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Master the Restaurant Menu Training Quiz

Test Your Restaurant Menu Knowledge Today

Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Colorful paper art promoting a fun Restaurant Menu Training Quiz

Ready to level up your menu expertise? This Restaurant Menu Training Quiz features 15 multiple-choice questions that test your understanding of menu categories, dish ingredients, and upselling strategies. Ideal for servers, hosts, and managers, this quiz helps you polish service skills and allergen awareness while providing clear feedback. Each question can be freely modified in our editor to suit your training needs - create a customized Menu Knowledge Assessment Quiz or refine your team's proficiency with the Restaurant Employee Training Quiz. Explore more engaging quizzes to continue building confidence behind the menu.

Which section of a restaurant menu should most soups be listed under?
Main Courses
Appetizers
Beverages
Desserts
Soups are traditionally served at the beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite, so they are listed in the Appetizers section. They are not typically part of the main courses, desserts, or beverage sections.
On a menu, what does the "GF" symbol typically indicate next to a dish?
Spicy
Low Fat
Gluten-Free
Contains Nuts
GF stands for gluten-free, indicating the dish does not contain wheat-based gluten, which is essential information for guests with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. It is not used to denote nut content, fat level, or spiciness.
Which of the following menu items is most likely to contain dairy?
Fruit Salad
Vegetable Stir-Fry
Caesar Salad
Grilled Chicken Breast
A Caesar salad traditionally includes Parmesan cheese and a creamy dressing, both dairy products. The other items typically do not contain dairy unless specifically modified.
If an item costs $5 in ingredients and is priced at $15 on the menu, what is its food cost percentage?
33%
45%
40%
25%
Food cost percentage is calculated by dividing food cost by the menu price (5 ÷ 15 = 0.333 or 33%). This metric shows how much of the selling price goes toward ingredient costs.
When a guest declines a dessert suggestion, which upselling approach is more appropriate?
Offer a free dessert item immediately
Offer a coffee or after-dinner drink pairing
Apologize and move on without a suggestion
Repeat the initial dessert offer repeatedly
Offering an after-dinner coffee or drink is a softer upsell that can still increase the check without pressuring the guest. Repeating the same pitch or giving away free items undermines profitability and customer experience.
A guest mentions they want a light, meat-free meal. Which menu section and dish should you recommend?
Beef stew from the Main Courses section
Grilled salmon from the Main Courses section
Vegetarian salad from the Appetizers section
Chocolate cake from the Desserts section
A vegetarian salad listed under Appetizers matches a light, meat-free request. Main courses with meat and desserts do not fulfill the guest's desire for a light entrée.
A customer with a severe peanut allergy asks for a safe option. Which menu item is most likely unsafe?
Grilled Vegetable Platter
Kung Pao Chicken
Margherita Pizza
Pasta Primavera
Kung Pao chicken traditionally contains peanuts in its sauce, making it unsafe for someone with a peanut allergy. The other dishes usually do not include peanuts unless explicitly noted.
If you want a food cost percentage of 30% and your ingredient cost is $3, what should the menu price be?
$9.00
$10.00
$6.00
$12.00
To achieve a 30% food cost, divide ingredient cost by 0.30 (3 ÷ 0.30 = 10), so the menu price should be $10.00. Other prices yield different cost percentages.
Which upselling technique is most effective for increasing the average check?
Avoid mentioning dessert to maintain menu simplicity
Offer bottled water instead of tap water
Suggest a premium liquor when taking drink orders
Only mention specials if asked
Suggesting a premium liquor directly increases the drink check and encourages guests to spend more. The other approaches either don't upsell or miss revenue opportunities.
In menu design, where should high-profit items be placed to maximize visibility?
Bottom left corner
Top right of the page (primary optical zone)
Footer of the menu
In the smallest font size possible
Research shows diners' eyes gravitate first to the top right, called the primary optical zone, so placing high-profit items there boosts visibility. Other areas receive less initial attention.
If an item costs $2.50 and is sold for $8.00, what is its contribution margin percentage?
68.75%
31.25%
225%
45%
Contribution margin percentage is calculated as (selling price - cost) ÷ selling price ((8 - 2.5) ÷ 8 = 0.6875 or 68.75%). The other options are incorrect results.
Which phrasing best applies the upselling principle of suggestive selling for dessert?
"Do you want dessert?"
"Dessert menu is available if you need it."
"Our warm apple crumble is served with vanilla ice cream, would you like to try it?"
"All desserts are listed here."
The first option uses vivid, descriptive language and a direct invitation, making it more enticing. The others are either too generic or passive.
What menu design element can draw attention to signature dishes?
Highlighting them with boxes or callouts
Putting them at the bottom of the list
Listing them in small font
Omitting prices next to them
Using boxes or callouts visually sets signature dishes apart and attracts diners' eyes. Small fonts or hiding them at the bottom reduces their impact.
A diner reports a shellfish allergy. Which dish is safest to recommend assuming standard recipes?
Shrimp scampi
Lobster bisque
Vegetable stir-fry
Seafood paella
A standard vegetable stir-fry contains no shellfish, making it safe for someone with a shellfish allergy. The other options explicitly feature shellfish.
To achieve a 60% profit margin on an item that costs $4, what should the selling price be?
$4.00
$6.00
$10.00
$8.00
Selling price equals cost divided by (1 - desired margin): 4 ÷ 0.40 = $10.00. The other prices do not achieve a 60% margin.
A menu item costs $5.00. To apply a 40% markup on cost, what should its menu price be?
$8.33
$7.00
$6.00
$9.00
A 40% markup on cost adds 40% of $5.00 to the base cost: 5.00 × 1.40 = $7.00. The other values represent different calculations or formulas.
In menu engineering, which category represents items with high popularity and high contribution margin?
Plowhorses
Dogs
Stars
Puzzles
In the menu engineering matrix, 'Stars' are both popular and profitable. 'Plowhorses' are popular but low margin, 'Puzzles' are profitable but less popular, and 'Dogs' are neither.
Which area of a single-page menu is known as the "golden triangle" where items receive the most attention?
Footer only
Top center and right areas
Center left section
Bottom left corner
The 'golden triangle' refers to the top center moving toward the right side of the menu, where customers' eyes naturally gravitate. Other areas receive less immediate attention.
Which upselling strategy best leverages menu knowledge to increase average spend?
Avoid discussing menu details unless asked
Suggest a wine pairing that complements the guest's selected entree
Recommend splitting the bill evenly among diners
Offer the cheapest appetizer first
Suggesting a specific wine pairing shows in-depth menu knowledge and encourages guests to order additional items. The other options do not effectively increase spend.
Why might a menu designer choose to remove dollar signs from item prices?
Makes prices easier to calculate tax
Emphasizes the numeric value over currency
Reduces guests' sensitivity to cost and encourages spending
Complies with financial reporting requirements
Omitting currency symbols lowers price salience, making guests less price-sensitive and more likely to spend. The other reasons are not standard menu design practices.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse menu sections to recommend appropriate dishes
  2. Identify key allergen information in menu items
  3. Evaluate pricing strategies and margin calculations
  4. Apply upselling techniques to boost average check
  5. Demonstrate understanding of menu design principles
  6. Master accurate menu knowledge for improved service

