Menu Engineering: the method for increase profitability of your restaurant without increasing your prices

80% of the best-selling dishes are the ones that bring in the least. With the engineering menu, transform your map into a performance tool.

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Appero — Menu Engineering Dashboard
Menu Engineering
Pizzeria Esempio — Mars 2026
📅 01 Mar — 31 Mar 2026
📊 Vue d'ensemble
🍕 Performance produits
🍷 Food Pairing & Cross-sell
👥 Audience & Sources
Visiteurs
5 120
▲ +12.3%
Vues produits
19 840
▲ +8.7%
Ticket moyen
28,5 €
▲ +2.4%
Conv. dessert
38,6%
▲ +5.1%
👁️ Clics / vues produit
Nombre de vues par produit
🏷️ Performance par catégorie
CA et conversion vues → commandes
⚠️ Desserts : conversion à 39%. Levier de +4 200 € / trimestre identifié.
🚨 Alertes & Recommandations IA
🔴 Produit indispo en #1
La pizza spéciale du chef est indisponible mais en première position.
Masquer ou remplacer →
🟡 0 photos sur les pizzas
Impact estimé : +10 à 20% de ventes.
Ajouter des visuels →
🟢 Cross-sell détecté
14% des clients Parma commandent du Primitivo.
Configurer →
🍕 Performance produits vs Positionnement menu
Croisement données caisse × arborescence du menu Appero
#ProduitVuesVentesCA TTC Pos.Opt.PhotoCross-sell
🎯 Écart de positionnement
Plus la barre est grande, plus le produit est sous-exposé
🎯
Potentiel desserts identifié
En portant le taux de conversion dessert de 39% à 50%, potentiel estimé à +4 200 € / trimestre.
📍 Origine des visiteurs
D'où viennent les clients qui consultent le menu
📱 64% du trafic vient du QR code en salle. Google Maps : 16%.
🔗 Clics vers réseaux & avis
Interactions depuis le menu Appero
⭐ 368 clics vers Google Reviews. Conversion en avis : 19% (70 nouveaux).
⏰ Heures de consultation
Quand les clients consultent le menu

The engineering menu, What is it?

The science that turns your card into a profit machine — used by the largest restaurant groups for 40 years.

The Menu engineering (or menu engineering) is an analysis method that classifies each dish on your menu according to 2 criteria: its popularity (how much does it sell for) and its profitability (how much it earns you).

Invented by researchers Kasavana & Smith, this method has been proven to increase restaurant profits by 10 to 20% — without changing a single ingredient.

The principle: you don't change what you cook. We are changing How do you present it, position it and sell it.

Kasavana & Smith Matrix
← Low profitability
⭐ Stars
‍Popular + Profitable

Your profitable best sellers. Definitely worth highlighting.
High profitability →
🐴 Horses
‍Popular + Unprofitable

They attract people but are expensive. To be optimized.
🧩 Dilemmes
‍Unpopular + Profitable
‍
They bring in a lot but nobody orders them. To be boosted.
↓ Unpopular
🐕 Dogs
‍Unpopular + Unprofitable

Not popular, not profitable. To be redesigned or removed.
↑ Popular
Where are the stars and the dogs on your map?
Take advantage of a free audit

Digital menu + Engineering menu = The winning combination

The paper menu is blind. The digital menu sees everything.

Real-time behavioral data

With a paper menu, you don't know what dishes are being viewed, which are being ignored, or what suggestions are working. The Appero digital menu collects this data automatically: views by product, clicks on suggestions, time spent by category. You go from intuition to informed decision.

