{"id":892,"date":"2019-05-27T10:30:23","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T10:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.indifi.com\/?p=892"},"modified":"2024-02-19T09:43:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-19T09:43:33","slug":"5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Smart Strategies To Upsell In Your Restaurant &#038; Boost Revenues"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"453\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.indifi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/How-to-upsell-in-a-restaurant-1-453x300.jpg\" alt=\"How To Upsell In A Restaurant?\" class=\"wp-image-894\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>How To Upsell In A Restaurant?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>As a restaurant owner, manager or waiter, you would rather\nlet your food speak for itself, than upselling to customers. However, upselling\nneed not have negative connotations. Upselling today has evolved into a more\norganic practice, than just making aggressive sales pitches to customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upselling is the technique of suggesting tasty menu combinations to customers based on their individual preferences. When you upsell at a restaurant, it\u2019s a win-win for both the restaurant and the customer. The customer enjoys It\u2019s a highly refined art. Today, in this post, we show you, how to upsell to customers without making them feel put off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#5_Smart_Strategies_To_Upsell_In_Your_Restaurant_Boost_Revenues\" title=\"5 Smart Strategies To Upsell In Your Restaurant &amp; Boost Revenues\">5 Smart Strategies To Upsell In Your Restaurant &amp; Boost Revenues<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#1_Start_By_Training_Your_Wait_Staff\" title=\"1. Start By Training Your Wait Staff\">1. Start By Training Your Wait Staff<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#2_Identify_Items_On_The_Menu_That_Have_High_Profit-Margins\" title=\"2. Identify Items On The Menu That Have High Profit-Margins\">2. Identify Items On The Menu That Have High Profit-Margins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#3_Learn_The_Art_Of_Making_Recommendations_Without_Being_Intrusive\" title=\"3. Learn The Art Of Making Recommendations Without Being Intrusive\">3. Learn The Art Of Making Recommendations Without Being Intrusive<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#4_Suggest_Extras_To_Complement_Customer_Orders\" title=\"4. Suggest Extras To Complement Customer Orders\">4. Suggest Extras To Complement Customer Orders<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#5_Know_The_Right_Item_To_Upsell_At_The_Right_Time\" title=\"5. Know The Right Item To Upsell At The Right Time \">5. Know The Right Item To Upsell At The Right Time <\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#Some_Other_Tips_to_Boost_Revenues\" title=\"Some Other Tips to Boost Revenues\">Some Other Tips to Boost Revenues<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#Rethink_Ingredients_%E2%80%93Use_Out-Of-The-Box_Alternatives\" title=\"Rethink Ingredients \u2013Use Out-Of-The-Box Alternatives\">Rethink Ingredients \u2013Use Out-Of-The-Box Alternatives<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#Watch_Whats_Getting_Dumped_In_The_Garbage\" title=\"Watch What\u2019s Getting Dumped In The Garbage\">Watch What\u2019s Getting Dumped In The Garbage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#Reduce_Inventory\" title=\"Reduce Inventory\">Reduce Inventory<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/5-strategies-upsell-restaurant-boost-revenue\/#Measure_average_maintenance_and_repair_costs\" title=\"Measure average maintenance and repair costs:\">Measure average maintenance and repair costs:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Smart_Strategies_To_Upsell_In_Your_Restaurant_Boost_Revenues\"><\/span>5 Smart Strategies To Upsell In Your Restaurant &amp; Boost Revenues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Start_By_Training_Your_Wait_Staff\"><\/span>1. Start By Training Your Wait Staff<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Upselling is not possible without your frontline,\ncustomer-facing wait staff. After all, it\u2019s servers who will be interacting\nwith customers and try to upsell to them. You want your servers to transform\nfrom salespersons to menu connoisseurs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, the first step in upselling is to train your wait staff.\nTraining doesn\u2019t happen overnight, and it\u2019s highly recommended that you hire\nthe services of professional restaurant consultants to help you with the\ntraining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If availing the funds for training from your working capital is not possible, you can consider <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/small-business-loans-india-without-security\">small business loans<\/a> from digital lending platforms like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\">Indifi<\/a>. With a wide variety of customized loans tailored for restaurants, you can find the right loan product that meets your specific requirements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Identify_Items_On_The_Menu_That_Have_High_Profit-Margins\"><\/span>2. Identify Items On The Menu That Have High Profit-Margins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The basic strategy of upselling in a restaurant is to\nidentify menu items that have higher profit margins, as a way to increase\noverall profits. Train your wait staff to suggest menu items with high-profit\nmargins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, if a customer is having a tough time choosing a starter, then a waiter can suggest a couple of starters that have high-profit margins, and explain why this dish makes for a tasty starter. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/bank-loan-for-restaurant-business-india\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"91\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Pre-Approved-Business-Loan-upto-50-Lacs-500x91.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6693\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Pre-Approved-Business-Loan-upto-50-Lacs-500x91.