Does it matter whether your guests orders a vegetable soup or a dessert. Your primary focus is rather giving your guest an experience, a service that brings him back and again.
However, using some marvelous tactics some smart restauranteurs know exactly what they want their Guests to order. By following such practices, you can run a more profitable restaurant and also deliver a great meal and unforgettable experience to your guests.
To do this, you must identify your Prime Menu Items. Prime menu items can be identified using the following factors:
1. Gross profit margin – It is the sales price less the cost of an item’s raw ingredients. Within each section of your menu, some menu items may have substantially greater profit margins than others. Given the choice, you’d probably rather sell more of your high gross profit items.
2. Labour Cost – Labor involved in initial preparation of ingredients and recipes. Some menu items may require much more preparation labour than others. Although difficult to quantify in value, highly labour intensive items cost you more to serve.
3. Final preparation – Labour and time required for final preparation and delivery. When your place is full, time can become THE critical factor. You probably want guests ordering more menu items the kitchen can prepare and deliver quickly.
4. Wow factor – Menu items that guests rave about and come back for. Consider menu items that are unique, award-winning and stand out for their taste and visual appeal.
After identifying what you really want to sell, use your menu to highlight them (through the use of graphics, such as boxes & signature icons) and train your servers (through personal recommendations) to sell more of them.
