Most menus are priced by looking at the restaurant next door. That is a start, but it ignores your own costs, and a copied price can quietly lose you money on every plate.
Step 1: know the plate cost
List every ingredient, its quantity per portion and its current price. Include the small things: oil, bread, sauces, garnish, takeaway boxes. Prices change, so redo your top dishes every few months.
Step 2: choose a target food cost
If your target food cost is 30%, divide the plate cost by 0.30. A plate costing IQD 3,000 should sell near IQD 10,000. This gives you a starting price, not the final one.
Step 3: adjust for your market
- Look at three similar places in your neighbourhood, not the whole city. Ankawa, Gulan and Bakhtiari customers expect different prices.
- Round to prices your customers find natural. IQD 9,750 looks odd. IQD 10,000 looks clean.
- Leave room for offers. If you plan to run a lunch deal, the normal price needs to carry it.
Step 4: watch what sells
A dish that sells a lot at a thin margin is worth protecting but also worth repricing slowly. A dish with a great margin that nobody orders needs better placement on the menu, a photo, or a name change.
With a QR menu you can change a price in a minute without reprinting anything, so testing is cheap. TU2 Starter is IQD 15,000 a month for the digital menu with photos and four languages.