menu engineering

Menu engineering is a strategic approach used in restaurants to optimize their menus for profitability and customer satisfaction. It involves analyzing the popularity and profitability of each dish to categorize them into four groups: stars (high popularity, high profitability), plowhorses (high popularity, low profitability), puzzles (low popularity, high profitability), and dogs (low popularity, low profitability). By understanding these categories, restaurants can make informed decisions on pricing, highlighting certain dishes, modifying recipes, and marketing to enhance overall sales and improve customer experience. Essentially, it aligns a restaurant's offerings with customer preferences and financial goals.