All of the description about the menu

1. Menu
AMAN RATHEE

2. Introduction
 Primary objectives of catering establishments either it may be a small road side
dhaba or specialty restaurant is the selling in its widest sense of the product that
is food and/or beverages. The common feature is menu regardless of its type.
As soon as the diners approach to any dining area whether it is a fast food or
bar the main sale tool is the menu. The other aspects of a dining area are
physical building, décor, ambience, theme, color scheme and definitely a food
and beverage service personnel who give the value and guest feel an over all
view of the restaurant. Menu is an extension of all the policies whether it is
financial, marketing or catering because while designing a menu we consider all
the facts: type of diners, their age group, ratio of male and female, their
spending power, taste and on the other hand pricing is totally based on location,
type, style of service, range of menu items, operating hours, type of furniture,
linen and so on.

3. History and Origin of Menu
 There are lot of stories about the origin of menu, Chinese
believes that they given paper to the world so they
invented the menu long back although no historical
evidences are available for the same. Menu is derived from
Latin word minutus which means some thing made small
in French and in earlier time menu was written on chalk
board (that is French word carte) and word a la carte came
into the existence which means from the board.

4.  There is a small but most popular story about the invention of menu, a
small get together or party which was hosted by Duke Henry of
Brunswick in the year 1541, on that day he passed a piece of paper
which was carrying the information about the food and beverage
items those were displayed to consume and the purpose of that paper
was to inform the diners to make selection of the food and beverage
items in advance according to their choice. After the event this slip of
paper was termed as “menu”.
 The word Menu has different opinions but there are two basic facts:
 A long slip of paper
 Range of food and beverage items

5. Definitions and basic types of menu
 Menu is also termed as, “bill of fare” which means detailed small list, silent sales
man as it tells the diners about the choice of food and beverage items, price, portion
size and in today’s time nutritional aspects or details of the menu item.
 Montagne (1977) defined menu as a sheet of paper or card board on which all food
and beverage items are written in a specific order which are to be served in
succession at a given meal.
 According to Fuller’s (1981) menu must fulfill its function of communication or
informing a diner accurately what is offered to him.
 Davis and Stone (1985) say that a good menu sets out consciously to assist to
customer by gaining his confidence and setting him at ease.
 By all above discussion we can derive definition of the word menu: menu is a list
of food and beverage items offered by a catering organization to
facilitate and ease to their diners and to earn the profit by catering
establishment.

6. Features of a good menu card
Easy to understand
Complete details of the menu items
Ranges of choices
Specified portion size
Calorie content and details of nutritive value
Price

7. Basic types of menu
There are two broad categories of menu.
A la carte
Table d’ hote

8. Ala carte
Literal meaning of a la carte is from the card and in this card menu items are featured with
their prices so a guest can select the food and beverage items according to their paying
capacity and choice of meal items. A la carte menu gives a lot of choice of meal items with
a lot of variation in price ranges.
Characteristics of ala carte menu:
 Being usually a larger menu and offer a greater choice.
 Listing under the course headings all of the dishes that may be prepared by the
establishment.
 All dishes being prepared to order.
 Each dish being separately priced.
 Usually being more expensive than a table d 'hote menu.
 Often containing the exotic and high cost seasonal foods.

9. TABLE D’ HOTE
 The literal meaning of table d hote is “table of host”. These are fixed menu with a fix
price range and there is a limitation of selection of meal items to the guest.
 Now a days industry is offering an extensive table d’ hote menu to their customer to
meet out the competition in the catering market but initially there was a choice of one
or two meal items with in the same course only.
 In Indian context, Thali is the best suitable example of a table d’ hote menu as it carries
fixed meal items with a fixed price. Meal combos are also the type of Table d’ Hote
menu.
 Characteristics of table d’ hote
 Being a restricted menu.
 Offering a small number of courses, usually three or four.
 A limited choice within each course.
 A fixed selling price.
 All the dishes being ready at a set time.

