Menu management is an important component of profit realization in the restaurant industry. Just as you manage your employees, you should manage your menu in order to control costs and increase sales and profit. Too many restaurant managers leave menu design decisions to printers, or they simply do not devote enough time and expense to their menu development. When pricing menu items you do need to take food cost, labor and operating expenses into account, but you also have to be aware of what the customer is willing to pay, what the competition is charging and what your establishment offers in comparison to the competition. The bottom line is that your prices have to cover your costs plus provide a profit. If this doesn't happen, you can't stay in business. And while menu management may be perplexing, it isn't brain surgery! Using the tools discussed in this book, you will be able to manage your menu so that you'll see maximum profits. Menu management entails more than making pricing decisions: putting high prices on items to realize the greatest profits or putting low prices on items to increase sales is not always the best way to increase your profits. Granted, that strategy may work in the short-term, but to generate profits consistently for your establishment, you need to have a menu program in place. This program will include making your menu part of your marketing plan, finding ways to lower costs, putting purchasing and production controls in place, as well as managing your employees. And while there are many factors to consider in developing, pricing and managing your menu, it's an easy, often-overlooked way to increase profits. This book will provide simple, easy-to-implementtools that you can start using today to increase your profits. This book is part of the new series from the editors of the "Food Service Professional Magazine. With 15 books on the most relevant food service subjects, theses are the best and most comprehensive books for seri