Mental Anchoring, Menu Design, Menu Engineering, Menu Makeover, Menu Matrix, Menu Strategic Pricing, Restaurant Marketing, Restaurant Menu, restaurant menu design, Uncategorized
When it’s time to update your restaurant menu, the worst place to start is with guesses. The best place to start is with a Menu Matrix. A Menu Matrix gives you a clear, objective look at what’s working, what’s underperforming, and where your real profit opportunities...
Restaurant Advertising, Restaurant Business, Restaurant Marketing, Restaurant Products, Restaurant Promotions, Restaurant Social Media, Social Media, Uncategorized
Selling Restaurant Food in a Down Economy The economic backdrop for U.S. restaurants in 2025 is proving increasingly challenging. On one hand, total eating-and-drinking-place sales have edged up modestly — but the gains are being driven largely by menu-price...
Branding, Foodservice Brand Marketing, Menu Design, Menu Engineering, Menu Makeover, Menu Matrix, Menu Strategic Pricing, Restaurant Advertising, Restaurant Business, Restaurant Food Photography, Restaurant Marketing, Restaurant Menu, restaurant menu design, Restaurant Products, Restaurant Promotions, Restaurant Social Media, Social Media, Uncategorized
Behind the Scenes of the WRA Traveling Show: My Talk on Menu Engineering, Design, Social Media & Guerrilla Marketing This past fall, I had the privilege of presenting at the Wisconsin Restaurant Association’s Traveling Show, with stops in Eau Claire, Green Bay,...
Foodservice Brand Marketing, Menu Engineering, Menu Matrix, Restaurant Business, Restaurant Social Media, Uncategorized
What The WRA Shows Revealed About Restaurant Reality in 2025 By Mark K. Laux, HotOperator® I’ve been to my share of restaurant trade shows: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, PA, Texas. Different badges, different booths — but lately, the same conversation is...
Menu Design, Restaurant Marketing, restaurant menu design, Uncategorized
Are you making any of these Top 8 Restaurant Menu Design Mistakes When was the last time you gave your menu a serious look—not just the food, but the way it’s written, priced, and designed? At HotOperator®, we’ve reviewed thousands of menus. And we’ve noticed that...
Menu Design, Menu Engineering, Menu Makeover, Menu Matrix, Menu Strategic Pricing, restaurant menu design, Uncategorized
The Secret to Preventing a Downward Spiral in Your Restaurant Menu In my decades of menu development experience and over 30 years in the foodservice business, one recurring issue stands out: what I call the “Downward Spiral.” It’s a subtle yet destructive...
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