Of all the business decisions a food truck owner has to make, the one that brings on considerable anxiety is menu price increases. When to do it and how to do it is just as critical as the amount of the price increase itself. Increases in menu prices should be always as subtle as possible. The less attention that is called to price increases the less chance to there will be a lot of bad customers reactions. Have in mind the next tips to disguise your food menu prices.
Use cent ranges like 25, 50, 75, or 95 for the digits to the right of the decimal point. When an item is increased within this range (7.50 to 7.75 by example) it is less likely to be noticed by the consumer.
Never cross out old prices and write over with a pen, or put stickers over the old prices. This will certainly call more attention to your menu price increases.
Provide value
When a price increase cannot be delayed, consider increasing the portion size and creating a new and improved version of the item. This way you are providing added value and not just raising the price.
Look at your portion sizes
If the portions are already substantial, consider reducing the portion size in line of a price increase.
Don't raise prices across the board
It’s rarely warranted and it is much better to raise only a few items. start by increasing the most popular items a small amount instead of slow selling items.
Use a market priced label
Items that regularly fluctuate in cost should not be priced on the menu but should be listed as “market priced”. Make sure your servers are aware of any daily price changes.