Course Objectives (CO):
CO-1: Practice current managerial techniques and trends to support the goals of a food service operation.
Achieved through crafting a menu using creativity to generate appeal as well as applying and analyzing the utility of principles from concept and product development.
CO-3: Demonstrate the application of theory and concepts as they relate to the various responsibilities of a food service manager.
Achieved by creating, explaining, and evaluating a selection of menu items suitable for an established type of food service operation.
CO-4: Interpret financial data as it relates to an operation’s goals.
Achieved in part through researching financial data related to purchasing ingredients, etc., and evaluating feasibility concerning costs and operational goals.
Weekly Learning Objectives (LO):
WK2-LO-1: Appraise issues associated with identifying or meeting demand.
WK2-LO-3: Outline a process of idea evaluation.
WK2-LO-5: Explain the development of a consumer-product relationship.
WK4-LO-1: Identify types of menus and menu sequencing of elements.
WK4-LO-2: Identify influences on menu and product selection.
Directions:
Using what you have learned and researched thus far, the purpose of this assignment is to use menu development principles and guidelines to develop a streamlined version of a possible menu you might use for the style of food service operation you established in the first week of class. The assignment will be completed in two parts. Be sure to review the instructions for both parts and use the Q&A discussion if you have any questions.
For the context of explaining your menu decisions, assume you are presenting your menu to a potential investor or partner who is doubting your endeavor. You are explaining and justifying your menu decisions.
PART ONE – MENU PRESENTATION
The first part is a presentation of potential menu items you might use.
Present a potential menu page [i.e. PDF] or pages [i.e. PPT] that show at least 3 items in 3 different categories, totaling at least 9 different menu items.
You can complete this part of the assignment using accessible presentation software like MS PowerPoint, Prezi, or Piktochart as examples [info provided here].
NOTE: If you use anything other than MS Word, PPT, or a PDF, please make sure your final product can be shared and accessed by others. If your file cannot be accessed, the content of the file cannot be evaluated for grading, and the grade will be severely impacted.
A resource you might be able to utilize is the “Must Have Menus” website, linked in Reading and Resources for Week 4. Previous students have used the website to help with similar projects. It is a paid service, but you can use the free trial. The service leaves a watermark, but that is fine.
In addition to the sample menu page, develop the menu presentation using the following standards:
Present basic title page information along with the title of your food service operation. [1 slide]
Menu categories are distinct and easily identifiable. [May be 3 slides, not sequential; i.e. separated by the menu items in the category]
Menu items are described to create appeal using accurate descriptive terms and identifying key ingredients. [May be up to 9 slides, 1 slide per item * 3 items per category –OR– 3 items presented on a single slide for category]
These slides would represent what would be shown on an actual menu. Each description should anticipate potential guest questions. For example, “seafood fettuccine” doesn’t tell them what kinds of seafood are in the dish, so the description should include each one specifically.
Use “mouth-watering” adjectives when appropriate (tangy, sweet, rich, smooth, spicy, etc.) and keep in mind truth-in-menu characteristics.
Arrange the menu according to menu engineering principles, such as Star vs. Dog vs. Plowhorse vs. Puzzle.
Use visual elements to enhance the presentation
Example format: [4 slides per category]
Category 1 identification slide
Prominent Menu Item 1 – Puzzle – describe
Highlighted Menu Item 2 – Star – describe
Menu item 3 – Plowhorse – describe
PART TWO – MENU EXPLANATION AND JUSTIFICATION
You will need to explain the major components of the menu, provide justification for decisions you made related to selecting menu items concerning the concept and target market, and evaluate how well your proposed design would create appeal for the user of your service, whether that would be a customer, guest, or client [i.e., caterer, banquet, noncommercial food service]. The evaluation should address both positive and negative attributes and provide a recommendation for improvement with rationalization.
You should explain and support your determination of the following elements with your menu and concept:
Market research
Target consumer [demographics, location, etc.]
Pricing and menu costing
Influences on pricing
Your explanation should also highlight a single menu item, preferably what you feel will be the biggest star of the menu, and evaluate the item based on five of the following possible aspects:
Idea evaluation
Impact on guest experience
Quality/safety controls
Estimated cost & pricing
Promotion opportunities
Nutritional information [i.e. dietary needs]
Influence of consumer purchasing patterns [i.e. in a recession, social media trend, holiday season]
Like a standard essay, the explanation should have an introduction and conclusion. You will also need to include an APA formatted reference page and in-text citations for cited content used to validate, corroborate, or provide a contrast to claims you make in the presentation. The written analysis needs to be supported through research, not anecdotal evidence.
NOTE: It is acceptable to submit as a single MS Word file if you can provide the explanation narrative and then provide the menu pages as an appendix following the reference list.
WRITING GUIDELINES
Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting.
No defined page maximum or minimum, but be sure to provide sufficient content without using fluff.
