{"id":34147,"date":"2026-01-15T13:22:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T18:22:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=34147"},"modified":"2026-04-08T09:08:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T13:08:27","slug":"menu-engineering-multi-unit-restaurant-operators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/menu-engineering-multi-unit-restaurant-operators\/","title":{"rendered":"Menu engineering for multi-unit restaurant operators"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMenu engineering for multi-unit restaurant operators\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFor multi-unit restaurant operators, the menu is one of the most powerful tools for driving profitability. Done right, menu engineering can transform your bottom line.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-01-15T13:22:49-05:00\">January 15, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Menu engineering for multi-unit restaurant operators\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/menu-engineering-multi-unit-restaurant-operators\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/author\/reneepogue\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/renee-headshot-1-350x350.png\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Renee Pogue\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/renee-headshot-1-350x350.png 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/11\/renee-headshot-1.png 504w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Renee Pogue<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you think your menu is just a list of dishes, think again. For multi-unit restaurant operators, the menu is one of the most powerful tools for driving profitability. Done right, menu engineering can transform your bottom line, and it\u2019s not just about pretty design or clever names. It\u2019s about using data to make strategic decisions that influence what customers order and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/understanding-profit-margins-for-restaurants-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how much profit you make<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post, we\u2019ll break down what menu engineering is, how it works, the data you need, and why platforms like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/industry\/hospitality\/restaurants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sage Intacct<\/a> are essential for scaling this strategy across multiple locations. We\u2019ll also tackle the unique challenges franchise operators face when the menu isn\u2019t entirely in their control. And because rising food costs are reshaping the industry, we\u2019ll show you why menu engineering matters now more than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-reality-of-rising-food-costs\"><strong>The reality of rising food costs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Food inflation is hitting restaurants hard. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/data-products\/food-price-outlook\/summary-findings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to the USDA<\/a>, food-away-from-home prices (restaurant meals) are up 3.9% year-over-year, compared to 2.7% for groceries. Overall food prices are expected to rise 3.0% in 2026, outpacing historical averages. Certain categories are even worse: meats, poultry, fish, and eggs jumped 5.2%, and beverages surged 5.3% over the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For operators, this is a margin killer. The National Restaurant Association reports that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barmetrix.com\/blog\/restaurant-inflation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">average menu prices have climbed more than 28% since 2020<\/a>, and 91% of restaurant leaders say food costs increased in 2025, with some seeing spikes of 15% or more. When your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/restaurant-prime-cost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prime costs<\/a> (food + labor) already consume 60% to 65% of revenue, every percentage point matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-menu-engineering-and-why-it-matters-for-restaurants\"><strong>What is menu engineering <\/strong>(and why it matters for restaurants)<strong>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Menu engineering is the science of analyzing menu items based on two key factors: popularity and profitability. The goal is simple: maximize contribution margin while guiding customers toward high-value items. Think of it as a blend of psychology, finance, and design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Originally developed decades ago, menu engineering is now a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/how-data-transparency-puts-restaurant-operators-in-control\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">data-driven discipline<\/a>. It\u2019s about leveraging real-time insights to make smarter decisions, not gut feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But not all menu items are created equal. Some are stars, highly popular with customers and highly profitable for the business. Others are popular but low-margin. Then there are puzzles\u2014profitable but not selling well\u2014and dogs, which are neither popular nor profitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A <strong>grilled salmon entr\u00e9e<\/strong> might be a star because it sells frequently and has a strong margin.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>cheeseburger combo<\/strong> could be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/how-to-balance-restaurant-costs-and-quality\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">popular but less profitable<\/a> due to high ingredient costs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>premium steak<\/strong> might be a puzzle because it delivers high profit per plate but sells infrequently.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A <strong>seasonal dessert<\/strong> that rarely sells and has low margin would be considered a dog.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you know where each item falls, you can adjust pricing, highlight profitable items with design cues, and create bundles or upsell opportunities that boost average check size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-data-do-restaurants-need-for-effective-menu-engineering\"><strong>What data do restaurants need for effective menu engineering?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To make this work, you need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Recipe-level costing to understand ingredient and labor costs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sales mix reports to see what customers are actually buying.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>POS integration for real-time transaction data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Labor and overhead allocation for true profitability calculations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For multi-unit operators, consistency is key. Spreadsheets just can&#8217;t keep up, which is why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/industry\/hospitality\/restaurants\/franchise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">restaurant franchise accounting solutions<\/a> are essential for consolidated menu performance analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-sage-intacct-makes-menu-engineering-scalable\"><strong>How Sage Intacct makes menu engineering scalable<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Managing menu engineering for one location is challenging. Doing it for 50 or 150? That\u2019s a different ball game. This is where Sage Intacct shines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With Sage Intacct, you can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consolidate financials across all units in real time\u2014no more manual merges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Drill down into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/restaurant-franchise-reporting-requirements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">store-level performance<\/a> daily, not monthly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monitor prime costs and menu performance through intuitive dashboards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connect POS, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/restaurant-inventory-management-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">inventory<\/a>, and payroll systems for a complete picture.