Real-time data to optimize a restaurant menu
Tableau de bord FR A Appero m appero Tableau de bord Menus Catégories Produits Clients Tableau de bord Clics Produits 30j 7j 1er mars 2026 – 31 mars 2026 Pulled pork burger 1940 Plat du jour 960 Salade césar 723 Tarte pécan 651 Tiramisu 642 Pinte de blonde 555 Menus Glissez pour réorganiser + Nouveau menu Carte printemps 2026 6 catégories Carte des vins 3 catégories Formules & suggestions 2 catégories Happy Hour 1 catégorie Menu du midi 4 catégories Produits Tous Beer Draught Vins Cuisine Produit Catégorie Prix Dispo Kronenbourg 1664 Beer Draught 5.50 € Guinness Beer Draught 6.00 € Leffe Blonde Beer Draught 6.50 € 6.50 € 6.80 € 6.50 Corona Extra Beer Draught 5.80 € Hoegaarden Beer Draught 6.20 € Desperados Beer Draught 6.00 €

Test and adjust in one click

With a paper menu, every change costs an impression. With the digital menu, you can test a new positioning, price, or description in 30 seconds — and measure the impact immediately. The engineering menu becomes iterative, not punctual.

Smart suggestions that sell for you

Cross-selling on a paper menu depends 100% on your server. On the Appero digital menu, product suggestions are automatically displayed at the right time: a dessert after the course, a cocktail with the starter. Result: +12% additional sales on average from our customers.

Impact of photos on sales in a digital restaurant menu

The power of photos: trigger envy

The brain processes an image 60,000 times faster than text. On a digital menu, dishes with photos generate 20 to 30% more orders. It is the most powerful lever of the digital engineering menu: we no longer sell a name for a dish, we sell a visual desire.

What does your digital menu tell you reveals

With Appero, each consultation of your menu generates usable data.

Icône vue pour nombre de consultations plats avec photo

Views by product

Identify your hidden stars: the most viewed dishes are not always the most sold. The gap between the two is your No. 1 opportunity.

Icône tendance haut pour statistique ventes additionnelles

Click-through rate on suggestions

Measure the effectiveness of your product recommendations. What suggestion converts? Which to ignore?

Icône statistiques pour données de performance menu

Evolution over time

Follow the impact of each change: new price, new photo, new positioning. Compare week by week.

Icône globe pour traduction multilingue du menu

Behaviour by language

Your foreign customers do not consult the same dishes as your regulars. Adapt your strategy by audience.

Go from feeling to data
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What is the engineering menu Change concretely

Measurable results, not promises.

Avant

  • The dishes are classified by habit, not by profitability
  • No photos or poor quality photos
  • Descriptions that list ingredients without making you want
  • No data on what customers are looking at
  • Suggestions 100% server dependent
  • No dynamic pricing
The result: you're leaving money on the table without knowing it.

After

  • Each dish is positioned strategically according to the matrix
  • Professional photos that trigger envy
  • Descriptions written to sell (+27% sales)
  • Real-time data dashboard
  • Automatic cross-selling (+12% additional sales)
  • Prices can be adjusted in one click (happy hour, season, etc.)
Result: +10 to +20% on your margin without affecting your revenue.
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Frequently asked questions about Menu engineering

What is menu engineering?

It is an analysis method that classifies each dish on your menu according to its popularity and profitability, to optimize the positioning, pricing and presentation of your products. Proven result: +10 to +20% profit.

Does menu engineering work for all types of restaurants?

Yes. Whether you are a brasserie, a gourmet restaurant, a pizzeria or a cocktail bar, the principles of menu engineering apply to any menu with more than 10 references.

Do I have to change my card to do menu engineering?

No We don't change your recipes. We optimize how your dishes are presented, described, positioned and highlighted on your menu. The changes are subtle but the results are significant.

How does the digital menu improve the engineering menu?

The digital menu provides what paper cannot: real-time data on what your customers are viewing, automatic product suggestions, photos that boost orders, and the ability to test and adjust instantly.

How much does a menu engineering audit cost?

The initial audit is free and without commitment. Submit your menu and we'll send you our first recommendations within 48 hours.

What is the Kasavana & Smith matrix?

It is the reference model in menu engineering. It categorizes your dishes into 4 categories: Stars (popular and profitable), Horses (popular but not very profitable), Puzzles (profitable but not very sold), and Dogs (not popular or profitable). It is the starting point for all optimization.

How long does it take to see results?

The first impacts are visible as soon as optimizations are implemented, often within a few weeks. Monitoring over time via digital menu data allows the strategy to be continuously refined.

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