Restaurant Menu Engineering Worksheet

Menu engineering is the process of designing your menu to maximize profitability. A key step in that is process

Entrees
1. Add your menu items. 2. Enter units sold monthly.
In the Menu Item column enter the names of Enter the number units sold in the past month for each
the items to be included in menu engineering
matrix. (ex. BBQ Burger)

For an accurate assessment, only add items

of the same type—entrees, appetizers,
beverages, desserts, or sides. Tabs have been
added below for each different type.

1 2 3 5

Units Sold Menu

Menu Item (Entrees) Food Cost Profit Margin Category
Monthly Price

BBQ Burger 900 5.00 13.00 8.00 Plow Horse

Fish & Chips 4.50 15.00 10.50

Macaroni & Cheese 1000 3.00 14.00 11.00 Star

Steak Dinner 400 9.00 17.00 8.00 Dog

 x y
Popularity 0.00 700.00
12.65 700.00
Profitability 8.50 0.00
8.50 1,150.00
Stars 12.02 1,092.50
Plow Horses 0.63 1,092.50
Puzzles 12.02 80.50
Dogs 0.63 80.50
ksheet
key step in that is process is analyzing your individual menu items in a menu engineering matrix—a grid that puts each item in o

3. Input food costs and menu prices. 4. Set your thresholds.

Enter the cost of each menu item in the Food Cost column.Add
(ex. your
5.00)thresholds
To find it,according
you can calculate
to your profit
it manually
goals

Set your Popularity Threshold as the number of

(ex. 700) that separates your high and low popular

Similarly, set your Profitability Threshold as the

margin dollar amount (ex. 8.50) that separates you
low profitability items.

4 5. Analyze the categories and matrix.

Identify which category each menu item lands (Sta
Popularity Threshold Profitability Threshold

700 8.50
 5 Menu Engineering Matrix

1400

1200
Profitability

Plow Horses Stars

1000 Macaroni & Cheese

BBQ Burger

800

Popularity

600

400 Steak Dinner

200

Dogs Puzzles
0
5.00 10.00
sholds.
s according to your profit goals.

y Threshold as the number of units sold

ates your high and low popularity items.

Profitability Threshold as the profit

nt (ex. 8.50) that separates your high and
ms.

ategories and matrix.

gory each menu item lands (Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog) and refer to our menu engineering blog post to get suggestions on
 Stars

& Cheese

Popularity

Puzzles

10.00 15.00
Appetizers
1. Add your menu items. 2. Enter units sold monthly.
In the Menu Item column enter the names of Enter the number units sold in the past month for each
the items to be included in menu engineering
matrix.

For an accurate assessment, only add items

of the same type—entrees, appetizers,
beverages, desserts, or sides. Tabs have been
added below for each different type.

1 2 3 5

Units Sold Menu

Menu Item (Appetizers) Food Cost Profit Margin Category
Monthly Price
 x y
Popularity 0.00 500.00
15.00 500.00
Profitability 7.50 0.00
7.50 1,000.00
Stars 14.25 950.00
Plow Horses 0.75 950.00
Puzzles 14.25 70.00
Dogs 0.75 70.00
3. Input food costs and menu prices. 4. Set your thresholds.
Enter the cost of each menu item in the Food Cost column.Add
To find
yourit,thresholds
you can calculate
according
it manually
to your profit
or use
goals
res

Set your Popularity Threshold as the number of

that separates your high and low popularity items.

Similarly, set your Profitability Threshold as the

margin dollar amount that separates your high and
profitability items.

4 5. Analyze the categories and matrix.

Identify which category each menu item lands (Sta
Popularity Threshold Profitability Threshold

5 Menu Engineering Matrix

1200

Profitability
1000

Plow Horses Stars

800
1000

Plow Horses Stars

800

600

Popularity

400

200

Dogs Puzzles
0
5.00 10.00 15.00
sholds.
s according to your profit goals.

y Threshold as the number of units sold

high and low popularity items.

Profitability Threshold as the profit

nt that separates your high and low

ategories and matrix.

gory each menu item lands (Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog) and refer to our menu engineering blog post to get suggestions on

Stars
Stars

Popularity

zzles

15.00 20.00
Beverages
1. Add your menu items. 2. Enter units sold monthly.
In the Menu Item column enter the names of Enter the number units sold in the past month for each
the items to be included in menu engineering
matrix.

For an accurate assessment, only add items

of the same type—entrees, appetizers,
beverages, desserts, or sides. Tabs have been
added below for each different type.

