Increasing the average check: orders like «what if» and «more»

You have determined the average check in the accounting period, but… you are not satisfied with the figures. Not enough! What to do? How to encourage guests to order more?

Today we are going to dwell upon spontaneous orders and cross-sales.

Spontaneous orders: don’t impose but help

Digital menu is a win-win option to stimulate demand. You can integrate in it a slideshow, a video of food preparation, a dish presentation made by the chef or by the establishment director. And if the pictures are accompanied by waiter’s professional comments, the increase of your average check is guaranteed.  

Cross-sales: «which sauce to choose?»

Oh yes, this is the most simple and frequent case of cross-sales. You can benefit from all kinds of sauces, toppings, seasonings and miniature food version of some restaurants’ popular dishes to impart particular flavors and to offer a mouthwatering array of choices.

Cross sales (or link-selling) impact directly the amount of the average check. This is the best way to increase it. The feasibility of cross-sales is related to various factors. In particular, it would be great if your menu also includes dishes (or drinks, beverages) which can be offered as complements to the main order.  Look through your menu once again and think what items could be added as “cross” ones.

The immediate desire to «eat something tasty» is not only peculiar to women. Some men, who are turned on by what they see, can be also greedy for delicious pictures. Sparkling display cases with lights and accurate exposition, colorful menu and video of dishes preparation on the big screen will attract guests’ attention and trigger their desire to order some more:    

— A sale person, can he offer these products in a proper way? For example, sauces should be offered after, but not before, the main course is chosen. It would be inadvisable to offer more than 2-3 kinds of sauces. Otherwise the client may get lost and start thinking over and over again and finally he will refuse to order any condiments.

— A potential customer, is he ready for additional expenses? Here, a lot depends on the waiter’s ability to understand guest’s intentions. Cross items should be offered without imposing them.  The client’s willingness to spend more is often stipulated not only by his financial means (for the moment), but also by his state of mind, impressions of the café atmosphere and etc.

The easiest and discreet way to offer cross items is a mobile application for remote ordering. The client runs the application before coming to the establishment and places his order in advance. Your task is to send the picture of the main course and its complements to the BonusMe application. 

Spontaneous and cross orders: results analysis

To determine the efficiency of your marketing, stick to the following plan:

1) Record the date and time of your innovation. For example, you have updated the digital menu for the restaurant room or added new items to the BonusMe application for preliminary orders.

2) Choose an accounting period. Generally first results are already visible at the end of the first week. But you will get the reliable values in about a month.

3) Determine how has changed the sales level of the menu specified positions. Let’s say you have added toppings to “Margherita” pizza on this date. To make analysis, pick out “Margherita” pizza and its toppings in the Sales by products report. Evaluate:

— the quantity of the sold units;

— the most popular tippings;

— which toppings for “Margherita” pizza «provoke» the increase of its sales and which ones are the biggest flops.

To evaluate quickly the average check growth, use the SmartTouch Boss mobile application. It will help you to keep track of the establishment and this is everywhere, in any part of the world.

Create more loyal customers for your establishment!