P90 Pricing
Definition by Josh Kopel · Last updated October 2026
P90 pricing is setting your menu prices at up to 90% of what the most expensive proven competitor in your true competitive tier charges, instead of pricing to the middle of the market or to your food cost. It is the pricing method Josh Kopel uses in his menu-engineering work with independent restaurants. It removes fear from pricing by anchoring to what the strongest operators near you have already proven guests will pay.
How P90 pricing works
- Widen the competitive set to your tier, not your category. Your burger competes with tacos and fried chicken sandwiches at the same price point and occasion.
- Find who has already proven elasticity. Competitors who stay busy at higher prices have done your testing for you. Their price is the ceiling you benchmark against.
- Price up to 90% of that ceiling, inside psychological bands. $16 and $18 land the same way with guests; $19 and $21 do not. Take every dollar available inside the band, and don’t break the band.
- Start with your top five sellers. Your top five to ten best sellers are typically more than half of sales, so raising them 10–15% lifts the whole menu without it looking more expensive.
Why it works
“Too expensive” is a verdict on value, not price. Across tens of thousands of guest reviews, nobody has complained about paying too little. When Josh raised one item a week for six weeks, there was zero pushback.
Related
- How to raise menu prices without losing customers
- The Future of Independent Restaurant Profitability, 2026 (Lever One: Menu and Pricing)
- Blended margin · The Perfect Check · Restaurant glossary
About the Author: Josh Kopel is a Michelin-awarded restaurateur, host of the Full Comp podcast, and creator of the Restaurant Scaling System, which helps independent owners grow profitable restaurants through AI-powered marketing. More about Josh · Learn with Josh
