The Menu Ending Explained: Why did Julian kill his guests?

The Menu may put you off from visiting any Michelin-star restaurant in the future! This psychological horror film portrays an ensemble of rich diners who visit chef Julian Slowik’s restaurant for what they think is just another exquisite dinner. Little do they know that the chef has murder on the menu as well!

This film takes us through some really thrilling narratives, especially with Anya Taylor-Joy’s Margot trying desperately to escape chef Julian’s claws. So what exactly happens at the end of The Menu?

At the end of The Menu, Julian lets Margot leave after she orders a cheeseburger and proves she’s not part of his ungrateful, snobby clientele. Serving smores as dessert, Julian sets fire to himself, his chefs, and the guests as part of the last course.

There is quite a lot to discuss in The Menu’s shocking ending. Allow me to highlight all the delicate nuances and explain what the last act really means.

Why did Julian want to kill his guests?

The Menu is a capitalist and classist reading of the culinary world, showing off the different types of patrons who have all the money, power, connections, and knowledge in the world but yet don’t actually have a real appreciation for food.

With each course, Julian makes it clear that he is painfully aware of this, and every moment that he remains passive in this “transaction” is a valuable moment lost. His tending to the snobbish clientele has also made him very nihilistic about the one thing that gave him true happiness.

Thus, as revenge, he plots The Menu, where he can punish these customers for the indulgent lives that they have lived. As illustrated in each course, Julian has also selected these diners with care, from Lillian, the superficial food critic, to the ultra-rich couple Richard and Anne, to the embezzling trio, Soren, Dave, and Bryce.

Once these diners realize what’s really on the menu, they do make certain attempts to escape. But as Julian later points out, none of them tried desperately enough because deep down, they felt guilty and knew they deserved the punishment.

After Margot leaves, Julian serves his guests the last course, an elaborate version of s’mores, where he even covers up the guests in marshmallows and chocolates. A s’more needs a good ole bonfire, which Julian doesn’t hesitate to turn his restaurant into. In the end, Julian, his chefs, and his guests, all burn in flames.

Why did Julian allow Margot to escape?

Once Margot realizes what’s really going on, she becomes even more determined to escape, given how she was a just naive, sacrificial lamb in the whole process.

Margot has been very skeptical about the whole experience, especially because she thinks that Julian’s method of punishing his guests is just as superficial as the attitude he claims to hate. This is why, in the end, she sends back her food and orders a cheeseburger that’s not on the menu.

Earlier in the film, we saw Margot breaking into Julian’s personal quarters and going through his pictures and achievements. Here is where she discovers that his very first job was at Hamburger Howie’s where he would prepare cheeseburgers daily. Going by the pictures, not only did he really enjoy this job, but it was also probably the last time he derived pleasure from his passion for cooking.

Margot molds these very emotions into a weapon when she orders a cheeseburger. Although she knows it’s a big risk, she hopes that Julian will read into her actions and realize that she doesn’t deserve to die—that she, too, like him, is in a service industry that’s not very rewarding.

He knows that somewhere, she has also had experiences similar to his. Moreover, when she compliments his food, it is genuine and heartfelt, which creates an unspoken bond between the two.

Thankfully, all of this works in Margot’s favor. Her cheeseburger order gives Julian the opportunity to cook with love and warmth one last time. It is also in this vulnerable moment that he sees eye to eye with Margot and allows her to leave Hawthorne.

Once she leaves, she gets on the boat and steers it away from the island. As Hawthorne lights up in flames, she takes another satiating bite of the cheeseburger, free at last.

About The Menu

The Menu is a 2022 American dark comedy thriller directed by Mark Mylod and written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, based on an original story created by Tracy. It is produced by Adam McKay, Betsy Koch, and Will Ferrell.

It depicts a group of snobby diners who are invited to an exclusive dinner by renowned chef, Julian Slowik. They slowly realize that there are many unbound horrors planned for them on the menu. 

The ensemble cast is made up of Ralph Fiennes, Hong Chau, Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Janet McTeer, Reed Birney, Judith Light, and John Leguizamo.