What is "menu philosophy?" In brief, it's much more than menus; it's the complete understanding of what makes a great dining service. Some companies will take "their" programs and try to convert customers to see things "their" way. If customers don't, you and the customers loose (usually at high price too). At NexDine and at the heart of our menus and menu philosophy is the deep understanding of you, your dining service objectives, our potential customer profiles, and many other internal and external conditions. We achieve this by conducting a detailed "Dining Services Plan" (DSP). The DSP is designed to apply science to something mostly viewed as art...understanding the physchology of the why people either choose to dine with us, but more importantly why they don't.
When creating menus for any type of Cafe (corporate, educational, healthcare, etc.), it's important to consider all related conditions before deciding which NexDine programs are best for you and what will the menu look like.

• What are the results of the NexDine Food Preferences Survey? Was it conducted on line or via paper (it makes a difference)?
• What are the demographics of the available population?
• What are the current "share of wallet" or sales per available occupant? How does that compare to facilities of similar size, scope, and workforce type?
• What local street options do people enjoy? What makes those options desirable and what are the price points?
• What is the frequency and type of catered events? Are those events primarily attended by internal staff or external guests?
• Does the facility offer other food or beverage options (free coffee, vending, etc.)?
• Does the physical layout of the Café provide the foundation to incorporate ambidextrous stations (i.e. wrap station today; burrito station tomorrow, flat bread sandwiches the next day).
• Are their opportunities to reward frequent diners with "loyalty programs" and e-coupons? Can we obtain email access to those patrons, securely and with their confirmed acknowledgement?
• What pricing structure will best compare with external options and current macro-economic conditions?
• What is the most realistic labor structure that can support the many successful NexDine programs? How does that labor structure match up with the physical layout and overall financial expectations?

These are not just questions we ask, but a detailed operating thesis that provides in-depth analysis to use for planning and decision making. The bottom line is the results of the DSP can ultimately dictate the financial results through proper menu selections, pricing and labor scheduling.

After the DSP is conducted, we begin to craft the menu based on what's best for the population we are serving. This involves breaking the traditional mold of "cycle menus". We don't mandate cycle menus to our Chef's, but rather, we provide a plethora of options for them to choose from, each following the results of the DSP and some basic principles outlined below. The options they can choose from are intended to simplify the complex task of designing menus and eliminating the time consuming tasks of searching, comparing, and sourcing recipes that are best suited for the available customer base.

The first set of principles are designed around the raw materials and products used in recipes, and secondly, the crafting of the actual menu choices themselves.