainstorming of new menu is another major aspect that influence the idea generation. If entity is
aiming to make changes in its menu then it will have to look for requirements of consumers an
accordingly it will have to pick up the correct idea that may support in developing products.
Idea screening and concept testing:
It is essential to eliminate unsound concepts before devoting resources. Thus, if this thing
is missing then it may influence the entire development process. If cost of production is too high
then also it will influence concept testing and screening. As if changes in idea are increasing
production cost then entity will have to think about it otherwise that may adversely affect
profitability of organisation to great extent.
There are many factors which influences a product development. these are as follows
Consumer satisfaction- This is the main motive to serve for people of hotel Hilton. Consumer
satisfaction has become the key element for development process (Dixon ,2014.). If the people of
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hotel Hilton are not able to satisfy their customers then they will not be able to be in long run of
the market (Ratakonda and Varshney International Business Machines Corp, 2015).this factor
will influence the product development process in menu,as if the customers are not satisfy by
there food items that they are serving((Palmintier, 2018 ). .than they need to make changes with
there menu planning. the firm need to add such dishes in there menu which are acceptable by the
customers. For this, they should conduct various survey programmes to know about the
consumer's choices and preferences and on basis of these surveys product should be develop.
Competition- With the rise in technology, competition has also increased to a higher level.
Competition can affect the development of the product(Menu planning: Eat healthier and spend
less, 2018 ). If Hotel Hilton is not been able to cope up with the rising competition, chances of
product development will get lower. As the company is not able to meet the challenges,
innovation is not possible for them and this will automatically hampers the development of
product. Due to competition the entity need to apply such attractive food items, which gives a
tough competition to the other companies and those food items should macthes the customers
taste and preferences.
Personal thinking- Thoughts and ideas of consumers are dynamic in nature and not constant. If
people will become more health conscious, then they will choose only healthy food product. The
new product developed does not provide health benefits and hence are is not accepted by the
consumers so its development will be affected and product will not be able to survive in market.
The Hilton hotel needs to include balanced nutrients in there menu planning which will affect the
personal thinking of customers, if they provide healthy food products in there dishes ,more and
more customers are going to be attracted by the firm .
Substitute product- There are many substitutes available in the market. Due to which
consumers will be shifted to the substitutes' product if they are producing high quality product.
Because of availability of cheaper substitutes product in the market consumers will choose that
product over the Hotel Hill ton's product. Due to new addition of substitutes , hilton hotel had to
introduce new products in its menu planning which is affordable by the customers and which can
match the standards of substitutes products.
Economic factor: economic condition of a organisation is very important to sustain in any
market ,as if the entity has not enough money to buy good quality products than it will not be
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able to develop its firm among the people as well as in the market. As it will no longer provide
customers demand and soon the organisation will decline(Baiomy Jones and Goode , 2017) .
Hilton hotel which is American multinational entity has already set its standard to higher
level ,there financial condition is very appropriate due to which they are able to purchase good
quality items and are also capable to give an appropriate salary to the workers working in there
organisation ,which results in a great satisfaction level for the customers and this attract multiple
numbers of customers to there organisation. due to good financial condition of the Hilton it is
able to manage the good quality food items in there menu planning and which satisfy the
customers need and demands . This positive position of the company also gives it a high ranking
to the entity among other competitors , by there good services and positive development of food
items for the customers results in a good image in the market.
CONCLUSIONS
From the above study it can be concluded that how an organisation named Hilton develop its
menu planning according to customers taste and preferences ,sustain for a longer time in the
market. In this brief ,there were many dimensions which affect the development of product like
personal thinking ,substituent product ,competition level which can have a great influence over
the company , but by analysing the weak points or by providing training to the staff members the
Hilton hotel can develop its product level . There were various factors which influences menu
planning for the entity, but by understanding the customers need and demands they try to
overcome from the difficulty and by this way they were able to establish there entity in the
market.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Moreira, R. P, 2018. July. An Evolutionary Mono-Objective Approach for Solving the Menu
Planning Problem. In 2018 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC) (pp. 1-8).
IEEE.
Dixon, E, 2014. Application of a menu-planning template as a tool for promoting healthy
preadolescent diets. Topics in Clinical Nutrition. 29(1).pp.47-56.
Eberhardt, K. R. and et. al INTERNATIONAL Inc, 2015. Method For Facilitating Menu
Planning. U.S. Patent Application 14/432,009.
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Palmintier, B.S, 2018. Picking the Best from the All-Resources Menu: Advanced Tools for
Resource Planning(No. NREL/PR-5D00-70697). National Renewable Energy Lab.
(NREL), Golden, CO (United
States).
Nosoohi, I. and Nookabadi, A. S., 2017. Outsource planning with asymmetric supply cost
information through a menu of option contracts. International Transactions in Operational
Research.
Baiomy, A. E., Jones, E. and Goode, M. M., 2017. The influence of menu design, menu item
descriptions and menu variety on customer satisfaction. A case study of Egypt. Tourism
and Hospitality Research, p.1467358417708228.
Ratakonda, K. C. and Varshney, L. R., International Business Machines Corp, 2015. Optimized
menu planning. U.S. Patent Application 14/565,136.
ONLINE
Menu planning: Eat healthier and spend less. 2018 [ONLINE].Available
through:<https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-
depth/menu-planning/art-20048199>.
Idea generation Done on page 2
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