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In the film The Menu, Chef Julian Slowik (played by Ralph Fiennes) decides to kill his guests, his staff, and himself as a final, grand artistic statement. His motivations are rooted in a deep-seated disillusionment with his craft, the restaurant industry, and the social class that consumes his art.
Here is a breakdown of the specific reasons why he orchestrated the mass murder-suicide:
Slowik has reached a point of total creative burnout. He no longer finds joy in cooking; instead, he views himself as a servant to people who do not truly appreciate his food. To Slowik, food has become an intellectual exercise or a status symbol rather than a source of nourishment or pleasure. By ending the restaurant (and everyone in it), he is essentially performing a "mercy killing" on his own career and the art form he believes has been corrupted.
Slowik categorizes his guests as "Takers"—people who consume without giving anything back to the world or the art they claim to love. Each guest represents a different way in which his soul has been eroded:
Slowik is a perfectionist who has become a slave to his own standards. He views the restaurant as a cult-like environment where the staff must be perfectly synchronized. He believes that perfection is unattainable and that the only way to achieve a "perfect" ending to his "Menu" is through a definitive, final conclusion—death. He tells the guests that they are all part of a "masterpiece" that requires their participation in the final course.
Slowik views his staff as "Givers"—service workers who sacrifice their lives, bodies, and mental health for the elite. He convinces his staff that since they have already given everything to a thankless industry, dying together in a final act of "theatrical justice" is the only honorable exit. This is why the staff is so willing to die with him; they share his resentment and his sense of martyrdom.
The character of Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) was not supposed to be there; she was a last-minute replacement for another guest. Slowik realizes she is a "service worker" like him (an escort).
He eventually lets her go because she manages to "defeat" his menu by:
The Final Act:
The movie concludes with the "S'mores" course, where the restaurant is turned into a literal dessert. The guests are dressed in marshmallow capes and chocolate hats, and the restaurant is burned down. This symbolizes the ultimate "Taker" experience—being consumed by the very decadence they obsessed over.
The summary implies all guests die in the final fire. It omits the fact that Tyler dies earlier by suicide, which is a distinct and significant plot point regarding his character arc.
The summary incorrectly attributes the 'forgetful diner' sin to the Tech Bros. It misses their actual sin: financial fraud and stealing from the restaurant's ownership.
Chef Slowik kills everyone (except Margot) because he believes the fine dining ecosystem has become corrupt and soulless. He views his guests as 'takers' who exploit his art for status rather than appreciation. Specifically: Richard and Anne are punished for indifference (eating there 11 times without remembering a dish); the Tech Bros for greed and fraud (stealing from the restaurant's owners); Lillian and Ted for pretentious criticism that ruins livelihoods; George and Felicity for selling out artistically; and Tyler for obsessive, voyeuristic gluttony (he knew the menu included death and attended anyway). Tyler dies by suicide before the finale; the others are burned alive in the 'S'mores' course. Margot survives by rejecting the pretension and ordering a traditional cheeseburger, reminding Slowik of the joy of feeding someone.