The Menu as a Key to Restaurant Concept Development

Congratulations, you have determined your passion in life is to own and operate a restaurant.  What appears easy to the layman’s eye through the lens of a television camera or a web page is actually a series of extremely specific details and regulations that must be satisfied just to get the doors open to your life’s dream.  Of all the different types of businesses opened by entrepreneurs each has something in common, a guidepost that will assist with the steps necessary to complete the task.  The one element all restaurants have in common regardless of their cuisine, location, target market and all the other details is the menu.

            The menu will assist the operator in determining everything from equipment purchases to include cooking and service wares.  Menu will possibly influence the exterior construction of the restaurant as well as the internal build-out.  Decisions on the interior and atmosphere of the restaurant will also be weighted by the menu.  Details drilling all the way down to service staff uniforms will also be affected by the menu.

            With all this new information the energized restaurant entrepreneur may feel encumbered and wonder how to start.  As with any other business we need only break down the menu and its development to the core influencing elements to include:

• Market – Geography, demographics, socio-economics, position and viability
• Industry Segment – Limited Service, Fast-Casual, Casual, Upscale or Fine Dining
• Theme – Comfort, ethnic, regional, eater-tainment, recreation / resort
• Sophistication – Staff skill level, service style, food preparation and production
• Price Points – Operation type (QSR, Casual, Upscale), market conditions
• Competition – Local, regional, economic outlook, previous concepts performance
• Physical Plant – type of service and level of cuisine will determine the amount and type of equipment as well as possible kitchen footprints
• Menu vs. Equipment – how to approach development if you inherit equipment and an existing property

As you can see the menu can be the single most important element to developing the entire restaurant concept and is possibly the utmost driving force in the development of a new food service operation.  Opening a restaurant or any new business can be a risky decision but there are methods to reduce those challenges.  You can do the research on your own, contact local or state-wide trade groups or national organizations.  While any of these groups can be helpful at best they can offer some reasonable guidelines but no direct support. 

Experienced industry observers would strongly suggest contacting a reputable consultant who can demonstrate their previous successes and track record along with a client list that can celebrate achievements within one of the most competitive and fickle industries around.  Best wishes in your venture and remember what one of my culinary instructors told me when first starting out in this industry, “If you are pleasing 95% of your guests you are doing 100% of your job.”