Upselling in Restaurants Without Pushing
Raise your average spend with honest suggestions: menu layout, staff phrases, add ons, online ordering prompts and how to measure what actually works.
5 min read
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Key takeaways
- Good upselling is helpful: it suggests something the guest will enjoy and is happy to pay for.
- Train a few natural phrases and let staff taste the menu, so suggestions are genuine.
- Online and QR menus can prompt add ons at the right moment with no pressure on a person.
- Measure average spend, add on rate and guest comments, and drop any tactic that annoys people.
In short: upselling works when it helps the guest decide, not when it pressures them. Train staff to suggest honestly, design the menu and the online basket so that good options are easy to see, and measure the result against guest happiness as well as spend.
About 7 minutes to read. General information. Examples use made up numbers.
The best server you have ever met probably upsold you without you noticing. They told you the fish was excellent tonight, suggested a glass that suited your dish and mentioned the dessert before you asked. You left happy and paid more. That is the standard.
What honest upselling means
- Suggesting something that fits the guest's choice, mood and budget.
- Describing, not pushing: "The braised lamb comes with a rich sauce; the crisp green beans balance it nicely."
- Accepting no with a smile and moving on.
- Never misleading about price, portion, ingredients or allergens.
If a suggestion would leave the guest with a bigger bill and a worse meal, do not make it.
Start with the menu
Many upsells are built into the menu long before a server says a word.
- Put add ons next to the dish: "add a fried egg", "make it a meal", "add extra cheese".
- Offer a good, better, best range where the middle option is the one you most want to sell. See menu engineering.
- Describe dishes in a way that makes guests want them. See menu design and descriptions.
- Make the sides, sauces and drinks easy to find and honestly priced.
- Check margins before you push an item: a bigger sale of a low margin dish does not help. See how to price a menu.
Train natural phrases
Replace closed questions with helpful ones.
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| "Anything to drink?" | "Can I start you with something to drink, perhaps sparkling water, a soft drink or a glass of something from our list?" |
| "Do you want a side?" | "Most people like the chips with this, or the greens if you want something lighter." |
| "Any dessert?" | "Take a look at the dessert list when you are ready, the sticky toffee pudding is very popular." |
| "Large or small?" | "The large is a good size to share." |
Staff should taste everything on the menu, and know the allergens. A real opinion is more persuasive than a script. See staff training.
Timing matters
- At the table: suggest drinks at the start, sides when they order, desserts when plates are cleared, and coffee with the dessert.
- At the counter: suggest one add on at the moment of ordering, not three.
- In the kitchen: tell servers what is running low so they do not sell what you cannot make; 86 an item quickly. See kitchen display systems.
- After the meal: invite the guest back, not to a bigger bill. See loyalty programmes.
Online, QR and kiosk upsells
A screen does not get embarrassed, and it never forgets to ask. Good prompts are:
- A short list of sides and drinks that suit the items in the basket.
- A dessert suggestion before checkout.
- A "make it a meal" option with a clear saving.
- A reminder of extras guests often forget, such as sauces or cutlery.
Keep prompts relevant and easy to skip. DineHarbor's online ordering, QR table ordering and point of sale let you manage your menu, modifiers and prices in one place; the choices of what to suggest remain yours. See QR code table ordering and self order kiosks.
Bundles and combinations
A bundle can raise the average order and give guests a clear deal.
- A main, side and drink at a combined price.
- A sharing platter that costs less than the sum of its parts.
- A set menu for groups. See set menus and lunch deals.
Check the margin of the bundle, and make sure the saving is real. See food cost percentage.
Do not do these
- Do not claim an item is popular if it is not.
- Do not bury the price or add a surprise charge.
- Do not give wrong allergen information to close a sale.
- Do not pressure a guest who says no.
- Do not push alcohol to someone who has had enough, or to anyone under the legal age. Follow your licence conditions.
- Do not cut portions of the standard dish to make the upsell look better.
Measure what works
Before you change anything, note your current average spend per guest or order, the share of orders with a drink, a side and a dessert, and your guest comments. After two weeks of a new routine, compare.
- Did average spend go up?
- Did the add on rate go up for the dishes you targeted?
- Did tips and reviews hold? See reviews and complaints.
- Did the kitchen cope?
DineHarbor reports show top products and sales comparisons so that you can see which dishes sell and how the mix changes. Keep what works and drop what does not.
A simple plan
- Pick one or two add ons per category with good margin.
- Put them on the menu and the online basket.
- Teach three natural phrases and one weekly recommendation.
- Run it for two weeks and compare the numbers.
- Ask guests and staff how it felt.
- Adjust.
Want to set up add ons on your own ordering page? Start the 30 day free trial with no card needed.
Questions and answers
What is upselling in a restaurant?
Suggesting a higher value choice or an extra item that suits the guest: a side, a drink, a starter, a dessert, or a larger size. Done well, it adds value for the guest as well as for you.
How do I upsell without being pushy?
Ask open, helpful questions, suggest one item you genuinely like, accept a no cheerfully and never pressure. Train staff to describe food rather than to sell.
Does upselling work online?
Yes. Prompts for sides, drinks and desserts in the basket help guests who would have liked them but did not see them. Keep them short, relevant and easy to ignore.
How do I measure upselling?
Track average spend per guest or order, the share of orders with a drink, side or dessert, and the effect on guest comments. Compare before and after a change.
Should I give staff a bonus for upselling?
Some restaurants run friendly contests or small rewards, but pressure sales targets can hurt service and tips. Reward helpful service and guest satisfaction as well as sales.
See it in DineHarbor
About the author
Editorial team
The DineHarbor team writes this blog for restaurant owners and managers. Every article is checked against the product before it is published, so what we describe is what the software does.
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