Raise the average check and improve profit

Learn how raising the average check can improve your restaurant's financial health without big investments. Get more out of your margin with sharp strategies and good use of the staff you already have.

The potential in a higher average check

A deliberate increase in the average check is one of the most effective ways to strengthen a restaurant's finances. It doesn't necessarily require big investments or more staff, yet it has a direct and significant effect on both revenue and operating profit.

Spot where the potential sits

First and foremost, it's essential to look at your current sales mix to find areas where upselling can grow. If you notice, for example, that only 30 starters and 20 desserts sell per 100 mains, that's a big opportunity for more revenue. Aperitifs such as Cava are a great way to raise the average check with relatively little effort.

Work out the effect of more upselling

Say your restaurant's average check per guest is currently 400 kr. By introducing a plan to sell 50 glasses of Cava as an aperitif to 100 guests, at a price of 88 kr per glass, you'd raise your average check by 8.75%. On annual revenue of 20 million kr, that increase means an extra 1,750,000 kr in revenue.

The effect on labour cost

With a starting labour cost of 35% and staff costs of 7 million kr, this rise in the average check would bring the labour cost down to 32.9%. That's especially interesting because the extra sales don't require additional staff — they simply make better use of the people you already have to drive upselling. The result is a direct improvement in operating profit of 2.1%, equivalent to an increase of 456,750 kr.

Put the changes in place

To make this kind of change happen, it's critical that staff are well trained in the craft of upselling. That includes understanding how and when to suggest aperitifs, starters, desserts and other high-margin items. A menu built for upselling — where attractive, profitable items are easy to reach and well presented — matters just as much.

Analyse and adjust with Guestrix

Guestrix gives restaurant managers the tools and data to spot, follow up on and evaluate the effect of the strategies you put in place. By reading off your sales data closely, Guestrix clearly shows how different changes in your sales approach affect both the average check and overall profit.

In closing

Raising the average check is more than a technique for lifting revenue; it's a thorough method for improving overall profit and building a more efficient, financially sustainable business. By focusing on upselling high-margin items and good use of your staff, restaurants can see noticeable improvements in both revenue and operating profit.