Example prompt coming soon
Install
Start with the ZIP package, then choose the AI tool workflow that fits your setup.
- Download
restaurant-menu-profitability-analyzer.zip(5.8 KB). - Open the package and read
SKILL.md, plus any included references, templates, or scripts. - Use the instructions directly in any AI tool that supports reusable instructions, project knowledge, custom agents, or uploaded reference files.
For Claude Code, unzip into ~/.claude/skills/ so the folder lands at ~/.claude/skills/restaurant-menu-profitability-analyzer/, then reload Claude Code. For Claude.ai, upload the same ZIP from Customize → Skills.
Use with other AI tools
This package is not locked to one vendor. If your AI tool does not support Claude-style skills, copy the core instructions from SKILL.md into the tool's custom instructions, project prompt, agent setup, or reusable prompt library.
- Upload or paste any included reference files as project knowledge where your tool supports it.
- Keep the output format from
SKILL.mdintact so results stay predictable. - Run a small test with your own data before using the workflow in production.
Compatibility depends on the features your AI tool provides. Treat scripts as optional local helpers unless your environment can run them safely.
Claude installation reference
The ZIP also follows Claude's Agent Skills structure: a folder with a required SKILL.md file plus optional scripts, references, templates, and resources.
- Agent Skills for Claude Code: official guide for creating, installing, testing, and debugging skills.
- Creating custom skills for Claude.ai: official guide for packaging a skill as a ZIP and uploading it to Claude.
- Using Skills in Claude: plan availability, enabling Skills, and how Claude invokes them.
You know that feeling when you look at your menu and wonder if the best-selling dish is actually losing you money? As a restaurant owner or manager, you rely on instinct and rough mental math to decide which items to keep, reprice, or drop. But without hard numbers, you’re leaving margin on the table.
The Restaurant Menu Profitability Analyzer changes that. Feed it your cost, price, and sales data, and it returns a clear, structured report showing exactly which dishes drive profit and which ones bleed it.
Quick Scan
- Best for: Restaurant owners, F&B managers, chefs, hospitality consultants
- Output: Menu profitability report with a star matrix (Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, Dogs) and actionable recommendations
- Inputs: Item name, cost per serving, selling price, units sold (over a defined period)
- Time saved: Eliminates hours of manual spreadsheet work
- Main caveat: Accurate cost data is critical — garbage in, garbage out
What It Does
This AI skill parses the menu data you provide — a simple table or CSV — and calculates four key metrics:
- Profit per item and Profit Margin %
- Contribution Margin (profit × units sold)
- Popularity Score (% of total sales)
It then classifies each menu item using a modified Boston Matrix:
- Stars: High margin & high popularity → keep and promote
- Plowhorses: Low margin but high popularity → potential repricing or cost reduction
- Puzzles: High margin but low popularity → need marketing push or placement changes
- Dogs: Low margin & low popularity → candidates for removal
Finally, it generates a concise report with specific, actionable recommendations — drop this item, promote that one, nudge up the price on a third.
When to Use It
- Monthly or quarterly menu performance review
- Before a seasonal menu redesign
- When overall food cost % creeps above target
- As a quick audit before a pricing meeting
When Not to Use It
- If your cost data is unreliable or missing for many items
- If you need real‑time integration with a POS system
- If your menu rarely changes and you already have a rigorous analysis process
How to Install and Use
- Download the skill ZIP from the link below.
- Extract the folder to your AI workflow skills directory (e.g.,
~/.claude/skills/). - In Claude Code, activate the skill and paste your menu data in this format:
`` Item Name, Cost per Serving, Selling Price, Units Sold Margherita Pizza, 3.50, 12.00, 320 Grilled Salmon, 9.20, 24.00, 150 ... ``
- (Optional) Adjust classification thresholds in the YAML frontmatter of
SKILL.mdto suit your menu size.
A Concrete Example
Input
Item Name, Cost per Serving, Selling Price, Units Sold
Margherita Pizza, 3.50, 12.00, 320
Grilled Salmon, 9.20, 24.00, 150
Caesar Salad, 4.00, 11.00, 280
Truffle Fries, 2.80, 9.00, 410
Lobster Ravioli, 12.00, 28.00, 85
Output (summary)
- Margherita Pizza — Star. Profit margin 70.8%, 320 units sold. Contributes €2,720.
- Truffle Fries — Star. Margin 68.9%, 410 units sold. Contributes €2,542.
- Grilled Salmon — Puzzle. Good margin (61.7%) but only 150 units sold; promote it.
- Lobster Ravioli — Puzzle. Highest profit per item but unpopular; consider featuring or renaming.
Recommendations: Slightly increase price on Truffle Fries (high demand, little price sensitivity), run a staff push on the Salmon, and keep an eye on the Ravioli for a menu-placement trial.
Limitations
- Data quality dependent. If your cost data is outdated or wrong, the analysis will be misleading.
- No seasonal trend detection. This is a static, single‑period analysis; it won’t account for seasonal demand spikes.
- Assumes fixed costs per serving. In reality, ingredient prices fluctuate; use your average cost for the period.
- Classification thresholds are generic. You may need to tweak the percentile cut‑offs for smaller or very large menus.
Download the Skill
Ready to stop guessing? Download the Restaurant Menu Profitability Analyzer and get the numbers that help you make smarter menu decisions.
Download Restaurant Menu Profitability Analyzer
Related Skills
None yet — but check back for upcoming restaurant‑focused skills like a Food Cost Optimizer or a Daily Specials Planner.
Practical tool for restaurant operators who want to stop guessing about menu performance.
Changelog
- v1.0.0 May 12, 2026 Initial release.
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