Menu Engineering & Development Flashcards

In menu engineering, which category describes items with HIGH contribution margin but LOW popularity?

Answer: Puzzles

Puzzles have high contribution margin but low sales volume, indicating they need better promotion, repositioning, or recipe refinement.

What is the primary goal of menu engineering?

Answer: To maximize overall profitability by analyzing item popularity and contribution margin

Menu engineering uses sales mix and profitability data to strategically position items and maximize total restaurant profit.

In menu engineering, what does 'contribution margin' refer to?

Answer: The dollar amount remaining after subtracting food cost from the selling price

Contribution margin equals selling price minus food cost, representing what each sale contributes toward covering labor, overhead, and profit.

A 'Star' in menu engineering is best described as an item that is:

Answer: High popularity and high profitability

Stars are top performers — they sell frequently and generate strong contribution margins, making them the most desirable items on any menu.

Which menu design technique draws customer attention to high-profit items?

Answer: Placing high-margin items in the upper right corner or using visual callouts

Research shows the upper-right area of a two-panel menu naturally draws the eye first, making it the prime real estate for high-profit items.

A 'Plowhorse' in menu engineering is characterized by:

Answer: High popularity but low contribution margin

Plowhorses are popular items that drive traffic but generate lower profit per sale, often due to high ingredient costs or underpricing.

Which factor is NOT typically considered in a standard menu engineering analysis?

Answer: Age and condition of kitchen equipment

Menu engineering focuses on sales data and financial metrics such as popularity and contribution margin, not the physical condition of kitchen equipment.