13 Effective Ways to Increase Average Check Size for Online Orders

What if the same amount of customers earned you 20% more revenue? That’s what increasing your average check size does—add more value for every order. Increasing your average check size is crucial because there are only three ways to grow your restaurant’s revenue:

1. Increase the number of new customers
2. Increase the number of repeat orders
3. Increase the average check size

In fact, online ordering offers a unique opportunity to influence customer spending. Unlike in-person dining, where impulse purchases and social cues play a big role, online customers are more focused and rely heavily on things like your menu. This gives restaurants a prime chance to suggest add-ons, highlight premium items and create enticing bundles. 

Online ordering has grown 300% faster than in-person dining, so focusing your efforts on increasing the order size online offers more opportunities for wins.  

So, how do you break free from the average to maximize your profits? In this post, I’ll show you some simple yet effective strategies to significantly increase your restaurant's average check size and drive more revenue. You can also check out my video below if you’re crunched for time:

How to calculate average check size

Knowing the average check size of your customers is crucial when it comes to understanding how well your restaurant is doing. Here’s the simple math behind your check size:

1. Determine your total sales for a specific period (e.g., a week, month or year).
2. Count the total number of customers served during the same period.
3. Divide the total sales by the number of customers. The result is your average check size.

So, if you made $10,000 in sales last week and fed 500 customers, your average check size is $20. 

But why is this metric and its formula important? Below is a dive into why it’s important to understand this and how you can increase it. 

Why increasing your average check size matters 

Increasing your average check size matters because it helps you escape the "new customer treadmill," always chasing the next new guest, instead of earning more from the customers you already have. 

Average check size is also a number you can influence without spending more on marketing—which means your restaurant can grow sales without increasing costs.

Before I start sharing tactics, there are two things about average check size I suggest every restaurant keep in mind:

1. It's actually not about the "average": You can increase your "average" check size by getting a small number of super big orders, which raises the average. But that's a bad approach for quick-service restaurants. We actually want to increase the dollar amount of our most common order size. So, if our most common order is about $20, we want to get that to $30 rather than trying to earn a few $60 orders to increase the average.

The ideal check size depends on the restaurant, so the example above doesn't apply to restaurants that focus on super big orders, like catering or fine dining concepts. But for casual dining and quick-service restaurants, increasing our most common order size is what we really want. Because that creates a more stable source of revenue.

2. You're selling more to people who want to buy: The beauty of increasing average check size is that the tactics target guests who want to buy anyway. You don't have to spend more on increasing demand for your restaurant and menu items. You just have to offer a better experience that helps them get exactly what they want out of your menu.

Increasing average check size is low cost for you and results in a more satisfying order for customers—a genuine win-win. And with automation and built-in features, increasing your online check size becomes even easier.

Below, I'll go over some ways to increase your average check size, starting with the most important: upselling and cross-selling.

Boost profits with upsells and cross-sells 

Upselling and cross-selling are some of the top restaurant marketing strategies I recommend to help restaurants boost average check size. Upselling alone can boost revenue by up to 43%. And cross-selling can help give items that aren’t selling as well some extra love.

Here's how I recommend using these techniques to get more out of each customer visit and check:

1. Offer online ordering and make it easy 

First, make sure you’re offering online ordering to your customers. A convenient online ordering system allows customers to browse your menu, customize their orders and pay easily from anywhere. 

Aburaya, a Japanese fried chicken restaurant, is the perfect example of how online ordering can jumpstart your growth. By switching over from third-party delivery apps to Owner.com’s simple online ordering tool, they saved over $100,000 in delivery fees and saw a $25,000 increase in online sales.

To apply my other strategies in this post, offering an online ordering experience is key. 

2. Recommend high-margin sides

Just like you do in your restaurant, you can create an online ordering system that gives targeted product recommendations. For instance, I love using customer purchase history to recommend complementary items that pair well with what they've already chosen. AI and technology make this so much easier by letting you do this online without human intervention. 

So, if one of your regulars tends to place an order for the BBQ burger, your online ordering system can automatically recommend a specific low-cost item to add at check out (using AI), like ranch-seasoned onion rings. This personalized recommendation can get them more excited about adding it to their order, which in turn will increase that average check size. 

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Suggesting a low-cost item makes it an easy and affordable option for the customer to add, and it can actually mean a lot of profit for you in the long run. Here’s the math: 

Let’s say the average online order is around $50. This mostly comes from the entrees which carry a high food cost. If you operate with a profit margin of around 10%, this means you’re making $5 in profit. $5 profit is okay, but we can do even better. 

If you’re able to provide a product recommendation that adds a side to the order that results in a $5 profit, you increase the overall check size to $55 — an extra profit of $5, or a 100% increase in profits from your orders. For example, you could have a drink add-on that costs $6.25 and has an 80% profit margin — a great low-cost, high-margin item that can really boost your profits. 

