Glossary
Day part
A day part is a defined service period within the day, such as breakfast, lunch, happy hour, or dinner, each with its own menu and demand pattern.
How day parts shape the menu
Restaurants segment the day into parts because guest needs, traffic, and price tolerance shift across them. Breakfast moves fast and cheap, lunch favors speed, happy hour leans on drinks and small plates, and dinner allows a fuller, higher-check experience.
Matching menu, pricing, and staffing to each day part is how a single dining room serves very different jobs from open to close.
- Breakfast and brunch — fast, value-driven, high volume
- Lunch — speed and a tighter menu for time-pressed guests
- Happy hour and dinner — drinks, small plates, and a higher check
Example
A bistro runs a focused weekday lunch menu, switches to a happy-hour list of $8 small plates at 4 pm, and opens the full dinner menu at 5. Each day part has its own page and price logic.
See also
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