Menu Planning Flashcards
7 cards from real CFSP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Menu Planning flashcards as text
Which regulatory body requires that chain restaurants with 20 or more locations post calorie counts on menus in the US?
Answer: FDA under the Affordable Care Act menu labeling rule
The FDA's menu labeling rule (part of the ACA) requires chains with 20+ locations to display calorie information on menus and menu boards.
A 'Plowhorse' item on the menu engineering matrix is best described as:
Answer: High popularity, low contribution margin
Plowhorses sell frequently but generate thin margins—often candidates for price increases or cost reduction efforts.
Which approach to dessert menu planning tends to increase dessert attachment rates most effectively?
Answer: Upselling desserts verbally during the meal and displaying visual dessert menus or carts
Early verbal suggestion and visual presentation (e.g., dessert carts, tablets) prime guests to save room and increase dessert purchase rates.
A foodservice operator is evaluating whether to add a new entrée. Which data point is least relevant to that menu decision?
Answer: The operator's personal favorite cuisine
Menu decisions should be driven by financial analysis, guest data, and operational feasibility—not personal taste preferences.
What is the main advantage of limiting the number of menu items (menu streamlining)?
Answer: It reduces ingredient inventory, prep complexity, and waste while focusing on quality
Fewer SKUs mean fewer ingredients to stock, simpler prep, lower spoilage, and the ability to execute each item at a higher quality level.
In healthcare foodservice, a 'selective menu' means:
Answer: Patients are given choices among several options for each meal component
A selective menu empowers patients to choose from multiple options per course, improving satisfaction and compliance with therapeutic diets.
Which factor is the primary driver of menu price increases over time in a foodservice operation?
Answer: Rising food and labor costs (commodity inflation and wage increases)
Food commodity prices and labor costs are the dominant cost drivers, and menu prices must rise periodically to maintain target profit margins.