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Restaurant Menu Mix Calculator

Calculate restaurant menu mix from units sold per item or category. See mix %, popularity %, rankings, top and lowest performers, and a unit concentration benchmark.

Restaurant menu mix formulas

Formula
Per row:
  Menu Mix % = Popularity % = (Units Sold ÷ Total Units) × 100
  Revenue (optional) = Revenue Override when set, else Selling Price × Units when price is set

Totals:
  Total Units = Σ Units Sold
  Concentration % = Menu Mix % of the leading row

Rankings:
  Mix rank: menu mix % desc, then units, then name

Performers:
  Top: up to 3 rows by menu mix %
  Lowest: up to 3 rows by menu mix % ascending

Concentration benchmark (top menu mix, lower is healthier):
  Excellent ≤ 25%, Good ≤ 35%, Average ≤ 45%, Low ≤ 60%, Critical > 60%

What it means

Menu mix splits one period's unit counts across the rows you enter. Popularity and menu mix are the same number here: each row's share of total units. The headline benchmark scores concentration: how much of total volume the single biggest row holds. A balanced line rides out a soft week on one SKU. A concentrated line doesn't. Selling price and revenue override are optional enrichment only. This page ranks unit share; it does not rank revenue share or contribution (Sales Mix), classify Stars and Dogs (Menu Engineering), or measure spend per guest (Average Check).

Good to know

  • All rows share the same analysis period.
  • Menu mix and popularity are pure unit share.
  • Selling price and revenue override are optional and do not change mix %.

Ideal range

  • Not revenue share or contribution rankings. Use Sales Mix for that.
  • Not a Star/Plow Horse/Puzzle/Dog matrix. Use Menu Engineering for classification.
  • Not spend per guest or per ticket. Use Average Check for that.

Variables

Units SoldRow units
Quantity sold for the item or category in the period.
Menu Mix %Unit share
Row units divided by total units, as a percent.
Popularity %Popularity
Same as menu mix % in this calculator.
Concentration %Top unit share
Menu mix % of the leading row; drives the benchmark status.
Selling PriceOptional price
Menu price or category average; used only for optional revenue.
Revenue OverrideOptional POS revenue
Actual revenue for the row when you want a dollar figure.
NRow count
Number of items or categories in the analysis set.

Assumptions

  • Benchmark bands score the top row's unit share, not profitability.

Limitations

  • Doesn't model daypart splits, channel mix, or seasonality beyond the rows you enter.

Worked examples

Real numbers through the same formula this tool uses.

  1. 1
    Restaurant scenarioExample 1

    Four-item mix with a strong volume leader

    Burger 100 units, Salmon 40, Salad 40, Soup 20. Total 200 units. Burger holds 50% of units, so the mix lands in the Low band.

  2. 2
    Restaurant scenarioExample 2

    Even category unit split

    Four categories at 50 units each. The top category holds 25% of units, which reads Excellent: a healthy, diversified popularity line.

How to use the restaurant menu mix calculator

Pull one clean POS period, choose item or category rows, then act on popularity and concentration together.

  1. Choose item or category mode

    Start with categories to see where tickets land, then re-run in item mode inside the biggest pocket.

  2. Enter each row with units sold

    Add name and units sold per row from the same date range. Keep names unique so rankings stay readable.

  3. Add price or revenue only if you want dollars (optional)

    Selling price or a POS revenue override adds a dollar figure beside the ranking. Mix % still comes from units alone.

  4. Read mix, rankings, and the benchmark

    Check menu mix and popularity, scan top and lowest performers, and use the concentration status to judge dependence on the leader.

How to read menu mix results

This tool shows how guest orders split across items or categories by unit count. It does not rank revenue share, classify Stars and Dogs, or measure spend per guest.

  • Menu mix % and popularity % are unit share

    Both metrics equal row units divided by total units. A high mix means guests order that row often. It does not tell you whether those tickets make money.

  • The benchmark scores unit concentration, not dollar share

    Excellent means no single row owns too much of the period's unit count. A concentrated popularity leader can still be profitable. It is just riskier for prep, 86s, and covers if that leader slows down.

