Restaurants Leave 20% Profit on the Table
Restaurant owners price menu items based on gut feel or competitor pricing, not actual food cost and popularity data. Low-margin items get prominent menu placement while high-margin dishes hide. Menu engineering takes 10+ hours: calculating food costs, analyzing sales mix, and redesigning layout. Most restaurants never do it.
Data-Driven Menu Optimization in 30 Minutes
AI menu engineer that connects to POS systems, analyzes sales and profitability of every menu item, classifies items as Stars, Puzzles, Plowhorses, or Dogs using menu engineering matrix, recommends pricing adjustments and promotional strategies, and suggests menu layout redesign--turning gut-feel pricing into profit optimization.
Connects to Square, Toast, Clover POS for sales data
Calculates food cost % for each menu item from recipe data
Plots items on menu engineering matrix (profitability vs. popularity)
Recommends: price increases, bundling, repositioning, elimination
Suggests menu layout: highlight Stars, hide Dogs, explain Puzzles
A/B testing framework to measure impact of changes
From Sales Data to Optimized Menu
Connect POS
One-time integration with Square, Toast, or Clover. System pulls 90 days of sales data.
Input Costs
Upload recipe costs or connect to food cost management system. AI calculates margin per item.
AI Analysis
Plots each item on profitability/popularity matrix. Classifies as Star, Puzzle, Plowhorse, or Dog.
Recommendations
AI suggests pricing changes, menu placement, bundling strategies. Exports redesigned menu layout.
Key Features
Menu Matrix Classification
Stars (high profit, high sales), Puzzles (high profit, low sales), Plowhorses (low profit, high sales), Dogs (eliminate).
Price Elasticity
AI estimates how price changes affect demand. Suggests optimal price points without killing sales.
Menu Psychology
Recommends layout using menu psychology: decoys, anchoring, visual hierarchy to boost high-margin items.
Seasonal Adjustments
Identifies seasonal items and suggests timing for menu swaps based on historical sales patterns.
Menu Engineering Stack
Who Benefits?
Independent Restaurants
Optimize menu without hiring consultants. Increase profit margins 15-25% with data-driven decisions.
Restaurant Groups
Standardize menu engineering across 10+ locations. Identify top performers and replicate success.
Ghost Kitchens
Test menu items quickly with data feedback. Kill underperformers and double down on winners.