Applebee's menu analyzed, critiqued by SVSU communication classes

January 28, 2008 —

Focus groups composed of SVSU students in professor Robert Koch's Introduction to Communication classes recently critiqued Applebee's menus, and their opinions are going to local restaurants and the company's corporate office.

"The reason why the local Applebee's restaurants were interested in your response to their menu is because your age demographic is really in the center of the target of whom Applebee's is trying to reach," Koch said to his class before the exercise began.

Koch teaches two sections of Introduction to Communication, in which a total of about 55 students contributed to analyzing the menu and providing feedback.

According to an October 2007 Applebee's press release, the restaurant chain redesigned its menu as part of a new campaign aimed at projecting the image of a place where people can come to connect with friends, family, and coworkers.

Changes made to the menu include new color schemes and photography choices, and categorized meal selections.

His students broke into small groups and examined the new menu. They looked to identify which aspects were effective or ineffective in terms of the written text, visuals, and nonverbal communication.

"I think that the appetizers should be at the front of the menu instead of instead of the middle," marketing sophomore Angela Kaiser said. "When you see the appetizers first, there is a better chance that you'll want to order them."

Audiology freshman Nathan Kern found during the analysis that several of the restaurant's strategies were working.

"I think that it is very organized," Kern said. "I like how it is color-coded. It makes things easier to find."

"The way they split up the salads, steaks, and burgers made it easier to locate stuff," Kaiser added.

Finance sophomore Hussein Abuzaineh agreed.

"The menu was well-organized and clear, but the order of the items could be listed a little better. The Weight Watchers part of the menu should be moved to the front so people have an opportunity to look at it before they are tempted with a big fat juicy steak."

The position of the drink menu got several students talking. "One thing they could change would be to put the drinks on the first page," nursing sophomore Jason Bierlein said. "Most people order drinks before they order their meals."

Marketing junior Kristy Kerr was quick to spot an effective tool employed by Applebee's involving the prices of their meals.

"They use 99-cent endings on their prices, which can have a psychological affect on people and make them think they are saving money," Kerr said. "It just looks cheaper than whole dollar numbers."

In a post-focus group discussion, the students discussed the Applebee's half-off appetizers and drinks promotion that is in effect Monday through Thursday nights. They agreed this was the most effective at appealing to young adults, even though it was not advertised on the menu itself.

Koch plans to compile the feedback he received from his classes and send it to both the Birch Run and Saginaw Applebee's restaurants, as well as to the company's Kansas-based corporate office.