For which menu item should you apply strategies to increase profitability?

The term "Plowhorse" refers to menu items that have a high sales volume but a low contribution margin. These items are selling well, which indicates customer demand, but they are not generating significant profit when compared to their costs. Identifying and applying strategies to increase the profitability of plowhorse items can have a substantial impact on overall menu performance.

Strategies for increasing profitability may include adjusting portion sizes, using lower-cost ingredients that do not compromise quality, or refining the pricing strategy to better reflect the product's value. By enhancing the profitability of these high-selling but low-margin items, a foodservice operation can capitalize on their popularity while improving their financial performance.

In contrast, the other terms—Dog, Puzzle, and Star—represent different categories of menu items based on their sales and profitability. Dogs are not popular and do not contribute significantly to profits, while Stars are both popular and profitable. Puzzles may have high profit margins but lack sales volume. Each of these categories requires different management strategies, but the focus on increasing profitability is most applicable to the Plowhorse.