Anti-crisis actions in the restaurant. Step-by-step instruction

1. Preface.

Today, we will tell you about Menu engineering. We have written a ready-made solution that takes a standard Sales Report and makes our mega-analysis based on it.

Free, available to everyone.

I will try to briefly and extremely clearly explain what, why and why.
I'll tell you how to prepare the desired report and get instant results using our development.

The article is relevant for any automation system that is able to upload a sales report to Excel, all this was tested and verified on the iiko system.

2. What is it and why?

The functionality we have developed allows you to quickly and accurately analyze the sales data of your restaurant and get a picture of the sales of menu items.

Based on its report, you will be able to understand how each individual item on the menu is sold and draw the right conclusions about how to optimize menu, increase margin, reduce food cost, on the sale of which positions should be emphasized, and which positions should be completely withdrawn from the sale.

This method is an alternative to ABC analysis. Can he completely replace him? Perhaps, but I recommend doing everything.

Advantages over ABC:

1. The report is visually easy to read. As a result, we will attribute each position to a specific group and mark it with a color.

2. We do 2 analyzes at the same time, we analyze more indicators than ABC analysis.

3. We taught the report to automatically sort positions into groups and do analysis within the group. We don't compare sales of soups to coffee or desserts. Due to this, we achieve greater accuracy. Doing ABC in groups is a very tedious task.

The mathematics of the report is based on the work of American specialists in the field of restaurant consulting Michael Casavan and Donald Smith. Their work, in turn, is built on the generally accepted model of the Boston Matrix (Wiki - BCG Matrix), which Casavana and Smith have expanded and adapted for the restaurant business.

3. Which report to download from the automation system?

We need a classic Sales Report for 1 month uploaded in excel format.

Each dish is a row, columns are indicators of the dish. The first line is the name of the columns, it is ignored when rendering.

You can download our sample report, see how it looks and how the report functionality works.

The report should contain the following columns:

A) Group - logical menu groups within which we calculate positions. Example: side dishes, poultry dishes, pizza, hot drinks, etc.

B) Dish - the name of the dish that we are analyzing.

C) The number of dishes sold, pieces.

D) Revenue from sold dishes, rubles.

E) % of the total revenue of all dishes in all groups, number.

F) The cost of one dish, rubles.

G) The selling price of a dish or the average selling price for a given period, rubles

H) The total cost of the sold dish, rubles (the cost of one dish multiplied by the quantity)

I) % of the total cost of all dishes in all groups, number.

J) Gross profit, rubles.

IMPORTANT! The order of the columns must be preserved, the name of the columns can be arbitrary, as long as it is clear to you.

IMPORTANT! In columns with indicators, only numbers are allowed, no% signs and "rub." should not be.

For iiko owners. All columns are in the standard report "On sales for the period", there should be no problems with receiving and uploading the report to Excel.

4. Where to upload the report and how to get the result?

We insert the sales report in excel format into our web form (so far we have placed it somehow, if only it worked).

We press the "choose file" button, we find the file on the computer.

Then we press the "Parsing" button and see the result on the screen.

After the result is displayed, a “download XLS” button appears at the very bottom, which will allow you to save the result to Excel.

IMPORTANT! The web form does not store data and does not send it to the server, all processing is carried out directly on your computer.

5. What do the colors mean and what to do next with all this?

Analysis 1.

By determining the popularity and gross profit of each menu item and comparing them with the average values for the entire menu structure, all items are divided into four groups.

Stars– positions with high popularity and high level of profitability.

Horses– positions with high popularity, but low profitability.

Puzzles– positions with low popularity, but a high level of profitability.

Dogs– positions with low popularity and low profitability.

Obviously everyone wants to see more stars on their menu and doesn't want to see dogs.

And in fact, this is where your creativity as a restaurateur, economist and analyst begins.

Task:

Save and support the stars, try to increase their number.

Replace dogs with other positions that will be more popular or more profitable.

Horses sell well, but bring little profit. Such positions should usually be kept in the menu, but try to make them more profitable. Reduce the cost, and maybe increase the selling price.

Riddles make a good profit, but they are not very popular. They need to be promoted more, perhaps it is worth placing table tents, start instructing waiters, setting up marketing campaigns in
Prime– high weighted marginal profit and low % cost.

standards– high weighted marginal profit, high % cost.

Sleepers– low weighted marginal profit, low % cost.

Problems– low weighted marginal profit, high % cost.

Objective: to increase weighted marginal profit and reduce costs. This analysis does a good job of showing the problematic positions of your menu.