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This automation turns menu engineering from a reactive task into a proactive strategy. Instead of waiting for month-end reports, you can make decisions on the fly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-franchise-operators-can-apply-menu-engineering-without-changing-the-core-menu\"><strong>How franchise operators can apply menu engineering without changing the core menu<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a franchise operator, you know the challenge: the franchisor controls the core menu. That doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re powerless. You can still optimize through pricing, promotions, and local add-ons while staying compliant with brand standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shared visibility is critical here. Shared dashboards supported by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/sage-business-cloud\/intacct-product-capabilities\/core-financials\/compliance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GAAP-compliant financial reporting<\/a> help franchisors and franchisees align on profitability without sacrificing autonomy. Sage Intacct\u2019s centralized yet flexible architecture makes this possible, creating a win-win partnership that drives system-wide profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-roi-you-can-expect\"><strong>The ROI you can expect<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Strategic pricing can increase contribution margins by three to five percent. Removing low-performing items reduces waste, and focusing on high-margin, low-prep dishes improves labor efficiency. Multiply those gains across dozens of locations, and you\u2019re looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-final-thoughts\"><strong>Final thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Menu engineering is a powerful, data-driven strategy that can transform your profitability. But it requires accurate, real-time data and the right tools to scale. Sage Intacct provides the automation, visibility, and integration you need to make menu engineering work across multiple units, or an entire franchise system.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Subscribe to our Sage Advice Newsletter<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get our latest business advice delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-ab515c6e-7e90-4c2f-a67e-113872516e8b\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"Working from home with tea in hand\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hub\/food-beverage\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFood &amp; beverage\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-36402 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accounting-101 tag-boss-your-business tag-business-continuity tag-cash-flow tag-cloud-technology tag-food-beverage tag-growing-a-business tag-productivity tag-small-business tag-starting-a-business tag-staying-competitive business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-food-beverage card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1214156032-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Chef on duty\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1214156032-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1214156032-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1214156032-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-01T07:05:27-04:00\">May 1, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/restaurant-franchise-accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tRestaurant franchise accounting best practices and tips\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tRestaurant franchise accounting doesn\u2019t have to be complicated, but managing your finances effectively takes a clear strategy and the right tools. 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industry-hospitality\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/multi-unit-restaurant-management\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-14T09:35:00-04:00\">April 14, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">14 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMulti-unit restaurant management: How to scale operations efficiently\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-36067 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-boss-your-business tag-business-continuity tag-business-strategy tag-food-beverage tag-growing-a-business tag-productivity tag-small-business tag-starting-a-business tag-staying-competitive business_type-small-business business_type-growing-business industry-food-beverage industry-hospitality\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/franchise-restaurant-business-plan\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1297061487-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Waiter holding food at a restaurant\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1297061487-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1297061487-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1297061487-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-14T09:00:00-04:00\">April 14, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to create a franchise restaurant business plan\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-34394 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-trends-insights tag-business-strategy tag-food-beverage tag-staying-competitive business_type-growing-business industry-food-beverage industry-hospitality\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/restaurant-lodging-franchisees-multi-brand-strategies\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1266851696-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1266851696-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1266851696-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1266851696-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-01-30T11:05:47-05:00\">January 30, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow restaurant and lodging franchisees grow through multi-brand strategies\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-34270 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accounting-101 tag-food-beverage business_type-growing-business industry-food-beverage industry-hospitality\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/labor-cost-control-multi-unit-restaurants\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1296818594-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1296818594-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1296818594-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1296818594-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-01-29T09:09:27-05:00\">January 29, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">5 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tMastering labor cost control: how multi-unit restaurant operators can leverage Sage Intacct\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For multi-unit restaurant operators, the menu is one of the most powerful tools for driving profitability. Done right, menu engineering can transform your bottom line.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1896,"featured_media":34065,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[269],"business_type":[41],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[52,452],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[1057,1058],"coauthors":[1037],"class_list":["post-34147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-food-beverage","business_type-growing-business","industry-food-beverage","industry-hospitality"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Renee Pogue","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/01\/1440x810-quickservicerestaurant-blogimg.jpg","imagine_tags":{"1057":"Hospitality","1058":"Restaurant franchise"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1896"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34147"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34147\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/34065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=34147"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=34147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}