Viewpoints Explained: Why Restaurants Are Doing Less On Purpose

This is Viewpoints Explained…

The next time you sit down at a restaurant, take a look at the menu. It might feel a little smaller than you remember. Fewer options, less variation, maybe even a missing favorite. With food prices being higher than normal, you might assume that restaurants are trying to cut costs but there’s more to the story. According to the national restaurant association, many restaurants are still dealing with supply chain issues that reduce the availability of certain ingredients. Add on top of this, worker shortages and a higher turnover rate. A simpler menu reduces the need for last-minute ingredient swaps and helps keep kitchens running more smoothly when staffing is tight, especially when it gets busy.

A smaller menu also helps to reduce food waste. The more items on a menu, the more ingredients a restaurant has to keep on hand and that inevitably get tossed out. The U.S. Department Of Agriculture estimates billions of dollars in food is lost each year in food service settings, often resulting from over-purchasing and unused inventory.

Many owners are also hopeful that a streamlined menu will boost customer happiness. Research from Cornell University found that when people are given too many options, they’re more likely to feel overwhelmed and less satisfied with what they choose. In other words, a shorter menu can make decisions feel easier and more certain.

So, the next time you dine out you may see a smaller menu paired with a handful of seasonal or weekend specials. As costs remain unpredictable and customer habits continue to shift, many in the industry say the days of massive, everything menus that offer everything from sushi to pad Thai to Chinese fried rice may be over.