Cheat Sheet

  1. Understand the 'Golden Triangle' in menu design - Customers' eyes naturally hop from the center to the top right, then swing over to the top left, forming the famous "Golden Triangle." Sneak your star dishes into these prime spots to guide orders and boost those sweet profits! Fundamentals of Menu Design restaurant365.com
  2. Use descriptive language to enhance dish appeal - Words are your secret sauce! Calling something a "Succulent Italian Seafood Filet" fires up the imagination far more than a plain "Seafood Filet," and can bump sales by nearly a third. Get creative with adjectives, sensory details, and a dash of story to make mouths water on the spot. Menu Design & Meal Choice time.com
  3. Implement strategic pricing techniques - Ditch dollar signs and flirt with price endings like .95 to make numbers feel friendlier and orders sweeter. Subtle tweaks - like avoiding big round numbers - can nudge customers to spend just a bit more without realizing it. It's like playing psychological chess on your menu board! Customer Psychology in Menu Design posist.com
  4. Highlight allergen information clearly - Shout out common allergens (nuts, dairy, gluten) in bold or with fun icons so everyone can dine with confidence. Being transparent not only keeps guests safe but also builds trust and loyalty faster than a free dessert! FDA Food Allergens Guide FDA: Food Allergens
  5. Apply upselling techniques to increase average check size - Train servers to pair dishes with perfect partners - a rich red wine with steak, or a zesty cocktail with spicy tacos - to elevate the meal and the bill. When upselling feels like genuine advice rather than a hard sell, guests appreciate the guidance and tip bigger. Psychology Behind Effective Menu Design learn-business.org
  6. Utilize color psychology in menu design - Colors talk - red and yellow spark appetite and excitement, green whispers "fresh," and soft blues can calm the senses. Pick a palette that fits your brand vibe and highlights your hero items to steer eyes (and orders) exactly where you want them. Color Psychology in Menu Design posist.com
  7. Limit menu sections to a manageable number of items - Too many choices can create decision paralysis - keep each section under seven items to make picking feel breezy. A streamlined selection helps guests feel confident and speeds up ordering, so the kitchen stays busy and happy faces stay fed. Fundamentals of Menu Design restaurant365.com
  8. Use 'decoy' dishes to influence customer choices - Pop a pricey "decoy" next to a mid-range bestseller so the latter suddenly looks like a steal. This smart move can shift orders toward higher-margin dishes without guests feeling pressured. Fundamentals of Menu Design restaurant365.com
  9. Ensure staff have comprehensive menu knowledge - A well-trained team that knows every ingredient and flavor profile can answer questions confidently and suggest perfect pairings. When servers speak with passion and expertise, diners feel more engaged and orders often grow - and so do tips! Training Your Service Staff Restaurant.org
  10. Regularly analyze menu performance - Dive into sales data to spot your crowd-pleasers and hidden high-margin gems. Swap out slow movers, spotlight winners, and tweak descriptions or prices to keep your menu fresh, exciting, and profitable all year long. Fundamentals of Menu Design restaurant365.com
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