· 8 min read
Menu Mix and Engineering for Profit, Not Just Popularity
Best-sellers are not always best for the bank. Plot contribution margin against sales volume to find stars to feature, puzzles to repricing, and dogs to retire or rework.
Build the matrix monthly
Export item sales and item margin from your POS or BI tool. Color-code quadrants and share with kitchen and bar leads—pricing and plating decisions should be joint.
Nudge with placement
Stars belong in server spiels and menu eye-path. Puzzles might need better stories or smaller portions, not just a price hike.
Kill with kindness
Removing a dog frees line capacity and mental load. Do it with data, not drama.