In most European countries, such as Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, etc., the term café implies primarily serving coffee, typically accompanied by a slice of cake/tart/pie, a “Danish pastry”, a bun, or similar sweet pastry. Many (or most) cafés also serve light meals such as sandwiches. European cafés often have tables on the pavement as well as indoors. Some cafés also serve alcoholic beverages, particularly in Southern European countries. In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland a café (with the acute accent) is similar to those in other European countries, while a cafe (without acute accent) is more likely to be a greasy spoon style eating place, serving mainly fried food, in particular breakfast dishes. In the Netherlands and Belgium, a café is the equivalent of a bar, and also sells alcoholic beverages. In the Netherlands a koffiehuis serves coffee, while a coffee shop (using the English term) sells soft drugs (cannabis and hashish) and is generally not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages. In France most cafés serve as lunch restaurants in the day, and bars in the evening. They generally do not have pastries except during mornings, where a croissant or pain au chocolat can be purchased with breakfast coffee. In Italy cafés are similar to those found in France and known as bar. They typically serve a variety of espresso coffee, cakes and alcoholic drinks. Bars in city centres usually have different prices for consumption at the bar and consumption at a table.
Yeah, is often talked about the menu or the menu, but what is really important, what is important to note, and in particular what error should not make the restaurant operator. Here I present 10 things you should know about your menu. The Do’s and Don’ts of menus …
First your menu should be original
The ideal menu should have a unique balance between classic and famous dishes of the house. Taking a German restaurant, for example, then you will find one set in each chip. You have certainly ordered more often! How it gets to a restaurant, make chips to this particular or unique, what will be remembered a guest. Without doubt the steak should be made at least well of course, but you just get into identity. Are you from the north, then simply bring the issue of “sea” with pure, or if you come from the Palatinate, then combine it with the theme of wine or you’re from the south, then perhaps the hunting theme fits great. In principle, should really just the right combination that works particularly well with the region and is authentic.
Second your menu should be versatile, but simple
Versatility is meant here that the menu appetizers, main dishes and desserts should be well balanced. With simplicity, it is meant that the food should fit together. An Italian is not determined, in addition to his pasta, lead a paella on the menu. It should not happen, that one is doing wraps on the menu, just because a McDonald’s advertises just in advertising. It only leads to one, you throw away a lot, unfortunately, and what is thrown away, has not eaten and has unfortunately cost money.
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Third your food should have fair prices
Now we come to talk about numbers. What is a fair price for a guest? Well, in order to achieve a reasonable profit and at the same fair prices for our guests to have, should any court to be broken on the menu at your cost down – which include purchasing, production costs, preparation costs, etc. More expensive ingredients like lobster, can be priced high and make a dish expensive, but you need but do not buy the cheapest ingredients to be the cheapest. Quality and honesty are the most important factors when putting together a menu and it’s paying off forever.
4th Your food should be prepared simply to
Nothing will make a kitchen more out of sync as the preparation of complex meals during rush hour! Food should be prepared simply, with no preparation (grill, pasta, stir-fries, etc.), these may leave a maximum after 15-20 minutes the kitchen with preparation (soup, pasta, casseroles, etc.) foods should be prepared early in the morning. One thing is always clear – the guest does not like waiting too long.
5th Your menu should be legible for everyone
Too small fonts or handwriting make it difficult to understand the guest at all, what he could eat. Keep a clear and concise map ready, without a line through it, bruised and dirty sheets envelopes. Do not fall too much in too strong a kitchen jargon, use an understandable language.
6th The menu should have an appropriate size
A menu with more than 4 pages read by a guest, not so much because he can remember. In addition, it is often the feeling of indecision, which will definitely delay the order. Avoid too broad a selection of food – less is more easy! Also, consider what you’re ready for space (kitchen, storage, etc.) must, if you want to offer so many dishes.
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7th the menu should be updated frequently
A menu should not be carved in stone. To a reasonable degree of timeliness, it is recommended that at least seasonal cooking. This does not mean you have to write the entire new card every 3 months. As I just mentioned, it was supposed to be special food that is over the year to have with you, but it is good form to create a seasonal depositors, which is attached at the menu. Always check here if meals are going well or badly, take another look at your prices and be self-critical about themselves. Thus, in a pleasant cycle a little changes.
8th You should know what you do not rely on your menu
The menu is the sales tool in your restaurant. Do not incorporate advertising into the menus, you will top any food that you cannot cook, you do not confuse your guests with an incomprehensible language, put food on your neighbor’s no competition at a lower price on the card, etc. This list could continue indefinitely, but you still want to make it aware.
9th You should know when you offer special offers
There are recurring events in the course of a year. Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, cause people need to do something special. So be prepared for such parties and you always have a suitable offer available (begrentzes offer a fixed price), but you must communicate with the lead time. Get organized with your staff, especially with the kitchen, so that such experiences not only nice for the guest pass, but the restaurant also well prepared.
10th You should always read the menu to
The classic mistake in general – are often careless mistakes discovered how twisted letters, reversed words or just wrong vocabulary. Before distributing the new menu to the guests, they should be checked for errors by third parties. There are worse things, but it’s embarrassing if the landlord does not express himself.
I have not written about my road trip Indian restaurant visits in a while. So I’m here in Ft. Lauderdale, FL for an Angel Beat event tomorrow and thought I’d try one of the local Indian establishments and tell you all about it. Rather than looking up restaurant reviews to choose where to go, Which is what I usually do, I just picked the closest one could find my GPS 1.5 miles away. I get to the strip center where the restaurant is located, Madras Cafe, and find that a lot of the stores are boarded up in the center Not good. Got a parking spot right out front, there were only four other cars in the parking lot  sure its early, but that’s not a promising sign. Right as I get out another car pulls up and three people exit the car and follow me into the restaurant. Its 6:30 pm and it looks like I’m first patron tonight. Now I’m little worried that I picked the wrong place. Luckily one of the three people behind me is English and based on his interaction with the waiter he was very surprised the place was not busy. I feel a little better after hearing that.
The waiter brings out some spicy dad dooms with the typical three piece accompaniment: tamarind sauce, chopped onions in chili powder and mint chili, (a mint / jalapeno runny paste).For my main course I decided to try something different from my normal choice and picked Chili Chicken. The waiter promptly warned me it was hot, which i brushed aside the Possibility that it would be too hot by telling him it wasn’t problem – I can take the heat. So the chicken chili makes it to the table. It looks delicious but it turns out to be a mildly spicy sweet and sour chicken. I do not like the sweet, sticky sweet and sour sauce on Chinese food, and this dish is no exception. What makes it worse is that not only does it have a sticky sauce I do not particularly like; it’s not even that spicy!
Ah well. We live and learn; maybe I should stick to my normal choices, Madras, Vindaloo, Chicken Tikka Masala and Chicken Saag. Not a complete disaster of a dinner, but not been as good as it could have. To top it all off the waiter messed up my drink order, brought coke instead of diet coke, and worse, so he forgot to bring the rice. Luckily for me the naan bread more than compensated for not having rice. Jeez.