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A La Carte Sales

A la carte sales cover those food items sold in addition to the unitized, reimbursable meal during regular meal service. If a school provides an a la carte service, any combination of food which includes the required elements of the reimbursable school meal may be sold at the unit price and claimed for reimbursement. If, under offer versus serve, a student chooses less than the required number of food components, a la carte prices should be charged. Also, if additional foods which are not planned and merchandised as part of the reimbursable meal are offered (see Competitive Food Service), they must be sold at the a la carte price. A la carte prices should cover the total cost of each item. The total charges for individual menu items in any combination should never be less than the price for a reimbursable meal as a unit.
A la carte records must be maintained separately. It is necessary to show:

• The determination of the sale price (including cost to produce).
• The tracking of food, including removal from inventory (separate from reimbursable meals).
• The number of items prepared and sold daily.
• The amount of money collected.