Plowhorse
Also called: plow horse
What is Plowhorse?
In classic menu engineering, a plowhorse is a dish that sells in high volume but carries a below-average contribution margin — popular, but not earning enough per plate.
Why plowhorses are worth fixing first
The volume is what makes them worth attention: a small price increase or a small cost reduction multiplies across a lot of covers. The standard responses are a modest price rise, a recipe or portion control adjustment, or pairing the dish with a high-margin side.
A note on terminology
Labelling varies between tools. Setu's Menu Engineering Calculator calls this quadrant Puzzles (low margin, high popularity) and uses Cash Cows for high margin, low popularity — which the classic texts call Puzzles. Check which labelling a tool uses before acting on its advice.
Frequently asked questions
Usually a modest rise is the fastest fix, but check the dish is not the reason people choose you. Cutting plate cost achieves the same margin without testing demand.