Menu Optimization | 8 Tips for Optimizing Your Restaurant Menu

Digital dining through a restaurant’s website, mobile app, and some delivery services has skyrocketed. Customers expect on-demand service with a personalized touch and it matters more than ever to meet their needs. If you’ve been at a restaurant or fast casual chain recently, you might have noticed that the menus have changed with new items and mouthwatering descriptions to make a great first impression. After all, if it doesn’t catch your eye, would you bother ordering it? With digital ordering, restaurant owners and operators have an opportunity to optimize their menus by upselling key items based on guests’ preferences and order baskets, strategically placing their offerings in a specific order, and highlighting popular items.

What is Menu Optimization?

Menu optimization is the process of designing and organizing your restaurant’s menu in a way that maximizes sales and profits, while also taking into account the preferences and needs of your customers. This process can involve a variety of different activities, such as selecting the right mix of dishes, pricing items effectively, using design and layout to draw attention to certain items, and incorporating seasonal ingredients and specials.

Effective menu optimization can help your restaurant attract and retain customers, increase sales, improve customer satisfaction, and reduce waste. It can also be an important part of your restaurant’s marketing and branding efforts, as the menu is often a key point of contact with customers. A well-designed and strategically placed menu can help attract and retain customers, increase sales, and improve customer loyalty.

8 Tips for Optimizing Your Restaurant Menu

Digital ordering helps restaurants reach more customers and with the right restaurant marketing, helps move them from first-time visitors to loyalists seamlessly. Menu optimization allows you to bridge the gap between creating a tailored digital ordering experience for guests and maximizing your profit. If you’re not sure where to start with menu optimization, here are some helpful tips!

1. Identify your target audience: Before you start designing your menu, it's important to understand who your customers are and what they are looking for. This will help you choose dishes that align with their preferences and expectations.
2. Select a mix of dishes that reflects your restaurant's brand and style: Your menu should showcase the unique offerings and personality of your restaurant. Choose dishes that align with your restaurant's brand and style, and consider including a variety of options to appeal to different tastes and dietary needs.
3. Price items effectively: Carefully set prices for menu items to encourage customers to try new dishes and increase the overall amount they spend. Consider the cost of ingredients and other expenses, as well as market conditions and competitors' prices.
4. Use design and layout effectively: A visually appealing and well-organized menu can make it easier for customers to find what they're looking for, which can lead to a more enjoyable dining experience. Use color, font, imagery, and other design elements to draw attention to certain items and create a cohesive look and feel.
5. Incorporate seasonal ingredients and specials: Offering seasonal specials can help create a sense of novelty and excitement, which can attract customers and encourage them to try new dishes.
6. Analyze sales data and customer feedback: Regularly review sales data and customer feedback to identify dishes that are not selling well and make adjustments to the menu accordingly. This can help reduce waste and increase profitability.
7. Test different menu configurations and pricing strategies: Consider testing different menu configurations and pricing strategies to see what works best for your restaurant. This can help you optimize your menu over time.
8. Automatically upsell items at checkout: Autonomously suggest upsells and cross-sells with an upsell recommendation engine as guests checkout via your restaurant app or branded web ordering that matches their preferences that learns from same-store sales and seasonal preferences.

These tips will help you strategize your menu optimization and restaurant marketing efforts to increase sales and customer loyalty!

4 Real-Life Menu Optimization Examples

If you’re still wondering what that looks like, we’ve created a few real-life examples of menu optimization using the tips we discussed.

1. A fast-casual restaurant chain that specializes in customizable sandwiches and salads found that its customers were increasingly interested in healthier options. In response, the chain added more vegetarian and plant-based protein options to the menu, which helped attract and retain customers who were looking for healthier options.
2. A fine dining restaurant found that its customers were looking for more variety and smaller portion sizes. In response, the restaurant added a selection of small plates and appetizers to the menu, which allowed customers to try a variety of dishes in one meal and encouraged them to order more items.
3. A local pizza restaurant noticed that certain menu items were not selling well, despite being popular in the past. The restaurant analyzed sales data and customer feedback and discovered that the dishes were no longer aligned with customer preferences. The restaurant made changes to the menu, removing the underperforming items and adding new dishes that were more in line with customer preferences. As a result, sales increased and customer satisfaction improved.
4. A family-owned Italian restaurant was struggling to compete with larger chain restaurants in the area. To differentiate itself, the restaurant decided to focus on using locally sourced and seasonal ingredients in its dishes. The restaurant also added a selection of small plates and appetizers to the menu, which allowed customers to try a variety of dishes in one meal. As a result, the restaurant saw an increase in sales and customer satisfaction, and it became a popular destination for diners looking for a more authentic and locally-focused dining experience.

Menu Optimization for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is already here bringing cold weather, snow (in some areas), deals, and best of all, holiday food and drinks! Along with the tips we’ve listed and real-life examples, here are some holiday ideas for optimizing your restaurant menu to spread cheer and get more sales.

• Add holiday-themed items: Consider adding a few items to your menu that are specifically themed for the holiday season. Creative options like gingerbread lattes or eggnog milkshakes and holiday cookies will give your digital menu that extra holiday theme.
• Offer special promotions: During the holiday season, many customers are looking for deals and discounts. Consider offering special promotions, such as double points for ordering a holiday-themed item online or a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
• Offer holiday-themed desserts: Dessert is an important part of many holiday meals, so make sure to offer a variety of festive options. This could include traditional holiday desserts like fruitcake and Christmas pudding, as well as seasonal twists on classic desserts like pumpkin pie or peppermint hot chocolate.
• Decorate your restaurant: Don't forget to add some holiday cheer to your restaurant's décor. This could include hanging holiday lights, adding festive centerpieces to your tables, or displaying holiday-themed artwork.

Remember the goal of menu optimization is to create a balanced and appealing selection of items that will attract and retain customers while also generating sufficient profit for your restaurant. Hopefully, these tips and examples will help you strategize your menu. If you’re looking for holiday restaurant marketing ideas be sure to check out our blog on the top holiday promotions or if you’re wondering how to keep up with the holiday rush, we have something for you too!