Data-Driven Menus: How Technology is Reshaping Restaurant Profitability

Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) and Norton Creative have launched a collaborative approach to menu design that combines advanced technology with strategic visual planning, offering restaurants a data-driven method to enhance consumer engagement and profitability.

The partnership integrates RMS's sophisticated eye-tracking software with Norton Creative's design expertise to analyze how consumers interact with digital menus. By capturing gaze patterns and identifying visual focus areas through heat maps, the collaboration enables restaurants to strategically showcase their most profitable menu items.

This innovative approach comes at a critical time for the restaurant industry. A recent RMS survey revealed that half of consumers are dining out less frequently compared to pre-COVID-19 periods, with younger generations increasingly relying on digital ordering platforms. The menu optimization strategy addresses these challenges by creating more effective, strategically designed menus across digital and traditional formats.

Currently, four leading restaurant brands are testing the new menu design approach, with more companies expected to join. The goal is to improve profitability without solely relying on price increases, by understanding and leveraging consumer visual interaction patterns.

Justin Pridon, RMS VP of Consulting for North America, emphasized the significance of this approach, stating that modern restaurant menus must do more than list items—they need to guide the guest experience and influence purchasing behavior. Sara Harding Lou from Norton Creative added that their data-informed design supports restaurant business objectives, focusing on improving margins and profitability.

By integrating technology and design, this partnership represents a sophisticated approach to menu optimization that could significantly impact how restaurants connect with consumers and drive revenue in an increasingly competitive dining landscape.