The Owner's Notebook
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Menu & Pricing

A menu is a pricing document that happens to list food. These guides cover what each item contributes, how to price it, and how to change a price without losing the guest who noticed.

Start here

Read these 5 in order if the subject is new to you.

  1. How to Price Your Menu for ProfitHow to price a restaurant menu for profit — the food-cost formula, contribution margin, competitor and value checks, menu psychology, and when to raise prices.
  2. Calculating Contribution Margin per Menu ItemContribution margin shows the real dollars each dish adds to your bottom line. Learn the formula, how it beats food cost percentage, and how to use it.
  3. Menu Engineering: The 4-Quadrant Method ExplainedThe 4-quadrant menu engineering method sorts every dish by popularity and profit. Here's how to classify Stars, Plow Horses, Puzzles, and Dogs — and act on each.
  4. How to Raise Menu Prices Without Losing CustomersRaise menu prices without losing customers: how much you can move, which items to touch first, how to time it, and the math that tells you if it worked.
  5. How to Design a Menu That SellsMenu design guides what guests order and how much they spend. Here's how to use layout, pricing psychology, and descriptions to steer diners toward your best items.

Tools for this section

All 35 guides in this section

01 How to Price Wine by the Glass and by the BottleLearn how to price wine by the glass and by the bottle with simple markup formulas, pour-cost targets, and a free calculator for your wine list. Worksheet4 min 02 How to Price Private Dining and Holiday Party PackagesPrice private dining and holiday party packages with food minimums, per-person rates, and service fees that protect your margin. Free calculator included. Worksheet4 min 03 How to Add a Soup Program to Your Restaurant MenuAdd a soup program that cuts waste and lifts margin this winter. Learn batch costing, pricing, portion sizes and how to turn trim into profit. Worksheet4 min 04 How to Price Your Menu for Takeout and DeliveryLearn how to price takeout and delivery items so third-party fees do not erase your profit. Includes a markup table and a free delivery pricing calculator. Worksheet4 min 05 How to Price Small Plates and Shareable DishesSmall plates can lift your check or quietly drain it. Learn how to cost, price, and portion shareables for a 28-32% food cost, with a free calculator. Worksheet3 min 06 How to Create a Holiday Menu for Your RestaurantBuild a holiday menu that raises your check average without wrecking the kitchen. Learn how to cost, price, and limit it, with a free Excel planner. Worksheet4 min 07 How to Run a Limited-Time Offer at Your RestaurantA step-by-step plan for profitable restaurant LTOs — picking the item, pricing for margin, setting the run length, and promoting it without discounting. Worksheet4 min 08 How to Raise Menu Prices Without Losing CustomersRaise menu prices without losing customers: how much you can move, which items to touch first, how to time it, and the math that tells you if it worked. Worksheet5 min 09 Dynamic Pricing for Restaurants: Should You Try It?Airlines and rideshares change prices by the hour. Can restaurants? Here's when dynamic pricing works, when it backfires, and a safer way to start. Worksheet4 min 10 How to Add Brunch to Your RestaurantAdding weekend brunch can be the cheapest revenue you ever add - or a shift that quietly loses money. Here's how to price it, staff it, and prove it works. Worksheet6 min 11 Creating a Kids' Menu That Makes MoneyA kids' menu isn't a loss leader — done right it lifts your average table check and turns families into regulars. Here's how to build one that actually earns. Worksheet4 min 12 Beverage Menu Strategy for Higher ChecksDrinks carry the fattest margins in your restaurant. A deliberate beverage menu strategy can lift average check by several dollars a guest. Here's how. Worksheet3 min 13 Using High-Margin Items to Boost ProfitHigh-margin items quietly carry your bottom line. Learn how to find them, feature them, and sell more of them to boost restaurant profit without raising prices. Worksheet3 min 14 Upselling Techniques for ServersThe right upsell raises the check and the guest's experience at once. Practical upselling techniques for servers that feel like great service, not a pitch. Worksheet3 min 15 The Right