Restaurant Unstoppable #1228: 7 Phases of Menu Engineering with Sean Willard

Host: Eric Cacciatore
Guest: Sean Willard, Menu Engineer
Date: October 16, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Eric is joined by expert menu engineer Sean Willard to unpack the "7 Phases of Menu Engineering," drawing from Sean’s extensive experience working with operations ranging from independent restaurants to major global chains. Sean’s methodology comes directly from his years collaborating with the late Greg Rapp, regarded as the godfather of menu engineering. The conversation is a deep dive into practical, actionable steps any restaurant can take to transform their menu into a profit-driving, guest-loving, and team-bonding tool—all while keeping hospitality and service at the forefront.

Main Theme

How to approach your restaurant’s menu as a living, strategic document—following the 7-phase menu engineering cycle:

1. Ideation
2. Planning & Analysis
3. Development & Strategy
4. Menu Design
5. Pre-Launch
6. New Menu Launch
7. Operations

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Intro to Menu Engineering & Sean’s Background

• Sean’s restaurant journey: from cleaning menus as a host, to Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, to being mentored by Greg Rapp (the “godfather” of modern menu engineering).
• Takeaway: Menu engineering isn’t just about pricing or design, but fusing your brand, operations, and team culture together for continuous improvement.
• Quote:

  “For us, menu engineering is about helping people find something they love—something that’ll bring them back. Not about tricking people, but building repeat guests.” — Sean Willard [56:55]

2. Success Mantra & Service Mindset

• Success mantra: “Life is service. The one who progresses is the one who gives his fellow men a little more, a little better service.” [05:36]
• Hospitality as a differentiator in a competitive, increasingly transactional industry.
• Collaborating on menus as a social, team-building process—not a top-down dictate.

3. The 7 Phases of Menu Engineering

Phase 1: Ideation [22:49]

• Purpose: Reflect, collaboratively dream, and take inspiration from both inside and outside the restaurant world.
• Activities: Menu safaris, competitor research (by cuisine, price point, proximity), brainstorming, looking for blue ocean opportunities and trends.
• Engage your frontline staff for their insights:

  “Some of the best ideas we get come from frontline staff. They’ve eaten their way through the menu, know the mods and combos guests keep asking for, and sometimes invent something new—like the Frappuccino at Starbucks.” — Sean [32:11]

• Encouragement for healthy internal competitions to spark new ideas.

Phase 2: Planning & Analysis [35:10]

• Purpose: Data-driven review: What’s working, what’s not?
• Activities: State-of-the-menu meetings (management, staff, ownership), reviewing alignment with company mission, values, and vision.
• Analysis of actual menu performance KPIs—dessert sales, NA beverage ratios, cost accuracy, POS habits.
• Importance of tracking food costs and pricing with discipline:

  “4 out of every 5 restaurants do not have up-to-date costs. You’re shooting blind if you don’t know your costs.” — Sean [56:00]

Phase 3: Development & Strategy [56:47]

• Purpose: Optimize the menu mix for profitability, guest loyalty, and operational efficiency.
• Focus Questions:
  • What are our “bring them back” items?
  • What single SKU items can be cleaned up?
  • Should we extend our stars (high profit, high popularity) or retire “dogs”?
  • Where do we need a price increase?
• Framework: The Boston Consulting Group matrix—Stars, Plowhorses, Puzzles, Dogs.
• Narrow focus wins: Build a brand around a few exceptional, craveable items, especially in today’s tight labor and slim-margin environment.

Phase 4: Menu Design [75:14]

• Purpose: Translate menu content & strategy into a guest-facing, on-brand, clear, and visually pleasing menu.
• Key points:
  • Separate content strategy (menu engineering) from visual/graphical design.
  • Menu design as a complete reflection of the operation—cleanliness, brand feel, and value perception (tactile matters!).
  • Digital menus bring benefits (dynamic pricing, easy updates), but hybrid/tactile menus have enduring value for hospitality.
  • Unique & cost-effective design examples: Bouchon’s folded butcher paper menu, Dishoom’s beverage menus bound in recycled cardboard.

