Food And Beverage Consultants · Restaurant Strategy · Menu Psychology
I’ve been learning about the restaurant business for a while now, and honestly, some of this stuff blew my mind. Menu engineering is a real thing. It’s not just putting food names on a piece of paper. It’s science, psychology, and a little bit of magic all rolled into one.
So let me break it down for you in a simple way. Here are the tactics that top food and beverage consultants use — the ones they don’t usually tell you about.
Average profit boost from menu redesign
Time a customer spends on each menu section
More likely to order a highlighted item
What Even Is Menu Engineering?
Menu engineering is basically studying which items on your menu make the most money and which ones people love the most. Then you use that info to design the menu so more people order the profitable stuff.
Food and beverage consultants do this for a living. They study the menu, look at sales data, and then rearrange things to make the restaurant more money. Simple idea, but very powerful when you do it right.
— Common insight among professional food and beverage consultants
The Tactics They Use (But Rarely Talk About)
The “Golden Triangle” Eye Trick
When you open a menu, your eyes don’t move randomly. Studies show they first go to the middle, then the top right, then the top left. That’s the “golden triangle.” Smart consultants put the most profitable dishes right in those spots. So if you always order something from the top-right of the menu — now you know why.
Removing the Dollar Sign
This one is sneaky but it really works. When menus write prices like “14” instead of “$14.00,” people spend more. The dollar sign reminds your brain that you’re spending real money. Without it, it just looks like a number. Food and beverage consultants call this “decoy pricing” and it’s used in almost every upscale restaurant.
The “Anchor” Item Trick
Consultants place one super expensive item on the menu — not because they expect it to sell — but to make everything else look affordable by comparison. If a steak is $80, then a $35 pasta suddenly seems like a great deal. That expensive item is called the “anchor.” It’s there to change how you see price.
Descriptive Words That Make Food Sound Amazing
Saying “Chicken” is boring. Saying “Slow-roasted free-range chicken with smoky paprika glaze and charred lemon butter” makes your mouth water. Research has shown that dishes with longer, more descriptive names sell way more than plain ones. Good food and beverage consultants always rewrite menu descriptions to sound more exciting — even if the recipe hasn’t changed at all.
Boxes and Visual Breaks Draw Attention
Ever notice how some menu items have a little box around them or are slightly highlighted? That’s on purpose. Your eye is naturally drawn to anything that looks different. Consultants use borders, shading, or icons (like a small star or chef’s hat) to point your attention toward the items the restaurant most wants to sell.
Fewer Choices = More Sales
Having too many options actually stresses people out. It’s called “choice overload.” When there are 50 items on a menu, people get confused and often just go with something boring. Top food and beverage consultants usually recommend cutting the menu down to fewer, better items. This helps the kitchen too — and it usually means higher profits per item.
The “Story” Behind the Dish
People love a good story. A menu that says “Grandma Rosa’s Sunday Ragu — a recipe passed down three generations in Sicily” makes you feel something. You’re not just buying pasta — you’re buying an experience. Consultants often work with chefs to find real stories behind dishes or create a brand identity that makes the food feel more special and worth the price.
Why Do Restaurants Need Food and Beverage Consultants?
Some restaurant owners think they can figure everything out on their own. And some can! But most of them are busy running the kitchen, managing staff, and keeping customers happy. They don’t have time to study menu psychology or analyze which dishes are hurting their profits.
That’s where food and beverage consultants come in. They bring a fresh pair of eyes. They’re not emotionally attached to any dish. They just look at the numbers and what works.
- They help restaurants identify which menu items are “dead weight” — dishes that cost a lot to make but nobody orders.
- They redesign the menu layout so high-profit items get noticed first.
- They help with pricing strategy so the restaurant makes more money without customers feeling ripped off.
- They train staff on how to “suggestive sell” — meaning how to mention add-ons or upgrades without being pushy.
- They study competitor menus and help restaurants stand out.
Good consultants can literally save a struggling restaurant or take a decent one and make it great. It’s one of the most underrated jobs in the food industry.
The Menu “Star” System — A Secret Framework
Here’s one more thing most people don’t know. Food and beverage consultants often use a system to sort menu items into four groups:
⭐ Stars
These are the items that are both popular AND profitable. They’re your best friends. Keep them on the menu, give them great placement, and make sure the description is mouth-watering.
🐄 Plow Horses
These are popular but not very profitable. People love them, but they cost a lot to make. The goal is to slowly raise the price or tweak the recipe to improve margins — without ruining what people love about them.
🧩 Puzzles
Profitable but not very popular. These are hidden gems. The consultant’s job is to figure out why nobody’s ordering them. Maybe the description is bad, or the placement on the menu is terrible. A small fix can turn a puzzle into a star.
🐶 Dogs
Not popular, not profitable. These items are just taking up space. A good food and beverage consultant will usually recommend cutting these — even if the chef loves them.
This simple system can completely change how a restaurant thinks about its menu. And it’s not taught in culinary school — it’s something consultants learn from real experience.
Real Talk — Does This Stuff Actually Work?
Yes, it really does. Restaurants that work with professional food and beverage consultants often see noticeable results — like customers spending more per table, fewer complaints, and smoother kitchen operations. And a lot of times, it comes down to small changes that seem almost too simple to matter.
Moving a dish from the bottom of the menu to the top right? Sales can go up. Changing “grilled fish” to “pan-seared Atlantic salmon with caramelized herb crust”? More orders. Taking off the dollar sign? People spend more without feeling like they spent more.
It sounds almost unfair — like the restaurant is tricking you. But most consultants would say they’re just helping restaurants communicate better. They’re making it easier for customers to find things they’ll enjoy. Whether you agree with that or not, the tactics work.
Final Thoughts
Next time you sit down at a restaurant and open the menu, take a second look. Notice where your eyes go first. Check if there’s an item that seems way more expensive than the rest. Look for the items with the longest, most poetic descriptions. You’re probably looking at the work of a food and beverage consultant.
These professionals are behind the scenes in a lot of successful restaurants. They’re quiet, they don’t get mentioned in food reviews, but they’re a big reason some restaurants make a lot of money while others struggle.
If you ever want to open a restaurant or improve one you already have — learning about menu engineering is one of the best things you can do. Or better yet, find a good food and beverage consultant. It might be the best investment you make.
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