Menu engineering isn't easy, but with these 8 simple menu design tweaks your restaurant can boost sales.

1. 8 ASTONISHINGLY SIMPLE
MENU TWEAKS THAT BOOST SALES

2. A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE O N TH E MO DERN MENU:
Menus weren’t always a part of the
dining experience.
The first commercial restaurants didn’t allow guests to
choose what they ate, when or with whom. You simply
showed up, enjoyed a family-style spread and went home
full to a night free of dish duty.
Today’s experience is different, and the
menu is at the heart of it.
The best brands design their menus to drive sales and
guest loyalty. If you're not following their lead, you're leav-
ing money on the table.
901 3320 29 03

3. 901 3320 29 03
1. BOX UP YOUR BES T ITEMS
Boxes draw attention and make things seem important.
Put a box around profitable dishes to encourage guests to
order them more often.

4. SUMMER
Executive Chef P
Our menu is centered around sel
including the following local farm
CRAB & HEIRLOOM TOMATO 14
Jumbo lump crab
RA
VEGETABLES 9 EA
ARTICHOKE
Garlic, Parmesan, Balsamic
ROASTED BEET
Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese
Scallion
CARROT & BRUSSELS SPROUTS
orange juice, cilantro, spanish onion
charmoula, dry apricot, harissa
CHEESE
Assortment of 5 for 19
Served with Fig Jam
Marcona Almond & Toastt
Fromage de Chèvre(Goat)
Gorgonzola Dolce (Cow)
Robiola (Cow)
Manchego (Sheep)
Rocchetta (Cow, Sheep, Goat)
Verd
C
Bresa
Pros
Cured Sa
Crab, He
Octopus,
Shri
Bu
Goat C
Ma
Mushro
SUMMER
Executive Chef P
Our menu is centered around sel
including the following local farm
CRAB & HEIRLOOM TOMATO 14
Jumbo lump crab
RA
VEGETABLES 9 EA
ARTICHOKE
Garlic, Parmesan, Balsamic
ROASTED BEET
Roasted Beet, Goat Cheese
Scallion
CARROT & BRUSSELS SPROUTS
orange juice, cilantro, spanish onion
charmoula, dry apricot, harissa
CHEESE
Assortment of 5 for 19
Served with Fig Jam
Marcona Almond & Toastt
Fromage de Chèvre(Goat)
Gorgonzola Dolce (Cow)
Robiola (Cow)
Manchego (Sheep)
Rocchetta (Cow, Sheep, Goat)
Verd
C
Bresa
Pros
Cured Sa
Crab, He
Octopus,
Shri
Bu
Goat C
Ma
Mushro
EXAMPLE
Moules Frites caught your eye? Now you know
why.
WHAT SHOULD I BOX ON MY MENU?
Upserve shows you which items are
consistently most popular, most profitable and
most likely to bring guests back.
Search Cactu
Orders
Enchilada Trio
Carne asade
Chicken Fajitas
Steak Enchilladas
1
2
3
4
Menu item
133 266
Rank
901 3320 29 03

5. 901 3320 29 03
2. FOCUS ON THE F O O D, NO T TH E PRIC E
Keep prices in the same color, font and size as your menu
item descriptions, avoid columns and consider losing the
“$” symbols.

