Answer to Question 1
A
Answer to Question 2
Menus can range from those that are completely fixed to those that change daily. The former is simpler to plan for than the latter. Menus that are completely fixed are used in fast-food and specialty operations. Changes are made only when individual menu items are dropped or added for reasons of popularity or profitability. In some operations the menu is essentially fixed but changes are made depending on the season of the year or when daily specials are added. In the former case menus may change two or four times a year to accommodate seasonally popular items. Salads and lighter items may predominate in the summer, while stews and other hearty items provide the mainstay in the winter. Certain popular items may be kept year-round. Daily specials help where there is repeat business. Customers who tire of the regular menu may find the specials appealing. The appeal to the customer also comes from the perception that if a dish is prepared that day, it is fresher or specially prepared. For the operator, daily specials can be a way of recycling leftovers. The baked chicken from one day becomes chicken la king the next. Daily changes can be cyclical or complete. Cyclical changes are used when the customer base is captive: that is, when they are tied to a particular operation such as in institutional feeding such as college dorms or prisons. In such an operation a menu is repeated on a cycle that can range from two to six weeks in length. A complete change would be appropriate for a captive audience in a resort setting where people stay for two weeks at a time. In this situation the entire menu is often changed daily.