| Your menu is your number one selling tool for | | | | This is the difference from a $1000 night or a $700 |
| influencing what you want your guest to order. With | | | | night. |
| proper menu design you can actually influence sales | | | | 6) Stagger your menu prices |
| mix on a daily basis and improve profits. Don't just | | | | A common menu occurrence is to line up the menu |
| leave it up to chance. Learn these tips and apply them | | | | prices into a vertical column. What this does is make it |
| to your menu. | | | | very easy to price shop the menu. A simple fix to this |
| 1) Never Handcuff your Menu | | | | is to let your menu prices naturally stagger throughout |
| If you are unable to change or update any menu panel | | | | the menu at the end of the titles or line ingredients. |
| in a short amount of time, then you are handcuffed. | | | | 7) First and Last Position |
| You need to be sure you can make a change or | | | | When you list a column of menu choices on your |
| update anytime to your menu as needed. With the | | | | menu, the top and bottom positions within the column |
| rapidly changing markets today, this flexibility is very | | | | are generally stronger positions. This ties into the idea |
| important to staying ahead of rising costs. | | | | that we scan menus more often than truly reading |
| 2) Review your menu and update 3-4 times per year | | | | menus. Readers tend to scan around the edges which |
| Stick to small adjustments throughout the year instead | | | | explains why we tend to notice top and bottom |
| of trying to do big adjustments once a year. This is | | | | positions more often than the middle of a column of |
| also a great opportunity to creep your menu prices | | | | menu choices. |
| throughout the year with small incremental increases. | | | | 8) Menu Descriptors Help Sell the Flavor and Value |
| 3) Keep your menu small | | | | People make choices of what to order by how well |
| Studies have suggested that you only need 20-24 | | | | you can explain the food to them. Studies have shown |
| selections to have an adequate menu size for your | | | | that consumers opinion of a menu item increases in |
| guest. In fact, you will find that 8-12 of those dishes will | | | | value with strong menu descriptors. |
| be doing the bulk of your sales and profits. Secondly, | | | | 9) Highlight What You Want to Sell |
| smaller menus equal less inventory and waste which | | | | Make sure your menu has highlights that draw the eye |
| means better profits for the business. | | | | to your key menu items you want them to notice and |
| 4) Treat your menu like real estate | | | | hopefully pick first from the menu. |
| Be aware of the prime spots on your menu where the | | | | 10) Give Them Permission to Reject a Menu Choice |
| readers eyes will tend to fall most often. Those prime | | | | It is always recommended to have a range of prices |
| spots are like owning prime real estate. Make sure the | | | | on your menu and not keep all your retail price points |
| items that are most profitable for the business occupy | | | | bunched up into a tight range. In fact, I want to |
| those prime real estate spots first. Do not let your | | | | encourage you to put a high priced dish on the menu |
| weaker menu items occupy your prime real estate | | | | just so that your guest can reject it. This is called |
| locations. | | | | mental anchoring the menu. When your guest sees a |
| 5) Keep the eye on profit dollars per dish and not food | | | | menu choice that is outrageous in price they base the |
| cost percentage | | | | value of the other menu choices from that high price |
| You do not take percentage to the bank, but you do | | | | point. In other words, your other menu choices start to |
| take profit dollars home every night. If you have 100 | | | | look economical when compared to your anchor point. |
| guests coming through the restaurant tonight...do you | | | | This in turn leads to a higher selling average from your |
| want to make $10 profit per dish or $7 profit per dish. | | | | other available menu selections. |