6 Menu Engineering Tips and tricks

In the competitive world of Restaurant Management, Menu Design and composition have a considerable impact on profitability and customer happiness. Menu engineering is a strategic method that uses data analysis and marketing strategies to optimise menu layout, item placement, and pricing. Implementing these six tips and tricks will help you improve the effectiveness of your menu and increase revenue for your restaurant.

What is Menu Engineering?

Menu engineering is the activity of categorising menu items depending on their popularity and profitability. By examining sales data and cost margins, restaurateurs may deliberately develop menus that favour high-profit products while improving the overall dining experience for customers.
First, analyse your menu items to figure out which ones are the most popular and which ones bring in the most profit.

Categorise the Menu Items Based on Popularity and Profitability

Stars: High profitability, High Popularity:

These are highly profitable and well-liked products. They’re inexpensive to prepare and popular among your guests. Keep these items on the menu consistent and use every opportunity to market them rather than experimenting with them. Make sure to display these prominently in your menu.

Plow horses: Low profitability, High Popularity:

Plow horses are the items that are popular but less profitable. While these items increase overall sales, they may result in low-profit margins. The purpose of plow horse items on the menu is to maximise profits through different pricing strategies, lowering the food costs and portion costs, experimenting with other ingredients and upselling with expensive sides and beverage options.

Puzzles: High profitability, Low Popularity:

Items in the Puzzle category are profitable but have yet to become famous. These products have room to develop, but to do so, they could need more staff training, menu changes, or marketing initiatives. Puzzle items can be elevated to the star category with the use of innovative marketing techniques.

Dogs: Low profitability, Low Popularity

Dogs are the products on your menu that are expensive to prepare and are not popular with your customers. They are taking up valuable menu space that could be used to raise earnings. Consider removing your Dogs or de-emphasising them by hiding them on the menu. You can also attempt renaming and re-inventing the item before removing it entirely.
This knowledge will enable you to respond by modifying prices, promoting crucial commodities, and simplifying the menu for optimal performance.

Limit Choices to Ease Buying Decisions:

One might think that providing customers with a lot of choices is better, but that’s not the case in a food menu.
A lengthy menu would confuse the customers and cause difficulty in decision-making. Even studies have indicated that limiting choices to between five and seven items in each category helps people make decisions faster.

Put high-profit items in Focal Zones:

Placing high-profit products such as (Stars and Puzzles) in typical customer trajectories may make a significant difference in sales. Place these menu items strategically, for instance, at the top right corner of a menu page or in a box that catches the eye of your users. Moreover, one high-margin item for each category should be brought to the attention of customers to provide direction.

Use Photographs in Moderation:

Moreover, if you include lovely images, they will help to improve the appearance of your menu; however, be careful and do not overload it with pictures. On the one hand, focus on only high-quality photos to demonstrate signature dishes or specialities, which should not repel but instead complement the content of the menu.

Update Your Menu Offerings for Cross-Selling:

Promote cross-selling by suggesting pairing items or meals together. Review your current menu for potential pairings, group complementary items together, and highlight recommended combinations to let your clients spend more.

Implement Colour Psychology:

Colour psychology is an essential component of menu design. Experiment with colours to express particular emotions or connections. Likewise, the colour red could be used to stimulate an appetite and excitement, whereas the colour green could symbolise freshness and healthiness. Employ colours strategically to attract attention to high-profit products or discounted items.

Implementing- Menu Strategy:

Following this adjustment, keep reviewing and adapting your menu according to customer feedback and sales data. Iteratively perfecting your menu will ensure profitability and fulfil customer expectations, thus leading to a successful restaurant.
To sum it up, menu engineering is all about data analysis, thorough planning and a touch of creative thinking. By utilising these six tips with the guidance of experienced food consultants, you have the potential to create a menu that emphasises what you have to offer, increases profitability, and improves the dining experience. Allocate time to study your menu, make necessary changes gradually, and adjust according to the customers’ behaviour in order for the menu of your restaurant to perform.
Also Read : All you need to know about restaurant consultants