10. Difference between A la Carte and Table D’ Hote
Key words A la carte Table d’ hote
Literal meaning From the board or card Table of the host
Price Items are individually priced A fixed price for bundle of items
Choice of dishes Highly elaborated Restriction in choices of dishes
Preparation and Waiting time Higher Low
Portion size Higher Low
Operating cost Higher Low
Sales man skills Higher Low
Infrastructure Higher Low
Profitability to the owner Low Higher
Level of guest’s satisfaction Higher Low
Average spending power Higher Low

11. Other Forms of Menu
 As we know menus is the portfolio of food and beverage items
offered by catering establishment to a customer within the resources
of food and beverage operation. There are different types of menu
depending on various factors:
 Meal Times: such as breakfast, afternoon tea , lunch, high tea, dinner
etc,
 Function: birthday menu, farewell party menu, marriage ceremony
menu.
 By Outlet: coffee shop menu, room service menu, specialty restaurant
menu, grill room menu.
 Frequency of usage: static, cyclic, single use men.

12. Meal times
Breakfast (French: Petit dejuner) menus:
These menus are differing from luncheon or dinner
menus and consist of two to eight courses.
Continental and English breakfast are very popular
now a day. Indian breakfast consists of regional
delicacies and most popular in Asian countries. Most
of the time hotels used a room service breakfast door
knob to offer breakfast in the room for the
convenience to the guests as well as for themselves.

13. Lunch (Fr. Luncheon or dejeuner)/ Dinner (Fr. Diner) menu
 The compilation of luncheon or dinner menu is extremely important and
requires expert knowledge and good judgment on part of the hotelier/
caterer. basic difference between luncheon menu and dinner menu:
 Luncheon menu is lighter than dinner menu.
 Salads are the essential part of the luncheon menu while alcoholic drinks
are essential part of a dinner menu.
 Luncheon menu comprises of soups/ sandwiches and salads while dinner
menu is most elaborate and may have 5-7 courses.
 Meal and service time is short during the luncheon in comparison to dinner
time.
 Service staff gets better opportunities to show their skills during dinner as it
is a leisure dining experience to the diners.

14. Supper (Fr. Souper ) Menu
A short menu and it is a lighter meal for those who
dined early in the evening or very late night, supper
comprises of three courses only. There are two
types of supper menu very popular in the industry.
Early evening supper menu comprises of three
courses namely as soup, entrée and a dessert while
late night supper menu have just two courses and
mostly offered choice of sandwiches with hot cocoa
or fruit.

15. Tea menu
 These vary considerably, depending on the type of establishment. The high
class hotel usually offers a dainty menu. There are three different occasions for
planning a tea menu: tea at 1100 hrs, afternoon tea (Fr. le five o’clock) and
evening tea.
Suggestive List of menu items for planning various types of tea menus:
 Sandwiches
 Egg Preparations
 Fried Fish Preparations
 Cold Meats and Salads
 Pastries and Cakes
 Ice Creams/ Sundaes/ Coupes
 Tea and Coffee

16. Function menu
 Function menu is a type of table d’ hote menu, offered by
a catering establishment to their guest those are interested
to hire the banquet service for organizing a function.
Although a set pattern of table d’ hote menu is designed
for almost all functions but after proposing a few changes
by good banquet manager or banquet sales representative
and by the host, menu is converted into a specific function
menu. Attractive packages are offered by most of the
hotels and catering units to promote their function menus.

17. Buffet Menu
Buffet type meals vary considerably depending on the occasion,
and the price paid, from the simple finger buffet, where all items
prepared are proportioned to a small size so that the customer
may consume it without the use of any cutlery, to the exotic fork
buffets where hot and cold food is available and where many
large dishes will be carved and portioned for the individual
guest. Buffets are frequently prepared for such occasions as
wedding receptions, press receptions, presentations and
conferences. Buffets can be classified as a form of table d' hote
menu as they offer a restricted. Menu, a limited choice of only
what is on the Buffet, A Predetermined Set Price and all the
dishes are available at a set time.

