There is one number in your restaurant that, if it rises by a few euros, lifts revenue without a single extra customer. It is called average order value.
What it is and how to calculate it
It is how much each customer spends per order, on average:
Average order value = total sales ÷ number of orders
If you took €5,000 from 400 orders, your average order value is €12.50.
Why it is so powerful
Raise it from €12.50 to €14 and that is €1.50 per order. Across the same 400 orders, €600 more. No advertising, no new customers, not much more work. It is growth from the same customer base, which is why it is usually the first place to look.
How to raise it without annoying customers
The aim isn't to push things, it is to help customers have a better meal.
- Suggestions at the right moment: the drink, the side or the dessert. A digital menu does this on every table and every order.
- Combos and set menus: bundle items into an offer with good perceived value.
- A well-designed menu: highlight the most profitable dishes, with good photos. See the article on menu engineering.
- Extras and customisation: "extra cheese?". Small add-ons add up.
- A suggestion at the end of the online order: "add a dessert for €2".
What most people get wrong
They let average order value "just happen". A busy waiter doesn't always suggest, a badly designed menu doesn't guide, and an online order without suggestions misses the chance. That is dozens of small sales lost every day.
Measure before you change
Calculate it today, write the number down and follow it week by week as you make changes. The numbers tell you what works.
How GetFoodies helps
At checkout on your channel, customers see dish suggestions to add to their order, and the dashboard brings orders and sales together so you can see how it evolves.
Start this week
Calculate your average order value, pick one tactic and compare the number two weeks later. That extra euro and a half per order can be the difference between standing still and growing.