The Demand

Before your next menu decision, run the four disciplines against your actual operation instead of your instinct — know your Guest, know your numbers, innovate deliberately, let the classics fund the specials. Pull the four numbers — cost, margin, sales frequency, prime cost contribution — for every item on your menu this week, because if you do not have them you are guessing, not managing. Schedule your next full audit on the calendar now, not when something breaks. Name the one item you are keeping out of habit that the numbers say should go.

The Work

Know your Guest — in one sentence, what your Guest actually values that you have verified, not assumed:

Know your numbers — do you have cost, margin, sales frequency, and prime cost contribution for every item, Yes or No:

If no, the items missing that data:

Classify your top five sellers using the menu engineering matrix — Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog:

Item 1 and classification:

Item 2 and classification:

Item 3 and classification:

Item 4 and classification:

Item 5 and classification:

The item you are keeping out of habit or sentiment that the data says should go:

Date of your next scheduled full menu audit — not triggered by a problem, but on the calendar regardless:

The one deliberate, identity-rooted innovation you will introduce this cycle: