Obsessed with the success of independent hospitality brands.

Imagine transforming your hospitality business into a seamlessly efficient operation with happier staff and loyal customers, all through the power of AI and automation.

Kinetic Management Systems, or KMS, is an integrated solution specifically designed for hospitality operators looking to scale their businesses.

Jason Littrell, a hospitality management consultant has over a decade of real world experience helping bars and restaurants increase their profitability and streamline their operations.

We've seen firsthand how these challenges can limit the success of even the most passionate operators. We care about helping you achieve your full potential because we believe in the impact a well-run hospitality business can have on its community and its employees.

By leveraging KMS, you have the opportunity to boost your revenue by up to 30% within just three months, while reducing operational headaches and enhancing guest satisfaction.

To get started, visit our website and sign up for a free demo. Our team will walk you through the system and show you how KMS can be tailored to meet your unique needs.

We're not just offering a set of tools; we're providing a path to a more profitable and enjoyable business. This is a movement towards smarter, more efficient hospitality management, and we want you to be a part of it. Whether you join us now or later, the shift towards automation and AI is happening. We'd love to have you with us from the start.

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Core Values

1. Innovation:

We continuously seek and implement cutting-edge technology to provide independent restaurants and spirits brands with the most effective tools for success.

2. Integrity:

We operate with honesty and transparency, ensuring our clients receive genuine value and trustworthy support.

3. Collaboration:

We believe in the power of teamwork, both within our organization and with our clients, to achieve shared goals and create a supportive community.

4. Excellence:

We are committed to delivering the highest quality services and support, striving for excellence in everything we do to elevate our clients' businesses.

5. Client-Centric:

Our clients' needs and success are at the heart of our business. We tailor our solutions to meet their specific challenges and objectives, ensuring personalized and impactful results. Solving the problem will always be the direction of our products and services.

6. Adaptability:

We embrace change and are agile in our approach, ready to adapt to the evolving needs of the hospitality and spirits industries.

7. Sustainability:

We promote sustainable business practices that benefit not only our clients but also the broader community and environment, supporting long-term success and responsible growth.

8. Continuous Improvement:

We are dedicated to learning and growing, constantly enhancing our coaching, strategy, systems, and support to better serve independent restaurants and spirits brands.

9. Empowerment:

We aim to empower our clients with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to independently drive their businesses forward, fostering a culture of self-reliance and innovation.

10. Strategic Guidance:

We provide insightful and actionable strategies to help our clients navigate their business challenges and achieve their goals effectively.

11. Comprehensive Support:

Our commitment to ongoing support ensures that our clients always have the assistance they need to implement and sustain our solutions successfully.

Why Your Best-Selling Item Might Be Killing Your Profit (Menu Engineering 101)

Menu. Sales. Loss.

Hospitality Strategy Lab| Strategy| Food Costing & Menus

November 17, 2025•3 min read

Best-Seller Bob is proud of his signature burger.

It's his #1 seller. Customers love it. They rave about it on reviews. It's what he's known for.

There's just one problem: He loses $2.30 on every single one he sells.

His food cost on that burger? 47%. Industry standard is 28-32%.

But it's his most popular item, so he keeps it front and center on the menu. Highlighted. Featured. Promoted.

Last month he sold 340 burgers. That's a $782 loss. Just from his "best seller."

According to research from Cornell's School of Hotel Administration, 60% of restaurant owners don't know the true profitability of their menu items. They make menu decisions based on popularity, not profit.

Bob's problem isn't his burger recipe. It's that he doesn't understand menu engineering.

YOUR ONE STRATEGY LAB THING TODAY: 'Popularity Doesn't Equal Profitability'

Most restaurant owners organize their menu around what sells the most.

"The salmon is super popular - let's put it in a box!" "Everyone orders the pasta - let's make it bigger on the menu!" "The ribs are our signature - feature them first!"

But popularity and profitability are two different things.

You might be selling a ton of low-margin items while your high-margin items get ignored.

HERE'S HOW MENU ENGINEERING WORKS:

Every menu item falls into one of four categories:

STARS (High Profit + High Popularity)

These are your champions
Feature them prominently
Don't discount them
Example: House cocktail with 75% margin that everyone orders

PLOWHORSES (Low Profit + High Popularity)

Popular but not profitable
De-emphasize on menu
Raise prices or reduce portion size
Example: That burger Bob loves that loses money

PUZZLES (High Profit + Low Popularity)

Great margins but nobody orders them
Reposition on menu
Rename for appeal
Train staff to recommend them
Example: High-margin fish dish buried on page 3

DOGS (Low Profit + Low Popularity)

Cut them from the menu entirely
They're taking up valuable real estate
Example: That pasta dish you added 3 years ago that nobody wants