Phase 5: Pre-Launch [90:28]

• Purpose: Seamlessly execute the switch from old to new menu—internally and externally.
• Action: Button up POS changes, website updates, third-party platforms, staff training, and resolve any discrepancies between menu and POS (can be expensive!).
• “Menu behind the menu”: Staff cheat sheets on dish stories, ingredients, and key talking points.
• Training and double-checking save $$:

  “A Greek restaurant lost $2 on every combo plate because of a missed POS price. That could be $15–$20K over a few months.” [94:12]

Phase 6: New Menu Launch [99:06]

• Purpose: Energetic rollout for both staff and guests.
• Activities: Gamify the rollout (tasting contests, “million dollar hot seat” quizzes), cross-training FOH/BOH, guest communication (soft-launch before hard advertising).
• Empower & motivate staff:

  “A $25 Visa gift card can motivate your staff to sell more desserts or upsell—gamify it.” — Sean [100:33]

• Communicate menu change on all digital/social platforms; pin the right menu to the top everywhere!

Phase 7: Operations (Ongoing) [105:58]

• Purpose: Monitor, analyze, and adapt—this is where you spend most of your time.
• Track performance (weekly or bi-monthly), spot-check cost accuracy, and continuously analyze what’s resonating and what needs to shift.
• Keep the process cyclical and fun to foster continuous innovation and team engagement:

  “It should feel fun and enjoyable when you’re going through the menu development process. If it starts to feel like a task, identify why.” — Sean [109:30]

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Menu Ideation:

“Greg called it going on ‘menu safaris’—if you want to improve your burgers, go eat the city’s best burgers!” — Sean [23:29]

On Planning & Analysis:

“The industry’s changed—a lot of places are more transactional, chasing speed and throughput. The ones that thrive long-term create warm guest relationships.” — Sean [40:05]

On Single-Item Focus:

“If I was starting a restaurant, I’d pick one item I do really well, do that over and over, in as small a space as possible. That’s how you win now.” — Sean [59:12]

On Digital Menus:

“With digital menus, value-seekers will find the value anyway, but for everyone else, lead with your best stuff—put your stars on top.” — Sean [86:49]

On Team Engagement:

“Some of the best menu ideas come from frontline staff—they know what guests are asking for and they love to compete.” — Sean [32:11]

On Menu as Culture:

“Menu development is real team building—it’s creativity, reflection, and getting everyone to put on their ‘menu engineer’ hat.” — Sean [109:40]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• [05:36] — Sean’s Success Mantra: "Life is service"
• [07:28] — Sean’s Restaurant Origin Story & Meeting Greg Rapp
• [22:49] — Phase 1: Ideation—Competitive set, inspiration, frontline ideas
• [35:10] — Phase 2: Planning & Analysis—Data, KPIs, aligning with vision/mission
• [56:55] — Phase 3: Development & Strategy—Engineering for profitability & loyalty
• [75:14] — Phase 4: Menu Design—Translation to guest-facing menu
• [90:28] — Phase 5: Menu Pre-Launch—Execution, common pitfalls
• [99:06] — Phase 6: Menu Launch—Gamification, communication, excitement
• [105:58] — Phase 7: Operations—The never-ending cycle, continuous review

Memorable Examples & Stories

• The Frappuccino: Invented by a Starbucks barista—a reminder that menu innovation often bubbles up from the frontlines. [32:11]
• Greg Rapp’s legacy & menu workshop methods: “It looks like arts and crafts time, but it’s the best way to make menus that stick.” [15:51]
• Scotch menu chart (by flavor profile): A great menu design drove guests from ordering beers to $85 in scotch flights without a word spoken. [77:08]
• Staff quiz gamification—“Million Dollar Hot Seat”: Staff reward system that builds camaraderie and deep menu knowledge. [100:33]

Final Recommendations

1. Make menu work fun and team-driven—don’t let it become a chore.
2. Track costs and menu performance religiously.
3. Don’t underestimate the power of design, even inexpensive or quirky tactile menus.
4. Update your menu at least 2–4x/year and stay ahead of evolving consumer behaviors.
5. Build feedback loops—engage frontline staff, listen to guests, review sales mix.
6. Strategize your menu for both ‘the Duke and the driver’—high and low spenders.
7. Embrace technology, but keep hospitality and brand at the center.

“You’re always somewhere in this cycle, and the most successful teams are the ones who make menu development a living, breathing process.” — Sean [108:55]

Connect with Sean Willard

• Free 15-min menu checkup: MenuEngineers.com
• Join Sean’s live monthly “Menu Engineering Power Hour” at Restaurant Unstoppable Network [details in show notes].

Full replay with visual menu design examples available on YouTube: Search “Restaurant Unstoppable 1228” or “Sean Willard”.

Next guest call-out:
Sean recommends Howard Gordon (former Cheesecake Factory exec) for exceptional industry perspective.

For more resources, recaps, and the complete 7-phase guide, visit restaurantunstoppable.com/1228 or the Restaurant Unstoppable Network.