3. Train staff to upsell in-store

Upselling high-profit margin items is important not only during the online experience but also in-store. To achieve this, teach your staff some upselling tricks and techniques. These particularly stand out to me: 

• Ensure your staff knows the menu inside and out so they know about each item's unique selling point. 
• Tell them which items to suggest to customers based on what's most popular and profitable.
• Create a quick chart that lays out the best menu pairings for your staff so they have a quick reference. 
• Help them understand what items go well together so they can suggest pairings to guests, like the best salad pairing for a popular sandwich on the menu.

Training your staff to encourage customers to add to their orders is a powerful way to increase your average check size. To help motivate your staff, consider giving out an incentive such as monthly rewards to whoever upsells the most add-ons. 

Upselling is crucial both online and in-store, but online platforms often have an advantage. Their ability to track customer behavior and offer highly personalized recommendations means they can boost your revenue without you having to train and rely on staff. 

Satisfy cravings with menu engineering

Designing and optimizing your menu to perfection, as well as offering add-ons and customization options, is the key to boosting your average check size. Menu engineering has an impact on how your customers read and interact with your menu, which controls how much they’ll spend with you. 

Below, I’ll explain how you can make this happen:

4. Suggest add-ons at checkout using AI

When customers are checking out, strategically suggest "commonly paired items" or other relevant add-ons that complement their order.  

This feature in Owner.com can help you increase average ticket size by automatically suggesting “commonly paired items” and other recommendations to get customers to add more to their carts. 

What to avoid: High-pressure sales tactics are a turn-off. Instead, use clear, concise language that highlights the value of adding these items. For example, you could say something like, "For a perfect pairing, try our award-winning fries with your juicy burger!"

5. Allow order customization  

When it makes sense for your cuisine type, let your customers be the boss with order customization. Customization allows customers to feel like they're getting exactly what they want, potentially justifying a higher price. 

If someone can build their "dream pizza" with premium ingredients, they might be more comfortable paying a higher price for it than a preset pizza option, thus increasing the average check size for that order. 

For example, Cyclo Noodles gives their customers a chance to customize their order, like with their popular Pad Thai dish — they can choose to make it vegan if they wish or pick their favorite type of protein, including an enticing list of more premium options that could help increase their check size:

In addition to increasing average check size, you’re also boosting customer satisfaction by ensuring they get an experience tailored to their preferences. This can go a long way when it comes to customer retention. 

6. Choose your menu design wisely

A well-structured online and physical menu can do more than just look pretty; it can actually influence what customers order and make them want to order even more. Below are some tips for putting together a menu: 

• Focus on placement: Putting your most profitable items in prime spots, or the “golden triangle” (like the top left corner) helps entice customers to add more to their orders. Try calling out or highlighting add-ons or specials listed on your menu to guide customers to those items. 
• Stick with simplicity: Make it easy for customers to navigate the menu and find complementary items that they can add to their meal by using well-defined categories.
• Use the right colors: Bright colors like red, orange and yellow can really make your food pop. People are more likely to order when they see something that looks delicious and eye-catching.
• Highlight value: Clearly communicate the value of your dishes. Use descriptive language and consider adding premium ingredients to justify adding items of higher prices to their orders. 

7. Choose the right menu prices 

Pricing your menu right takes knowing your numbers as well as using some customer psychology. Menu pricing to increase your average check size works in several ways:  

• Use premium pricing: Offering a few high-end items can elevate the perceived value of your entire menu. These luxury options don't necessarily need to be high-profit items but can make other dishes seem like a better deal.
• Price anchoring: A super expensive item on the menu can make other prices look like a bargain. This psychological trick can encourage customers to opt for higher-priced options that they might otherwise consider too costly.
• Tiered pricing: Offering a range of price points for similar items allows customers to choose their desired level of indulgence. This strategy can encourage customers to upgrade their orders, increasing your average check size.

Give out meal deals to enhance perceived value

Combos and bundles made up 41% of all special price offers for quick service restaurants in 2023. This method is a great way of getting customers to spend more, making it feel like they’re getting a better value, and making the order process easy. Here's how to fit these tried-and-true tactics into your strategy:

8. Combo meals 

A combo meal is a group of food items and a drink sold together for one price. It's often cheaper than buying each item separately.

They’re a fantastic way to increase average check size, and customers love it. They often make customers feel like they’re getting a better deal, even if they end up spending more. This is because the discount makes it seem like they're saving money. Plus, restaurants often make more profit from combo meals than selling the items as separate entrees. 

Combo meals offer convenience across the board: On-the-go customers can get all of their favorites in one order, and you benefit from the faster preparation and delivery times of fixed combo offerings.

McDonald’s is a chain that does this right — they introduced a $5 meal deal that includes a 4-piece chicken McNuggets, a drink and either a McChicken or a McDouble and saw an 8% increase in visits on that year-to-date weekday average. 

