# How to price your menu, and when to raise prices

A menu price has to pay for the food, the people, the rent and leave something for you. Here is a simple way to check each dish.

## Step by step

1. **Know the food cost of each dish.** Add up what the ingredients cost for one plate. Many restaurants aim for food cost around a quarter to a third of the menu price, but your own costs decide.
2. **Check what places nearby charge.** Look at menus of similar restaurants near you. You do not have to match them, but you should know where you stand.
3. **Price your top sellers with care.** The dishes guests order most carry the business. A small change there matters more than a big change on a dish nobody orders.
4. **Raise prices a little, not all at once.** Small changes on a few dishes are noticed less than one big jump across the whole menu.
5. **Keep online and in-store prices clear.** If delivery app prices are higher to cover their commission, guests notice. Your own page can show your normal menu price.

## More sales

- [How to increase restaurant sales: 8 ways that work](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/increase-restaurant-sales)
- [Slow days at your restaurant: how to fill the quiet hours](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/slow-days)
- [How to raise your average order without raising prices](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/raise-average-order)
- [How to get more lunch orders](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/more-lunch-orders)
- [Restaurant promotions that do not hurt your margins](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/restaurant-promotions)
- [A restaurant marketing calendar for the whole year](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/marketing-calendar)
- [How to get more pickup orders](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/more-pickup-orders)

## When to raise prices

When the cost of a key ingredient stays up for months, when your best seller is clearly underpriced next to places nearby, or once a year as part of a menu update. Tell regulars why if you want; most understand rising costs.

EatFuti is in Des Moines, Iowa, and works with independent restaurants across the United States, most of all in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

## How it works with EatFuti

1. **Run the free check.** Three minutes, no sign-up. See your Google page, where your Order button goes and how your site does on a phone.
2. **Say yes.** Send your photos and menu, or we take the menu from your POS or online. Online ordering is live 48 to 72 hours after signup.
3. **Your website goes up.** Built for you from your photos, menu and reviews, right after ordering is live. You approve it before it goes up.

## Questions owners ask

### What food cost percentage should a restaurant aim for?

It depends on the kind of restaurant and the dish. Work out your own costs per plate and watch how they change over time.

### Can I charge more on delivery apps?

Many restaurants do, to cover the app’s commission. Check each app’s rules for your plan.

## See where your restaurant stands today

[Run the free check](https://scanner.eatfuti.com/) (Free · 3 minutes · no credit card). Call (515) 493-0243.

Tiếng Việt: https://scanner.eatfuti.com/vi/guides/menu-pricing · Español: https://scanner.eatfuti.com/es/guides/menu-pricing

Source: https://scanner.eatfuti.com/guides/menu-pricing · EatFuti Inc., 700 Locust St, Ste 304, Des Moines, IA 50309