For Franchiseplus, Menuez founder Geerteke Verbaten wrote a column advising on the ideal menu card and handy tips for streamlining menu card management. After all, designing, producing and delivering menus to all locations is a time-consuming process. Not to mention reconciling all the different versions and languages. A common stumbling block is the lack of an efficient and automated process that can also provide customization, be flexible in local interpretation and guard brand consistency.
The menu: from headache to streamlined process.
The menu card is the business card of every hospitality business and has both a functional and marketing role. Often locations have multiple menus, from lunch to dinner, wine and beverage menus, in Dutch and perhaps also in English! As a franchisor in the hospitality market, you face numerous challenges when it comes to managing personalized promotional materials such as the menu card.
- Design the ideal menu card
An ideal menu is like a good story – it captivatingly tells a restaurant’s culinary identity and excites guests’ senses. It starts with a clear structure and layout, with dishes grouped logically and easy to read. The selection should not be too extensive to avoid choice stress but offer enough variety to accommodate various tastes and dietary preferences. Therefore, choose a maximum of ten starters, ten main courses and six desserts. Increase sales smartly with drink suggestions with dishes and an attractive description. Do you want to attract attention with certain promotions or offers? Use eye-catching illustrations or framed and underlined text to catch the reader’s attention. Just be careful not to make the price stand out too much, and above all, keep highlighting the product rather than what people must pay for it.
The points to consider:
- The points to consider:
- Clear structure and layout.
- Offerings should not be too extensive but offer enough variety.
- Maximum of ten entrees, ten main courses and six desserts.
- Increase sales smartly with drink suggestions with dishes.
- Make sure the price does not stand out too much.
- Keep room for local interpretation
Now that the frameworks are set by headquarters, it pays to capitalize on local conditions and opportunities. Consider local bestsellers, products or ingredients, and holidays such as carnival, fair, fairs and Easter that lend themselves to a customized menu or promotion. Franchisees have a higher level of commitment when their needs are listened to. Customize menu offerings and options to meet the unique needs of each location without compromising on quality or uniformity. To do this, standardize menu design and layout to simplify management of different versions. For example, use templates that can be easily customized (language, product and/or pricing) for different filling locations.
- Save costs through automation
Automate as much as possible the menu process, such as personalization, language and price adjustments, to save time and minimize human error. This way, renewing menus seasonally also becomes very easy. Choose a tool and/or partner capable of monitoring and supporting your brand identity while taking customization, production and distribution off your hands. Consider an automated system where locations themselves can log in online, personalize their menu within the predetermined frameworks and then order directly in the correct quantity. The order is checked and delivered to franchisees only after approval.
Menuez as a partner for menu cards
Menuez understands the complexities of managing menus across multiple locations and ensuring consistency when franchising. They allow franchisors to regain control of their locations by automating the process of formatting, printing and delivering menus to each unique location in the correct quantities, language, price and assortment.
Menuez offers franchisors the ability to deliver customized menus to each individual location. This is done by allowing locations themselves to personalize and order online, while Menuez monitors brand identity, provides formatting, performs text checks, arranges purchasing, and provides high-quality production materials. This simplifies menu card management for franchisors, resulting in time savings, less waste, more efficiency, better quality, and happier franchisees.
This article previously appeared on: https://franchiseplus.nl/column/menukaart-van-hoofdpijndossier-naar-gestroomlijnd-proces