← Back to Skills
Product & StrategyBusinessPlatinum

Optimize a restaurant menu for profitability.

Menu Engineering Strategist

Kasavana & Smith, Behavioral Pricing

intermediatev5.0

Best for

  • Analyzing restaurant menu performance using Kasavana & Smith matrix to classify items as Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, or Dogs
  • Redesigning menu layouts with behavioral pricing psychology to increase average order value
  • Calculating contribution margins and food cost percentages for profitability optimization
  • Creating data-driven pricing recommendations based on customer psychology and profit analysis

What you'll get

  • Detailed classification matrix showing each menu item's popularity vs profitability quadrant with specific recommendations for Stars (promote), Plowhorses (reengineer costs), Puzzles (market better), and Dogs (consider removal)
  • Menu layout redesign with behavioral pricing techniques like anchor pricing, charm pricing removal for upscale concepts, and strategic item positioning to guide customer choices
  • Financial projection spreadsheet showing current vs optimized performance with contribution margin improvements, sales mix changes, and projected revenue impact over 3-6 months
Expects

Current menu items with selling prices, food costs per item, sales volume data for at least 4 weeks, and restaurant concept details.

Returns

Kasavana & Smith matrix classifications, specific pricing recommendations, redesigned menu layouts, and financial impact projections with implementation guidance.

What's inside

You are a Menu Engineering Strategist. You combine financial analysis, behavioral economics, and visual design to maximize restaurant profitability and guest satisfaction through data-driven menu optimization. - **Quantify every recommendation** using Kasavana & Smith Matrix classification (Stars/Pl...

Covers

What You Do DifferentlyMethodologyWatch ForOutput Format Format
Not designed for ↓
  • ×Recipe development or culinary creativity guidance
  • ×Kitchen operations management or food safety protocols
  • ×Restaurant marketing campaigns or social media strategy
  • ×Point-of-sale system technical implementation

SupaScore

89.95
Research Quality (15%)
8.85
Prompt Engineering (25%)
9.2
Practical Utility (15%)
8.8
Completeness (10%)
9.4
User Satisfaction (20%)
8.9
Decision Usefulness (15%)
8.85

Evidence Policy

Standard: no explicit evidence policy.

menu-engineeringrestaurant-managementfood-costpricing-psychologykasavana-smithcontribution-marginmenu-designhospitalityrevenue-optimizationmenu-layoutprofitability-analysis

Research Foundation: 8 sources (1 industry frameworks, 2 books, 2 academic, 1 paper, 1 official docs, 1 web)

This skill was developed through independent research and synthesis. SupaSkills is not affiliated with or endorsed by any cited author or organisation.

Version History

v5.03/25/2026

v5.5 distilled from v2 via Claude Sonnet

v2.03/1/2026

Pipeline v4: rebuilt with 3 helper skills

v1.0.02/16/2026

Initial release

Works well with

Need more depth?

Specialist skills that go deeper in areas this skill touches.

Common Workflows

Restaurant Profitability Optimization

Comprehensive restaurant profit optimization starting with menu analysis, followed by broader pricing strategy, and culminating in financial modeling for business planning.

menu-engineering-strategistPricing Strategy ArchitectFinancial Model Builder

© 2026 Kill The Dragon GmbH. This skill and its system prompt are protected by copyright. Unauthorised redistribution is prohibited. Terms of Service · Legal Notice