Tag: food cost

• The Model

  Menu Engineering: Which Items Are Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Dogs?

  

  Menu engineering uses margin and volume data to optimize profitability. Identify your stars, dogs, and opportunities and adjust pricing or the menu accordingly.

  February 24, 2026
• The Model

  Restaurant Break-Even Analysis: Know Your Number Before You Panic

  

  Know your break-even point before crisis hits. Learn how to calculate it, adjust for prime cost, and forecast the covers you need to stay in business.

  February 24, 2026
• Expenses & Cost Management

  Ideal Food Cost vs. Actual Food Cost: How Waste Is Quietly Killing Your Margins

  

  The gap between your ideal and actual food cost is money you’re losing every week. Learn how to calculate waste percentage, identify the most common sources of variance, and close the gap without changing your menu or raising prices.

  February 24, 2026