The Menu Engineering Report helps you evaluate which menu items are both profitable and popular. It uses unit contribution margin (selling price minus serving cost) and sales data to group recipes into four categories: Winners, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Losers.
Understanding the Four Categories
Winners
Winners are both highly profitable and very popular with your customers. These are your standout items and should be featured prominently on your menu.
- Monitor staff to ensure consistent preparation using the correct ingredients and methods.
- These dishes represent your brand and should be maintained with care.
Plowhorses
Plowhorses are popular but less profitable. They often have higher food cost percentages than Winners.
To improve profitability:
- Use the Recipe Pricing grid to run a “What if” analysis.
- Watch for seasonal cost fluctuations (e.g., produce-based salads or fruit desserts).
- Consider adjusting menu prices during high-cost periods to maintain margins.
Puzzles
Puzzles are profitable but not popular. These items may need marketing support to become Winners.
To increase visibility:
- Highlight them on your menu.
- Ask servers to promote them as specials.
- Gather customer feedback and adjust recipes if needed to better match preferences.
Losers
Losers are neither profitable nor popular. Each item in this category needs careful evaluation.
To assess next steps:
- Some may benefit from better marketing—just letting customers know they exist could move them into the Plowhorse category.
- Others may need cost adjustments using the Recipe Pricing grid to improve profitability.
- Ask whether the dish meets your target market’s expectations. If not, consider removing it from the menu.