Where’s the Bacon? Menu Costing & Better Margins
Fewer than 20% of restaurant operators know their exact plate costs. With food and labor expenses surging over 30%, relying on wishful spreadsheet math can silently drain your annual profit. Taking control of your recipes and menu is the secret to your operation’s survival–and long-term success.
KITCHEN EFFICIENCY
Eliminate Waste With Portioning
Commercial kitchens lose 3-5% of food purchases due to inconsistent measuring. Protect your margins by deploying simple kitchen systems: color-coded scoops, pre-portioned prep bags, and reference plate photos posted above your scales.
Guide Guests to Your Highest-Margin Dishes
Discover how to price your restaurant menu by categorizing plates using the 30/30/30 rule for restaurants and strategic menu engineering.
Check out our infographic to learn more.
Stars
(High Sales, High Profit)
Highlight your MVPs visually on your menu and boost check averages with high-margin micro-add-ons.
Plow Horses
(High Sales, Low Profit)
Re-engineer crowd-pleasers without sudden price hikes—trim portion sizes slightly or make smart, flavor-rich ingredient swaps.
Puzzles
(Low Sales, High Profit)
Revamp generic dish names and descriptions to improve customer perception without adding ingredient costs.
Dogs
(Low Sales, Low Profit)
Revamp generic dish names and descriptions to improve customer perception without adding ingredient costs.
Reveal the hidden "Margin Munchers" cutting into your menu bottom line.
LIVE WEBINAR
Introducing Menu Plus: Less Guesswork, More Revenue
Every dish on your menu should be working for your bottom line. Join us for a live demo of Menu Plus—our brand-new, completely free digital tool built to take the guesswork out of menu engineering!
November 12, 2026
10:00 AM EST
Small Cost Adjustments, Massive Profit Growth
Reducing your food cost percentage by just 3% yields the same financial impact as increasing sales volume by 10% to 15%. Connect your purchasing, recipes, and live market pricing within Gordon Ordering to automate your recipe costing and menu audits.
Need help? Book an appointment with a Specialist!
