Boost Your Earnings by Tweaking Your Menu

Published
October 29, 2023
A menu book sitting on a restaurant place setting
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Key Takeaways

Looking to give your earnings a healthy nudge? The secret might just lie in your menu. Think of it as your billboard – the first handshake between your culinary creations and the eager diner. Let's embark on a journey to squeeze every penny of profit from that menu of yours. Here’s a blend of classic and fresh-off-the-press tips for you.

Dish Descriptions: Make Them Sing!

Words have power. The right adjectives can make dishes jump off the menu! Research suggests that simply jazzing up dish descriptions can catapult sales by a nifty 27%. So, instead of a mundane "grilled chicken," how about "succulent chicken kissed by smoky flames"?

The A/B Testing Technique

Recall our chatter about A/B testing in a prior blog? It’s a simple yet potent strategy to gauge which version of, say, your menu rakes in more sales. Especially useful for digital menus, it lets you play around with descriptions, images, and more without the printing costs. One month, roll with your classic menu. The next, introduce a twist with zesty descriptions or reimagined dish names. The results might just surprise you!

Shine a Spotlight on Stars

Got a dish that's flying off the shelves? Give it the center stage. Whether it’s a bold font, a chic border, or a cheeky star icon, make sure it's catching eyeballs.

Less is More: Declutter that Menu

You might be tempted to showcase every single dish, but simplicity can be your ally. A crowded menu can be a diner's nightmare. Stick to a golden rule: a maximum of seven items per category. Let your customers savor the choices, not get overwhelmed by them.

Upsells and Extras: The Cherry on Top  

It's the age of customization! Why not let your diners tweak their dishes? From an extra dollop of guacamole to supersizing their drink, these little add-ons can add up in the cash register.

For the Digital Mavericks:

If you're riding the digital wave with online menus, here's some added food for thought:
- Snap It Right: Quality pictures can be as tempting as the dish itself.
- Promos & Specials: Got a deal? Flaunt it on your digital menu.
- Ease of Use: A menu that’s tricky to navigate can sour the experience. Keep it smooth and intuitive.
- Strategic Placement: Those high-margin delights? Give them prime real estate on your digital menu.

In essence, your menu is more than just a list. It's a strategy, a story, and a sales tool all rolled into one. With a sprinkle of creativity and a dash of strategy, you can transform your menu into a profit-generating machine. To all the restaurateurs out there, here's to full houses and even fuller cash registers! 🍷🍔🍰

Ready to save some time on manual tasks?
You didn't get into this business to do boring data tasks.

That probably sounds obvious. But stores can put so much effort into crafting world-busting menus and items, that they forget the soul-crushing, manual upkeep involved in tracking their finances or updating their point of sale. We'll do the boring work for you.

Ready to try a better way? Book a demo with us to see if we can help.
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