6. Fig & Olive does a great job hiding their prices in
plain sight, letting their item descriptions guide
guests’ ordering decisions.
EX AMPLE
SEASON | DINNER MENU
scal Lorange | Chef De Cuisine Dave Hartmann
d cuisine from the Riviera & Coastal regions of the South of France, Italy and Spain.
cted farms and ingredients for their genuine taste and seasonality
: Pell farm, Prospect Hill Orchard, Satur Farm, Norwich Meadows
SALMON CRUDO* 14
Orange, Grapefruit, Dill
OYSTERS
erved with a trio of mignonette
W BAR & SEAFOOD
CURED MEAT
FIG JAMON GOAT CHEESE 24
Jamon Iberico de Bellota Cinco Jotas
sherry vinegar – Arbequina Olive Oil
TRADITIONAL JAMON IBERICO 28
Jamon Iberico de Bellota Cinco Jotas
served with Pan Con Tomate
mixed olives – Arbequina Olive Oil
CARPACCIO
ZUCCHINI 14
Lemon, Pine nut, Parmesan
Picholine Olive Oil
YELLOWFIN TUNA* 15
Cilantro, Marcona almond
Toasted Sesame Oil
BEEF* 15
18 Year Balsamic, Tomato
OLIVES
Mixed 6
Malaga Oregano
al Cracked Fennel Pink Pepper
Obregon Rosemary Garlic
uquillo Herbs de Provence
Cordoba Lemon Thyme
CROSTINI
3 for 12 / 6 for 21
ola, Dolce Gorgonzola, Almond
ciutto, Ricotta, Fig, Olive, Walnut
lmon, Radish, Cucumber Yogurt, Dill
loom Tomato, Avocado, Apple Aioli
Cherry Tomato, Heirloom Carrot Purée
mp, Avocado, Cilantro, Tomato
rata, Tomato, Herbs, Balsamic
heese, Caramelized Onion, Chive
nchego, Fig, Marcona Almond
om, Artichoke, Scallion, Parmesan
Cucumber, Shallot, Yogurt
SEASON | DINNER MENU
scal Lorange | Chef De Cuisine Dave Hartmann
d cuisine from the Riviera & Coastal regions of the South of France, Italy and Spain.
cted farms and ingredients for their genuine taste and seasonality
: Pell farm, Prospect Hill Orchard, Satur Farm, Norwich Meadows
SALMON CRUDO* 14
Orange, Grapefruit, Dill
OYSTERS
erved with a trio of mignonette
W BAR & SEAFOOD
CURED MEAT
FIG JAMON GOAT CHEESE 24
Jamon Iberico de Bellota Cinco Jotas
sherry vinegar – Arbequina Olive Oil
TRADITIONAL JAMON IBERICO 28
Jamon Iberico de Bellota Cinco Jotas
served with Pan Con Tomate
mixed olives – Arbequina Olive Oil
CARPACCIO
ZUCCHINI 14
Lemon, Pine nut, Parmesan
Picholine Olive Oil
YELLOWFIN TUNA* 15
Cilantro, Marcona almond
Toasted Sesame Oil
BEEF* 15
18 Year Balsamic, Tomato
OLIVES
Mixed 6
Malaga Oregano
al Cracked Fennel Pink Pepper
Obregon Rosemary Garlic
uquillo Herbs de Provence
Cordoba Lemon Thyme
CROSTINI
3 for 12 / 6 for 21
ola, Dolce Gorgonzola, Almond
ciutto, Ricotta, Fig, Olive, Walnut
lmon, Radish, Cucumber Yogurt, Dill
loom Tomato, Avocado, Apple Aioli
Cherry Tomato, Heirloom Carrot Purée
mp, Avocado, Cilantro, Tomato
rata, Tomato, Herbs, Balsamic
heese, Caramelized Onion, Chive
nchego, Fig, Marcona Almond
om, Artichoke, Scallion, Parmesan
Cucumber, Shallot, Yogurt
s Grill 125 Dorrance St., Providence, RI
533400
455
391
372
332

7. Henner Zeller; CC BY-SA 2.0
901 3320 29 03
3. USE YOUR PRIC EY ITEMS WIS ELY
Every menu has a most-expensive item, and guests rarely
order it. Place high-profit options near this dish - they’ll
seem like bargains in comparison.

8. Bertucci’s Frutti di Mare looks like an affordable
luxury when placed near the expensive filet.
EXAMPLE
HOW DO I DECIDE WHAT GOES WHERE?
Upserve can tell you which items are popular and
bring people back; try placing them near your most
expensive dishes for added appeal.

9. Agu Nieto CC BY 2.0
901 3320 29 03
4. SHARE YOUR STORIES IN TH E RIGH T PLAC E
Your guests care about your traditions and the stories you
have to tell, but your menu may not be the best place for
all the details.

10. EX AMPLE
CONTACT US
members@swipely.com
1-888-SWIPELY
OPERATIONS
Sales
Menu
Servers
MARKETING
Customers
Reviews
Calendar & Events
Loyalty Program
FINANCIALS
Batches & Deposits
Payment Fees
Transaction Search
901 3320 29 03
The team at Per Se shares the history behind
their French traditions on their website,
making guests feel like insiders.

11. 901 3320 29 03
Reviews
Search Cactus Grill 125 Dorrance St., Provide
5. MAKE IT SOUND G O O D ENO UGH TO EAT
Use enticing language to describe ingredients and
preparation methods.

12. Restaurant Week
August 5 – August 11, 2013
Total visits
1072
Average sale
$31.91
+$1.14+178
Sales by day
Day Sales ($) $8k
Aug 5Sun
Calendar Daily journal Campaigns
Marketing Calender & Events
Campaign spend
$4,703.66
ScorecardCactus Grill Other businesses
What are people saying about Cactus Grill?
Showing 1-20 of 234 reviews
The Campfire
Record Beans
Traditional Enchiladas
Burritos
Chicken Quesadilla
(7)
(1)
(4)
(3)
(4)
POPULAR TAGS
RATINGS
SOURCE
Yelp
Google Plus
OpenTable
TripAdvisor
This place is amazing! We have only done drinks and apps here but they keep coming back and bringing
cocktails (The Campfire being one of our favorites) are amazing! The atmosphere is awesome. Being in
character and it seems like everytime we go something exciting... more
“Definitely Go”
Pros:
Best Mexican food I’ve ever had! I ordered the traditional enchiladas and my boyfriend orde
dish.. both were great! The record beans are just the right amount of sweet (again, the best
was extremely... more
Repl
Cactus Grill, I am so disappointed in you. I popped in for a late lunch with my mom this afternoon and it
brim. When a table finally opened up, it took the two servers working the ten table in the restaurant abo
bus the table for us to sit down. As a server myself, I HATE when people seat themselves... more
“Disappointing”
Kennedy Plaza April 2, 2014 Written by Jillian V.
Kennedy Plaza March 20, 2014 Written byKelly M.
(2)
(6)
(3)
(4)
(1)
(7)
(3)
(4)
Edit
(2)
901 3320 29 03
Who wouldn’t order the California Club?
The description sounds tasty and even
guarantees “VIP status!”
EXAMPLE
IS IT WORKING?
Most online reviews mention a menu item - Upserve
shows you how your delicious descriptions are being
shared on Yelp, TripAdvisor,Google+andmore,allin
oneplace.

