From the moment your customers walk into your food service business, you want to impress them. One way to do this is to have a menu that is appealing. The problem is that many people believe they can sit down and develop their menu from their ideas without putting a lot of thought into the matter. This is not the case. There are many factors that must be considered as you plan your menu if you want it to be successful.

1. Unless you are developing your menu before you stock your kitchen, then what you have available will play a vital role in what foods you can offer. It is important that you consider the space you have in the kitchen, the stations available and the equipment before you sit down and determine which meals are possible. If you plan for more than you can accommodate in your kitchen, you will end up with unhappy customers that are likely not to return.
2. If you are using a chef, then you want to get his/her input as well. Since the chef will be in charge of the meals, he/she should have some say in what is being served. It is possible that the chef has some specialty items that he/she has become known for. Adding these to the menu will help draw in customers as they want to enjoy this special treat only available at your establishment. Even without a specialty, the chef’s opinion can go a long way in determining what is easier to serve and what would make the biggest impact on your customers.
3. You also want to take into consideration the targeting market you are trying to reach. If your plan is to become a fine dining establishment that caters to those who spend more on their food, the menu will be vastly different from a casual family restaurant that offers typical American fare. The same is true if you are specializing in a different type of cuisine. You want to make sure the menu is geared towards the audience you are trying to appeal to.
4. Once you have established these things you want to explore and test the various dishes you are planning to serve. It is important that you establish from the beginning exactly how they will be prepared and how they will be served. If it varies from meal to meal, the customers will notice and likely be unhappy with the chnages. So you should work with the staff to test out each recipe until you have it perfected.

Establishing the foods is only a part of the menu planning. Once you have decided what you will be serving, it is time to work on the other aspects. You will need to divide the sections up in a way that fits with your restaurant’s theme. This can be done in a variety of ways and therefore, you should find the one that suits your business best. You also want to write descriptions that match the style you are trying to portray in your business. If your menu is more casual, you want the descriptions to be the same. Take advantage of photos when you can and set the prices so that they are competitive yet profitable.

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