How to sell more and increase spend per head with upselling

Two simple upselling techniques to grow spend per head, before guests arrive and while they sit at the table.

Visit frequency might be down, but guests still want to treat themselves when they're out. That makes spend per head the number to work on, and upselling the technique to work it with. Two simple moves: one before the visit, one during it.

Before the visit: work your marketing

There are plenty of chances to upsell before anyone walks through the door.

Start with the booking confirmation email. Highlight your offers and packages straight away, give a taste of what they could be missing, and make add-ons one tap to book.

Then send an automated SMS or email the day before, or the morning of. Same offers, but with urgency: "last chance to add our…", "you don't want to miss our… special".

In the venue: two quick wins

The biggest upselling opportunities happen once guests are actually with you.

1. Train staff to upsell at the table

• Suggest pairings: a drink with the main, a side with everything

• Make it personal: "I love our new…", "one of our most popular…"

• Lead with high-margin items and offer the larger size first

• Call out the daily or seasonal specials

• Use visit history: "same… as usual?"

• Let guests taste drinks before committing

• Offer desserts to take away

2. Upsell from the guest's phone

Table displays get ignored. The sharpest in-venue upsell is the one that lands on the guest's own phone.

With a captive portal on your guest Wi-Fi, guests log on, opt in, and you can put today's offers in front of them while they're sitting at the table. It also picks up the slack when the floor is short-staffed or flat out.

Want to see how guest Wi-Fi turns into spend per head? Book a demo and we'll show you digital upselling on your own venues' data.