How to Increase Restaurant Average Order Value

What is Average Order Value?

Average order value (AOV) is the average amount a customer spends per transaction at your restaurant. Calculate it by dividing total revenue by the number of orders over a specific period.

For example, if your restaurant generated £50,000 from 2,500 orders last month, your average order value is £20.

Increasing AOV is one of the most effective ways to grow revenue without spending more on customer acquisition. A 10% increase in average order value delivers a 10% revenue increase from your existing customer base.

Why Average Order Value Matters More Than You Think

Most restaurant operators focus heavily on attracting new customers. While customer acquisition matters, increasing what existing customers spend per visit often delivers better return on investment.

Consider the economics: if you spend £5 to acquire a customer who places a £20 order, you need strong margins to profit. But if that same customer spends £25 instead, you've increased revenue by 25% with no additional acquisition cost.

Higher average order values also improve operational efficiency. Serving one customer who orders £30 of food requires similar labour to serving a customer who orders £18, but generates significantly more revenue per transaction.

Strategic Menu Design to Drive Higher Orders

Your menu is your most powerful sales tool. Strategic menu design influences what customers order and how much they spend.

Price anchoring works by placing higher-priced items prominently on your menu. When customers see a £28 steak, a £16 burger seems more reasonable. Even if few people order the expensive anchor item, it increases average spend across other menu items.

Menu item placement significantly affects sales. Items in the top-right corner of a menu or at the top of a digital list receive disproportionate attention. Place high-margin items in these prime positions.

Descriptive menu copy increases sales by 27% according to restaurant industry research. Instead of "Cheeseburger," write "Aged cheddar burger with caramelised onions on a brioche bun." The additional detail justifies higher prices and makes items more appealing.

Remove currency symbols from prices. Research shows that £12.50 creates more price resistance than 12.50. The currency symbol reminds customers they're spending money.

Effective Upselling and Cross-Selling Techniques

Training staff to upsell effectively can increase average order value by 10-15% immediately.

Suggestive selling means making specific recommendations rather than asking open questions. "Would you like anything else?" rarely works. "Would you like to add our garlic bread for £3.50?" converts much better.

Train staff to suggest:

• Specific starters before mains arrive
• Premium ingredients or larger portions
• Side dishes that complement the main order
• Desserts when clearing main course plates
• Drinks throughout the meal

The rule of three works particularly well. Offer three drink sizes or three portion options. Most customers choose the middle option, so price accordingly.

Bundling increases perceived value while raising transaction size. A burger, chips, and drink sold separately might total £15. Offered as a meal deal for £13.50, customers feel they're getting value, and you've encouraged them to buy all three items rather than just the burger.

Technology Solutions That Increase Order Value

Modern restaurant technology automates upselling more effectively than staff alone can achieve.

Self-service kiosks increase average order value by 15-30% compared to counter ordering. Customers spend more time browsing, feel less pressure, and don't experience the social awkwardness of staff waiting while they decide. Kiosks can suggest add-ons at optimal moments without seeming pushy.

Online ordering systems enable algorithmic upselling. Smart systems suggest relevant add-ons based on what's in the cart. If a customer orders a pizza, the system suggests drinks, sides, and desserts automatically.

Digital menus allow dynamic pricing and promotional testing. You can offer meal deals during quiet periods or highlight high-margin items during peak times without reprinting physical menus.

AI phone ordering systems never forget to upsell. They suggest relevant add-ons on every call, consistently achieving higher average order values than human order-takers who may forget or feel uncomfortable pushing additional items.

Loyalty Programmes That Encourage Higher Spending

Well-designed loyalty programmes don't just drive repeat visits—they increase spending per visit.

Tiered rewards encourage customers to spend more to reach the next level. Bronze, silver, and gold tiers with progressively better benefits motivate customers to increase order size to qualify for better rewards.

Spend thresholds work better than visit-based rewards for increasing AOV. "Spend £50 to earn a free dessert" encourages larger orders. "Visit five times for a free dessert" encourages frequent small orders instead.

Points multipliers on specific items drive sales of high-margin products. "Earn double points on starters" increases starter attachment rates while making customers feel rewarded.

Time-limited offers create urgency. "Double points this weekend only" drives both frequency and order size as customers order more to maximise the limited-time benefit.

Minimum Order Values and Delivery Fees

For delivery and collection orders, minimum order thresholds directly increase average transaction size.

Setting a £15 minimum for delivery is standard practice. Customers who would have spent £12 add items to reach the threshold. The key is setting the minimum slightly above your natural average—high enough to increase order size but not so high that you lose orders entirely.

Delivery fees with free delivery thresholds work similarly. "£2.50 delivery fee, free over £20" encourages customers to add items to avoid the fee. This approach often works better than a flat minimum because customers feel they're gaining something (free delivery) rather than meeting an arbitrary requirement.

Communicate thresholds clearly during the ordering process. Show customers how much more they need to spend to qualify for free delivery or meet minimums. Many online ordering systems display this automatically as customers build their cart.

Meal Deals and Combo Offers

Structured meal deals increase average order value while making customers feel they're getting value.

Value perception is crucial. A meal deal should offer genuine savings compared to items purchased separately, but the separate prices should include items customers might not otherwise order.

