What is Table d hote menu & Ala carte menu?? It advantages and limitations of each menu??

What is Table d hote & Ala Carte Menu

 Types of Menu

Menus offered by various food service establishments come under the following two categories:

1. Table d'hôte menu 

2. À la carte menu

Table d'hôte menu

It is a fixed menu with limited number of courses for a set price. A limited choice each course. may be given for each course.

The key characteristics of this type of menu are as follows: 

• Set number of courses
• Limited choice within each course or amongst courses
• Set price for all courses 
• Food prepared beforehand and available at a set time

This type of menu is offered mainly in banquets, restaurants where buffet lunch and dinner are offered, guest houses, flight catering, and institutional catering. 

'Combo meals' offered in fast food outlets and thali meals' offered in Indian restaurants are examples of this type of menu.

A set price is charged for the menu irrespective of the amount consumed.

Nowadays, restaurants offer three or four-course menus however menus of a greater number of courses may also be compiled. Coffee is always included in the menu, but not considered as one of the courses.

In the three-course table d'hôte menu shown below, the guest is given a choice between and soup in the first course; fish, entrées, and vegetables in the second course, and sweets and cheese in the third course.

Indian set menu in commercial operations normally comprises soup, Indian breads, vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, pulao/biryani, steamed rice, dal, curds, salads, papad, pickle, and sweet.

It is possible to include more number of dishes in an Indian menu depending on the selling price.   example of a three-course table d'hôte Indian menu of a commercial outlet. One can compile an Indian menu of a maximum of four courses, which includes starters. Coffee may or may not be included in Indian menu.

Advantages

• Does not require too much of kitchen area.
• Needs limited kitchen and service equipments
• Mise en place work to be carried out is less 
• Does not require much of labour as the number of dishes to be prepared limited.
• Does not require much of food storage area
• Food wastage is almost null in welfare catering where the volume of business is known. 
• it is comparatively easier to contain the food cost.

Limitations

• Customer do not have extensive Choice to  choose from the dishes.
• Customers have to pay a fixed amount whether or not they consume all the courses or receive dishes of their liking menu.
• Does not address the needs of children aged and convalescent in commercial restaurants and caters only to general market of varying age group and palate.

Example of table d hote Menu

Tomato shorba

 ***

Vegetable cutlet

Fish amritsari

Roti/Naan

Paneer shahi korma

Bhindi masala

Chilli gobi

Peas pulao

Steamed rice

Dal palak

Salad papad 

****

Malpua

Gulab jamun with ice cream

****

Coffee

Also read

Definition of menu and function of Menu

Ala Carte Menu

This type of menu offers a wide choice of dishes under each category and each dish is priced separately. 

The bill amount will be according to the customers' order. 

The key characteristics of this type of menu are as follows:

• Extensive choice of dishes within each course/category
• Each dish is priced separately 
• Dishes are cooked as per order (after receiving the order) 
• Each dish has a waiting time 
• Customers are billed according to the order placed
• Short description is mentioned under each dish for customers to know what they are ordering.
• This type of menu is offered in all types of food service business except banquets, flight catering and institutional catering.

Dishes in à la carte service are semi-prepared beforehand and finished off after receiving the order.

For example, for roti and naan preparations, dough is prepared beforehand and divided into small balls. Once the order is received, it is cooked in a tandoor oven.

Similarly, all basic gravies are prepared and basic ingredients are cut into various sizes according to recipes of the dishes on menu and half prepared.

Dishes are given the final touch by mixing various masalas and hal cooked main ingredients in a pan over the flame. This needs some time for cooking, portioning out & garnishing This is how the à la carte orders of all the cuisines are executed. Each course/category has waiting time which depends on: 

Degree of preparation work carried out in advance

• Time required for final cooking
• Usage of convenience products, if
• Efficiency of equipment in use 
• Kitchen layout
• Skill level of staff

Once the waiting time is fixed for a dish considering the points given above, the chef must ensure that the dish reaches the table within the time mentioned without delay.

Advantages

• Customers have extensive choice of dishes to choose from.
• Customers pay for the dishes they order for
• It effectively addresses needs of requirements of guests of varying age groups and palates 
• Guests get freshly cooked dishes.

Note: The number of categories of dishes and the choices offered in each category depend on the catering policy of the establishment.

Limitations

• Though the à la carte menu offers extensive choice to satisfy guests, it suffers from operational limitations, such as:
• Needs more kitchen area and kitchen equipment
• Needs high volume of mise en place work to be carried 
• Requires more kitchen staff
• Calls for variety of service equipment

Since food orders are prepared as and when they are received, work stress on kitchen staff is very high during peak periods, which might result in poor quality output 

Work load is not evenly distributed 

It is comparatively difficult to contain food cost as one cannot predict customers' preferences and menu mix.

More food wastage in this style of operation.

This is the most important Types of menu which is provide by any food service establishment.

Hope you will understand