Number of Items to Put on a MenuMost restaurants carry too many menu items. Learn the ideal menu size by concept, why fewer items make more money, and how to right-size yours. Worksheet4 min 16 Menu Redesign: When and How to Do ItA menu redesign can lift profit per guest when it's done right. Learn the signs you're due for one and a step-by-step process to redesign yours. Worksheet3 min 17 How to Test a New Menu Item Before LaunchNever add a dish to your menu on a hunch. Learn how to test a new menu item with specials, small batches, and real numbers before you commit. Worksheet3 min 18 How to Price Drinks and CocktailsDrinks are your highest-margin sales. Learn how to price cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks using pour cost so every glass makes money. Worksheet3 min 19 How to Price a Prix Fixe or Tasting MenuA prix fixe locks in check size and simplifies the kitchen. Learn how to price a fixed or tasting menu on blended food cost so every seat is profitable. Worksheet3 min 20 How to Handle Allergens and Dietary Labels on MenusAllergen and dietary labels protect guests and grow sales. Learn how to label the 9 major allergens, mark dietary options, and train staff to answer safely. Worksheet3 min 21 How to Analyze Which Menu Items to CutCutting the wrong dish costs sales; keeping the wrong one costs margin. Learn a simple data-driven process to decide exactly which menu items to cut. Worksheet3 min 22 Digital Menus and QR Codes: Pros and ConsQR-code and digital menus save print costs and update instantly, but they carry real tradeoffs. Weigh the pros and cons and decide what fits your restaurant. Worksheet3 min 23 Writing Menu Descriptions That Increase SalesThe right menu description raises perceived value and pushes guests toward your best dishes. Learn the formula, sensory words, and mistakes that cost you sales. Worksheet3 min 24 Psychology of Menu Pricing and LayoutMenu psychology quietly steers what guests order. Learn how pricing format, layout, and eye-path tricks lift average check without raising a single price. Worksheet4 min 25 Managing Menu Costs When Prices RiseWhen ingredient costs climb, you have more options than just raising prices. Learn the levers to protect margin without driving guests away. Worksheet3 min 26 How to Set Prices for Daily SpecialsDaily specials should sell out slow inventory and protect margin, not just move plates. Learn how to price specials so they profit and test future menu items. Worksheet3 min 27 How to Run a Menu Profitability AnalysisA menu profitability analysis ranks every dish by profit and popularity so you know what to feature, fix, or cut. Worksheet3 min 28 How to Price Catering and Large OrdersCatering isn't just your menu times ten. Learn how to price large orders to cover labor, packaging, delivery, and risk while staying competitive and profitable. Worksheet3 min 29 How to Introduce a Seasonal MenuA seasonal menu lowers food cost, keeps regulars curious, and creates marketing moments. Here's how to plan, cost, and launch one without chaos in the kitchen. Worksheet3 min 30 How to Add or Remove Items From Your MenuA step-by-step process for deciding what to add, what to cut, and how to test menu changes without hurting sales or confusing your kitchen and guests. Worksheet4 min 31 Calculating Contribution Margin per Menu ItemContribution margin shows the real dollars each dish adds to your bottom line. Learn the formula, how it beats food cost percentage, and how to use it. Worksheet3 min 32 Bundling and Combo Pricing StrategiesCombos and bundles raise average check and move high-margin items when priced right. Learn how to build bundles that guests love without giving away profit. Worksheet3 min 33 Menu Engineering: The 4-Quadrant Method ExplainedThe 4-quadrant menu engineering method sorts every dish by popularity and profit. Here's how to classify Stars, Plow Horses, Puzzles, and Dogs — and act on each. Worksheet4 min 34 How to Design a Menu That SellsMenu design guides what guests order and how much they spend. Here's how to use layout, pricing psychology, and descriptions to steer diners toward your best items. Worksheet4 min 35 How to Price Your Menu for ProfitHow to price a restaurant menu for profit — the food-cost formula, contribution margin, competitor and value checks, menu psychology, and when to raise prices. Worksheet6 min
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