Page 23 - GBC Spring 2020 ENG

The Analysis
of Menu Engineering
Percent cost mentality would suggest that the best option for the restaurant to sell is Pasta 1 (lowest food cost percent). But in actuality, all three pastas make the exact same amount of actual profit. If you asked guests which pasta provided the best value for them, and which one they would come back for, it would be Pasta 3 (bigger portion, better quality, etc. for a slightly higher price).
Our job in menu engineering is to determine how to maximize both the guest value proposition and the dollar profit. Perhaps that is a different pasta, Pasta 4 as shown on left. A high food cost percent, but more profit in dollars and a great value proposition for the guest.
FOCUS ON THE DOLLAR PROFIT
The first and most important aspect of menu engineering is to focus on
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