Synergy was hired by a restaurant to help them develop a new concept by recommending a range of strategies to help them improve food, beverage, and sales. We helped them realize their potential and gave them a clear food vision that would address and meet their financial goals.  With increasing labor costs, they did not want to raise menu prices as that can often be problematic with their loyal customer base. So instead, we addressed the problem by re-engineering the menu and upgrading several items to optimize margins and improve profitability. The changes encouraged customers to try new and exciting offerings, which increased check averages while keeping the core menu prices stable. 

The specific strategy we recommended was implementing a simple “game.” We encouraged our client to focus on those quick wins by playing the $3 Game. The rules? Look for ways to increase their average check by just $3. That’s it.

We were thrilled to get an update from the client last week. They took our recommendations and, utilizing the $3 Game, were able to achieve a $4.22 increase per spiny lobster dish as compared to last year. They also made the recommended change of offering this very well-received dish every day, instead of only a few days a week.  

A robust menu is a restaurant’s best-selling tool, and if you don’t create reasons for people to spend more money, you are not optimizing your potential revenue!