What to Do If You Need to Change Your Establishment’s Menu

Whether you're running a bustling café, a fine dining restaurant, or a cosy pub, there comes a time when your menu needs a refresh. 

Perhaps customer tastes have shifted, ingredients have become harder to source, or you're simply looking to keep things exciting and seasonal. 

Whatever the reason, changing your menu is a big decision—and one that requires careful planning.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to do if you need to change your establishment’s menu:

1. Identify the Reason for the Change

Start by asking why the menu needs updating. Common reasons include:

Falling sales or customer feedback

Rising costs of ingredients

Seasonal availability

Shifting brand focus or target market

New food trends or dietary requirements (e.g. more vegan/gluten-free options)

Understanding the motivation behind the change helps guide the type of changes you make—whether it's a full overhaul or minor tweaks.

2. Review What’s Working—and What Isn’t

Before scrapping any dishes, analyse your current menu:

Top sellers: What do customers rave about?

Low performers: Which dishes are consistently left untouched?

Profit margins: Which items bring in the most revenue after food costs?

Prep time and complexity: Are some items too labour-intensive?

Keep your strong performers, and use insights from underperforming dishes to guide your updates.

3. Involve Your Team

Your kitchen and front-of-house staff have invaluable insight. Involve them in brainstorming new ideas or adapting current offerings. Chefs may suggest ingredient substitutions that maintain quality but cut costs. Servers can relay common customer requests or complaints.

You’ll get better buy-in—and potentially brilliant ideas—when your team is part of the process.

4. Research Trends and Local Preferences

Food trends can spark inspiration, but always consider your core audience. A fine dining menu in London may benefit from different tweaks than a country pub in Yorkshire.

Sources of insight:

Social media and foodie blogs

Competitor menus

Seasonal produce calendars

Customer surveys or comment cards

You might discover that plant-based options, heritage ingredients, or hyper-local sourcing are what your customers crave.

5. Update Your Suppliers and Costings

Menu changes affect your supply chain. Contact suppliers to check availability, lead times, and pricing for any new ingredients. It’s also essential to update your costing sheets to ensure new dishes align with your desired profit margins.

Don’t forget to factor in training, waste reduction, and storage space too.

6. Test New Dishes

Trial new items before launching them fully. This could involve:

Staff tastings for honest feedback

Limited-time specials to gauge customer interest

Small-scale launches during quieter hours

This testing phase helps iron out issues with portion size, prep time, or presentation.

7. Update Your Branding and Marketing Materials

When the new menu is ready, make sure all your materials reflect the change:

Printed menus and chalkboards

Website and online ordering platforms

Social media profiles

Third-party listings (e.g. Google, TripAdvisor, Just Eat)

Tease the new dishes in advance on social media and email newsletters to build excitement.

8. Train Your Team Thoroughly

A successful menu rollout depends on your staff. Provide detailed training on:

New recipes and cooking methods

Ingredients (particularly allergens)

Presentation standards

How to confidently describe dishes to customers

Well-informed, enthusiastic staff can make a huge difference to customer experience.

9. Gather Feedback Post-Launch

After launching the new menu, ask for customer feedback—formally or informally. Monitor sales patterns and reviews. Be ready to make small adjustments as needed.

Sometimes a dish that looks great on paper doesn’t work in practice. Stay flexible.

10. Celebrate the Change

Highlight your new menu with a launch event, social media campaign, or feature in the local press. Reward regulars with a sneak peek or tasting session. Use the change as a positive story that reinforces your brand’s creativity and commitment to quality.

Final Thoughts

Changing your menu is more than swapping out a few dishes—it’s a strategic move that can boost profitability, improve customer satisfaction, and re-energise your team. With proper planning and communication, a refreshed menu can set your establishment up for success for months (or seasons) to come.