1 2 3 5

Units Sold Menu

Menu Item (Beverages) Food Cost Profit Margin Category
Monthly Price

16
BULLDOG LONDON DRY 30 ML

5
GORDONS 30 ML

84
JAISALMER 30 ML

26
TANQUERAY 30 ML

13
MORPHEUS 30 ML

1
CHANDAN BRUT

1
MARQUISE DE POMPADOUR.

64
ABSOLUT 30 ML
 54
ABSOLUT FLAVOUR 30 ML

19
GREY GOOSE 30 ML

177
MAGIC MOMENTS VERVE 30 ML

128
MAGIC MOMENTS VERVE FLAVOU

29
SKYY 30 ML

SULA ZINFANDEL
SULA ZINFANDEL BY GLASS
10

10
B-52.

87
JAGER BOMB.

45
KAMIKAZE
 x y
Popularity 0.00 500.00
15.00 500.00
Profitability 7.50 0.00
7.50 203.55
Stars 14.25 193.37
Plow Horses 0.75 193.37
Puzzles 14.25 14.25
Dogs 0.75 14.25
3. Input food costs and menu prices. 4. Set your thresholds.
Enter the cost of each menu item in the Food Cost column.Add
To find
yourit,thresholds
you can calculate
according
it manually
to your profit
or use
goals
res

Set your Popularity Threshold as the number of

that separates your high and low popularity items.

Similarly, set your Profitability Threshold as the

margin dollar amount that separates your high and
profitability items.

4 5. Analyze the categories and matrix.

Identify which category each menu item lands (Sta
Popularity Threshold Profitability Threshold

5 Menu Engineering Matrix

600

500 Popularity

400
500 Popularity

400

300

Profitability
200
Plow Horses Stars

100

Dogs Puzzles
0
5.00 10.00 15.00
sholds.
s according to your profit goals.

y Threshold as the number of units sold

high and low popularity items.

Profitability Threshold as the profit

nt that separates your high and low

ategories and matrix.

gory each menu item lands (Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog) and refer to our menu engineering blog post to get suggestions on

Popularity
 Popularity

Stars

zzles
15.00 20.00
Desserts
1. Add your menu items. 2. Enter units sold monthly.
In the Menu Item column enter the names of Enter the number units sold in the past month for each
the items to be included in menu engineering
matrix.

For an accurate assessment, only add items

of the same type—entrees, appetizers,
beverages, desserts, or sides. Tabs have been
added below for each different type.

1 2 3 5

Units Sold Menu

Menu Item (Desserts) Food Cost Profit Margin Category
Monthly Price
 x y
Popularity 0.00 500.00
15.00 500.00
Profitability 7.50 0.00
7.50 1,000.00
Stars 14.25 950.00
Plow Horses 0.75 950.00
Puzzles 14.25 70.00
Dogs 0.75 70.00
3. Input food costs and menu prices. 4. Set your thresholds.
Enter the cost of each menu item in the Food Cost column.Add
To find
yourit,thresholds
you can calculate
according
it manually
to your profit
or use
goals
res

Set your Popularity Threshold as the number of

that separates your high and low popularity items.

Similarly, set your Profitability Threshold as the

margin dollar amount that separates your high and
profitability items.

4 5. Analyze the categories and matrix.

Identify which category each menu item lands (Sta
Popularity Threshold Profitability Threshold

5 Menu Engineering Matrix

1200

Profitability
1000

Plow Horses Stars

800
1000

Plow Horses Stars

800

600

Popularity

400

200

Dogs Puzzles
0
5.00 10.00 15.00
sholds.
s according to your profit goals.

y Threshold as the number of units sold

high and low popularity items.

Profitability Threshold as the profit

nt that separates your high and low

ategories and matrix.

gory each menu item lands (Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog) and refer to our menu engineering blog post to get suggestions on

Stars
Stars

Popularity

zzles

15.00 20.00
Sides
1. Add your menu items. 2. Enter units sold monthly.
In the Menu Item column enter the names of Enter the number units sold in the past month for each
the items to be included in menu engineering
matrix.

For an accurate assessment, only add items

of the same type—entrees, appetizers,
beverages, sides, or sides. Tabs have been
added below for each different type.

1 2 3 5

Units Sold Menu

Menu Item (Sides) Food Cost Profit Margin Category
Monthly Price
 x y
Popularity 0.00 500.00
15.00 500.00
Profitability 7.50 0.00
7.50 1,000.00
Stars 14.25 950.00
Plow Horses 0.75 950.00
Puzzles 14.25 70.00
Dogs 0.75 70.00
3. Input food costs and menu prices. 4. Set your thresholds.
Enter the cost of each menu item in the Food Cost column.Add
To find
yourit,thresholds
you can calculate
according
it manually
to your profit
or use
goals
res

Set your Popularity Threshold as the number of

that separates your high and low popularity items.

Similarly, set your Profitability Threshold as the

margin dollar amount that separates your high and
profitability items.

4 5. Analyze the categories and matrix.

Identify which category each menu item lands (Sta
Popularity Threshold Profitability Threshold

5 Menu Engineering Matrix

1200

Profitability
1000

Plow Horses Stars

800
1000

Plow Horses Stars

800

600

Popularity

400

200

Dogs Puzzles
0
5.00 10.00 15.00
sholds.
s according to your profit goals.

y Threshold as the number of units sold

high and low popularity items.

Profitability Threshold as the profit

nt that separates your high and low

ategories and matrix.

gory each menu item lands (Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog) and refer to our menu engineering blog post to get suggestions on

Stars
Stars

Popularity

zzles

15.00 20.00