The Menu ending explained: Who survives the deadly culinary experience planned by Chef Julian Slowik?

Released on February 1, 2025, on Netflix, The Menu is a satirical thriller delving into the world of high-end dining. This 2022 horror film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo, and Ralph Fiennes. The evening concludes with a shocking revelation that questions Chef Slowik's Fiennes) brutality.

Chef Julian Slowik killed his guests at Hawthorn, a gourmet-to-gruesome restaurant, because he resented elites for corrupting his passion for cooking. As wealth and status have overshadowed the true art of food, the chef wants to punish these guests for their greed and detachment. However, Margot survives this deadly experience as she asks for a basic cheeseburger.

His ultimate goal is to make them admit their role in making dining an elitist spectacle he can no longer tolerate. By the end of The Menu, Slowik's guests face their fate while he avenges himself with fire.

Chef Slowik’s final act of revenge by the end of The Menu

The film reaches its exciting peak after several planned meals at the restaurant. By the end of the night, the guests understand that they are stuck on a remote island and cannot leave.

Chef Slowik, who has been slowly revealing his vendetta against each diner, sets the final stage for an explosive and morbid ending. His last dish, a dessert with marshmallows and graham cracker "s'more," triggers the release of his long-held anger.

The chef's team puts on silly marshmallow suits, and a dangerous fire starts. The diners get caught in the flames, suffering for their greed and pride. Only Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), who questions the chef's ideas about food, is able to escape.

She walks away from the island holding a plain cheeseburger while the restaurant catches fire. The tragedy is not just a bad dinner but also highlights issues of class, privilege, and the emptiness of wanting things.

Why did Chef Slowik kill his guests?

A still from The Menu (Image via Netflix)

Chef Slowik's actions in the end are not just about getting back at others; they come from his strong unhappiness with the fine dining industry and its customers. In the film, it is clear that Slowik dislikes those who see dining as a way to show off rather than something enjoyable and genuine.

His guests, including a food critic, an angel investor, and even Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), are all guilty of reducing food to a tool for wealth and prestige.

Slowik becomes very frustrated with the wealthy guests as each dish reveals their secrets. His main goal is not just to harm them, but to show them the helplessness they have caused in others because of their wealth and privilege.

By taking a final step that leads to his own downfall, Slowik makes them experience what they’ve done to others, forcing them to face their own emptiness.

Margot’s escape: A ray of hope in The Menu ending

Chef Slowik's plan mercilessly targets the other guests, but Margot's fate differs. A non-elitist woman, she views life and food more realistically. By ordering a cheeseburger from Slowik, she rejects the restaurant's and guests' pretentiousness. Slowik remembers the joy of cooking simple, comforting food when she asks.

Slowik's carefully made cheeseburger symbolizes his lost passion and the contrast between fine dining and the pure pleasure of a well-made meal. Her ability to appreciate food without complicating it lets Margot escape. She escapes Slowik's hated cycle of indulgence and elitism and leaves the island while the guests burn.

Tyler’s death: An act of redemption

Tyler's death is one of the most powerful moments in The Menu. During the evening, Tyler looks up to Chef Slowik and tries hard to impress him and show he is valuable.

He even brings Margot, knowing the chef's plans for the night. Tyler’s devotion to Slowik is rooted in a blind admiration, and this reaches its peak when he is humiliated in front of the other guests.

Before he dies, Chef Slowik whispers something to Tyler that makes him take his own life. The unclear details of this whisper make the film feel spooky. Tyler's suicide feels like a desperate way to prove himself worthy in Slowik's eyes. This sad moment shows how unhealthy it can be to idolize someone and how harmful obsession can be.

Meaning behind the cheeseburger in The Menu

The cheeseburger Margot asks for symbolizes a return to basic cooking and enjoying food without any fuss. For Chef Slowik, cooking used to be a way to show love and be creative. It brought him happiness when he was a young chef. Over time, his love for cooking was taken over by the needs of rich customers and the business side of fancy restaurants.

When Margot asks for a cheeseburger, she accidentally reminds Slowik of the happiness he has lost. The cheeseburger represents the simple joys in life, which Slowik gave up a long time ago for fancy, high-class meals. Margot enjoys simple meals, which helps her escape the pressure of fancy dining. At the same time, Slowik remembers what he once loved about food.

Why the other guests didn’t try to escape from The Menu

As the evening goes on, it's evident that the guests at Hawthorne care more about how they are seen than about staying safe. Slowik picks each guest for their flaws and makes sure they can't leave the island; so they are left to face the results of their actions.

Some guests, like Lillian the food critic and Richard, care more about their secrets being revealed than about getting away from the danger they face.

Their unwillingness to leave shows their greed and pride. They care more about keeping their privileged position than protecting themselves. Even with a chance to escape, they decide to stay at the restaurant, choosing to face death instead of dealing with the results of what they've done.

Why the Hawthorn staff goes along with Chef Slowik’s plan

The dedication of Chef Slowik's staff is an important part of the ending of The Menu. Elsa and the team have been trained to follow Slowik's vision without questioning it, showing how blind loyalty can form in a situation with a lot of power and control. Slowik has complete control over his staff, and they follow his commands, even when it harms them.

This loyalty shows how strong control is almost like a cult, which stresses the theme of power struggles seen throughout the film. The staff's agreement with the chef's plan reflects the guests' desire for luxury and status. This creates a sad similarity between the servers and the guests.

The Menu masterfully uses symbolism

Food, in The Menu, represents more than mere eating; it shows status, power, and creativity. Chef Slowik's detailed dishes are carefully created, with each one having a special meaning. Fine dining represents a very exclusive world where wealth makes food more about the show than about nourishment.

The fancy and sometimes strange way the courses are presented, especially the last "s'more" dessert, shows how ridiculous high-end dining has become and how it has lost touch with real life.

Contrast between Margot and the guests

In the film, a clear difference is visible between Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and the other guests. The diners at Hawthorn are rich, self-centered, and out of touch with real food.

In contrast, Margot has a more genuine and down-to-earth view. She doesn't care about how things look or the importance of the meal, which is shown when she asks for a simple cheeseburger.

Her love for food, free from snobbery, makes her different from the other guests and allows her to remain calm amid the chaos. Margot's escape represents a move back to simplicity and being true to oneself in a world that has too much of everything.

Chef Slowik and the guests: The contrast strikes in

The relationship between Chef Slowik and his guests shows a clear difference. The guests are shown as people who treat food as a product—something to eat for status and enjoyment. Slowik represents an artist who has been hurt by commercialization.

As the movie goes on, it's clear that Slowik loves cooking, while the guests only have a shallow understanding of it. The guests enjoy food as a luxury, which leads to their downfall, while Slowik seeks artistic perfection and revenge, as shown through the last deadly dish.

The staff and their blind loyalty

The staff at Hawthorn, especially Elsa, show a clear difference between the loyal employees who serve and the guests who feel entitled. The staff obeys Slowik's instructions without doubt, and their dedication reflects the guests' sense of superiority, even though they are of lower status.

The loyal support for Slowik's vision highlights the issue of power. Both the submissive staff and the privileged guests are caught in a cycle of exploitation.

The Menu is available to stream on Netflix.

Edited by Somava