Menu Planning and Engineering Flashcards

A restaurant sells 1,000 entrées in a period; a menu with 10 entrées uses the 70% rule. What menu-mix count must an item exceed to be considered popular?

Answer: 70 sold

Expected equal share is 100 units (1,000 ÷ 10), and 70% of that benchmark is 70 units.

Which is the best menu engineering strategy for a Star item?

Answer: Maintain quality and visibility, and test modest price increases

Stars are popular and profitable, so protect their quality and placement while carefully testing price elasticity.

Standardized recipes are essential to menu engineering primarily because they:

Answer: Ensure consistent plate costs and portioning so margin data is accurate

Without standardized recipes, actual costs and portions drift, making contribution margin analysis unreliable.

A chef notices that a signature dish's key ingredient price has spiked 40% due to a supply shortage. The best immediate menu response is to:

Answer: Re-cost the dish and consider a substitution, market price notation, or temporary menu change

Recosting and adjusting through substitution, market pricing, or a menu change protects margin without deceiving guests.

Menu psychology suggests removing dollar signs and price leaders (dotted lines to prices) because they:

Answer: Encourage guests to shop by price rather than by dish appeal

Dollar signs and price columns focus attention on cost, reducing spend, so nested or naked pricing is preferred.

When adding a new item, a chef should first run a plate cost and projected menu-mix analysis to determine:

Answer: Whether the item can meet margin targets at a sellable price point

Pre-launch costing and mix projections confirm the item can hit profitability targets at a price guests will pay.

A prix fixe menu structure benefits the kitchen primarily by:

Answer: Making production forecasting and purchasing more predictable

A fixed set of courses at a set price narrows production variables, improving forecasting, purchasing, and waste control.