In the near future, State Duma deputies plan to amend the resolution on the sale of catering products, obliging restaurant owners to indicate the full composition of dishes on the menu. Editorial"Special Meal"I decided to figure out the rules for the design of the menu and what, in addition to the names of dishes, should be indicated in them.

Menu - this is not only a list of dishes and drinks that the company has, indicating quantitative indicators and prices, but also the main visiting card of any catering establishment.

Who makes the menu?

The menu is compiled by the head of production with the participation of the head waiter. After calculating the selling prices for dishes, the manager submits the menu to the director of the establishment for approval.

How is the menu developed?

1. Assortment of dishes

The first thing you need to do to develop a menu is to make an assortment of dishes and drinks, which should contain regular, new and signature dishes. In addition, the assortment must correspond to the specifics, class and thematic focus of the institution (i.e., if the restaurant belongs to the “luxury” class, it must necessarily contain specialties, if the institution is called “Odessa-Mama”, then it must serve dishes of Odessa cuisine).

It should be noted that the assortment list of dishes should be developed taking into account full compliance with sanitary and technological requirements, as well as standards for this type and class of enterprises. Also, the menu must be coordinated with the territorial bodies of sanitary and epidemiological supervision.

2. Raw material

When developing a range of dishes, it is necessary to focus on the specifics of the work of suppliers or other source of supply of raw materials.

3. Seasonality of products

When compiling the menu, you should also take into account the seasonality of the products from which the dishes are prepared. For example, in winter, dishes rich in fats, carbohydrates and proteins are in great demand (i.e., in winter, the number of meat, fish and flour dishes on the menu should prevail), in summer, the season of fruits and vegetables begins, so the menu should include dishes containing these products.

4. Half portions

If the institution works not only in the evening, but also in the daytime, then it is desirable that the menu includes dishes that are served in the amount of half portions. This requirement primarily applies to customers who can come to the restaurant during the day with their children.

5. Photos

For additional attention of visitors, it is recommended to provide the menu with photographs of the dishes provided. Such a measure will not only attract the attention of guests, but also, accordingly, increase the profit of the institution.

6. Complex lunches

If public catering enterprises are located at hotels, railway stations, airports, at the place of work and study, as well as in enterprises serving socially vulnerable groups of the population, along with traditional forms of product sales, the sale of complex breakfasts, lunches, dinners, various on days of the week with taking into account rational norms and characteristics of nutrition.

Rules for the arrangement of dishes on the menu

On the first page of the menu, there should be a special offer of dishes of the day, then a list of specialties, then a list of dishes in the order of their serving: from snacks to drinks.

1. Appetizers and salads

Appetizers and salads are arranged on the menu in accordance with the sequence of their serving for visitors. As a rule, the enumeration of snacks starts from less spicy, containing a small amount of extractive substances, and ends with more spicy and spicy ones.

As for salads, their location depends on the order of appetizers (i.e. fish salads come after cold fish dishes, meat salads after cold meat dishes). Sometimes salads are classified as independent groups, and then they should be listed before cold meat dishes.

2. Hot dishes

Hot dishes are listed as follows: boiled - poached - fried - stewed - baked.

3. Soups

Soups are arranged in this order: transparent - dressing - puree soups - dairy - cold - sweet.

4. Desserts and drinks

Desserts and drinks in this case can be combined into one group, because the list of dishes in this category is almost always the final position on the menu. The placement of flour, confectionery and other products can be variable, and drinks are arranged depending on the strength (i.e. strong alcoholic drinks - less strong - non-alcoholic - coffee and tea).

Menu types

A la carte menu - indicates portioned dishes with an individual price for each. It is used in expensive restaurants, most often located in high-end hotel complexes.

Table d'hote menu - the menu of the common table, offers options for formed complexes of snacks, dishes, desserts, drinks at a single fixed price. The menu program of the common table includes from five to seven items. The use of such a menu is practiced in restaurants at hotel complexes, as it provides fast and economical service.

Tourist menu - is designed to attract the attention of tourists, emphasizing cheapness and nutritional qualities - essential information for tourists. National dishes interesting for tourists can be emphasized, or the opportunity to dine quickly and inexpensively.

Express Menu or Lunch Menu - are served only during the daytime hours of the establishment, printed daily on separate forms. Such menus list the names of set meals at a single fixed price. Such menus are especially convenient in restaurants at train stations and airports.

Menu Rules

1. Introduction to the menu

Visitors to the establishment have the right to get acquainted with the menu, price lists of wines and other conditions of service both on the trading floor and outside it.

2. Additional services

The cost of all additional services must be indicated in the menu or price lists.