  • Price and revenue are optional enrichment

    You can run a clean mix with units alone. Add selling price or a POS revenue override when you want a dollar figure beside the ranking. For full revenue share and contribution ranks, switch to Sales Mix.

  • This is not sales mix, menu engineering, or average check

    Sales Mix ranks dollar share and optional contribution. Menu Engineering classifies each item as Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog. Average Check measures spend per guest or per ticket. Menu Mix stays on unit popularity and concentration.

Best practices for menu mix analysis

Pull one clean POS period, label rows clearly, then act on popularity before you reprice.

  • Match units to one analysis period

    Don't mix a promo week with a normal week. Menu mix lies when the dates don't match.

  • Read unit mix before you chase dollars

    High volume drives prep, waste, and staffing. Know what guests order most before you decide what to feature or cut.

  • Start with categories, then drill into items

    Category mode shows where tickets land. Item mode shows which SKUs inside that pocket deserve features or cuts.

  • Pair with sales mix when dollars matter

    A cheap bestseller can lead menu mix while a premium dish leads revenue. Run Sales Mix next when you need share of dollars and contribution ranks.

Common menu mix mistakes

Avoid these traps when you turn popularity into menu decisions.

  • Treating unit mix as revenue share

    Menu mix answers what guests order. Sales Mix answers where the dollars come from. They often disagree.

  • Cutting a low-mix item without checking margin

    A quiet high-margin Puzzle can be worth keeping. Low mix alone is not a cut signal. Use Menu Engineering for that call.

  • Mixing holiday and regular weeks

    A holiday set can make desserts look like a house staple. Stick to one comparable period.

  • Leaving 86'd items in the set without labeling them

    Zero-unit rows drag the bottom of the ranking. Keep them only when you want to see what didn't sell.

People also ask

Short answers restaurant managers ask when they first run a menu mix report.

  • What is menu mix percentage?

    Menu mix % is a row's units sold divided by total units across the set, shown as a percent. It is the same as popularity % in this calculator.

  • How is menu mix different from sales mix?

    Menu Mix ranks unit popularity and concentration. Sales Mix ranks revenue share and optional contribution. Use Menu Mix for what guests order; use Sales Mix for where the dollars land.

  • How is this different from menu engineering?

    Menu Engineering classifies each item as Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog using popularity and contribution together. Menu Mix only ranks unit share. Run Menu Mix first, then Menu Engineering when you need the matrix.

  • How is this different from average check?

    Average Check measures spend per guest or per ticket. Menu Mix measures how those tickets distribute across items or categories.

  • Do I need selling price to run menu mix?

    No. Units sold are enough for mix %, popularity, rankings, and the concentration benchmark. Price and revenue override are optional.

  • What does concentration percentage mean?

    It is the menu mix % of your single biggest row. At or below 25% is Excellent. Over 60% is Critical: one row is carrying too much of the period's volume.

  • Is popularity % the same as menu mix % here?

    Yes. In this calculator, popularity % equals menu mix %. Both are unit share: a row's units divided by total units across your set.

  • What time period should I use for menu mix?

    Use one clean, comparable period (for example, a typical week or a full month). If you mix holiday dates with normal dates, the mix will look stronger or weaker than reality.

  • How do zero-unit rows affect the ranking?

    Zero-unit rows naturally fall toward the bottom of the mix ranking. If you want to see what did not sell, keep them. If you only want active movers, remove rows with no sales for the period.

  • Why enter selling price or revenue override if it is optional?

    You enter price or override only when you want a revenue figure alongside unit popularity. The mix % still comes from units alone, so price is optional enrichment, not a driver of the benchmark.

Related tools and next steps

Use these when menu mix alone is not enough for the decision.

  • Restaurant Sales Mix Calculator

    Move from unit popularity to revenue share, contribution, and profit rankings.

  • Restaurant Menu Engineering Calculator

    Classify items as Star, Plow Horse, Puzzle, or Dog after you know the unit mix.

  • Restaurant Average Check Calculator

    Measure spend per guest or per ticket when the question is ticket size, not mix.

Frequently asked questions

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