For example:

• Burger alone: £9
• Burger + chips + drink separately: £15
• Meal deal: £12

Customers save £3, but many would have only ordered the burger without the deal. You've increased AOV from £9 to £12 while the customer feels they've saved money.

Strategic bundling pairs high-margin items with popular products. If chips cost you 40p but sell for £3, including them in meal deals costs little but increases perceived value significantly.

Upgrade options within meal deals drive additional revenue. "Add £2 to upgrade to a premium burger" or "Add £1.50 for a large drink" converts well because customers are already committed to the meal deal.

Seasonal and Limited-Time Offers

Scarcity and novelty drive higher spending when executed properly.

Limited-time premium items justify higher price points. A special burger available for one month can command £2-3 more than regular menu items because the limited availability creates urgency and justifies premium positioning.

Seasonal ingredients allow premium pricing while feeling justified. "Summer truffle pasta" or "Wild game pie" signal quality and seasonality that supports higher prices.

Holiday specials tap into occasions when customers expect to spend more. Valentine's Day set menus, Christmas party packages, or Mother's Day brunches typically achieve higher average order values than regular service.

Promote limited offers prominently through all channels—in-store signage, social media marketing, email, and SMS. The promotion itself drives traffic while the premium pricing increases AOV.

Staff Training and Incentives

Your team directly influences how much customers spend. Proper training and incentives align staff behaviour with revenue goals.

Product knowledge enables confident recommendations. Staff who understand menu items, ingredients, and preparation can make genuine suggestions that enhance customer experience while increasing order value.

Upselling scripts provide structure without sounding robotic. Train staff on specific phrases: "Our customers love adding the halloumi to that salad" or "Can I get you one of our craft beers with that?"

Performance incentives drive behaviour. Consider bonuses based on average order value metrics rather than just total sales. This focuses staff attention on maximising each transaction, not just processing more orders.

Recognition programmes work alongside financial incentives. Publicly recognising staff members who achieve high average order values creates healthy competition and reinforces desired behaviours.

How Flipdish Increases Average Order Value

Flipdish provides integrated technology specifically designed to maximise restaurant revenue per transaction.

The Flipdish online ordering platform includes intelligent upselling built into every step of the customer journey. When customers add items to their cart, the system automatically suggests relevant add-ons, sides, and drinks based on what similar customers ordered. This algorithmic approach to upselling never forgets and never feels uncomfortable making suggestions.

Flipdish Kiosks have proven to increase average order value by up to 30% compared to traditional counter ordering. The self-service format gives customers time to browse without feeling rushed, while strategic prompts at key decision points encourage larger orders. High-quality images and descriptions make premium items more appealing, and automated upselling suggestions appear at optimal moments.

The Flipdish AI Phone Agent handles phone orders with consistent upselling on every call. Unlike human order-takers who may forget or feel awkward suggesting add-ons, the AI agent makes relevant suggestions every time, significantly increasing average phone order values.

Flipdish loyalty and marketing tools enable sophisticated campaigns that drive higher spending. Set up tiered rewards, spend thresholds, and targeted promotions that encourage customers to increase order size. Automated marketing campaigns can promote high-value items or meal deals to specific customer segments.

The integrated restaurant management system provides detailed reporting on average order value across channels, locations, and time periods. This visibility allows operators to identify what's working and optimise accordingly.

For multi-location operators, Flipdish enables centralised menu management with location-specific pricing and promotions. Test different meal deals, upselling strategies, and pricing across locations to identify what drives the highest average order values, then roll out successful approaches across your estate.

Flipdish integrates online ordering, kiosks, POS systems, and phone ordering into one platform, ensuring consistent upselling and customer experience across every channel while providing unified reporting on performance.

Find more restaurant technology comparisons and insights at restauranttech.co.uk.

Measuring and Optimising Your Results

Track average order value consistently across different channels, day parts, and customer segments. This granular data reveals where opportunities exist.

Compare AOV between:

• Dine-in vs. delivery vs. collection
• Lunch vs. dinner service
• Weekday vs. weekend
• New vs. returning customers
• Different ordering channels (phone, online, kiosk, counter)

Identify your lowest-performing segments and implement targeted strategies to improve them. If phone orders have lower AOV than online orders, focus on improving phone upselling through better training or implementing AI phone ordering.

Test changes systematically. Implement one strategy at a time so you can measure its specific impact. Run A/B tests on menu descriptions, meal deal pricing, or upselling prompts to identify what works best for your customers.

Set realistic targets. A 5-10% increase in average order value is achievable within weeks through the strategies outlined here. Larger improvements require sustained effort across multiple initiatives.

Start Increasing Your Average Order Value Today

Increasing average order value doesn't require massive investment or complicated programmes. Start with these immediate actions:

1. Train staff on specific upselling phrases and techniques this week
2. Review your menu design and adjust item placement and descriptions
3. Implement at least one meal deal or bundle offer
4. Set or adjust minimum order thresholds for delivery
5. Consider technology solutions that automate upselling

The compound effect of small improvements across multiple touchpoints creates significant revenue growth. A restaurant processing 500 orders weekly at £18 average order value generates £468,000 annually. Increase AOV by just 15% to £20.70, and annual revenue grows to £538,200—an additional £70,200 with no increase in customer acquisition costs.

Focus on strategies that enhance customer experience while increasing spend. The best upselling doesn't feel pushy—it helps customers discover items they genuinely enjoy while driving your revenue growth.