3. Composition of dishes

In trading floors, the visitor is obligatory informed about the cost of dishes and products, the capacity of a bottle of alcoholic beverage, the price of the entire container, 50 and 100 g of alcoholic beverage. In canteens serving permanent contingents of visitors (workers, employees, students, students, etc.), the menu also indicates the output of culinary products, and in other types of enterprises, at the request of visitors, this information is given by service personnel.

4. Checking dishes

All public catering enterprises must provide the consumer with the opportunity to check the measure and weight of the culinary products sold to him, as well as, if necessary, a license for the right to manufacture and sell these products, as well as a certificate for the products.

If the visitor found underweight of the dish, or if it was shortchanged, then the company is obliged, at the choice of the client:

eliminate identified deficiencies free of charge;

reduce the amount of payment for culinary products;

to produce a similar dish, culinary product without additional payment;

fully reimburse the consumer's expenses associated with the acquisition of low-quality culinary products (performance of the service).

5. Order

When accepting a pre-order for a service, the enterprise must ensure that it is completed on time. If it is impossible to fulfill such an order for reasons beyond the control of the enterprise, it is obliged to ensure that this event is held in another public catering enterprise without prejudice to the interests of the consumer, informing him of this at least 7 days in advance.

Who initiated the innovation?

The initiator of amending the resolution on the sale of products of public catering establishments was the United Russia party. On March 19, during a round table on the topic: "Party project to protect the health of citizens: the catering system needs a standard for the menu," party deputies, representatives of the medical community, science and the restaurant business discussed the development of the menu, which should indicate the exhaustive composition of dishes. Prior to the round table, this initiative was launched on the electronic discussion platform of the We Are Together party, where most of the project users supported this initiative.

Reasons for the introduction

The authors of the project noted that “at present, only the names of dishes appear in the menu of catering establishments and, at best, the basic set of products used in their preparation, and often the composition of dishes is not indicated at all.”

In addition, in most cases, even the waiters do not know the composition of the dishes, the deputies noted. Also, this measure, according to them, is aimed at protecting the rights and interests of allergy sufferers, for whom knowing the composition of the dish is a guarantee of good health.

Opinions

Alexander Baturin

Alexander Baturin, Deputy Director for Research at the State Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, drew attention to the fact that the services provided by the institution are closely related to ensuring human health. Therefore, "the one who provides the service must give maximum information to the consumer."

Arseny Nesterov

One of the representatives of the restaurant business, restaurateur Arseniy Nesterov, suggested that restaurants indicate only the main composition of the dish, while making exceptions for those dishes and drinks whose names fully reflect the composition, for example, carrot-apple juice.

Rafael Mardanshin

State Duma deputy Rafael Mardanshin said that the parties' opinions on this issue differ, but "there is a common understanding that for people with allergies there is a problem of eating out."

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We continue the heading “Weekend brunches”! Read which Latvian restaurants offer weekend brunch and what exactly awaits guests -. And today we changed brunch to a late lunch, and we are talking about our personal experience - dinner at the Piramīda restaurant.

Riga, Reimers street, 1

Phone: +371 67093333

open
Mon-Fri / 06:00-10:30, 12:00-23:00
Saturday / 07:00-11:00, 12:00-23:00
Sunday / 07:00-11:00

Special dinner menu on weekdays and Saturdays from 18:00 to 23:00

€30,00 - Dinner, which includes five courses and one coffee.
Table reservation- desirable.

“I don't score or assign stars. Only an objective view and lively emotions - mine, my spouse and our three children.” And today we are evaluating the special menu at the Piramīda restaurant.

First impression

The appearance of the restaurant cannot but be liked - light, elegant, beautiful. My pleasant first impression was intensified due to the similarity of the institution with one Kyiv restaurant, where the first banquet in my life was held.

Choice of dishes

The special dinner menu at the Pyramid consists of five courses: a starter of your choice, soup, a second course of your choice of meat or fish, a dessert of your choice and afternoon coffee with homemade chocolate. The menu changes every week and can be found at restaurant home page.

My husband and I managed to try a little more treats. And all because we were present at the presentation of this proposal by the new chef of the restaurant Artur Bruch.

As an appetizer, venison carpaccio marinated in Black Riga Balsam with juniper, thyme and pepper was offered, and a dish was served with lettuce, cranberry sauce and Parmesan cheese.

They served fish soup with the patriotic name Ridzensky (in honor of the hotel where the restaurant is located). It was a creamy soup with saffron, salmon, cod, tiger prawns and mussels, served with crispy baguette chips and olive tapenade.

