I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I’ve spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.
In this episode, I dig into how smart menu design can completely transform your restaurant’s performance. I explain how structure, storytelling, and price positioning shape the guest experience and directly impact profitability. You’ll learn how to streamline decisions, highlight your most profitable items, and turn your menu into one of your most powerful marketing tools.
Takeaways
- Structure is key to a profitable menu.
- Cutting choices, not items, improves decision-making.
- Menus should guide the guest's journey logically.
- Price positioning enhances perceived value.
- Storytelling in menu descriptions increases sales.
- Emotional language resonates more than technical jargon.
- Observing guest behavior can identify menu choke points.
- Clear section headings improve menu navigation.
- Pricing anchors make items feel more affordable.
- Redesigning menus can reduce decision time.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Restaurant Marketing Masterclass
01:02 Understanding Menu Structure for Profitability
03:17 Designing Menus for Decision Efficiency
05:12 The Importance of Price Positioning
06:11 Crafting Emotional Menu Descriptions
07:38 Actionable Steps to Improve Your Menu
If you’ve got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting
https://joshkopel.com.
What is FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution?
What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away?
I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP.
Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game: restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we unpack their biggest wins, hardest lessons, and the strategies that changed everything.
No fluff, no filler—just actionable insights to help you boost profits, build your brand, and create the kind of restaurant you’ve always dreamed of.
So, if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing results, hit subscribe.