Menu Engineering 101: Price Like a Pro, Sell Like a Storyteller
A menu isn’t just a list of items. It’s a sales tool, a brand ambassador, and one of the most powerful levers you have to shape your customers’ experience — and your bottom line.
At Premier Utilities, we manage and support multiple hospitality venues. Over the years, we’ve tested and refined our menu strategy across everything from casual pubs to cocktail bars. Here's how to engineer a menu that sells smarter.
🔹 1. Know Your Gross Profit, Not Just Cost Price
Start with the margins. Always.
That €12 burger might feel like a winner, but if the ingredients and prep chew up 65% of the price, you’re working for thin air. Focus on gross profit per item, not just percentage. Sometimes a €4 side dish with low labour and waste out-earns your mains.
✅ Action tip: Build a simple GP calculator with ingredients, wastage, labour estimates, and final selling price.
🔹 2. Create Hero Dishes — and Frame Them That Way
Every menu needs a few “hero” items: dishes that are profitable, crave-worthy, and photo-friendly.
Position them:
- Top right of the menu (the "golden triangle" of scanning)
- In highlighted boxes or with a subtle visual cue (🟊 / “Chef’s Pick”)
Use descriptive copy that tells a story:
“48-hour marinated chicken thigh, flame-grilled and finished with our house bourbon glaze.”
Not:
“Grilled chicken with sauce.”
Let the language earn the price.
🔹 3. Use Decoys to Push Mid-Range Options
Want to sell more €14 burgers? Place a €17 double-stack right above it. This anchors the perception of value and guides customers toward the more profitable mid-range option.
✅ Action tip: Include one or two "luxury" items to give mid-range picks context and psychological appeal.
🔹 4. Avoid Using € Signs and Too Many Digits
Pricing psychology matters.
Research shows that removing the currency symbol (“14” instead of “€14”) lowers price resistance. So does avoiding unnecessary decimals. “9” feels cleaner and faster to process than “9.00”.
It’s not trickery — it’s clarity.
🔹 5. Group by Behaviour, Not Just Category
Instead of separating “Starters,” “Mains,” and “Desserts,” experiment with menus grouped by dining intent:
- Quick Bites
- Big Appetite
- For Sharing
- Late Night
This approach lets guests instantly find what suits the moment — and helps you upsell accordingly.
🔹 6. Build Menus for Service Flow, Not Just Style
Too many fast-prep items in one section overloads one station. Too many similar sides in the same area slow plating.
Good menu engineering supports your kitchen rhythm.
✅ Action tip: Map each item to a prep station. Balance cook times and complexity across the sections. You’re designing for execution, not just design.
🔹 7. Track What Moves — and What Doesn’t
Data closes the loop.
Use your POS to analyse:
- Most/least ordered items
- Time-to-table
- Modifications (a sign your menu copy is unclear)
- Daypart demand
Rotate out slow movers and reinvest in your best sellers. Your menu should evolve like your customer base.
Final Thought: Menus Should Be Simple, Not Boring
A well-designed menu guides your guests, elevates your brand, and builds real margin — all without them feeling sold to. At Premier Utilities, we help our venues find the balance between menu science and hospitality storytelling.
Need help with yours?
Let’s chat. Whether you’re opening a new spot or rethinking an existing one, we can help you price smarter, sell better, and serve with intention.
