1. Truth in Menu Also Known as: Accuracy in Menu Offerings AND Truth in Dining

2. Legislation Enacted  States have created legislation:  To stop unscrupulous operators from:  Misleading Menu Listings

3. California: Led the Way  Prohibit inaccurate menu listings  1000’s of cases involving:  Chains and  Independent Operators

4. Survey Conducted  350 Menus in the Washington D.C. area reviewed  All had some type of violation for “Misrepresentation”  85% that listed beef as “Prime” was not true  100% listed shrimp as “Fresh” when it was frozen  50% listed deli products as “Kosher” when it was not

5. National Restaurant Association  Accuracy in Menus Position Paper  Guideline that most restaurants and food service operators follow  11 sections - Accuracy in Menus

6. Representation of: 1) Quantity 2) Quality 3) Price 4) Brand Names 5) Product Identification 6) Points of Origin 7) Merchandising Terms 8) Means of Preservation 9) Food Preparation 10) Verbal and Visual Presentation 11) Dietary or Nutritional Claims

7. 1) Quantity  Weight & Sizes  Steaks  Accepted practice:  Declared Quantity is Prior to Cooking  Double Martini  Twice the size of the normal drink  Olives  Petite or  Super Colossal  Are “Official” size descriptions Implied Meanings of Words  A Bowl of Soup Contains More  Than a Cup of Soup

8. 2) Quality  “Grades”  Meats - Prime, Choice, Select  Eggs - Large, Jumbo, Medium  Vegetables - Grade A, Fancy, No. 1  These kinds of words imply:  Quality

9. Quality Cot...  “Choice Sirloin of Beef”  USDA Choice Grade of Sirloin of Beef  Exception –  Prime Rib - WHY?  Long Established  Well Understood  Accepted Description for a Cut of Beef

10. Quality Cot..  Ground Beef  USDA definition:  Ground Beef is just what the name implies  NO:  Fat  Water  Extenders or  Binders permitted  Fat Limit - Up to 30%

11. 3) Price  If Pricing Includes:  Cover Charge  Service Charge or  Gratuity  It Must Be Appropriately Brought To The Guests Attention  Extra Charges for requests like:  “All White Meat” or “No-Ice Drinks”  Extra Charge at Time of Ordering

12. Price Cot..  Coupon or Premium Promotion  Any restrictions must be clearly defined  If it involves a “Multi-Unit” Company:  Clearly indicate which units are participating

13. 4) Brand Names  If you advertise a product brand name  Then that product must used  Examples:  Coca-Cola  Heinz Catsup  Star-Kist Tuna  Ritz Crackers  “House” brands  Branded Condiments and Sauces

14. 5) Product Identification  Because of - similarities  Substitutions are often made due to:  Non-Delivery  Availability  Price  Common Substitutes Are:  Maple Syrup and Maple Flavored Syrup  Ice Cream and Ice Milk  Margarine and Butter  Whipped Topping and Whipped Cream

15. 6) Points of Origin  Claims (proof) may be substantiated by:  The Product  Packaging Labels  Invoices  Other documentation provided by your supplier

16. Points of Origin Cot..  Points of Origin:  Idaho Potatoes  Gulf Shrimp  Maine Lobster  Wisconsin Cheese  Alaskan King Crab  Florida Stone Crab  Geographic Names used in a “Generic” sense  Widely accepted by the guests  Examples:  Russian Dressing  French Fries  English Muffins  Irish Stew  New England Clam Chowder

17. 7) Merchandising Terms  Use caution with wording  When Merchandising menu items  “We serve the best gumbo in town”  “We use only the finest beef”

18. Merchandising Terms Cot..  Advertising Exaggerations  Don’t mislead our guests  “Mile High Pie”  “Foot-Long Hot Dog”  Instead of “Homemade”  “Homestyle”  “Our Own”  Make sure you can substantiate phrases like:  Fresh Daily  Aged Steaks  Center Cut Ham  Kosher Meat  Milk-fed Veal  Low Calorie

19. 8) Means of Preservation  Many accepted means of preserving foods:  Canning  Bottling  Dehydrating  Chilling  Freezing  Must be ACCURATE if you use these terms:  Frozen Orange Juice is NOT Fresh  Canned Peas are NOT Frozen  Bottled Applesauce is NOT Canned

20. 9) Food Preparation  Plays a major role  Guests menu choice  ACCURACY IS A MUST  Understood terms Include:  Charcoal Broiled  Deep Fried  Baked  Roasted  Smoked  Grilled

21. 10) Verbal and Visual Presentation  If you use:  Wall Placards or  Other advertising where pictures are used to show a meal or platter  IT SHOULD PORTRAY THE ACTUAL CONTENTS WITH ACCURACY

22. Verbal and Visual Cot..  Examples of Verbal Misrepresentations include:  “Sour Cream and Butter with your Baked Potato”  “The Pies are baked in our kitchen”

23. Verbal and Visual Cot..  Examples of Visual Misrepresentations include:  Use of SLICED strawberries  When WHOLE strawberries are used  FIVE Shrimp are served  When SIX are shown  A PLAIN bun is served  When a POPPY SEED bun is pictured

24. 11) Dietary or Nutritional Claims  Bottom Line  SELL and SERVE ONLY what the guest is going to get  If it says “Low Fat”, “Low Calorie”, “Sugar Free”  It must be supported by specific data  ETHICAL THING TO DO  If you don’t  IT IS FRAUD and/or  FALSE ADVERTISING