9. Bundled orders 

Who doesn't love a good deal? Bundling your most popular items into an order is a fantastic way to boost your average check size. Not only does it make ordering easier for customers, but it also encourages them to try new things.

For example, offer a "dinner for two" package that includes choices for appetizers, main courses and desserts at a discounted price. The key difference between this strategy and a combo meal is that there’s more customization, as the customers can choose from several different items to add to their bundle. 

Unlike combos, bundles can let your customers mix and match items within a certain category or from a list of options. So, a restaurant might offer a "Family Bundle" where customers can choose any three mains and two sides.

For example, an Italian restaurant offering a $40 bundled offer could let customers choose between: 

• Two large pizzas: Margherita, Pepperoni, Supreme, Veggie Lovers
• Two sides: Garlic Bread, Bruschetta, Caesar Salad, House Salad
• Two drinks: Soft drinks, bottled water, fountain drinks

This allows customers to choose their preferred pizzas and sides, providing customization while encouraging them to order more than they might individually. 

Reward customers that spend with you

Forty-one percent of consumers say loyalty programs encourage them to buy from restaurants, and you can use one of these programs to your advantage to help you increase your check sizes. Loyalty programs get customers to buy more from you to earn more rewards. 

Here’s how to make them work:

10. Start a loyalty program for regulars 

Want to keep your customers coming back for more? A loyalty program is your secret weapon. Not only do they encourage repeat visits, but members also tend to spend 12-18% more per order than non-members. 

You can leverage your loyalty program to get customers to add more to their orders. Here are my favorite ways to do this: 

• Reward customers with extra points if they add a side or a dessert to their entree or spend a minimum amount at check out. 
• Giving reward points to customers who choose combo or bundle orders. This tactic can help boost sales on low-profit items and push slower-selling products.  
• Use high-margin sides as the rewards—these are the items that are cheap to make and won’t dip into your profits if you offer them as discounts or free. 
• Start customers off as soon as they join the program to encourage them to order more—this is the Endowed Progress Effect.  

These strategies are great ways to motivate your customers to earn points and ensure the rewards they earn from larger orders don’t eat into your profit margins. 

Promotions focused on check size

Offerings are a great way to get customers to increase their check size, but you also have to make sure that they know these offerings exist. Here are some of my favorite restaurant promotion ideas you can try to get your customers to spend more: 

11. Set minimum spending requirements

A little nudge can go a long way. You encourage customers to add extra items to their orders by setting a minimum spending requirement for certain perks, like a discount, free delivery or a free side.

At Owner, we’ve seen that 5-7% off to get the check size to a minimum of about $35 seems to work well for most quick-serve restaurants. 

For example, Aburaya Japanese Fried Chicken gives their guests 10% off for orders of $50 or more:

Not only does this boost your average check size, but it can also help you manage delivery costs. Consider offering a small discount on orders that meet the minimum to sweeten the deal. For example, "Spend $35 and get free delivery!" or "Order $40 worth of food and get a free appetizer." 

12. Discounts for first app order

After digging into our own data, we found that regulars who use your mobile app order 85% more often. So, in most cases, app users are just flat-out more valuable and are more likely to be your regulars. With that said, I always recommend running a generous discount to get your customers to order from your app. Getting happy guests into your app is an indirect way to drive more frequent, larger orders.

For example, you could run a deal where a customer gets 20% off their order when they purchase through the app. 

Offering a discount on first-time app orders is a great way to encourage customers to check out your full menu. This not only gets them excited but also often turns them into repeat customers. Plus, getting them to your app makes it super easy to suggest add-ons and create a smooth ordering experience. The convenience alone can tempt customers to add more items to their cart.

13. Seasonal or recurring promotions

Capitalize on special occasions and create memorable experiences with seasonal or recurring promotions. The key here is that special events tend to draw in larger groups which are more likely to order more sides and alcohol (if you offer it). 

In-store customers usually will order during events, so whether it's a Super Bowl party or a weekly Taco Tuesday, these events can draw in crowds to watch a big game or start a happy hour tradition with coworkers, encouraging larger orders.

Seasonal promotions can also highlight the quality of your ingredients, which can encourage your customers to indulge and add higher-margin dishes to their orders. For example, if a customer orders a steak entree, you can suggest they add on the high-quality winter squash side to increase the average check size.  

Increase average check size and watch your profits climb 

Small changes can lead to big results. You can significantly boost your restaurant's average check size by implementing these strategies. 

Remember, it's not just about increasing sales but also about enhancing the customer experience. By creating a seamless journey from menu design to loyalty programs, you'll not only increase revenue but also foster loyalty that creates customers who keep coming back for more. 

Ready to increase your average check size and drive more online orders? Get a free Owner.com demo and see how to take charge of your takeout business.