Why a Lean Menu Trumps a Massive One in Restaurants

A restaurateur who helped launch Schnipper’s and Hamburger America argues that big menus hurt profitability and customer focus. After opening more than 25 locations, he believes today’s customers prefer specialists and that a focused concept—like Hamburger America—allows you to excel at a few items. Rising meat and labor costs make it hard to raise prices, so trimming the menu from the start could have boosted efficiency and margins.