ARELLANO UNIVERSITY-MALABON

ELISA ESGUERRA CAMPUS

CONCEPT NOTE NO. 2

UNDERTAKE SUGGESTIVE SELLING

Sugges ve selling is a tac c that involves encouraging a guest (either in-house or through your
restaurant online ordering system) to order menu items that are di erent from the ones they ordered
or would typically order, in an e ort to increase the value of the transac on.
This can be as simple as le ng a guest who ordered a tomato soup know that you actually have a
great new gourmet bu ernut squash soup on your menu, and asking if they’d like to try that instead.
Or, it could involve telling a regular who ordered a pizza from your menu about your feature pasta for
the evening, which is priced slightly higher than the dish they had their eye on, but is a one- me
o ering you think they’d enjoy.
The key to sugges ve selling is simple: o er ideas your guests will truly appreciate and will elevate
their experience. Don’t try to sell a beef tenderloin to a vegan diner simply because it’ll result in a
bigger bill than a plant-based entrée – that probably won’t go over well (okay, we know you’d never
pull a stunt like that, but you get the point!).
Sugges ve Selling vs. Upselling
Sugges ve selling in restaurants is similar to restaurant upselling, and the terms are some mes used
interchangeably. However, upselling speci cally refers to instances where sta suggest an upgrade or
add-on. While this may not always seem easy, knowing how to upsell is easier than you think. For
example, it could be as simple as encouraging guests to make their meal a combo.
In the case of both sugges ve selling and upselling, the impact is typically minimal on a per-check
basis, but it can add up over me – something we’ll talk about more later on.
Sugges ve Selling vs. Cross-Selling
Another common restaurant sales technique is cross-selling. This involves o ering your guest a
di erent, but complementary, item in addi on to what they’ve already chosen: for example, a glass of
Chardonnay with their salmon dinner, or a gluten-free dessert to follow their pizza with a gluten-free
crust.
Both sugges ve selling and cross-selling put the guest’s needs and wants at the forefront of the
transac on. This customized approach sets these sales tac cs apart from less personalized methods
such as simply promo ng the most pro table dish on your menu to every guest who comes in.
The Bene ts of Sugges ve Selling for Restaurants
Sugges ve selling is bene cial for everyone involved in the process:
Your guest is sa s ed because you’ve delighted them with an excellent meal;
Your server is happy because they receive greater total ps from a bigger cash out;
And you, the restaurateur, are thrilled because you’ve impressed your customer and increased your
revenue at the same me.
Beyond leaving everyone with a smile on their face, let’s break down the main bene ts of sugges ve
selling, and their knock-on e ects.
1. Be er Customer Experience
It truly is the li le things that count. When you wow your guests with a great meal (something you
know they’ll really enjoy), you improve their overall experience at your restaurant. And experience is
important to get right, considering 73% of consumers say it in uences their loyalty to a brand.
In addi on, happy guests o en lead to repeat business and word-of-mouth recommenda ons.
Developing a reputa on for outstanding service and making great menu recommenda ons through
sugges ve selling means that it’s worth the e ort to master (more details on that coming up soon!).
2. Happier Restaurant Sta
Employee reten on is cri cal for any restaurant. With industry turnover rates between 82% and 150%,
keeping your sta happy should be a top priority.
What be er way to keep your team sa s ed than by empowering them to increase their check sizes
and the amount of ps they take home at the end of every day? This is where sugges ve selling comes
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 in. With the proper training and a li le mo va on, your servers can reap the bene ts of this sales
technique.
3. Larger Check Sizes
Although sugges ve selling typically only increases each individual guest’s bill by a small amount, the
cumula ve results can amount to growth that equals nearly a third of your exis ng revenue. Imagine
what you could do with that cash – would you hire more sta , upgrade your menu, launch a new
marke ng campaign? The possibili es are yours to explore.
Sugges ve selling not only helps your restaurant make money, it also helps you save money by driving
repeat business. It’s been es mated that keeping current customers is ve mes more cost e ec ve
than a rac ng new customers. Sugges ve selling through a loyalty program can help you re-engage
the customers you already have, so they’ll return to your restaurant me and me again – ul mately
boos ng your bo om line.

ASSESMENT

ACTIVITY NO.2
A er reading the Lecture Notes, answer the three ques ons following the number of sentences
indicated therein. Answer this ques on may either be explicitly seen within or implied by, the
paragraphs.
1.What are the sugges ve selling techniques for restaurant?
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____
___________________________________________________________________________________
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2.Iden fy and discuss the elements on how to make sugges ve selling a part of customer service
strategy?
___________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________
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3.What sugges ons would you make in the following instances?
● A guest orders apple pie.

● The guests have ordered cocktails before their meal.

● The guest ordered rib eye steak

CONCEPT NOTE NO. 3

8 Sugges ve Selling Techniques for Restaurants

You’re now clear on a sugges ve selling de ni on that applies to restaurants, and you understand the
key bene ts of this customer-focused sales tac c. It’s me to dig into the best sugges ve selling
techniques to try in your restaurant.

1. Ensure Your Sta Know Their Stu

Nothing stops rapport building in its tracks like a server shaking their head at every menu item a guest
asks if they’ve tried. Set your team up for success with sugges ve selling by taking the me to make
sure they have a deep understanding of your menu, and that they’ve actually sampled most of the
food and beverage items you o er.

