Reimagining Your Menu in the Time of COVID-19

Gregg Rapp

Gregg Rapp is a globally recognized expert on menu engineering who works with industry leading academics, experts, and food and beverage professionals around the world on menu development and strategy. Learn more at www.MenuEngineers.com.

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The restaurant and service industry has been impacted more than most businesses by the pandemic threatening our world.

We are all concerned about the future of our businesses, our staffs, and our families and loved ones. Much of this is out of our control. I find, however, that while so much is uncertain, I operate best by redirecting my energy toward what I can control.

I’ve taken on the attitude of treating these times as a forced sabbatical.

Technically, a sabbatical is paid leave for personal or professional development. While we might not be bringing in revenue at the moment, I hope you all are actively pursuing the various small business assistance and wage protection programs available. While this is not my direct area of expertise, I know there are a number of great consultants and other resources out there to help navigate the process. Please don’t give up—take advantage of these experts. I can’t promise a perfect or easy answer, but I know that giving up certainly isn’t it.

All of us need to invest this time to try to enrich ourselves and reimagine our businesses.

I suggest we look to the advanced and savvy operators that are working toward how to re-open and relaunch restaurants moving forward. Now is the time that you can give your establishments a thorough “deep-cleaning,” both physically and conceptually.

The first step is believing that there will be a time after COVID-19. You will be able to open again and put yourself in the strongest possible position to do so.

Next, take a very close look at your business as it was, and where you would like it to be when your re-open. One the most effective (and cost-effective) ways to reimagine your business is your menu. Your menu consists of a number of factors, not the least of which is knowing what experience you want to give – what story you want to tell – with your food.

Who do you want to be? What do you want your food to say? Your menu is the number one tool to demonstrate this.

A menu renovation is something you can focus on now, while your doors are closed, that can bring you positive results when it’s time to re-open your doors. In the coming weeks and months, I’d like to use this blog to share some of my experience and perspective to help you succeed.

Have hope. Believe your business, and our industry, will make it to the other side of this struggle. You will open your doors again. And with some work, self-reflection, and planning, we can be even better than before.

I'm here to help, and want to offer personalized advice to you for free during this difficult time! I want to help you re-open the very best restaurant you can. Just email your menu to me (Gregg@menuengineers.com) and we will take it from there.