13. COD Newsroom CC BY 2.0
901 3320 29 03
Last 4 Weeks
nce, RI
6. GIVE NEW ITEMS “S PEC IAL” TREATMENT
Introduce new items as appetizers or specials. According
to Nation’s Restaurant News, new items are ordered more
when the perceived “risk” of ordering them (in terms of
portion size and price) is low.

14. We sure hope some of these delicious lobster
dishes stick around at the ChopHouse...
EXAMPLE
KNOW WHAT’S WORKING
Upserve tells you exactly how much new and repeat
business your specials and promotions bring in.
Total sales (during campaign)
$68,752.48
Customer breakdown
+$6,794.61 +57
$12k$10k
12,617.71 +1,800.32
Restaurant WeekSHOW
343729 repeatnew
+122
OPE
Sale
Me
Ser
MA
Cus
Rev
Cale
Loy
SORT BY Newest
ll our friends! Their craft
an old bank gives tons of
ed a shrimp and garlic
ve had). The wait staff
Reply on Yelp Share
on TripAdvisor Share
was packed to the
ut fifteen minutes to
Reply Share
901 3320 29 03

15. 901 3320 29 03
7. TOAST TH E S EAS O N
Seasonal specials are great for your food and beverage
menus, especially since drinks are often high-profit items.

16. OPERATIONS
Menu Intelligence
Server Performance
MARKETING
Calendar & Events
Customer Database
Loyalty Rewards Program
Reviews & Ratings
FINANCIALS
Sales
Batches & Deposits
Search Cactus G
ScorecardScorecard
Server Bridget D.
History
RATIONS
s
u
vers
KETING
omers
ews
ndar & Events
alty Program
STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIE
Sales per cover
15.23 avg sales per cover
Entrees, drinks and wine. Dessert, be
DrinksEntrees
Comparing all shifts against shifts that Bridget h
worked.
Edit Share
Providence, RI
Bridget D.
Seasonally-inspired cocktails, like those at
Flatbread Pizza, can bring in extra revenue.
The Modern Maple cocktail could even be
paired with their Maple-Fennel Sausage Pizza
for a themed combo!
EX AMPLE
MAXIMIZE THE BENEFIT Use Upserve to find
out which servers are winning with specific items
like drinks, then share their secrets
with the rest of your team.
901 3320 29 03

17. Kenny Louie CC BY 2.0
901 3320 29 03
8. GO ON... INDULGE
Dining out is a luxury; make it feel that way. Train servers to
recommend decadent items like cocktails or desserts – guests
will enjoy the VIP service and you’ll like the boost in sales.

18. Showing off your decadent dessert selection
might just raise ticket totals and tips.
EX AMPLE
KNOW (AND USE) YOUR STRENGTHS
Upserve shows you who is best at selling specific
items. Coach servers to apply their successful
approaches to other items you’d like to sell more of.
Search Cactus Grill 125 Dorrance St., Provi
Sales per week
$500
$450
$400
ranked 5th of out 20 entrees
Dec 11–18 Dec 19–26 Dec 27 - Jan 1Dec 3–10
$8.5k
$8k
$7.5k
Fishtacos
AllEntrees
Highlights
Michelle S
Billy J
Donald T
Top servers
Recent customers
Fish tacos
All Entrees
Dec 3 - 10
Fish tacos
All Entrees
$401.98
$8,991.01
Show all 24 servers
Menu Intelligence Fish Tacos
Recent sales Top servers Pairings Reputation Profit boosterScorecard Recent sales Top servers Pairings Reputation Profit Booster
$12.50
ill 125 Dorrance St., Providence, RI
Recent 4 Weeks
S
Top 20%
er and apps
Wine Dessert Apps (+5)
About
FILTER BY Server shift
as
901 3320 29 03

19. Or start the conversation now:
sales @upserve.com
See how Upserve can help you grow sales
by connecting menu, staff and customer insights.
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