Background

This dataset came from Alice Zhao's guided SQL project on Maven Analytics. The data consisted of two tables, a table on menu items, and a table on order details for "The Taste of the World" Cafe - a cafe with very diverse menu offerings.

Objectives

My objective was to explore this dataset, so I could advise the owners on what items were doing well, what items should, perhaps, be taken off the menu, and where they should invest their offerings going forward.

More specifically, to guide my analysis, and I wanted to answer:

1. What does my dataset look like? How many items are there? How many different cuisines? What time period am I working with?

2. What are the most expensive and least expensive items on the menu?

3. What are the most popular items and least popular items on the menu? Most popular cuisine?

4. What items bring in the most and least amount of revenue?

Findings

Using aggregate functions and CTE's

I first wanted a general sense of the menu items, to see what I was working with. I used basic aggregate functions to find that:

• There were 32 total menu offerings, and 4 cuisine categories

• Italian and Mexican cuisines had 9 menu items each, Asian cuisine had 8 items, and American cuisine had 6 items.

• The least expensive menu item was edamame for $5, and the most expensive menu item was Shrimp Scampi for $19.95.

• The orders data table had data from January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023 (3 months)

• There were 20 orders with more than 12 items in the order.

Joining the tables

• After joining the tables, I found that the most popular item on the menu was the hamburger, which was ordered 622 times.

• 

• The least ordered item on the menu was the chicken tacos. They were ordered just 123 times.

• Korean Beef Bowls brought in the most revenue.

• Not only were the Chicken Tacos the least popular item, they also produced the least revenue.

Window Functions

• After viewing the price of each item next to the running total of each item's revenue, it appears Korean Beef Bowls were the most popular, and they brought in the most revenue.

• Italian cuisine brought in the most revenue, while American cuisine brought in the least revenue.

Recommendations

• The restaurant should consider taking chicken tacos off the menu. Not only are they the least popular item, they also bring in the least revenue.
• The restaurant should consider expanding operations around the Korean Beef Bowl. This item brings in the most revenue, but it is not the most popular item. The restaurant should consider whether there is a price point for the item that would make it more popular, but would continue to maximize profits.
• The restaurant should consider increasing the price of the hamburger. The hamburger was the most popular item, however, American cuisine brought in the least amount of revenue.

Next Steps

• An analysis of the cost to serve each item would be necessary to gain true insight into the most profitable items.
• Perhaps some additional analysis could go into why the chicken tacos are so unpopular. Is the price point too high? Do they have bad reviews?
• A visualization of the data using Tableau could help to illuminate these SQL findings.