Audio 27: The Café with the Shorter Menu Урок курса: 27. Формат: диалог. Слов: 534. Eva: You have taken three sandwiches and two desserts off the menu. Is business getting worse? Karim: No, but we were wasting too much food. At the end of the day, we often had a little of everything left. Each item seemed popular enough to keep, but together they created a problem. Eva: So you are reducing choice to save money? Karim: That is part of it. There is also the need for clearer planning. We used to order ingredients for dishes that only sold once or twice a week. Some products went off before we could use them. Eva: I thought a longer menu attracted more people. Someone might come in because you offer their favourite sandwich. Karim: That was my argument too. But customers often asked which dishes we actually recommended. They were interested in good food, not necessarily in having twenty similar options. Eva: What happens to ingredients that are still edible but no longer look perfect? Karim: We plan around them when it is appropriate and safe. Ripe fruit can go into a breakfast bowl. Some overripe bananas work well in a cake. Yesterday’s bread may be suitable for croutons. We do not use food that is spoiled or ignore storage instructions simply to avoid waste. Eva: That sounds sensible, but it also sounds like extra work. Someone has to check what you have and decide what to make. Karim: Exactly. A shorter menu does not mean less thinking. It means moving the thinking earlier. We now check stock before ordering, and one person is responsible for updating the list. Before, everyone assumed somebody else had done it. Eva: I noticed a new soup on the board. Is that part of the change? Karim: Yes. It uses vegetables we already buy for two other dishes. We wanted something savoury that could change with the season. At first it was rather bland, so we tested the seasoning instead of adding more ingredients. Eva: And the dairy-free option? A friend of mine used to order that dessert. Karim: We kept one clear alternative and made the ingredient information easier to find. The staff still ask customers with specific dietary needs to check the details with us. Removing confusion is useful; guessing what someone can eat is not. Eva: People often compare wholefoods with processed foods as if one label explained everything. Does that affect what you buy? Karim: We look at the actual product, its use and its ingredients. Canned goods and frozen vegetables can be practical. When something needs thawing, we plan a suitable safe method, such as using the refrigerator. We do not leave it on the counter because we forgot to prepare. Eva: Have customers complained about the missing dishes? Karim: A few have. We explain the reason for the change and listen to what they miss. One customer suggested a rotating special, which gives us room for variety without maintaining a huge permanent menu. Eva: So you are not claiming that fewer choices are always better. Karim: No. There is a difference between simplifying a decision and removing something people genuinely need. We will review the sales and waste figures, but we will also talk to customers and staff. A smaller menu is only useful if it helps us serve better food, not just produce a tidier spreadsheet.