The F&I menu, explained in plain English
What a menu is, what’s on it, why every customer should see one, and how a good presentation protects both the customer and the F&I manager.
Dealership F&I BootcampUpdated October 20265 min read
An F&I menu is one page or screen that shows the customer’s approved financing and every optional protection product side by side, with the price and the monthly payment for each option. It starts with the base payment, with nothing added, and every customer sees the same menu the same way.
What an F&I menu is
After a customer agrees to buy a vehicle and the financing is approved, the F&I manager presents the optional products the dealership offers. A menu puts all of them in one place. Like a restaurant menu, it lets the customer see everything, compare the options and choose.
Most menus are built in menu software that pulls in the approved rate and term, prices each product under the store’s pricing policy and calculates the payment for every option. Many stores show it on a tablet or screen; some still print it.
What’s on a typical F&I menu
Every store offers its own mix. These are the products you’ll see most often:
| Product | What it may cover |
|---|---|
| Vehicle service contract | Specified mechanical and electrical repairs after or beyond the factory warranty. |
| GAP | The shortfall between the insurance payout and what’s still owed on the loan, after a qualifying total loss or theft. |
| Prepaid maintenance | Scheduled maintenance listed in the agreement, such as oil changes and inspections. |
| Tire and wheel | Specified road-hazard damage to tires and wheels. |
| Key replacement | Lost or damaged keys and remotes. |
| Appearance protection | Specified paint, fabric and interior damage. |
The agreement, not the brochure, decides what’s covered. Terms vary by provider and state.
An example F&I menu
Here’s a simplified menu for a practice deal. The numbers are illustrative only: $31,480 financed at 7.49% APR for 72 months, with a $2,195 service contract and $895 GAP.
| Option | What’s included | Monthly payment | Total of payments |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Base | Financing only, no products | $544.14 | $39,178.08 |
| B | GAP | $559.61 (+$15.47) | $40,291.92 |
| C | Service contract | $582.08 (+$37.94) | $41,909.76 |
| D | Service contract and GAP | $597.55 (+$53.41) | $43,023.60 |
Illustrative practice deal. Real rates, prices and terms depend on the lender, the product provider and the dealership.
Notice two things. The base payment is always visible, so the customer can see exactly what each product adds. And the total of payments shows the full cost over the loan, not just the monthly difference.
Why every customer should see the same menu
- It’s fair. Every customer sees every option at the same prices, presented the same way, no matter who they are.
- It’s transparent. When the base payment is on the page, nothing can be hidden inside a payment.
- It protects the F&I manager. A consistent, documented process is the best defense if a customer later says they didn’t understand.
- Products stay sold. Customers keep what they knowingly chose, which means fewer cancellations and chargebacks.
How a good menu presentation works
- Set the frame. Financing first, then the optional products, then the customer’s choices in writing.
- Say “optional” first. Before naming a single product, make the optionality statement below, when it’s true for the deal.
- Give every option equal depth. Price, term and payment effect for every product, including the base payment with nothing added.
- Offer three answers. “All of it, some of it, or none of it?” Then stop talking and let the customer decide.
- Read it back. Confirm what they chose, what they declined and the final payment before anything is printed.
“Everything on this page is optional. None of it is required to get your loan, none of it changes your rate, and your approval is exactly the same whether you take all of it or none of it.”
If a lender genuinely requires something, it’s written on the approval, and you show it to the customer.
Cash is cheaper. Say so.
Financing a product means paying interest on it. In the example above, the $2,195 service contract costs $2,731.68 over the life of the loan when it’s financed. Many customers still choose to finance it, and that’s fine, because they chose it knowing the number.
What a menu should never do
- Hide products inside a payment. Quoting a payment with products built in, without saying so, is called payment packing.
- Claim a product is required when it isn’t. “The bank requires GAP” is a misrepresentation unless it’s written on the approval.
- Skip the base payment. A menu that starts with the most expensive option and never shows the base payment isn’t a real choice.
- Change by customer. Different prices or a different presentation for different customers creates fairness and legal risk.
What about the law?
Federal law requires accurate credit disclosures and prohibits unfair and deceptive practices, and those rules cover everything said about products and payments. The FTC’s CARS Rule, which would have added specific dealer rules about add-on products, was vacated by a federal appeals court in January 2025 and formally withdrawn in February 2026. Some states have their own rules on add-ons, and lenders and dealerships set policies too. When rules overlap, follow the strictest one.
Frequently asked questions
Are F&I products required to get a car loan?
The products on an F&I menu are optional. If a lender genuinely requires something as a condition of approval, it appears in writing on the approval, and the F&I manager should show it to you.
Can you cancel an F&I product after you buy it?
Many products can be cancelled, but the refund depends on the product agreement and state law. Check the cancellation section of the agreement itself.
Is a menu required by law?
Not as a general federal rule. Many dealerships use menus by policy because a consistent, written presentation is fairer and easier to document. Check your state’s rules and your store’s policy.