18. Plat du Jour
 Most of the large and first class establishments each day carry an item called
“plat du jour” (dish of the day). This is basically a main dish prepared by the
chef to promote the sales of the outlet. A Plat du Jour should always be a ready
dish. A good waiter must be aware not only of the Plat Du jour or Specialty of
the day but also of seasonable dishes to promote the sale of food and beverage
outlet.
Guidelines for preparations and service of Plat du Jour:
 Items quoted on the Plat du Jour should be complete with side dishes such as
potato preparations and green vegetables.
 Plat du Jour should be a ready dish and diner should not be allowed to wait.
 Always use fresh raw materials to prepare Plat du Jour.
 Always think about target client before planning a Plat du Jour and never
neglect young diners as they are very choosy in their selection and always ask
what is new or specialty of the house for the day.

19. Carte du Jour
Means cards of the day and it is basically a
complete fix menu with fix price offered by a
catering establishment for promoting sales. Carte
du jour comprises of 3-5 courses and chef gets an
opportunity to promote his/ her skills.Menu has
choice within the courses and menu items should
be differ from regular a la carte menu and based
on availability of raw material, adaptable in
market and according to season.

20. Cyclic menu
 Cyclic menu is very popular in the welfare sector e.g. institutional,
industrial, hospital, jail mess etc and menu is repeated after a week or
two week. These menus featured all major meals of the day such as
breakfast, lunch and dinner and most of the time serve a sweet on
weekends and depends on price paid by the diners. These are a series
of table d' hote menus, for example for three weeks, which are
repeated again and again for a set period of, for example, four
months. These are often used in institutional, hospitals and industrial
catering as an aid to establishing a pattern of customer demand for a
menu item and as a result assist purchasing, preparation of items,
arid staffing requirements.

21. Day / Meal Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Sunday Poha, Bread Toasts, Guava, Tea/
Coffee.
Arhar Dal Fry, Mixed Dry Vegetables,
Chapattis, Boiled Rice, Curd/ Raita, Salad,
Pickle, Papad
Dum Aloo Banarsi, Paneer Makhani,
Chapattis, Boiled Rice, Curd/ Raita, Salad,
Pickle, Papad, Rasgulla
Monday Aloo Paratha, Curd, Banana,
Tea/ Coffee.
Kadhi Pakoda , Potato Cauliflower
Vegetables, Chapattis, Boiled Rice, Curd/
Raita, Salad, Pickle, Papad
Mutter Paneer, Bhindi Do Pyaza , Dal
Sultani, Chapattis, Jeera Rice,chapatti, Onion
Raita, Green Salad, Pickle, Papad, Rasmalai.
Tuesday Bread Pakora, Upma, Apple,
Tea/ Coffee.
Urad Dal Fry, Carrot Capsicum Dry
Vegetable, Chapattis, Boiled Rice, Curd/
Raita, Salad, Pickle, Papad
Chholey Peshawari, Aloo Gobhi Masala, Dal
Moong Sabut, Chapattis, Vegetable Biryani,
Mint Raita, Salad, Pickle, Papad, Gulab
Jamun.
Wednesday Poori Bhaji, Vegetable Cutlet,
Papaya, Tea/ Coffee
Moong Dal Sabut , Baigan Ka Bhurta ,
Chapattis, Boiled Rice, Curd/ Raita, Salad,
Pickle, Papad
Malai Kofta, Mixed Vegetables, Dal
Panchmel, Lime Rice, Chapattis, Lauki Raita,
Salad, Pickle, Papad, Modak.
Thursday Idli, Vada, Sambhar, Coconut
Chutney, Banana, Tea/ Coffee
Rajma, Bhindi Kurkeri, Chapattis, Boiled
Rice, Curd/ Raita, Salad, Pickle, Papad
Palak Paneer, Dal Makhani, Jeera Aloo,
Chapattis, Boiled Rice, Mixed Vegetable
Raita, Salad, Pickle, Papad, Basundi.
Friday Chholey, Bhature, Guava, Tea/
Coffee
Dal Makhani, Dry Cabbage , Chapattis,
Boiled Rice, Curd/ Raita, Salad, Pickle,
Papad
Gate Ki Sabzi, Shahi Paneer, Cabbage
Foogath, Boiled Rice, Chapattis,Curd Salad,
Pickle, Papad, Moti Choor Ka Ladoo
Saturday Omelette with Toasts/ Paneer
Paratha with Curd, Papaya,
Tea/Coffee.
Sambhar, Rasam, Boiled Rice, Chapattis,
Coconut Chutney, Sweet Curd, Achar,
Papad,
Mutton Korma/ Paneer Pasanda, Rajma
Masala, Stuffed Capsicum, Steamed Rice,
Chapattis, Pineapple Raita, Salad, Pickle,
Papad, Ice Cream.

