When It’s Time to Build a Menu for your Catering Company and How to Roll Out the Changes

By Ryan Gromfin

The menu is the most important tool for a caterer or restaurant owner. Just think about how a retail store has to keep their stock current and fresh so customers will keep coming back. The same goes for food service. So how often should you update and build a menu and what’s the best way to roll out the changes?

How do you know when to update your menu?

Ever try to explain to someone how long they need to cook something? It’s nearly impossible because there are too many factors. The correct response is, cook it till its done. But they need more, they need to know how it looks or feels. So we add in directions like, “take it out when its golden brown”, or “should take about 30–40 minutes.”

Telling you when to build a new menu is pretty much the same — do it when it’s time. But how do you know when? Without any expectations, restaurants should be reviewing their menu monthly and taking note whether sales have slowed on a particular item or pricing has changed. Catering companies should follow the same process. Look for changes to normal items sales and category sales, and use those findings to make corrections and adjustments. Think about how quickly trends change these days. Five years ago anything with Sriracha was a hit, now it’s Gochujang. Also, pay attention to health trends and how they are affecting your sales. If you see a change in demand, make the adjustment.

It’s also important to pay attention to your costs and make pricing adjustments to your menu every month. Do NOT change every item at once, but you should always be changing prices. Your purchase and market prices change daily, yet oftentimes customer prices remain stagnant for months or years. If you have 120 items on your menu, be sure to adjust 10 items per month so that every item sees an increase at least once per year.

Winter is Coming

If you’re having trouble mustering energy for anything beyond price adjustments, please heed this warning: a seasonal menu is an absolute must. If you only make one change (besides price) on a regular basis, let it be this one. Always include a supplemental menu (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall) that incorporates local, seasonal favorites — repeat the same ones each year if you must.

The most important thing with a seasonal menu is that you stay ahead of the weather. Don’t wait till the snow is falling to write this year’s winter menu. Start planning it at least one season in advance so you have time to get organized and educate your staff about the new items.

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