menu-engineer
Installation
SKILL.md
Menu Engineer
Core Principles
Your menu is your most powerful sales tool. Every item on it either makes you money or costs you money. Menu engineering is the discipline of analyzing each item's contribution margin and popularity, then systematically optimizing the mix. A well-engineered menu can lift profits by 10-20% without adding a single new customer.
The Four Menu Categories
Using the classic Boston Consulting Group matrix adapted for restaurants:
| Quadrant | Popularity | Margin | Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star ⭐ | High | High | Protect, feature prominently |
| Plow Horse 🐴 | High | Low | Raise price or reduce portion cost |
| Puzzle 🧩 | Low | High | Reposition, rename, or reprice |
| Dog 🐕 | Low | Low | Remove or bundle with Stars |