Did the prix fixe menu lift average check, or pull guests down?
What the answer looks like
Illustrative output on sample data
Illustrative example: how Lexi answers this for a New American bistro group with four venues. It compares the eight weeks since a $45 prix fixe launched with the eight weeks before, using POS checks matched to guests.
- Average check per guest: $61 before, $57 after
- Prix fixe guests: 38% of covers
- Of prix fixe guests, 55% were existing guests who used to order à la carte at about $66
What the data shows
Average check fell 7%. More than half of prix fixe guests were regulars trading down.
What it means
The menu brought in some new guests, but the trade-down by regulars cost more than the new covers added.
What to do
Offer the prix fixe on weeknights only, and track à la carte orders from regulars for the next month.
Want me to list the regulars who switched to the prix fixe?
Why it matters
A prix fixe menu can bring in new guests or simply give regulars a cheaper way to eat. Comparing average check before and after, and who chose it, shows whether the menu added revenue or quietly lowered spend among guests who used to order à la carte.
Frequently asked questions
Does a prix fixe menu increase restaurant revenue?
It depends on who orders it. If it brings in new guests or fills quiet nights, revenue can rise. If regulars switch from à la carte to a cheaper set price, average check and revenue can fall, so check who is choosing it.
How do you measure the effect of a prix fixe menu?
Compare average check and covers for a period before and after launch, and split prix fixe guests into new and existing. Existing guests who switched from à la carte show how much of the menu's sales came from trading down.
When does a prix fixe menu make the most sense?
On quieter nights or seasons, when it fills tables that would otherwise sit empty. Limiting it to those times protects busy nights, when guests would order à la carte anyway. Review the split of new and existing prix fixe guests each month.