Using common-sense knowledge for computer menu planning

Menu planning is a complex problem requiring both expert and common-sense knowledge. The common-sense aspect is the description of what a menu should look like, and how substitutions can or should be made. A framework for representing this information is presented; the structure contains separate layers for foods, dishes, meals, and menus, and means for relating the layers to one another. Implementations of this framework are presented, with results and analysis. A vocabulary for common sense in menu planning is proposed.