The Art of the Upsell: How to Increase Your Takeaway's Average Order Value

The Friday night rush is on. The phone is ringing, online orders are coming in, and the queue is growing. In the organised chaos of running a takeaway, your focus is on getting great food out the door, fast. But what if you could make every single order just a little bit bigger?

That’s the magic of the upsell. It’s not about being pushy; it's about guiding your customers towards more value for them, and more revenue for you. Increasing your Average Order Value (AOV) is one of the quickest ways to boost your bottom line without needing a single new customer.

Let's break down the entire process, from the moment they decide to order to the reason they come back next week.

Part 1: The Menu is Your Masterplan (The Ordering Stage)

This is where the first, and most important, upsell happens. Your menu, whether it's a printed flyer, on a delivery app, or on your own website, should be engineered to encourage a bigger spend.

• Create Brilliant Bundles: The "Meal Deal" or "Family Feast" is your best friend. Bundling a main, a side, and a drink for a set price often encourages customers to spend more than they originally planned because the value is so clear. It also simplifies their choice, which is a bonus.
  

• The Power of Suggestion: Don't just list items; guide your customers. Use phrases like "Goes perfectly with..." or "Customers also love...". Online, this is easily automated. In person, train your staff to move beyond "Anything else?" to "Have you tried our new chilli cheese bites? They go brilliantly with that burger."
  

• Introduce a Premium Tier: Offer premium add-ons for a small extra charge. Think extra toppings, premium ingredients, or swapping standard fries for loaded fries. The key is to make the price increase feel small in relation to the quality or quantity improvement.

Part 2: The Counter is Your Stage (The Payment & Collection Stage)

The moment of payment and collection is a brief but golden opportunity.

• Strategise Your Sightlines: Place tempting, low-cost "impulse buys" right by the till. Cans of premium soft drinks, pots of dipping sauce, and small desserts are perfect for a last-minute, "go on then" decision.
  

• Plant the Seed for Next Time: As you hand over the food, a simple "Enjoy your meal! We look forward to seeing you again" is powerful. Better yet, pop a small flyer in the bag that introduces your loyalty club. This small action bridges the gap between this order and their next one.

Part 3: The Follow-Up is Your Fortune (Bringing Them Back for More)

A one-off upsell is a win. However, turning a $15 order into a $18 one is less impactful than getting that same customer to return five more times a year. This is where modern loyalty comes in, transforming your upsell strategy from a single transaction into a long-term habit.

This is precisely what meed is built for. It’s the engine that powers that crucial next visit.

• Incentivise a Bigger Spend: Your loyalty programme can actively encourage upselling. For example, you could offer one stamp on your digital stamp card for orders over $10, but two stamps for orders over $20. Customers will often add that extra side or dessert to hit the higher threshold and get their reward faster.

  
  

• Reward Their Return: The core of loyalty is making customers feel appreciated for coming back. With meed, you can offer a simple, app-free loyalty programme that customers join with a quick QR code scan. A welcome coupon can be the perfect hook to get them to join and place their first order with you.

  
  

• Customise Your Offers: Once a customer is part of your meed programme, you can see what they enjoy and send them personalised offers based on their purchase history. Imagine sending a customer who always orders pizza an offer: "Add your favourite garlic bread to your next order and get 50% off it!" It’s a highly targeted, relevant upsell that feels like a personal tip rather than a sales pitch.

  
  

Increase Your Takeaway's Order Value

By combining smart menu psychology with a modern, effortless loyalty platform, you change the game. You stop thinking about just one order and start building a community of regulars who not only come back more often, but happily spend a little more every time they do.

Read about STAMP for Takeaways. Create your program in 5 minutes or less. No credit card is needed until you hit 50 members. Use it to help increase your takeaway's order value.