Optimising your menu is a powerful way to boost your Average Order Value (AOV) and overall sales. A strategically designed menu helps customers easily find what they want while encouraging them to order more. Here’s a step-by-step guide to maximising the effectiveness of your menu and driving increased revenue.

Topics

• Step 1: Leverage Upsells
• Step 2: Modifiers: Customise the Experience
• Step 3: Strategic Menu Layout
• Step 4: Upgrades
• Step 5: Make Your Menu Easy to Find
• Step 6: Enable Email Opt-In
• Step 7: Make those Photos Pop
• Step 8: Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Step 9: Menu Completeness
• Step 10: Final Touches

Step 1: Leverage Upsells

Upselling is essential to increasing order values. Here’s how:

• Drinks with Meals: Every main dish should have a drink upsell. For example, if a customer orders a burger, you can suggest, “Would you like a cold drink with that?” 

• Snack Pairings with Drinks: When customers order a drink, offer snacks such as chips, calamari, or spring rolls. For example, when someone orders a cocktail, suggest, “How about some snacks to go with your drink?”

• Dessert after Mains: Encourage customers to add desserts after their main course. Prompts like “Save room for dessert?” or “Would you like to try our chocolate brownie?” can lead to impulse purchases.

• Side Dishes with Mains: Every main course should have side dish options. For example, with a steak, you can suggest sides like roasted vegetables, fries, or a house salad. Pairing options like these often lead to a higher total spend.

• Wine Pairings: Set up wine pairings to complement the customers meal, increasing satisfaction and encouraging higher sales.

• Seasonal or Special Items: Add seasonal or limited-time options that naturally complement existing menu items. For example, during winter, suggest hot chocolate or mulled wine with a dessert.
  
  Here’s a breakdown of upsell options and tips to help increase revenue👇

  Modifier	Notes
  Add a side?	Offer salads, fries, or extra protein. Works well with any main dish.
  Add a drink?	Suggest drinks that match the food, like wine or beer. Easy to pair with mains like steak or salmon.
  Add a sauce for $1?	Offer sauces with entrees and mains. A quick, easy upsell.
  Add an extra shot for $4? Make this a double?	Works great for cocktails or spirits. This upsell is very popular at many venues.
  Adding extra ingredients to products: Would you like extra avocado? Would you like extra cheese? Would you like extra bacon?	Small add-ons like this are easy for customers to say yes to and increase their order value.

Step 2: Modifiers: Customise the Experience

Offer choices for customisation to enhance customer experience and increase AOV:

• Relevant Modifiers: Offer milk alternatives for coffee, extra toppings for meals, or customisable sides.
• Sauce Modifiers: Include options like tomato sauce, aioli, or chipotle. This is a really effective way to increase AOV. If sauce is $1.50 on a $10 bowl of chips, that's an additional 15% GMV on that item!
• Add Sides: For main meals, offer sides like roasted veggies, chips, or salads.

Step 3: Strategic Menu Layout

A well-thought-out menu layout is more than just a list of offerings—it’s a tool to influence customer choices, enhance their experience, and drive higher sales. Here's why:

• Enhances Customer Experience
  Logical menu flow (Starters > Mains > Desserts) should be utilised on your me&u menu as this aligns with dining habits, reducing confusion and making it easy for customers to order quickly.
• Increases Spending
  Listing drink sizes from largest to smallest (e.g., Pint > Schooner > Pot) encourages customers to consider premium options first—it’s a simple tweak that works wonders!
• Encourages Upselling
  Place 'Add' modifiers (e.g., extra cheese) before 'Remove' ones and prioritise key choices (e.g., 'Strength' before 'Sugar' for coffee) to gently guide customers toward upgrading their orders. 

Step 4: Upgrades

Upgrades, like larger drinks or premium spirits (e.g., Belvedere or Grey Goose in a Vodka Soda), boost revenue and enhance the customer experience.

Tips for Implementing Upgrades:

• Offer Premium Choices: Include options like Belvedere and Grey Goose as spirit upgrades on a vodka soda. 
• List Upgrades Logically: Arrange upgrades from smallest to largest or standard to premium, making choices intuitive.

Step 5: Make Your Menu Easy to Find

Make your menu easy to find by adding your me&u menu link to key platforms so customers can order with just a click!

• Google Listing: Add your menu link to your Google Business Profile so customers can find it quickly, especially on mobile or Google Maps.
• Website: Place the link prominently on your homepage or "Menu" section for easy access.
• Social Media: Include the link in your Instagram bio, Facebook "About" section, and pinned posts. 

Step 6: Enable Email Opt-In

Enabling email opt-in on me&u is a game-changer for staying connected with your customers. It lets you share updates, promotions, and special offers directly, encouraging repeat visits and building loyalty. Plus, a large, active email database email list is a valuable asset—it can even boost your business’s value in a sale by showing you have an engaged audience ready to hear from you!

Step 7: Make those Photos Pop

Show Off with Photos: Great photos = more sales! Make sure you use high-quality, close-up photos of your menu items to entice customers. Need help? Get in touch via support@meandu.com.au and we can recommend a photographer.

Step 8: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Prevent errors that may result in missed sales:

• Language: Review your menu to ensure consistency in language, punctuation, and pricing.
• Dietary Modifiers: Don’t forget gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options for relevant dishes.
• Kids Menu: Avoid alcohol upsells on kids’ meals (use soft drinks or milkshakes).

Step 9: Menu Completeness

Make sure every item from your physical menu is available:

• Dietary Options: Ensure all dietary needs are reflected in the digital me&u version.
• Modifiers for All Items: Ensure that items have complete options. Examples below:
  • Coffee - milk alternatives, strength and sweetener levels.
  • Spirit mixers - don't forget soda water & fresh lime and lemon, lime & bitters.
  • Add/Remove - these are important to include wherever possible.
  • Cooking styles - for eggs, steaks and sandwiches being either fresh or toasted.

Step 10: Final Touches

Boost sales and engage customers with these quick tips:

• Social Media Shout-Outs: Use social media to remind customers where to order. Simple posts like “Order your fave meal and drink right from our website!” can drive traffic.

• Discount Codes: Offer promo codes during slow hours - “Get 10% off between 3pm-5pm!” It’s an easy way to drive more orders when you need them.

• Specials & Price Adjustments: Set up Specials and Price Adjustments, like “$12 Pizza Tuesdays” or “Happy Hour: $2 off all tap beers from 4-6pm!” Adjust prices for specific times or days to attract customers during key periods.