Selecting items that give you the greatest net dollar gain can make the largest difference in your profitability. Ask your PDC sales representative to help you breakdown the true cost of your menu offerings as your first step in this process. Once you have the cost of an item, the next step is to obtain a working price. If you stop here, you are leaving money on the table for your operation. Let's use our chicken plate as the example.
Small numbers can add up to big profits.
There are many items in which you may be able to charge higher prices, because they are perceived as a better value. Almost universally the charge is higher than this, due to market value perception. Research shows that the customers' eye or the gaze pattern of menu readers goes first to the upper right hand side of a two part, book-type menu once it is opened. On a three part menu, the gaze will go to the upper center once it is opened. These are the places to put your entrees, since they represent your highest gross profit contributors.