Executive summary

Dumos is a lounge where drinks lead and food supports the social ritual — small, shareable, highly Instagrammable plates that are easy to execute, cross-utilize ingredients, and reinforce the Roman + Mediterranean story. Keep the core menu compact (12–18 items) with 2–4 rotating specials. Aim for food to be nibble-first, not entrée-first.

Menu architecture — categories & percentages (for a balanced 18-item menu)

(These percentages are practical, customer-behavior informed, and optimized for a lounge where beverage sales dominate.)

• Cold mezzes & spreads — 22% (4 items)

Easy to share, low cook-time, high visual appeal.

• Hot small plates — 28% (5 items)

The workhorses of the menu: flavor-forward, quick to plate.

• Grilled / charred / skewers — 17% (3 items)

Adds smokiness and theatre; pairs well with cocktails and whisky.

• Flatbreads / handhelds — 11% (2 items)

Carry comfort and satisfy hunger without becoming “dinner.”

• Large shareables / centerpieces (limited) — 11% (2 items)

For special tables/groups — keep only 1–2 so the menu stays lounge-y.

• Sides & accompaniments — 5% (1 item)

Bread, fries or a small seasonal vegetable side.

• Dessert / sweet finish — 6% (1 item)

One signature dessert or a plated sharing sweet.

Total: 18 items (this is the recommended balanced template). You can scale down to a Minimal (12 items) or up to a Full(20–22 items) using the same ratios.

Key operational & rules behind the numbers

• Menu size (12–18 items) — Hick’s Law & menu engineering: fewer, better-chosen items reduce decision fatigue and speed turnover. Lounges perform better with concise menus that are easy for bartenders and kitchen to execute.

• Food vs drinks revenue split — target 70–80% beverage / 20–30% food for a lounge model. Design menu to support (not cannibalize) drink-driven revenue.

• Average plates per person — plan for 1.5–2 small plates per guest on a lounge night. (This yields light satiety but keeps people ordering drinks.)

• Food cost targets — aim for a food cost % of ~28–35% on small plates (higher-quality ingredients justify higher price points). Validate with costing per recipe.

• Vegetarian & allergen — ensure 25–35% vegetarian options; label GF/VEG/VN/contains-nuts clearly.

• Cross-utilization — at least 60–70% of prep ingredients should be reused across multiple dishes (same spreads, dressings, pickles, herb oil) to reduce waste & labour.

• Rotation & seasonals — keep 2–4 rotating “specials” monthly to test new fusion ideas and create FOMO.

Portioning, plating & share strategy

• Small plate portion: sized to be shared — about 4–6 bites per person if ordered per guest. Design so 3–4 plates feed two people comfortably (depending on appetite).

• Share guidance on the menu: include suggested combinations or “How to order” guidance (e.g., “Order 2–3 plates per person for a full experience; mix cold & hot”).

• Sequence: Start with cold mezzes & bread, then hot plates, then flatbreads/centerpiece — service should follow this flow to keep the table active without overcrowding.

Menu psychology & revenue levers

• Hero items: 2 signature, highly shareable dishes (one cold, one hot) that are visually strong and margin-friendly — push these via server training and menu highlights.

• Price psychology: avoid currency signs on the menu; use even/rounded pricing aligned to your positioning.

• Upsell opportunities: pre-theatre pairings (cocktail + small plate), tasting dishes for two, late-night “bar bites” menu.

Ingredient & kitchen design implications

• Equipment: Plan for a small char/grill or plancha, one short-order stove line for sautés & sauces, chilled prep for mezzes, and pastry/dessert corner. (Avoiding full roasts or expensive sous-vide stations to remain lounge-focused.)

• Line organization: a 2–3 person hot line + 1–2 person cold station should handle most service if menu is compact.

• Prep model: maximising mise-en-place for mezzes, pre-cook proteins to finish on char to add theatre.

Metrics tracking in the pilot

1. Average check (beverage + food split) — target drinks 75% / food 25%.

2. Plates per cover — target 1.5–2 for lounge hours. If <1.2, push more food-focused offers/combos.

3. Food cost % by item — flag any item >40% cost and revise.

4. Seat turnover & dwell time — lounge nights may have higher dwell times; measure to optimize staffing and kitchen throughput.

5. Attachment rate — % of covers that order at least one dish; target >65% during lounge peak.

Quick checklist & next steps (actionable)

• Pick one Balanced or Minimal template above and hand to your chef for 3 rounds of tasting / costed recipes.

• Build a cross-utilization matrix (1 sheet) linking each ingredient to multiple dishes (critical to control costs).

• Draft a one-page “How to order” insert + pairing suggestions for the bar team.

• Run a 4-week pilot with the core menu + 2 rotating specials; collect POS data on plates-per-cover and food cost to refine.

If you want, I’ll now:

• generate a one-page concept food menu (designed text-only PDF) using the 18-item balanced menu above so you can attach it to your pitch; or

• produce an ingredient cross-utilization table and a starter costing template (Excel/CSV) you can give to a chef.