SPECIAL OCCASION, EVENT AND HOLIDAY PLANNING GUIDE FOR Operators

DETERMINING YOUR SPECIAL EVENT MENU

Food Fanatics® Chef Sylvia Oliveira reminds operator partners that when planning any special occasion meal, consider storage and production capacity so you don’t overbook or run out of space to store your food safely.

Before you begin, she recommends setting up time with a Food Fanatics Chef and a Restaurant Operations Consultant (ROC) to help you create a profitable strategy. You can do both, here, for free!

Here are some questions to answer that will help you nail down a menu:

  • Meal Components:
    • What meal components will you offer? Mains, sides, rolls, condiments, desserts?
    • In what format will the meal be served? á la carte, family-style, plated?
    • How will you serve or package your meal? Foil, polypropylene, molded fiber? Will you use tamper-evident labels?
  • Building a Profitable Menu:
    • Use a food cost calculator or a tool such as US Foods® Menu Profit Pro, where you can build out each menu item and identify the profit per plate
    • Be sure to enter correct yields and portions on each serving to ensure you aren’t leaving money on the table!
    • Identify all components of your menu offerings that can be added to your POS to maximize upsell potential. A ROC can help!
    • Learn why tracking your food cost percentage is so important here
  • Design Your Menu:
    • Even with special event or holiday menus, The Science of Menu Design still holds true. Diners gravitate toward certain fonts, styles and structures, even digitally!
    • Work with our US Foods Menu Design team to build a custom menu that will increase orders both in print and on your website and social channels
  • Get the Spirits:
    • Meet with your beer and wine distributors to find the perfect pairings for your special occasion menu – specialty cocktails are always a profitable addition to any event! 

*Pro-tip – talk to a Culinary Equipment & Supplies Specialist for an in-depth look at all our equipment and supply options that could contribute to the success of your special occasion meal.