Effect of menu-item placement on item-selection frequency [abstract]

Abstract

50% of all new restaurants close their doors in the first year of business due to the inability to turn a profit. A potential method of profit maximization involves altering a menu's layout. Restaurant consultants and current literature suggest that menu-item placement directly effects item-selection frequency. A field test was conducted to study the theory. Menu-items from a local restaurant were tracked before and after a menu treatment that involved moving menu-items while keeping all other factors constant. This study will provide a better understanding of this relationship and could provide valuable information to restaurateurs.