22. By Outlet
 Carving menu are offered from a carving trolley /table and carried
a lot of choice long joints of meat, cheese board with biscuits and
butter, sweet items such as cakes, fruit salads, fruit pie and
different types of fresh vegetables and salads.
 Room service menu: These menus are offered in lodging property
to the residential guests. It has a large variety of choice of meal
items and generally these menus are a la carte and heavily priced.
Menu comprises of all the meals of the day with their specific time
of service.
 Hospital menus: These usually take the form of a menu card given
to the patient the day before service so that his or her preferences
can be ticked.

23.  Banquet Menu is a type of table d’ hote menu, offered by a
catering establishment to their guest those are interested to hire
the banquet service for organizing a function. Although a set
pattern of table d’ hote menu is designed for almost all functions
but after proposing a few changes by good banquet manager or
banquet sales representative and by the host, menu is converted
into a specific function menu. Attractive packages are offered by
most of the hotels and catering units to promote their function
menus. A banquet menu is a fixed menu at a set price offering
usually no choice whatsoever to the customers, unless the client
informs the caterer in advance that 'certain guests require, say, a
vegetarian or kosher type meal, and is available to all guests at a
predetermined time.

24. Coffee House Menu: A coffee house menu is a more types of food recent
form of table d' hote menu which is commonly used today in hotels and
restaurants. This type of menu is characterized by:
Being a set menu offered often for twelve to eighteen hours of the day.
Being reasonably priced, with often each dish or section of the menu
individually priced.
Offering a range and choice of items that are suitable for snacks, light
meals, lunch or dinner.
Offering a limited range of foods that are either already cooked, are of
the convenience type food category and require little preparation time, or
are simple and quick to cook, for example omelet’s, hamburgers, etc.
A simplified form of service being offered, for example plate service,
counter service, etc.

25. Special Promotion Menu is a form of a la carte menu which is at times offered
to the guest in addition to a la carte menu. This type of menu is concerned with
the selling of a particular part of a menu to increase the interest for the
customer, to increase the average spending by the customer and in turn to
increase the turnover and profit for the caterer. Promotions may be made by
specially printing attractive menus for such items as:
 Shellfish, when an increased variety of shellfish and special dishes would be
made available.
 Soft fruits, when various types of berry fruits such as strawberries,
raspberries, loganberries, etc., would be featured in special dishes.
 The game season, when pheasant, grouse, etc., would be featured in pates,
soups, and special main course dishes.
Dishes cooked or prepared at the table, for example crepes Suzette, steak
Diane, etc.

26. Menu of Kebab Factory
Non Vegetarian Vegetarian
Galaouti Kebab
Basil Chooza
Machhli Tikka
Murgh Tikka Masala
Barrah Kebab
Seekh Kebab
Murgh Biryani
Dal Tadka
Subz Galaouti Kebab
Chutney Wale Aloo
Kale Chane Ki Tikki
Mewa Mawe Ki Seekh
Tandoori Salad
Subz Biryani
Palak Paneer
Dal Factory
Desserts of the day