THE SIMPLE ANALYSIS:

Pull your POS data for last 90 days. For each menu item, calculate:

POPULARITY: What % of total orders is this item?
CONTRIBUTION MARGIN: Sale price minus food cost

Then plot them:

High margin + High sales = STAR (promote hard)
High margin + Low sales = PUZZLE (reposition)
Low margin + High sales = PLOWHORSE (raise price or shrink it)
Low margin + Low sales = DOG (kill it)

WHAT BOB DISCOVERED:

When he finally ran the numbers:

His BURGER (the "hero"):

Sales: 340/month
Food cost: 47%
Contribution margin: $4.20
Category: PLOWHORSE (popular but unprofitable)

His FISH TACOS (page 3, tiny text):

Sales: 45/month
Food cost: 24%
Contribution margin: $11.80
Category: PUZZLE (profitable but ignored)

The fix:

Moved fish tacos to prime menu real estate
Renamed them "Baja Street Tacos"
Trained servers to recommend them
Reduced burger portion size by 15%
Raised burger price by $2

Results in 60 days:

Fish taco sales: 45 → 138/month (+$1,628 profit)
Burger still sells well but now breaks even
Overall food cost: 34% → 29%
Bottom line: +$2,400/month

Same customers. Same kitchen. Just smarter menu engineering.

THE MENU DESIGN TRICKS:

Where you place items matters:

Top right corner = prime real estate (put STARS here)
Boxes and highlighting = draws attention (use for STARS and PUZZLES)
Small text at bottom = where items go to die (put PLOWHORSES here)
Descriptions matter: "Pan-seared Atlantic salmon" sells better than "salmon"
Prices without dollar signs increase spending by 8%

YOUR ACTION STEP: Pull your top 10 selling items. Calculate the contribution margin on each. I guarantee you'll find at least one "popular" item that's actually killing your profit.

Want the complete menu engineering spreadsheet with profit analysis and redesign strategies? It's inside the 14-Day Restaurant Accelerator with step-by-step instructions.

→ jlittrell.com

We got this, Jason | The Strategy Lab

P.S. Your menu is your most powerful marketing tool and your biggest profit lever. But most operators design it based on what they like, not what makes money.

P.P.S. A 3-point reduction in food cost on a $500K restaurant = $15,000 more profit annually. That's a vacation. That's a new piece of equipment. That's breathing room.

#strategylab #wegotthis

menu engineeringrestaurant profitabilitymenu designfood cost optimizationmenu psychologyhigh profit menu itemsaverage check sizerestaurant menu strategy

Jason Littrell

Jason Littrell is a world-class hospitality consultant, award-winning bartender, and founder of Hospitality Strategy Lab. With years of experience working at renowned venues like Death & Co in Manhattan and advising top-tier hospitality brands, Jason has a deep understanding of what it takes to create unforgettable guest experiences and profitable bar programs. As a pioneer in the use of AI, automation, and behavioral psychology in hospitality, he’s passionate about making advanced tactics accessible to operators who want to stay ahead in this fast-paced industry. Through his podcast, Jason interviews industry leaders, tech innovators, and behavioral science experts, providing actionable insights and strategies to help you elevate your hospitality game. Whether you’re a bar owner, restaurant manager, or hospitality operator, Jason’s engaging approach and wealth of knowledge make Hospitality Strategy Lab your go-to resource for mastering the art and science of exceptional service.

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About KMS

Jason Littrell - Management Consultant & Industry Innovator

With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Jason Littrell has established himself as a leading consultant and strategist, specializing in helping bars and restaurants maximize their efficiency and profitability. His expertise spans a wide range of essential areas, including operational management, staff training, customer experience, and technology integration.

Jason is the founder of Kinetic Management Systems, a cutting-edge suite of tools designed to automate and optimize the day-to-day operations of hospitality businesses. Through his systems, Jason offers solutions for everything from staff recruitment and onboarding to customer retention and feedback management. His approach combines innovative technology with proven strategies to deliver results that are both measurable and scalable.

A passionate educator and speaker, Jason regularly hosts workshops and seminars, sharing his knowledge on how to leverage AI and automation to thrive in a competitive market. His insights are rooted in practical experience, having worked on the ground in various capacities within the industry—from bartender to manager, and now, consultant.

Jason also manages a vibrant online community, "Bar Teams," where he fosters discussions and collaboration among hospitality professionals. Here, members gain access to exclusive content, including training sessions, industry news, and peer support.

His commitment to excellence and innovation in hospitality has not only transformed the operations of numerous establishments but has also inspired many to pursue and achieve greater success. Jason's work is driven by a core belief: that the right mix of people, processes, and technology can turn any hospitality business into a thriving, profitable enterprise.