DIFFERENT TYPES OF MENU

There are four primary types of menu. Below is some information about them along with some specifics about beverage menus and
dessert menus.

What Are the Four Types of Menus?

The four types of menus most commonly used are a la carte menus, static menus, du jour menus, and cycle menus.

What Is an a La Carte Menu?

An a la carte menu lists the prices for each item separately. While the prices tend to be higher, a la carte menus have more flexibility.
Customers can choose individual items and combine them any way they want.

Where Does a La Carte Come from?

A la carte is a French phrase that translates literally as “by the card” and roughly as “according to the menu.” It began being used in
the early 19th century and is not exclusive to food. For example, a subscription to a cable provider can have a la carte channel
selection. That means customers choose which channels they want individually instead of having a set channel package.

What’s Another Word for a La Carte?

Phrases like “from the menu” and “individually priced” communicate that a menu or section of a menu is a la carte.

What is a Static Menu?

A static menu is the most widely used menu today. A static menu doesn’t change often. Food and beverage are categorized into
different groups. For food this may be appetizers, salads, entrees, etc. For drinks it may be shots, cocktails, beer, and wine.

What is a Du Jour Menu?

Du jour menus change daily, depending on what’s available or what the chef prepared. So, “chicken du jour” means the chicken
that’s available today. Likewise, “soup du jour” is the soup that’s available today.

What Does Du Jour Mean?

Du jour is a French phrase that means “of the day.”

What is a Cycle Menu?

A cycle menu is a menu or part of a menu that has repeated options over a specific period of time. Think of a sandwich shop that
offers a certain sandwich on Monday. Then another sandwich on Tuesday. And so on for the rest of the week. If they repeat those
same offerings on those same days, it’s a cycle menu!

What is a Beverage Menu?

A beverage menu is any menu or section of a menu that sells alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. It can be a static, du jour, or cycle
menu. Beverage menus are typically not a la carte menus.

What is a Cocktail Menu?

A cocktail menu is a specific type of beverage menu or section of a beverage menu. A good cocktail menu has a mix of base liquors,
glassware, and flavors. It should also have one or two seasonal cocktails. Like beverage menus, it can be a static, du jour, or cycle
menu and not a la carte.

What is a Dessert Menu?

Typically viewed at the end of a meal, a dessert menu is a menu or section of a menu that lists only the desserts. It can be an a la
carte, static, du jour, or cycle menu.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SELLING

What Is Suggestive Selling
Suggestive selling is a sales technique where an employee asks a customer if they would like to include an additional purchase or
recommends a product which might suit the client. Suggestive selling is used to increase the purchase amount of the client and
revenues of the business. Often, the additional sale is much smaller than the original purchase and is a complementary product.

What's the difference between upselling and suggestive selling? Suggestive selling is getting customers to try something they normally
would not try on a regular basis. ... Upsells are suggestions that drive sales or profits. A customer could get a medium milkshake but
for a dollar more you can an x-tra large.

Upselling- Upselling is making simple and appropriate suggestions to customers that enhance their meals and increase the guest
check. A well-trained waiter who knows his menu items and prices can increase a guest check by several dollars while improving the
overall dining experience. For instance, if a guest orders a burger that's priced at $6.50 and additional toppings are $1.50 each, a
server may suggest, "Would you like to try the super deluxe? It has imported cheese, bacon, avocado, mushrooms and sun-dried
tomatoes." If the guest agrees, that burger is then worth $14. If your patron asks for a cola, offer him a large. If the Mrs. wants a
Chardonnay, suggest a more expensive label or a bottle instead of a glass.
Down-Selling- Even though the goal of a restaurant is to maximize sales and profits, sometimes the best way to make the sale is to
down-sell it. This basically means to offer the patron a more economical alternative. This technique is typically used when a
consumer is reluctant to order premium menu items. For instance, say that a guest is reluctant to order a $25 filet mignon entree
and is looking at an $8 chicken dish as an alternative. A server may suggest, "The Porterhouse steak is just as good as the filet, but it's
only $17 and comes with ...."
Promotional Specials- One of the most effective forms of restaurant marketing is the promotional special. Labeling anything coveted
by customers with the phrase "limited time only" is a good way to fill your dining room. Whether it's a temporary price reduction or a
seasonal menu item, if customers think it won't be available long, they take advantage while they can. You can use this to your
advantage by limiting your promotions to hours of business that need improvement. For instance, if your most popular item is
barbecued ribs and Thursday nights are slow, have a rib special every Thursday. If your restaurant has a slow period between lunch
and dinner, an "early bird" menu that's only available between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. helps fill those empty seats.
Incentives- Making people feel special and appreciated is also a good way to gain repeat business. Top that with a freebie and you've
got a winning combination. Offering preferred customer cards and promotions helps drive sales. You might distribute punch cards to
frequent customers that allow them a free meal or dessert after a designated number of visits. Provide a preferred-customer
discount to populate the tables during slow business hours. Having a "birthday club" can really rev up your sales. People seldom
celebrate birthdays alone, and one free meal to the guest of honor is certainly worth it if they bring a party of six along.
Internet Media Marketing- The Internet is an ideal source of free advertising. Taking advantage of this technology can expose you to
thousands of potential new customers. A common trick of the trade is to ask customers to fill out a short form with the guest check
that gives them a chance to win a free meal or some other incentive. Request their full name and email address. Once you have
gained this information, you can keep customers posted of new promotions, specials, menu updates and all other marketing
endeavors via email. Creating restaurant profiles on social-networking sites is ideal for this type of marketing.

HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE WITH DISSABILITIES

1. Treat people with disabilities with respect and consideration

First and foremost, treat anyone with a disability with respect and consideration. Make sure you do not single them out or make
them feel unwelcome or out of place. Allow your guests to be independent and enjoy their experience at your operation with
dignity. Be patient, smile and keep a relaxed composure as not to make your guest feel uncomfortable. Show that you are confident,
open and willing to find a way to make your guests as welcome as possible.

2. Ask first before helping

Even though you may mean well by trying to jump in and help right away, it is better to ask customers with disabilities if they need
help and how you can help them. Never assume that a guest with a disability cannot do something by him or herself, or pre-judge
his/her abilities.

3. Ways to communicate

Many guests with disabilities may take longer to understand or respond to your questions. Speak directly to your guest and always
make eye contact. Make sure that you are patient, and if you are having difficulty communicating, don’t pretend that you
understand what they are saying. Just ask again. Be sure to speak normally in short sentences, and talk directly to your guest. Don’t
yell or shout. Have a pen and paper handy in case writing is a better way to communicate. Try to ask questions that can be easily
answered with a yes or a no, and try not to interrupt or finish your customer’s sentences. Be patient and wait for them to finish.

4. Don’t touch assistive devices or service animals

Unless it is an emergency, do not touch any assistive devices like wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen tanks, canes, crutches, etc. or any
service animals, unless you have been instructed to do so. More often than not, people with physical disabilities have their own ways
of doing things, so it is better to first ask what they would like to do with their assistive devices or service animals than to take it
upon yourself to move these items.

5. Choose the right words to use

Avoid using the word “handicap” or referring to a disability as something that should be pitied. Always put the person first – for
example, instead of saying “disabled person”, you should say “person with disability.” Never make a person with a disability feel like
an inferior person.

6. Provide guests with useful information

If your restaurant or foodservice operation is equipped with accessible washrooms, automatic doors, or other accessibility features
like elevators and ramps, tell your customers this information. Do not wait for your customers to figure this out themselves.

7. Fulfill special requests

Some guests with disabilities will require some special requests from the kitchen like meat cutting, or additional straws. Try to
accommodate these requests as politely and inconspicuously as possible.

8. Welcome guests with disabilities on your website

Many potential customers with disabilities may check your website first to see if it is possible for them to dine in your restaurant or
foodservice operation. State on your website what accessibility features you offer and that you and your staff are properly trained to
serve any guests with disabilities.

Here are a few points of essential table-clearing etiquette:

Is it okay to clear plates before everyone has finished eating?

In general, it’s best practice to wait until all guests at a table have finished before clearing a course’s dishes, especially if you work in
a relatively formal dining setting. Clearing one guest’s dish before the others may make his or her companions feel rushed and
uncomfortable. That said, there are circumstances in which clearing dishes as they are finished may be appropriate, especially in
more casual dining situations. If you aren’t sure which approach to use at your workplace, ask your manager.

Pay attention to the sides from which you remove a guest’s plates and beverages.
This is another point on which there is dissent among the foodservice industry—according to some experts, all dishes should be
cleared from the guest’s right, and according to others, food dishes should be cleared from the left and beverages from the right. Ask
your manager about the preferred clearing directions at your workplace, and be consistent.

Remove serving platters first, then plates, and then silverware.

In general, clear the largest items from the table first, and work your way down to the smallest items.

When crumbing a table between courses, use a crumber or folded napkin to sweep crumbs onto a napkin or plate. Never use your
bare hands to sweep or catch crumbs.
This tip is pretty self-explanatory; it just looks neater. And of course, don’t allow crumbs to fall onto the floor.

Don’t clear more dishes than you can safely carry at once.
Making an extra trip to clear a table is preferable to hurting yourself, breaking dishware, or dumping meal scraps into a customer’s
lap. You can also enlist the help of another server or busser to clear dishes neatly and efficiently, and many establishments use bus
tubs and carts to assist staff in clearing dishes.

If you work in a restaurant that allows smoking, empty ashtrays into a designated can or container, not a dish or cup.
Sprinkling ashes over meal remains can definitely put a customer off his or her appetite.

Avoid picking up dishes and utensils by their eating surfaces.

We’ve touched on this principle in previous blog articles, but it’s important when you’re clearing dishes as well as serving them.
Picking up dishes and utensils by the bottoms or handles protects you from your customers’ germs , and it prevents your customers
from having their stomachs turned.