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Menu engineering

Every dish, classed by what it actually earns. Popularity from your POS crossed with dollar margin from your recipes - the matrix that says what to feature, reprice, or retire.

On the menu

6

1 86'd right now

Stars

1

Popular and profitable

Margin leaks

4

Plowhorses + Dogs to fix

Avg margin / plate

$14.03

Contribution per dish sold

Biggest profit driver

Whole Branzino drops the most real dollars in the till

150 sold in the last 30 days at $19.27 margin each is $2890.50 of contribution, more than any other plate. Recipe Costing flags it at 41.6% food cost, but percent is not profit: this is a Star. Protect and feature. Hold the recipe, keep it prominent, never discount it.

The menu engineering matrix

Profit per plate

Puzzle

1

Profitable but slow

  • Harissa Short Rib$21.15
    60 sold, 10% of platesmargin / plate

Reposition or sell harder. Strong margin, weak volume - move it up the menu and coach the upsell.

Star

1

Popular and profitable

  • Whole Branzino$19.27
    150 sold, 25% of platesmargin / plate

Protect and feature. Hold the recipe, keep it prominent, never discount it.

Dog

2

Slow and thin margin

  • Bucatini Cacio e Pepe$13.54
    50 sold, 8% of platesmargin / plate
  • Charred Spanish Octopus$12.04
    55 sold, 9% of platesmargin / plate

Rework or retire. Little volume and little margin - fix the dish or take it off the menu.

Plowhorse

2

Popular but thin margin

  • Wood-Fired Lamb Pizza$13.58
    140 sold, 23% of platesmargin / plate
  • Marinated Olives & Labneh$7.27
    150 sold, 25% of platesmargin / plate

Reprice or re-cost. Guests already love it, so nudge the price up or trim the plate cost.

Popularity, share of plates sold →
Profit line $14.03 avg margin per platePopularity line 12% of plates, 70% of an even share6 dishes plotted, 605 plates over 30 days