Menu Engineering Classification Checklist | The Spinoglio Hospitality Lab
Menu Engineering Classification Checklist — The Spinoglio Hospitality Lab
Free Resource · The Menu Profit System™

Know Exactly What Every Item
on Your Menu Is Worth

Most restaurant owners have a sense of which dishes perform — but a sense isn't a system. This checklist gives you a structured, data-backed way to classify every item on your menu and know precisely what to do with each one.

Download Free Checklist 5 pages · Instant access · No cost
The Menu Engineering Matrix
⭐ Stars
High Profit
High Popularity
🧩 Puzzles
High Profit
Low Popularity
🐴 Plowhorses
Low Profit
High Popularity
🐕 Dogs
Low Profit
Low Popularity
4 Categories
Every item classified clearly
3 Steps
Data · Action · Review
+$147K
Added at Lime Mexican Restaurant
5 Pages
Structured & ready to use
The Problem With Most Menus

You Can't Manage What You
Haven't Classified

Menu Engineering Classification Checklist · Part of the Menu Profit System™

Most operators make menu decisions based on feel — what the chef loves, what seems popular, what's been there longest. But without a classification system, you have no way of knowing which items are silently draining your margin and which ones are carrying your profitability.

The Menu Engineering Classification Checklist gives you a systematic, repeatable process to place every item into one of four categories — and tells you exactly what to do with each one. Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Dogs. Once you know which is which, you know where to act.

The Four Categories — And What Each One Means
Stars
High Profit · High Popularity
Your best performers. Guests love them and they make you money every time they're ordered. These items must be protected, promoted, and never discounted.
Protect & Promote
Puzzles
High Profit · Low Popularity
Hidden profit gems that guests aren't ordering enough. Usually a visibility or description problem — not a quality one. Fix the marketing before removing them.
Boost Visibility
Plowhorses
Low Profit · High Popularity
Popular dishes that don't make enough. Guests want them, but the margin is too low. Don't remove them — improve their economics through pricing or cost adjustments.
Improve or Re-price
Dogs
Low Profit · Low Popularity
Items that cost you real estate and generate little return. Every dish on your menu takes up space. If it doesn't earn its place, remove it.
Remove or Replace
What's Inside — The 3-Step Process
  • 1
    Gather Your Data
    Pull your sales mix report, calculate contribution margin per item, and build your classification grid. A clear, guided process — no guesswork required.
  • 2
    Act on Each Category
    Specific, actionable checklists for Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Dogs. You'll know exactly what to do with every item — placement, pricing, description, removal.
  • 3
    Review & Schedule Your Next Audit
    Menu engineering is not a one-time event. This step sets you up for ongoing 60–90 day audits so your menu stays sharp and profitable over time.
What This Gives You
  • ✓ A clear classification for every item on your menu — no more grey areas or gut-feel decisions
  • ✓ Specific actions for each category — you'll know exactly what to do with Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, and Dogs
  • ✓ A step-by-step data collection process — contribution margin, popularity threshold, and classification grid
  • ✓ A repeatable audit framework — built for 60–90 day reviews so your menu performance compounds over time
  • ✓ A tool your whole team can use — structured enough for a GM or Head Chef to run independently
  • ✓ Confidence in every menu decision — backed by data, not instinct
"Menu engineering is not a one-time event. The operators who use this framework every 60–90 days are the ones who consistently improve average spend — not by luck, but by design."
Who This Is For
This is for you if you
  • ✓Want data behind every menu decision
  • ✓Have never formally classified your menu
  • ✓Know some items underperform but aren't sure which
  • ✓Want a repeatable system — not a one-off exercise
Not for you if you
  • ✗Are happy making decisions by feel
  • ✗Don't have access to basic POS sales data
  • ✗Won't act on what the data shows
Free Download · Instant Access

Get the Menu Engineering
Classification Checklist

Enter your details and we'll send the checklist to your inbox — ready to run on your menu today.

Stars · Puzzles · Plowhorses · Dogs 5 pages