A regional sandwich shop wanted to take a hard look at its menu performance. Rather than just focusing on low-selling items, the leadership team wanted to:
Identify which menu items were causing cannibalization and bringing average order value down.
Pinpoint which items were driving churn, leading some customers to stop returning.
Expand their reach across new dayparts with menu innovations.
Using Mapchise’s menu analytics and customer data platform, the shop uncovered deeper insights than surface-level sales numbers could provide:
One specialty sandwich appeared to be a “low performer,” but loyalty members and repeat guests ordered it consistently—and these guests had higher lifetime value. Cutting it would have risked alienating their best customers.
Data showed certain combo options were cannibalizing higher-margin entrees, lowering average order value.
A handful of items, when purchased as the main order, correlated with customer churn, as those guests were far less likely to return.
They kept the specialty sandwich, positioning it as a loyalty “hidden gem” rather than removing it.
They identified items linked to churn in the customer lifecycle and modified operations to improve quality and consistency. Items that didn’t fit the brand’s requirements were removed entirely.
They also removed seasonal items that were cannibalizing higher-margin offerings, simplifying the menu while protecting revenue.
This case highlights that not all “problem” items are the same. Some items cannibalize margins or drive churn, while others, though low-volume, create loyalty and retention.
With Mapchise, the sandwich shop moved beyond gut decisions and into data-backed menu optimization, combining:
Cannibalization analysis to protect average order value.
Churn tracking to spot which items lose customers.
Customer segmentation to identify who is truly driving sales.
Operational alignment to ensure every item supports the brand’s goals.
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