MED201 Portfolio: Competitor Analysis and Balanced Menu Design

This portfolio, created for the MED201 Menu Engineering and Design course, presents a comprehensive analysis of restaurant menu design. It begins with a competitor analysis, examining various restaurant menus to identify similarities, current market trends, and marketing strategies. The analysis focuses on several Australian restaurants, highlighting their menu offerings and target markets. The core of the portfolio involves the planning and design of a balanced menu for a hypothetical commercial establishment. This includes the creation of a 15-item menu, an overview of the chosen menu's rationale, a detailed ingredients list with potential suppliers, and a recipe costing analysis for five selected dishes. The portfolio emphasizes the importance of considering customer needs, nutritional content, and financial viability when developing a menu. The student also considers space, workflow, equipment, and target customers. The assignment concludes with references to relevant sources.

Assessment 3 –
Portfolio
MED201 Menu Engineering and Design
Student Name:
Submission Date:

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................1
PART – A (Competitor Analysis)..............................................................................................1
Current restaurant venue and menu........................................................................................1
Similarities in the menu of these restaurants..........................................................................2
Current trends in the market...................................................................................................2
Marketing strategies used by Orana.......................................................................................2
PART – B (Planning and designing a balanced menu)..............................................................3
Creating a menu......................................................................................................................3
Overview of chosen menu......................................................................................................4
Ingredients list and suppliers..................................................................................................4
Recipe costing of five dishes..................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................6

Introduction
Restaurant owners and hoteliers find it very critical to consider the needs of the
customers while developing a menu. They are also requiring predicting about the amount
these customers are willing to spend. Thus, it is very essential in the evaluation of
competition to identify the needs of the customers, marketing strategies and current trends at
the time of developing menu. The current report focuses on all these aspects and based on
that balanced menu will be designed for the commercial establishment.
PART – A Competitor Analysis
Current restaurant venue and menu
Basis of
difference
Orana Hill of
Grace
Bistro
Blackwood
Chianti
Restaurant
Sean's
Kitchen
Jolleys
Boathouse
Venue
Rundle
street,
Adelaide,
Victor,
Richardson
road,
Adelaide
Rundle
street
Adelaide
160, Hutt
St,
Adelaide
5000
Adelaide
Casino,
North
Adelaide
Jolleys
Lane,
Adelaide
5000
Number of
Menu
3 3 3 2 9 4
Types of
menu
served
Lunch,
wine and
dinner
Ala Carte, 6
course
degustation,
6 course
vegetarian
menu (Hill
of Grace
Restaurant,
(2018)
Drinks,
desserts
and main
Breakfast,
lunch &
dinner
Children,
finger &
fork,
dessert,
wine list,
pre-
theatre,
$25 lunch,
lunch
menu,
girl’s day
out and
Sean’s
kitchen
Ala Carte,
tasting,
small
function,
functions
pack menu
1

Similarities in the menu of these restaurants
After analysing the six most popular restaurants of Australia, it can be said that
though they are offering different menus at distinct places, they have something in common.
The very first difference is that they all are offering local items on their menu. Further, the
menu and the food items of all these restaurants are generally identical. Thirdly, they all are
serving mashed potato with gravy with the meals (Blokdyk, 2018).
Current trends in the market
In the current era, people in Australia are more demanding moveable and community
based restaurants which are exploring ideas and community messages. Other than this, people
are really getting concerned about their health and hygiene, they are certainly developing
slight obesity problem and thus, they prefer to have special dietary dishes and nutritional
content on the menu of the restaurants. Further, indigenous ingredients is also flourishing in
the markets of Australia (How do Aussies eat? 2018). Along with this, people also desire to
have vegetarian, classic Italian and Filipino cuisine.
Marketing strategies used by Orana
Orana is one of the extra-ordinary restaurants of Australia which is located right in the
heart of Rundle Street. They offer variety of menu and food items made with the indigenous
plants, animals and grasses. The food offered is quite authentic and original. The restaurant
has adopted various strategies to market and promote their menu. However, the three most
vital among them is being defined underneath:
 Going social & social media marketing – Today is the era of food porn and social
media platforms are bustling with many pictures of delicacies that makes even
prudent people to spend some extra money. Social media platforms such as Facebook,
Instagram and Twitter are being used by Orana for promoting their menu and
restaurant.
 Getting listed on food applications – Because of the popular demand by the people,
many food apps has sprung up these days. Orana is listed on these apps. This strategy
is impacting the choice of the customers (9 Effective Strategies for Restaurant
Marketing, 2018).
 Bringing the contests on – They are also offering contest to people in order to spread
the word about their restaurant. They use both online and offline contest wherein
people share pictures of Orana with massive social media following.
2

