Maximizing your businesses revenue is important for any business, but especially in the restaurant industry. One effective strategy to increase sales is by encouraging servers to upsell and promote add-ons. Implementing a well-designed server incentive program can motivate your staff to suggest higher-priced items and extras, ultimately leading to increased revenue for your establishment.
To create a successful server incentive program, it's essential to focus on key elements that will engage and motivate your staff. By setting clear goals, offering attractive rewards, and providing ongoing support, you can create a culture of upselling and add-on promotion that benefits both your servers and your restaurant.
- Set clear goals and communicate them effectively: Establish specific, measurable targets for your servers, such as increasing the average check size by a certain percentage or selling a minimum number of a particular add-on per shift. Clearly communicate these goals to your staff and ensure they understand the incentive program's requirements and rewards.
- Offer attractive rewards: Provide enticing incentives that will motivate your servers to go the extra mile. These can include monetary bonuses, gift cards, paid time off, or even a points system that allows them to earn prizes. Consider tailoring rewards to individual preferences to maximize motivation.
- Provide training and support: Equip your servers with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively upsell and promote add-ons. Train them on suggestive selling techniques, product knowledge, and how to read customers' preferences. Role-playing exercises can help them practice their skills and build confidence.
- Highlight high-profit items: Identify menu items and add-ons that offer the highest profit margins and encourage servers to focus on promoting these. Create a cheat sheet or a special section on the menu that showcases these items, making it easier for servers to suggest them to customers.
- Monitor and celebrate success: Regularly track the performance of your servers and recognize those who consistently meet or exceed their targets. Celebrate their achievements through public acknowledgment.This will keep them motivated and encourage friendly competition among the staff.
- Continuously evaluate and adapt: Regularly assess the effectiveness of your server incentive program and make adjustments as needed. Gather feedback from your staff and customers to identify areas for improvement and ensure that the program aligns with your restaurant's overall goals and values.
New to incentives? SparkPlug can help! Connect with our team to see how incentives can super power your sales results.
By implementing a well-structured server incentive program that focuses on upsells and add-ons, you can create a win-win situation for your restaurant and your staff. As servers are motivated to increase sales, your restaurant will benefit from higher revenue, while your customers will enjoy a more engaging dining experience with personalized recommendations.