You can make this process fun by hos ng a tas ng event for your sta . This way, when a diner asks
your server if they’ve tried the brisket sandwich, the answer will be a con dent, “Yes, but the rack of
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 ribs is even more amazing! Do you want to give it a try?” Guests appreciate personal
recommenda ons, so encourage your sta to suggest menu items that they themselves love – but
only if it makes sense, of course.

2. Play Matchmaker
On the topic of recommenda ons, your servers should be well versed in which dishes have similar
avor pro les so they can make helpful sugges ons to guests based on the meal the customer was
ini ally planning to order. This exper se can help make the sugges ve selling process feel natural and
e ortless, like an inevitable conclusion. It will also help establish your restaurant’s reputa on for
superior service from a knowledgeable front-of-house team.

Bonus points if you suggest a fun upsell in addi on to your sugges ve selling approach. For example, if
a guest has their eye on fries, you could point out the sweet potato fries on your menu, then oat the
idea of pairing them with a curry dip. Your guests are sure to remember something crea ve, and they
may even men on it to a friend or two.

3. Ask Your Guests Ques ons

The bene ts of this sugges ve selling technique are twofold. First, when sta ask your diners
ques ons, it demonstrates interest and reinforces your restaurant’s commitment to the customer
experience. Taking the me to engage in conversa on shows that your employees aren’t simply
worried about rushing o to the next table. Second, asking ques ons is one of the best ways to gather
informa on about your guests straight from the source. According to Groupon, asking “Hi, have you
been here before?” can boost sales by up to 16%. And, asking about your customers’ food and
beverage preferences be er equips your servers to make customized sugges ve selling
recommenda ons.

4. O er a Restaurant Loyalty Program

Not only is it more cost e ec ve to retain an exis ng customer than to acquire a new one, but exis ng
customers are o en more valuable to a restaurant’s bo om line. Crea ng a restaurant loyalty program
can encourage your guests to dine with you 20% more o en and spend 20% more than they would if
they weren’t part of the program.

Rewards-based loyalty programs are also popular among diners because the more they spend at your
restaurant, the greater rewards they earn. This makes loyalty programs an ideal opportunity for
sugges ve selling. For example, your servers can recommend items that may be a bit pricier, but o er
higher rewards points to your guests. You can also build this feature into your online ordering system
so your guests can earn points on speci c takeout and delivery items as well.

5. Use Technology to Help Drive Sales

Mastering sugges ve selling techniques involves understanding how to leverage your restaurant tech
to help you increase revenue. For example, you can add prompts to your point of sale (POS) system to
serve as a reminder for your sta to suggest items that guests may not have thought about. Your POS
system can also take sugges ve selling straight to your diners. If your menus are on mobile iPads,
servers can show a photo of any menu item to en ce your guests to make room for a decadent
looking dessert they weren’t even considering.

In addi on, quick service restaurants should consider implemen ng self-ordering kiosks that can
automa cally prompt guests with op ons they might not have considered or di erent varia ons on
their order that they might like to try.

6. Get Your Restaurant on Delivery Apps

Takeout and delivery have exploded in popularity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily for
restaurateurs, sugges ve selling is built into many delivery apps and online ordering pla orms, which
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 o en showcase best sellers or daily specials right at the top of your online menu. This clever design
can encourage guests to choose dishes they might not have considered, instead of immediately
selec ng what they had originally intended to order.

These third-party apps also help you expand your poten al customer base. As public health
regula ons con nue to evolve, and considering that more than 40% of Americans report they’re
highly likely to order from restaurants during lockdown, exploring delivery apps is a way to get more
eyes on your menu and use your sugges ve selling tac cs.

7. Use Customer Data to Personalize Your O ers

Leveraging tech like restaurant reserva on so ware enables you to create guest pro les that include
food and beverage preferences. This way, the next me a guest dines with you, your server can make
a personalized sugges ve selling recommenda on based on the guest’s pro le. For instance, if you
guest ordered a seafood dish last me, why not suggest your pricey but delicious seafood special right
o the bat?

Tailoring your sugges ve selling approach to each individual guest is an excellent way to impress your
customers, and increase the likelihood that they’ll opt for the dish you’re trying to suggest – even if
they originally intended to order something else!

8. Document Your Plan and Make it Fun

Ge ng your sugges ve selling strategy down on paper and incorpora ng your revenue goals will help
ensure you s ck to your plan. Start by bringing your team into the loop so everyone understands
what’s expected of them and can work toward a shared objec ve. Make sugges ve selling part of the
onboarding process for new sta , too.

You can also try sprinkling a li le compe on into the mix to incen vize your sta to kick their
sugges ve selling into high gear, while making it fun. Use your POS to track your total sales by server,
and reward the highest earner with a prize. You may also want to develop a similar strategy for using
sugges ve selling in the takeout and delivery side of your business, so you can make the most of your
online ordering system and any third-party delivery apps you’re using.

ASSESMENT
ACIVITY NO.3
A er reading the Lecture Notes, answer the three ques ons following the number of sentences
indicated therein. Answer this ques on may either be explicitly seen within or implied by, the
paragraphs.
1.Discuss the various restaurant sales techniques.
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____
2.Relate how to increase sales through good guest service.
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____
___________________________________________________________________________________
_____

3.Summarize the process of up-selling in a restaurant.

___________________________________________________________________________________
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___________________________________________________________________________________
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