As you open a new restaurant business, one of the first things you will have to finalise is the menu. A restaurant is nothing without a creative and highly functional menu that attracts customers and offers them their favourite items. Your menu should be a true representation of the type of restaurant business you’re aiming to create. It should also be well-planned and executed to enhance the customer experience your business offers.
If you’re wondering what kind of menus you can pick out from, you’re at the right place! Let’s have a look.
8 Types of Menu Design for Restaurants
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A La Carte Menu
A la carte menu designs list down the prices of individual dishes separately. The word ‘a la carte’ is a French word that means according to the menu. This type of menu usually comes in a folded menu printing style and was first used in the UK during the early 1800s.
Since these menus have each item listed and priced separately, they allow your customers plenty of flexibility. Customers can order individual mains and even pick their own choice of sides to go with it. If somebody prefers fries with their steak, they can simply order it individually instead of being stuck with mashed potatoes!
A la carte menus also tend to feature seasonal ingredients and are regularly changed to offer an impressive variety to customers.
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Cycle Menu
Does your restaurant rotate certain dishes on a daily or weekly basis? Then a cycle menu design online would be the perfect choice for your business! Cycle menus have repeated options over a certain period of time. Their assigned name is pretty self-explanatory since you cycle the dishes in a regular pattern.
Think of a chicken food cart that offers different preparation techniques based on the day of the week. Monday could be for fried chicken, Tuesday offers chicken sandwiches, and Wednesdays are for chicken parmesan. Having this type of dish selection qualifies you for cycle menus.
Cycle menus are most commonly used in two types of restaurants. Firstly, if you have a small kitchen and lack the resources to prepare cooked-to-order meals from a large menu, then cycle menus work great. Secondly, you should opt for cycle menus if your restaurant offers daily specials like a freshly pressed juices menu or a happy hour menu to simplify things for your kitchen staff.
School cafeterias, resort hotels and hospitals often utilise cycle menus too.
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Du Jour Menu
Du Jour is French for ‘of the day’. The translation does this type of menu justice, as Du Jour menus change daily based on the catch of the day, the ingredients available and what the chef is preparing.
People often think that Du Jour menus are just for soups, juices and other cocktails. This is merely a misconception since Du Jour can be used for nearly any ingredient or type of meal! Therefore, they offer flexibility to small restaurants since the dishes can be customised on a daily basis or even in-between lunch and dinner services.
The best thing about Du Jour menus is that they are exciting and quite attractive to customers who are looking to try something new. Instead of being offered the same, typical menu on each visit, customers get a chance to try new dishes. They also love knowing that their meals are freshly prepared and straight from the stove!
Knowing that each day offers new dishes also encourages customers to visit more often, thus increasing your sales magnificently. Restaurateurs can even use online food ordering and delivery websites like ChefOnline to display their Du Jour menus and watch their profits skyrocket!
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Static Menu
Static menus are your typical restaurant menus that are divided into multiple categories. Static means to lack movement or motion, and these menus are much the same. They don’t change on a daily or weekly basis, allowing customers to return to enjoy their favourite dishes without the risk of non-availability.
This type of menu design & printing is the most common worldwide. This is because they offer customers a better experience due to being consistent and predictable. Not everyone enjoys too much excitement when it comes to their lunch or dinner meals. For this purpose, restaurants offer static menus so customers can have their comfort food whenever they like.
However, having a static menu doesn’t mean you can’t be creative with the items your restaurant offers. Static menus can always incorporate some ala carte items, a few Du Jour options and even some cyclic dishes to bring an element of change and fun for the customers.
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Prix Fixe Menu
Prix Fixe menus are a type of fixed menu that offers fixed meal prices. No matter what dishes you pick out, the total meal cost will remain the same in a Prix Fixe menu. Customers get the option of choosing their favourites for appetisers, entrees and a dessert within the same cost. Although these menus do allow a little bit of flexibility in case of special dietary needs, customers can only pick one item from each meal category.
They might sound too rigid, but Prix Fixe menus work excellently in chef-driven eateries. They offer you chef’s specials at a standard upfront cost.
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Table d’Hote Menu
If you want a cheap menu printing option that is fixed but still offers your customers some freedom, a Table d’Hote menu would be the ideal choice for your restaurant business.
Table d’Hote is a French culinary term that offers a menu similar to the Prix Fixe but with a more upscale touch to it. These menus offer items at varying prices; therefore, customers can pick out what they like without too many restraints. Table d’Hote menus are most effective for shared meals like Christmas dinners or Spanish tapas.
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Wine Captain’s Books
Most fancy restaurants have a separate beverage menu. But, to showcase your hospitality business as a truly upscale eatery, you should consider a menu design UK to create Wine Captain’s Books.
Wine Captain’s Books are the best menu choice to display the contents of your impressive wine cellars. It allows your customers to select the perfect wine options to complement their main course. The best part about Wine Captain’s Books is that they offer a look into each wine’s history, flavour notes and even describe their features to help your customers make the best choice.
While handing out the Wine Captain’s Books, your servers can offer pairing suggestions to further elevate your customer’s dining experience.
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Tasting Menu
Much like how it sounds, a tasting menu is meant to offer customers a sneak peek into what your restaurant offers. It is a collection of a particular number of small-sized courses that make up a customer’s complete meal.
Including tasting menus in your restaurant menu printing is a great way for customers to test your dishes before placing a larger order or hiring your restaurant to cater at an event. They let customers taste-test dishes without having to buy full meals and can even be tweaked to fit special dietary needs. You can even offer special tasting menus to customers based on the cuisine experience they are looking for since the number of dishes is limited and therefore easier to customise.
Final Words
By now, you have probably made up your mind about the perfect type of menu for your restaurant. The next step is to make sure customers across the city get a chance to view it! One of the best ways to attract more customers and grow your restaurant business is by displaying your menu on online food platforms like ChefOnline.
ChefOnline allows you the opportunity to reach a diverse audience by delivering your food all over the city. Your customers can even make a reservation online for ease and convenience! Register now.
