Free tool
Restaurant Menu Suggestor
Format + cuisine → optimized starter menu with dish roles, section structure, and menu engineering tips. 25-cuisine menu bank adapted for QSR to fine dining.
Format
Veg
Menu focus
Regional cuisines (Awadhi, Bengali, coastal) fit better than QSR-style single concepts.
Optimization tips
Menu-engineering moves for this format and cuisine.
Menu engineering70/30 rule: ~70% of revenue should come from ~30% of your SKUs. Mark signature and star dishes clearly on the menu.
Menu engineeringAnchor pricing: your highest-priced main should be 1.8–2.5× your median main — it makes mid-tier items feel like value.
Menu engineeringIngredient overlap: design so your top 5 ingredients appear in 60%+ of dishes. Fewer vendors, lower waste.
Menu engineeringSection caps: don't exceed 8–10 items per section at launch. A smaller, consistent menu beats a sprawling one.
Menu engineeringReserve 2–3 menu slots for seasonal/festival swaps — don't rebuild the whole menu every quarter.
Menu engineeringAttach rate: every main should have a natural beverage or dessert upsell. Train staff on one-line upsells.
Format tipFine dining: fewer items, higher ATV. Remove traffic drivers; keep anchors and signatures.
Format tipTasting menu or chef's table option can carry 40%+ food cost and still work.
Format tipWine/beverage pairing notes on menu lift liquor attach — if licensed.
Cuisine tipSteak and salmon are weekend anchors — don't run on weekday lunch unless hotel F&B.
Ingredient overlap wins
Shared prep keeps waste and SKU count down.
- Grill station shared across chicken, steak, lamb, salmon
- Cream + butter base in alfredo, mashed potatoes, sauces
- Salad greens prep shared across caesar, club sandwich garnish
- Imported proteins (salmon, lamb) need separate vendor contracts
Equipment essentials
- Char grill / salamander
- Deep fryer
- Banquet hot holding
- Wine storage
Your starter menu
LiveDishes recommended
28
Fine Dining · Continental · target 18–28
Veg / non-veg17 / 11
Avg prep time11 min
Food cost band30–38%
Cuisine note
Imported proteins + dairy, FX exposed.
Starters
| Dish | Role | Veg | Price band | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Onion Soup | Profit | Veg | ₹200–340 | 15m |
| Quiche | Profit | Veg | ₹220–380 | 5m |
| Caesar Salad | Traffic | Veg | ₹220–380 | 6m |
| Bruschetta | Traffic | Veg | ₹180–300 | 5m |
| Chicken Wings | Attach | Non-veg | ₹250–420 | 12m |
Mains
| Dish | Role | Veg | Price band | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled Chicken Breast | Signature | Non-veg | ₹350–580 | 18m |
| Fish & Chips | Star | Non-veg | ₹380–620 | 15m |
| Steak (250g) | Anchor | Non-veg | ₹650–1100 | 20m |
| Grilled Salmon | Anchor | Non-veg | ₹580–950 | 15m |
| Lamb Chops | Anchor | Non-veg | ₹650–1100 | 22m |
| Pasta Alfredo | Profit | Veg | ₹320–520 | 12m |
| Eggs Benedict | Profit | Non-veg | ₹280–450 | 10m |
| Veg Lasagna | Traffic | Veg | ₹320–520 | 20m |
| Club Sandwich | Traffic | Non-veg | ₹250–420 | 8m |
Sides
| Dish | Role | Veg | Price band | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mashed Potatoes | Attach | Veg | ₹120–220 | 15m |
| Grilled Vegetables | Attach | Veg | ₹150–260 | 12m |
| French Fries | Attach | Veg | ₹120–220 | 6m |
| Coleslaw | Attach | Veg | ₹80–150 | 5m |
Beverages
| Dish | Role | Veg | Price band | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Wine (Glass) | Anchor | Veg | ₹350–650 | 1m |
| Mocktail | Profit | Veg | ₹200–350 | 3m |
| Fresh Juice | Attach | Veg | ₹150–260 | 3m |
Desserts
| Dish | Role | Veg | Price band | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crème Brûlée | Anchor | Veg | ₹250–420 | 2m |
| Cheesecake | Profit | Veg | ₹220–380 | 2m |
| Chocolate Brownie | Attach | Veg | ₹180–300 | 2m |
Combos & Thalis
| Dish | Role | Veg | Price band | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Lunch Set | Star | Non-veg | ₹550–900 | 12m |
| Grill Platter | Anchor | Non-veg | ₹900–1500 | 20m |
| Corporate Dinner Set | Anchor | Non-veg | ₹1200–2000 | 18m |
| Soup + Salad + Main | Traffic | Veg | ₹450–750 | 15m |
Fine Dining · Continental starter menu
Opening a fine dining with a continental menu? Start with 28 curated dishes adapted for this format — target food cost 30-38%. Liquor licence + premium location rent; weekend-only revenue concentration.
Related: Continental menu pricing · viability score · cost to open
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Related reading
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- menuPlow Horse repricing: raise bestseller prices without losing volumeButter chicken and dal makhani sell every day but barely cover rent after food cost. Raising price on a bestseller feels suicidal. Here's when to do it, how much to move, and the three plays that lift margin without losing the order count.
- case studyMenu redesign case study: 15% margin lift in 90 daysA 1,400 sqft Kothrud casual dining grew contribution margin 15 points in 90 days without raising prices on bestsellers or losing covers. Here is the before after, the 8 menu changes that mattered, and what the data shows.
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