Menu revision: how often should you do it?

It is one of the questions I always ask during initial meetings with a new restaurant client: When was the last time you changed your menu? They would give an answer and would always ask in return: How often should we change the menu?

As in many situations, it depends on a lot of things.

For other restaurants, it's as often as every month. For others as long as twice or once a year.

First, changing a menu takes time. If you're a seasoned chef or restaurateur, it might be the easiest thing to do for you. I know of a chef who changes menus every month and does the whole thing in one hour. Of course, that does not include testing and costing. Other chefs take months.

Unassisted, I can change a menu in a month. That's because I take the time to recost and test recipes I have not tested. I also like to arrange dishes properly.

The frequency of menu revisions depend on the following:

YOUR CUSTOMERS. Country clubs and other exclusive clubs have to change every month. This is to avoid customers from getting tired of the menu. In this case, a once a month revision is necessary. In other cases like specialty restaurants or lean menu arrangements, a twice a year revision should be okay. This could be applied for places who specialize in certain dishes like crabs, chocolate and the like.

SEASON. It is always best to use what's in season. So to adapt your menu to what's in season, it would be good to revise the menu to make use of seafoods, fruits and vegetables that are easily accessible to you.

ECONOMIC MOVEMENTS. Inflation would always be a key factor to any restaurant. When prices increase and your food cost cannot handle the increase anymore, it's time for a revision. When there's a sudden increase or shortage of an ingredient, it's time for a revision.

Remember, changing a menu doesn't mean totally replacing your current offerings with all-together new ones. It is best to retain your bestsellers and introduce fresh dishes. Don't be afraid to put new or experimental dishes just as long as you've tested them.

In the next blogpost, i'll let you in on how to revise your menu.