Menu optimization playbook:
5 proven strategies to improve margins, reduce costs&elevate guest experience
5 proven strategies to improve margins, reduce costs & elevate the guest experience
With inflation continuing to take a larger piece of your profits, labor challenges and other pressures impacting operating costs, controlling expenses by reworking your menu to maximize profits has become more important than ever.
How do you hit the sweet spot of menu optimization?
Nailing the perfect menu is about more than culinary creativity — though that’s important. It’s about menu engineering, a deep evaluation and optimization of your restaurant’s dishes. When done right, food-service operators can realize substantial cost savings, streamlined procurement, operational efficiencies and improved sales.
The five strategies for menu optimization Collect the right data Simplifiy & standardize Elevate presentation & descriptions Step 4 Innovate with purpose 1. 2. 4. 5. 3.
Engineer for margin
1. Collect the right data
Use menu performance data, ingredient costs and guest insights to understand what’s profitable — and what is not. The process can be time consuming. Take advantage of new tools that alleviate some of the busy work involved. Digital tools like Entegra PurchasingIQ and Shopping Assistant identify high-opportunity items and on-contract products and services that cost less.
2. Engineer for margin
Categorize your items into Stars, Plow Horses, Puzzles, and Dogs.
Remove low-margin, low-sales items (Dogs)
Optimize pricing to preserve profitability (Plow Horses & Stars)
Consider ingredient substitutions – consider creative swaps like mixed protein blends, portion right-sizing or removing low-margin items
3. Simplify & standardize
Reduce SKUs to cut food waste and prep time. Our chefs can guide operators through SKU rationalization and product cuttings, often leading to better quality at lower costs through Entegra's GPO network.
Bringing down food costs with SKU rationalization
SKU rationalization helps identify redundant, offcontract or underused products to reduce costs and streamline purchasing.
With fewer ingredients, operators can improve quality, boost efficiency, increase margins and turn some plow horses into stars.
Schedule your SKU rationalization session with Entegra Culinary Consulting.
4. Elevate presentation & descriptions
Are your most profitable dishes placed where eyes go first?
The “sweet spot” on the menu is the upper right corner.
Do you highlight your key dishes with visual cues?
Boxes, icons or menu callouts increase attention and sales.
Is your menu layout grouped logically around profitability?
Organize items by category or sales performance.
Are you using professional food images for top dishes?
Good visuals can increase sales by up to 27%.
Are prices subtle and value-driven?
Remove dollar signs and round pricing smartly: $14.95 vs. $15.
Do your descriptions pop with rich, sensory language?
Words like “wood-fired” and “sun-drenched” sell.
5. Innovate with purpose
Seasonal LTOs and menu refreshes can reignite guest interest and boost check averages. ECC can help you develop and test new offerings that deliver ROI.
Menu Optimization in Action: Choice Hotels launches breakfast program in partnership with Entegra Culinary Consulting
The world’s #1 food GPO and Choice Hotels, one of the world’s largest lodging franchisors, teamed up with Entegra Culinary Consulting to pilot and launch new signature breakfast items including:
Comfort’s Build Your Own Breakfast Bowl: A concept that gives guests the flexibility to create a meal tailored to their own tastes and dietary preferences.
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson: Pillsbury Biscuit Sandwiches and Michael Foods'
Cinnamon Swirl French Toast - guests can enjoy an appetizing and satisfying breakfast option for dining in or on the go.
Florida’s Natural orange juice and General Mills cereals, two Entegra GPO relationship supply partners, will complement the breakfast options.
Guided by consumer insights and Choice’s goal of cost efficiency, Entegra Culinary Consulting activated GPO partnerships to engage key supplier partners. Over several months at Entegra Performance Kitchen, Chefs John Csukor, Lynn Hay, and Kevin Sennett led ideation sessions, curated product selections, developed and tested recipes, and conducted rigorous taste testing.
