Menu Engineering Tricks to Lift Average Spend Fast

The difference between a £19 and £24 average spend sits in typography, psychology, and scripting. Apply these quick wins and track the upswing within a fortnight.

1. Categorise Using the STAR System

Run contribution analysis and label dishes as Stars (high popularity, high profit), Plow Horses, Puzzles, or Dogs. Place stars in the sweet spots (upper-right for food, centre for drinks) and remove or reformulate Dogs immediately.

2. Use Decoys Wisely

Add a premium anchor dish at the top of each category so the hero dish feels great value. Example: a £38 tomahawk makes the £25 flat-iron look like a steal.

3. Design for Flow

• Drop currency symbols and keep prices aligned to reduce sticker shock.
• Use descriptive copy focusing on provenance and preparation.
• Highlight two "landlord picks" with shaded boxes or icons.
• Keep menus short: 6 mains, 4 starters, 4 desserts sell better than encyclopaedias.

4. Pair Food and Drink

Add suggested pairings directly beneath dishes ("Pair with Moorland Best, +£5"), or bundle as set menus. Train servers to mention the pairing before leaving the table.

5. Introduce Add-On Lines

Offer sauces, sides, and upgrades for every hero dish. A £3 bone marrow butter or £4 truffle chips stack GP without extra labour.

6. Update Digital Touchpoints

Sync the website, QR menus, and delivery listings so pricing and descriptions match. Outdated menus kill trust and conversions.

7. Train the Team

Host a tasting session so everyone can describe textures, suppliers, and cooking methods with confidence. Provide a cheat sheet with three suggested upsell lines per dish.

Mini FAQ

How often should I redesign menus? Quarterly for layout tweaks, seasonally for dish rotation. Keep the engineering sheet updated monthly.

Do printed menus still matter if I use QR codes? Yes. Tangible menus let you guide the eye more effectively. Use both and ensure the design language matches.

Menu engineering is silent salesmanship; done well, it boosts spend without a single extra cover.