In menu engineering, which statement about Stars is correct?

• A. Stars are high in both popularity and margin
• B. Stars have high popularity but low margin
• C. Stars have low popularity but high margin
• D. Stars have low popularity and low margin

Answer: (A)

In menu engineering, Stars are items that are both highly popular with customers and highly profitable for the operation. That combination means they deliver strong sales volume and solid margins per sale, making them the top performers on the menu. So the statement that Stars are high in both popularity and margin best describes them. In the four-quadrant model, Stars sit in the high-popularity, high-margin corner, while Plow Horses are popular but not as profitable, Puzzles are less popular but have high margin, and Dogs are weak on both fronts. Because Stars perform well on both axes, the strategy is to defend and promote them: ensure a reliable supply, maintain quality, monitor pricing and portions to protect margin, and feature these items to keep demand strong.