PART – B Planning and designing a balanced menu
Creating a menu
Planning and designing a menu is a great way to ensure that people are eating
balanced diet and the restaurant is meeting out the nutritional needs (Blokdyk, 2018). Orana
is an extra-ordinary restaurant of Australia being located right in the heart of Rundle Street.
Menu consisting 15 items of for the establishment are as follows:
Menu
3
Artichoke and Spinach Dip $8
Stuffed Mushrooms $7
Shrimp Scampi $10
Potato damper $4
Native thyme $6
Appetizer
Queensland King Prawn Pasta $36
Lamb Rack $40
Beef Eye Fillet $40
Chicken $38
Curry with rice $31
Main course
Lamington $8
Flat white $5
Ice-cream sandwich $6
Funnel cake $10
Banana pudding $6
Dessert

Overview of chosen menu
This menu is being selected by the restaurant considering the needs and wants of the
people of Australia. In addition to this, people are really getting concerned about their health
and hygiene, they are certainly developing slight obesity problem and thus, they prefer to
have special dietary dishes and nutritional content on the menu of the restaurants (Kotschevar
& Withrow, 2007).
Space There will be preparation area, cooking area, service area and washing
area
Workflow Collecting ingredients and equipment, cooking, clearing table,
washing equipment and serving
Equipment Cookware, refrigerators, ice maker, deep fryers, ovens, grills etc.
Target customer People falling in the age group 25 to 60 years
Disposable
income
Annual income of at least $30,000
Average spend $2150 per month
Ingredients list and suppliers
There are many ingredients being required to prepare the food items listed in menu
such as chicken, vegetables, prawns, spices, fruits, bread and cereals. All these suppliers will
be sourced from one of the best supplier of organic food “honest to goodness”. The restaurant
will be open from 11 A.M. to 11 P.M. further, minimum order level should be maintained
during period of rush hours. Further, the menu should be cleared by The Food Act 2006 and
The Australia Food Standard code (McVety, Ware and Ware, 2008).
Recipe costing of five dishes
Portion cost * Cost mark-up = Selling price
Cost mark-up =1/food cost percentage
Food cost percentage = portion costs /selling price
Stuffed
Mushrooms
The portion cost = $2
Cost mark-up = 3.5
Food cost percentage = 0.28
Selling price = $7
Curry with The portion cost = $15
4

rice Cost mark-up = 2.0
Food cost percentage = 0.48
Selling price = $31
Lamington The portion cost = $2
Cost mark-up = 4
Food cost percentage = 0.25
Selling price = $8
Chicken The portion cost = $16
Cost mark-up = 2.5
Food cost percentage = 0.42
Selling price = $38
Banana
pudding
The portion cost = $1.5
Cost mark-up = 4
Food cost percentage = 0.25
Selling price = $6
5

References
Blokdyk, G. (2018). Menu Engineering a Clear and Concise Reference. Emereo Pty Limited.
Blokdyk, G. (2018). Menu Engineering: Standard Requirements. CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform.
Effective Strategies for Restaurant Marketing. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.99dollarsocial.com/9-effective-strategies-for-restaurant-marketing/
Hill of Grace Restaurant. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.thefork.com.au/restaurant/hill-
of-grace-restaurant#menus
How do Aussies eat? (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.aipt.edu.au/articles/2017/07/australian-eating-habits-stats-and-survey-
results
Kotschevar, L.H. & Withrow, D. (2007). Study guide to accompany management by menu.
John Wiley &Sons.
McVety, P.J., Ware, B.J. and Ware, C.L. (2008). Fundamentals of Menu Planning. 3rded.
Wiley.
6