Bigger Is Not Always Better

Use the 3% rule to make sure every menu item carries its own weight.

Menus have limited space. Guests have limited attention spans. Kitchens have limited storage space and prep capabilities. Bottom line? Make the most of the space you've got.

I never met a menu I couldn't make smaller. A simple rule of thumb is that every menu item in a category must sell at least 3% of its category. That's right, 3%.

Take a look at the example below. The Sweetwater Catfish sells a mere 1.08% of the appetizer category...not enough to warrant a coveted place on the menu (or in the freezer).

You might be thinking...
"Great Aunt Millie's Sweetwater Catfish would have to go!"

And yes, maybe that special pasta that three of your regular customers order every time they come in would have to go, too. But this doesn't mean that you can't occasionally offer the catfish as a special, or assure your regular customers that the pasta can be made upon request if the ingredients are on hand. Streamlining your menu and your mise en place (your line set up) makes sense from both an economic and ergonomic standpoint.

Use our automated spreadsheet and the numbers from your POS machine to calculate each menu item's contribution to category sales and make sure that each carries its own weight. Remember, bigger is not always better.

Bill Main, FMP, FCSI, is a nationally-recognized author, foodservice consultant, and professional speaker. His goal is to help you define who you are, where you want to go, and the best way to get there. Bill Main & Associates (www.billmain.com) offers a wide range of consulting services, resources and tools in the areas of strategic growth, marketing, menu, leadership, training, and management development.