How to Present Menu to Guests in Restaurant

Menu is a list of food items which are served according to the guest order. If you are a waiter or server then you should know some basic points to present menu properly. First of all you should know your restaurant’s policy about presenting menu. There are some differences like:

In some restaurants, menus are kept on each table before guest arrives.

In most of the cases, waiter present menu just after guest arrives.

In some restaurants, first guests are served after pre-meal beverage items are severed.

 

So, first learn your policy. Also there is a traditional trend that menus are presented from left side of the guest. You can either present it opened or unopened. If menus are not kept on each cover then never put the menu in table so that guest has to pick up. It could hurt guests. So, politely present the menu by saying “Here is the Menu, sir”. If there is a group then you should first present menu to host or any woman.

What you have to know while Menu Planning

By presenting the menu your work has not been finished rather started. You have to have good command about the following points:

  • At least some information about all the items written in Menu.
  • Availability of all food items.
  • Which foods should not be taken by any special religious group of guest or which foods are for vegetarian and for non vegetarian.
  • Which foods are “ready to order” for guests who are in a hurry and which foods are “cook by order”
  • Recipe of food items.
  • Nutritious value of the food, etc.

Some tips to follow for better Menu Planning

  • Try to learn some basic information about all the items presented in the menu.
  • If guest want to know any specific information which you don’t know then politely say sorry to guest or you can seek some time to consult with your chef to let him answer his queries.
  • You can practice suggestive selling for some special items of your restaurant by saying this way “this is one of our unique item. Many of our repeated guests come here only for this dish” or “our chef is famous for this dish”
  • Try not to answer from your imagination. Try to taste all the items and express true experience.

These are some basic guideline for waiters to present menu to guests in restaurants. Hope you would love to read more.

11 COMMENTS

  1. its has been very useful, i work as executive chef in tanzania,thanks for the SOPs especially the buffet and F & B in particular

    chef sylvester
    kenya

  2. Hi… I’m Widya and I’m Balinese…
    Thank you very much for the sites. I really enjoyed reading all of your topics. Since this is the first time I work in hotel as the English teacher, then i found your sites very helpful for me…
    It’s very great…. ^_^

  3. i would like to commend the site for very informative topics with the different aspect of food and beverage service. I always recommend the site to my student’s for additional reading purposes…my hats off to those who created this site…thank you very much

  4. thanks for the well and easy to use knowledge and skill tips for a hotel server, have like them and thy have enhanced my instruction skills.
    david

  5. hi
    this is pankaj azad & i m a faculty of F & B Service , i m relly impress with urs information
    pankaj azad
    sams varansi

    • May be in future. But i guess it is quite easy process. Generally you don’t need to read out a menu. After giving it to your guest he will decide what to order and only when he is not sure enough he may ask about the item and you just have to give him proper information.Thanks for your comment.

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