On the second we tasted both meat and fish dishes. First, duck breast with potato, celery root and apple gratin, caramelized carrots, red wine sauce and cherry confit.

Then, in order to prepare our taste buds for a fish dish, they brought mango sorbet with green pistachios. This was followed by a fillet of black halibut in orange-fennel glaze with a side dish of grilled white asparagus, steamed pumpkin and beetroot puree.

There were also two desserts: panna cotta espresso with caramel foam and crunchy chocolate and chocolate fondant with berries and vanilla ice cream.

Food quality and taste

Of course, I really want to convey to you the taste of each of these wonderful treats. But, of course, I will not be able to describe their splendor in words one hundred percent. Trust me, it was unbelievably delicious. Gourmet journalists were sitting at the table that evening, squeaking just on the topic of restaurants and the intricacies of haute cuisine. And even these masters of the word were limited to a laconic “mmm” and an expressive “wow”, because you can’t say more precisely.

Service

What can be the service at the presentation, held under the vigilant control of the chef and restaurant management? Only perfect! I hope that on other days the waiters also do a great job.

And another pleasant moment, speaking in favor of the willingness of the staff to adapt to the wishes of the guests, was the situation with an unplanned dessert. The administration of the institution, having heard our conversation on the topic “Where is the most delicious fondant”, invited us to evaluate the dessert performed by them. Needless to say, it, like everything we ate that evening, was cooked to the highest standard?

Conclusion

Having received an invitation, for a couple of weeks I looked at the page of the restaurant, where you can see the same, presentation, special menu. Do you know what problem will await all the guests of such a dinner? Problem of choice. For almost every position there are 3-4 dishes, the names of which sound like an ode to culinary art. And when you see them in front of you, make sure the treats look like in the movies. Well, having tried the delicacies, you will agree with all my delights. I know it for sure.

Like other businesses, restaurant owners are always trying to get you to spend more. Without money, restaurants, like other businesses, cannot survive, and therefore they do not bypass those methods that help to “unwind” visitors for big expenses. Here are some restaurant menu tricks that are designed to persuade you to leave as much money as possible in the establishment.

1. Weird adjectives are used

Have you ever paid attention to the words on the menu? Ice cream is always “sweet and softly creamy”, chicken wings are “tender, juicy, poured with a delicious spicy sauce”, and so on and so forth. Restaurateurs go to great lengths to ensure that menu descriptions are as tasty as possible. The reason for this is obvious. When you crave ice cream and read this description, you already imagine this cool, tender, sweet dessert and your mouth fills with saliva. And the owners of the restaurant only need this, because this is the future money in their wallet!

2. Currency symbols are not used (dollar signs, rubles, etc.)

Of course, there are exceptions, but such a restaurant is rather rare. When you see a currency symbol next to the cost of a dish, you subconsciously think about money. But restaurateurs do not need this. Food is what they want to make you think about. The absence of a dollar, euro, etc. sign next to the price of a dish is a fairly simple but very effective psychological trick. Agree, you are more likely to buy something if there is no “bell” in your subconscious that the purchase will cost you real money.

3. Tricks with numbers are used

You are probably already familiar with this trick. A $10 meal turns into $9.99. Some "generous" restaurants even go as low as $9.95 and $9.85. Looking through the menu, you will subconsciously consider a dish for $9.99 as much cheaper than one that costs $10, which means that you will definitely order it.

It is worth noting that upscale restaurants rarely use this technique. The reason is that, when planning to visit such an institution, you are already set up to leave a tidy sum of money there, which means that the owners of the restaurant can not be tricky with you.

4. Menus use "family" names to tempt diners.

Think about which of the dishes you would rather order: Grandma's Fresh Homemade Chocolate Cookies or Crunchy Chocolate Cookies? Of course, most buyers would choose the "grandma" option. Associating the names of dishes with the family, restaurateurs evoke memories of home, warmth, comfort, and delicious grandmother's cookies. As a result, nostalgia for childhood makes you order this particular cookie. This technique is especially effective in small "family" restaurants and cafes. Although large establishments offering fast food also sometimes use it.

5. The menu uses ethnic terms to present dishes in a more original, traditional way.

Visit any Italian restaurant and you will find dozens of examples of this technique being used. In your opinion, which of the names looks more authentic: "Spaghetti with shrimp" or "Tagliatelle with shrimp and sauce"? Of course, the second option. In fact, "tagliatelle" is the same noodles, spaghetti, only in Italian. We didn’t need any deep knowledge of Italian, just a Google translator. But what an effect! The use of ethnic terms in the names of dishes makes food in our subconscious more original, more attractive, especially if we are tired of national cuisine and fast food.

