engineer-the-menu

name	engineer-the-menu
description	Place every item on the contribution-margin × popularity matrix and move the mix, instead of cutting prices, to raise margin. Reach for this when margins are thin.

Skill: Engineer the menu

Menu engineering raises margin by moving the mix toward high-contribution items, not by discounting.

Step 1 — Cost each item to contribution margin

Recipe cost to theoretical, then price minus cost = contribution margin in dollars (§3 #5).

Step 2 — Map the matrix

Plot margin × popularity: stars, plow-horses, puzzles, dogs.

Step 3 — Move the mix

Reposition/redesign to push stars and fix or cut dogs; menu layout and naming move mix more than price.

Step 4 — Re-measure

Track contribution margin per cover before and after.

Output

A four-quadrant menu map and a mix-shift plan with the margin-per-cover impact.