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Pre-Approved-Business-Loan-upto-50-Lacs.jpg 716w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-green-cyan-color has-text-color\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.indifi.com\/5-ways-in-which-technology-can-help-you-transform-your-restaurant-business-5719410049f4\/\">5 Ways In Which  Technology Can Help You Transform Your Restaurant Business<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Learn_The_Art_Of_Making_Recommendations_Without_Being_Intrusive\"><\/span>3. Learn The Art Of Making Recommendations Without Being Intrusive<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The line between upselling and annoying the customer is\nthin. It\u2019s important that you train your staff the difference between being\nintrusive and genuine. If you go overboard with your upselling techniques,\ncustomers are likely to get annoyed and stop visiting your restaurant. That\u2019s a\nmajor loss in revenue for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that customers don\u2019t like to feel that they are being pressurized into trying certain items on the menu. Make sure that you train your servers about right etiquettes. The best upselling happens when wait staff are genuinely pleased with their recommendations and have natural flowing conversations with customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Suggest_Extras_To_Complement_Customer_Orders\"><\/span>4. Suggest Extras To Complement Customer Orders<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When a customer orders an item of the menu, train your waiters to suggest a variety of extras that go well along with what the customer ordered. For instance, if a customer orders French Fries, then a waiter can suggest chicken loaded cheesy fries. This is a good strategy to increase the overall cost of the menu. And, is a great upselling technique that works well without annoying the customer in India. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-green-cyan-color has-text-color\">Also Read: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.indifi.com\/the-explosion-of-food-delivery-and-how-it-is-changing-everything-about-the-restaurant-business-b719e8456809\/\">The Explosion Of Food  Delivery \u2014 And, How It Is Changing Everything About The Restaurant Business<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Know_The_Right_Item_To_Upsell_At_The_Right_Time\"><\/span>5. Know The Right Item To Upsell At The Right Time <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a key strategy. Waiters have to learn the art of\nsuggesting the right menu items at the right time to make upselling a success.\nFor instance, suggesting hot soups to a customer during peak summer may not go\nwell. Instead, a waiter can suggest a refreshing cold sorbet to kick start the\nmeal during summers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you train waiters about the right time to upsell items on the menu, you are increasing the potential for generating extra profits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Some_Other_Tips_to_Boost_Revenues\"><\/span><strong>Some Other Tips to Boost Revenues<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rethink_Ingredients_%E2%80%93Use_Out-Of-The-Box_Alternatives\"><\/span>Rethink Ingredients \u2013Use Out-Of-The-Box Alternatives<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Today\u2019s consumers are more health-conscious than ever. Work this to your advantage. Instead, of sourcing expensive ingredients from overseas, opt for local, seasonal ingredients that are not only cheaper but are highly tasty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work with your head chefs to rethink expensive ingredients on your menu. For instance, instead of offering processed strawberry and kiwi desserts during summer, opt for local refreshing fruits like mangoes and jackfruits. Not only are these ingredients cheaper but by including local produce in your menu, you are likely to stand out from the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Watch_Whats_Getting_Dumped_In_The_Garbage\"><\/span>Watch What\u2019s Getting Dumped In The Garbage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Trash cans in the kitchens are profit-draining holes. Most restaurants lose a major chunk of their revenue to kitchen trash cans as good, usable produce gets dumped into it. Here\u2019s an expert tip from an experienced restaurant manager \u2013 remove all trash cans from the kitchen and provide each kitchen staff with a clear plastic box, with their name on it. All kitchen staff should place trimmings, scraps and other waste into their box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of the shift inspect the box of each employee. And if you notice any usable food product, bring it to the employee\u2019s attention and provide them with on-the-spot training on how to better use it. This technique helps you to significantly cut down on food wastes generated in your kitchen, thereby reducing overall costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reduce_Inventory\"><\/span>Reduce Inventory<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lowering inventory levels is one of the most basic, yet effective ways to cut costs. Most restaurants stock extra food on pantry shelves than what\u2019s needed. Start by evaluating your inventory levels for each product and then adjust reorder levels accordingly, leaving only a small margin for safety sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By reducing extra food inventory in your pantry, you reduce the chances of spoilage and wastage. Additionally, when kitchen staff notices that stock is limited, there are likely to be careful when portioning and handling expensive products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Measure_average_maintenance_and_repair_costs\"><\/span>Measure average maintenance and repair costs:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Always be broadly minded while scheduling maintenance. Predict all the unexpected expenses and don\u2019t forget to underestimate the restaurant revenue. The reports of the Restaurant Facility Management Association states that every restaurant schedules a minimum of 3 percent on its sales. However, the budget varies depending on the machinery, warranties as to such. Have a baseline of the previous budgets to determine cash emergency fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is needless to invent the wheel every time. Try using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/avoid-7-mistakes-while-choosing-pos\/\">POS system<\/a> or other budgeting software to keep a clear record of the restaurant budgets. There are also various budget templates which are easy to use and happy to download.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a restaurant owner, manager or waiter, you would rather let your food speak for itself, than upselling to customers. However, upselling need not have negative connotations. Upselling today has evolved into a more organic practice, than just making aggressive sales pitches to customers. Upselling is the technique of suggesting tasty menu combinations to customers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[181],"tags":[32,12,44,135],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=892"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7523,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/892\/revisions\/7523"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.indifi.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}