6. The menu uses the names of well-known brands

Let's take a sauce called Jack Daniels as an example. Whiskey aficionados will be delighted as they get to taste the sauce, which is probably laced with one of their favorite (and expensive!) drinks. Add the words "cool" or "trendy" to the name of the dish - and it will be sold with a bang! Moreover, visitors will argue that it is tastier than the dish, in the name of which there are no such adjectives. The principle of this technique is quite simple: people are more likely to buy the dish, the name of which is already partly familiar to them, than the one they hear about for the first time.

7. Anchor names are used

If we talk about a restaurant menu, then the anchor can be the name that denotes an expensive dish and is placed next to another name - a little less expensive, to give the impression that the last dish will be a better option for you. In fact, both dishes are quite expensive. But most of us, of course, will choose the cheaper of the two and still be glad that we managed to save money. Of course, you will save 2-3 dollars, but in general, the order will still be far from cheap.

8. The most ordinary dishes stand out as special.

So, you look through the menu and see rather unattractive, labored dishes. But there is also a section "Menu from the chef"! In fact, the dishes in it will be about the same, but you will already think with your eyes, and not with your mind and wallet, so be sure to choose something more expensive from this section. "Average" and cheap restaurants use this technique very often. Expensive establishments, as a rule, do not stoop to its application.

9. Overpriced wine that is slightly more expensive than the cheapest

The name of the technique turned out to be a little confusing, but in reality everything is quite simple. Today, most of us have quite a modest income. Nevertheless, no one wants to order everything the cheapest in a restaurant, therefore, as a rule, visitors order those dishes and drinks (in our case, wine), which are in second place in terms of cheapness. Restaurateurs have long understood this and now often inflate prices for such menu items. Of course, wine is still almost the cheapest, but this is only within the restaurant. If you expand your horizons, it turns out that you are overpaying too much.

10. Create a unique menu design so you don't have to compare prices

Menu developers are ready to do anything to discourage you from comparing the cost of dishes and choosing those that cost less. What does a typical menu look like? The names and descriptions of the dishes are on the left, and the prices are on the right. But it's too easy. Agree, if the price tags are scattered all over the page, typed in hard-to-read fonts and mixed with pictures and descriptions, it will be much more difficult for you to navigate the prices and choose what is cheaper. This is exactly what the owners of the restaurant business are counting on.

11. The “next door to the right” tactic is used.

Above it was told about the use of anchors. This trick is from the same category of tricks. Each restaurant has a list of dishes that bring the most profit to the business. It is they who are placed next to the anchor names. Looking at the anchor, you will not want to choose it, because the dish is too expensive for you, which means that be sure to pay attention to the offer that is located nearby and is more attractive in price. Now you know that this dish is also very profitable for the restaurant itself.

12. There are extra words in the names that make the dishes more attractive.

If you look, then this technique can hardly be called very “smart”, but it really works. For example, as practice shows, the name "boiled potato tubers" is more popular and more liked by visitors than just "boiled potatoes". But after all, potatoes are tubers, the rest of the plant cannot be eaten, so the word "tubers" in the name is, in fact, superfluous.

13. Restaurateurs know exactly where you are looking on the menu.

Studies show that first of all, visitors look at the upper right corner of the menu, and lastly - the lower left. Knowing this, restaurateurs place the most expensive dishes in the upper right corner, and the cheapest ones in the lower left. Also, the names and descriptions of cheap meals are usually in small, hard-to-read type to encourage you to look at more expensive items in large, beautiful type.

14. Frames apply

To many, this technique will not seem like a great invention, but it is really effective. To draw your attention to those dishes that are expensive or bring the restaurant the most profit, menu developers enclose their descriptions in decorative frames. Subconsciously, it is this menu item - elegantly and colorfully designed, highlighted - that will seem to you the most attractive and desirable.

15. Descriptive expressions are used to hide the true portion sizes.

As a rule, in restaurants you can order a "big" salad or a "small" salad, a "big" sandwich and a "small" sandwich. If you are on a diet, then of course choose the "small" option. If you start comparing prices, you will find a “large” portion to be more profitable than a “small” one. But in the end, only the restaurant itself will benefit, because the menu does not exactly indicate what portion size. You can find out whether this size corresponds to the declared price only after ordering the dish.

16. Tactics "First among many"

Each section of the menu contains a variety of dishes. As practice shows, restaurant visitors often order what is offered at the very beginning of the section. That is why restaurateurs place the most expensive and profitable items in this menu area.

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