Free menu engineering & item profitability tool
Restaurant Menu Engineering Profitability Tool
Turn item price, food cost, prep labor and units sold into contribution margin, popularity and actionable menu classifications: Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles and Dogs.
Simple menu model
Quadrant EngineClassify eight menu items
Shared assumptions
Menu items
Classification methodPopularity hurdle = 70% of average units sold per active item by default. Profitability hurdle = the menu’s weighted average contribution margin per item sold. Contribution margin = price − food cost − prep labor. Fixed overhead is shown separately and does not determine the quadrant.
Menu Engineering Board
Every item ranked, classified and given a next move
| Rank | Item | Class | Units | Price | Food cost | Prep labor | Contribution / item | Total contribution | Food cost % | Price needed to reach avg CM | Recommended move |
|---|
Menu Profit Leak Board
Where lower-margin volume is costing the most
Popularity × Contribution Margin Map
Visualize Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles and Dogs
Advanced menu model
Profit Leak QueueInclude waste, comps, packaging and variable fees
Shared assumptions
12 menu items
Advanced contribution marginRealized revenue = menu price less comps/discounts. Adjusted food cost includes the entered waste %. Then prep labor, packaging and other variable fees are deducted. Quadrant classification still uses weighted average contribution margin and popularity.
Profit Leak Queue
Rank every item by contribution and repair opportunity
| Rank | Item | Class | Units | Realized price | Adj. food cost | Prep labor | Packaging + fees | Contribution/item | Total contribution | Direct margin | Margin leak vs avg | Action |
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Price / Cost Fix Simulator
How much change is needed to repair weak-margin items?
| Item | Current class | Price increase to avg CM | Food-cost reduction to avg CM | Prep minutes allowed at avg CM | Units needed to clear popularity hurdle | Best first lever |
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Popularity × Contribution Margin Map
Advanced menu quadrant map
Scope
Use recipe costing and observed sales data
This is a menu-engineering planning tool. Contribution margin is not the same as restaurant net profit. Rent, management, utilities, front-of-house labor, taxes and other fixed costs are not assigned to individual items unless represented through the shared overhead field. Use current recipe costs, actual portion yields, realistic prep times and a representative sales period.