Types of Menu

Menu may be classified in four different ways:
• Pricing 
• Schedule 
• Meal Time
• Specialty 
• Pricing 

Under this category, menus are led by the way they are priced to meet the varying budgets of customers. Menu items may be individually priced or a whole meal priced. Let us look at the characteristics of both.
A La Carte : A menu in which each food item is separately priced to give the guest choice to suite his or her tastes and budgets. Each course has a number of choices.

MENU : 

                Starters                 Soups                          Seafood 

                Meats                     Poultry                       Vegetables 

                Breads                   Deserts                       Beverages

Table d’ hote : It is a meal divided into a set number of courses with limited or no choice with in these. The selling price is fixed and all dishes are usually ready at a set time. Menus are changed daily and have the price mentioned in bottom right hand side corner. 

EXAMPLE : 

Appetizer Or Soup

Meat Dish Or Vegetable Dish 

Dessert : Tea/ Coffee 

OTHER MENUS 

Combination menu: 

This menu combines the a la carte and table d’ hote menus. A La Carte menu for instance may offer a combination of rice/beads, vegetables, potatoes in the entrée dish price. Table d’ hote menus on the other hand, may offer an option of the whole meal or a choice of individually priced appetizers or desserts from the menu.

 Menu Schedules : 

This category focuses on the frequency of menu revision. Some establishments offer menus that last months while others are changed daily. 

Fixed Menus: 

A fixed menu is one which is used daily for a period of months or a year, like most restaurants. The restaurants that use such menus either have a large variety of items with in each courses or when the frequency of repeat guests is less. Establishments like transit hotels, specialty restaurants or weekend resorts may choose fixed menus because the guests are in for a short visit or visit the restaurant for a variety from the usual. 

Cyclic Menu:

 These are designed to offer frequent guests a variety. The cycle of menus can be on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. These menus may be found in downtown lunch restaurants frequented by a dedicated business clientele. Isolated resorts may offer cyclic menus to their guests who do not have any where else to go. 

Meal Times :

The traditional meal times of breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea and dinner have their special types of meals justifying separate meals for each. There may be restaurants specializing in a particular meal time. Night clubs and discotheques are a good example of this category. 

Breakfast Menu: 

Breakfast menus are fairly standardized. Most restaurants will offer a choice of juices, cereals, eggs to order, breakfast meats like bacon, sausages or ham, waffles or pancakes with maple syrup, for the sweet toothed. The bed and breakfast establishments generally serve a choice of breads, jam and marmalade, tea and coffee. Being the first meal, guests are in hurry and want a quick service. Therefore, breakfast buffets are common in outlets with brisk morning business. 

Example of Breakfast menu : 

Breakfast menu : Choice of juices-orange, Mango, Apple * Porridge or Oats ** Eggs to Order 

Lunch Menu : 

Lunch menu can vary from elaborate meals or light meals depending on the purpose and culture of the guest. Business-persons prefer sandwiches, salad and soups due to limited time at lunch breaks or are weight-watchers. Salads bars have become an important part of must luncheon restaurants. Those restaurants that have dedicated clientele, may choose to go for cyclic menu / Table d’ hote luncheon menus to break the monotony of one single menu. They may even offer specials of the day displayed along with their regular menu. 

Tea Menu : 

The English have made the late afternoon meal into a fine art. Apart from the traditional tea (which are now available in flavors & served in elaborate tea sets), other items include dainty sandwiches (egg, chicken, cheese and tomato), breads (with butter, jam or honey), and pastries (like scones, doughnuts, cookies and cakes).

 Dinner Menu :

These menus are elaborate as guests have more time and leisure for eating. Dinner menus are an entertainment and people are willing to pay extra for these meals. Alcoholic drinks are an essential part of dinner menus. Supper Menu : The term ‘supper’ is used in the European continent but it varies in purpose around the continent. It can be a light dinner for either early evening or late nights. It can be filler between two major meals lunch and dinner and breakfast. A typical early evening supper meal can be a soup, meat dish with vegetables and a light dessert. A late night supper can consist of a sandwich with hot cocoa or fruit. 

Brunch Menu:

Are designed for the family or guests who wish to wake late. They are popular on holidays and weekends as also at vacation spots where the pace of life slows down. Brunches, are spread well beyond breakfast hours. The brunch will have combinations of breakfast and lunch items to suit the mood and taste of the individual. A typical Example of a brunch menu is 

• Fresh Fruits 

• Smoked English Ham

• Creamed Sweetbreads in patty shells 

• Polish sausages 

• Golden pancakes with maple syrup 

• Scrambled Eggs 

• Hash Brown with gravy 

• Fried chicken with Cole slaw 

• Mixed sauteed vegetables 

• Assorted rolls 

Poolside Menus :

These menus are specially designed to facilitate easy service beside the pool. The items would be pre-plated snack food like club sandwiches, hamburgers, etc. or barbecue items. 

Snacks Menus : 

Snacks Menus are offered in between regular meal timings. Snack menus are popular with students, shoppers, or casual eaters. Snack menus will have burgers, club sandwiches, milk shakes, juices, soda fountain specialties and colas. 

Specialty Menus :

Specialty menus cater to market segments that have particular need. Today families with both working parents may want a place to feed their children conveniently and inexpensively. Then again they may want some one to handle a children’s birthday party completely.

Children’s Menu: 

Children’s have become prime demand makers in homes. Advertisements today are all directed towards children. Fast food outlets have exploited this trend with family and children’s packages. A typical children’s menu has burgers, fried chicken, sandwiches, coleslaw, French fries, noodles, ice cream, and soft drinks etc. 

Diet Menus : 

Diet menu have become significant with the health- conscious modern public. Health foods will have salads, steamed items, non-fat sauces and non- cholesterol items.

Dessert Menu:

This menu is offered by restaurants that have good patisserie. They cater to the public with a sweet tooth. Most outlets with this specialty would have captive confectioneries to give them an edge. 

Ethnic Menu :

These are offered by specialty restaurants that concentrate on a type of cuisine. French, Chinese, Japanese, Indian restaurants will offer ethnic menus. An important part of this menu is to translate names of items into English, explain the main ingredients and cooking style, and clarify whether it is spicy or not.