How to raise menu prices without losing customers
Updated
Ingredient, rent and wage costs keep rising, and a menu priced two years ago is probably losing money on some dishes. Raising prices is normal; doing it carefully keeps regulars happy.
Start with food cost, not a gut feeling
For each dish, add up what the ingredients cost per plate, then divide by the menu price. That percentage is the dish's food cost. Many restaurants aim for somewhere around 28–35%, but the right target depends on your concept and other costs.
Our free menu price calculator does the arithmetic: enter the plate cost and your target food cost, and it suggests a price.
Raise in small steps, dish by dish
Adjust the dishes that are furthest from your target first instead of adding the same amount to everything. Small, targeted changes are less noticeable than a blanket increase.
Protect the dishes people come back for
Your two or three signature dishes shape how guests feel about your prices. If you can, keep them steady and recover margin elsewhere, or add something that makes the new price feel fair, such as a better side.
Update the menu the same day
Nothing annoys a guest like a price at the till that differs from the menu. With a live QR menu you change the price on your phone and every table sees it immediately; with printed menus, you are waiting on a reprint.