6 Non-Obvious Ways You Can Increase Restaurant Sales

Running a restaurant isn’t just about making great food—it’s about making money. And let’s be real, that part isn’t always easy.

Maybe you’ve tried the usual tricks to increase restaurant sales: running discounts, adding new menu items, or boosting your social media strategies. But if you’re still not seeing the numbers you want, it might be time to think outside the box.

The good news? There are plenty of under-the-radar ways to increase your sales without slashing prices or overcomplicating your menu.

Some of these strategies might surprise you, but they work, and they’re the kind of industry secrets seasoned operators use to keep their numbers strong.

In this article, we’ll let you in on six non-obvious ways to boost your revenue. These aren’t your typical “just do better marketing tips,” they’re practical, profitable moves you can start using today.

How’s the restaurant industry doing?

Though the restaurant industry played a huge role in the economy, it has faced uncharted challenges since the hit of the global pandemic in 2020. 

As a result, the industry has hardly to recover with the overall sales down to a total of $240 billion. This includes the sales shortfall at food and beverages businesses plus the sharp reduction in spending at the food service operations. 

Alternative ways to increase sales in a restaurant like adding food deliveries has shifted the dining experience, making favorite food available on the consumers’ door steps.

In fact, Global Newswire seen it’s growth in 2023 valued at $242. 09 billion and the food delivery statistics showed a staggering influx of growth up to $1.22 trillion by 2024. 

Macdonald’s step to foster customer retention through digital loyalty programs that had nearly 22 million active members in the US, driving increased visit frequency and incremental sales/ 

In the same proposition, The Restaurant HQ seen the restaurant industry hit a sales record of  $1.1 trillion in 2024 and is projected to grow by 4 percent in 2025. 

6 proven and tested ways to increase sales in a restaurant 

To get you fully equipped to get that sales and revenue boost, here are the top six data-backed insights you can use in your business:

1. Implement digitized ordering systems

McDonald’s saw a 30 percent increase in average check size after rolling out self-service kiosks. And the reason is simple: customers spend more when ordering digitally.

Without the pressure of a cashier waiting, people take their time, browse more options, and are more likely to customize their meals. This is a plus for upselling strategies.

The kiosks make upselling seamless, suggesting add-ons like extra bacon for a dollar or upgrading to a larger meal in a way that feels natural rather than pushy.

Plus, when customers aren’t worried about holding up a line, they tend to explore more premium options and add a few extras.

It’s a smart, low-effort way to drive up your revenue.

In fact, this is backed by a University of Massachusetts Lowell study, which revealed that restaurants using kiosks saw their average check size climb significantly by 28 percent. 

This growth comes not only from the sophistication of the systems but also from the convenience these give to your customers.  

With such a smooth customer experience, the response to the higher average order value reached the order size by 18.5 percent, with 52 percent of customers opting for checkout upsells. 

2. Optimize table turnover without rushing guests via menu QR code

Fast casual spots are optimized for speed, but full-service restaurants can still do the same without sacrificing the experience. 

Using a QR code menu ordering system, you can reduce the wait times by 20 to 30 percent since customers no longer have to fumble through sheets and wait for available staff to get their orders.

They just scan the QR code, place it, and pay the orders directly on their mobile phones. Orders are automatically sent to the back of the house. 

A streamlined service operation like this allows you to accommodate more guests during peak hours, directly increasing your revenue. 

Tip: When implementing this, train your staff how to scan a menu at your restaurant so they can assist first-timers using this ordering tool. 

3. Leverage menu engineering

Poor pricing management, rising costs for ingredients, and other operational expenses have made it difficult for restaurants in the US to justify price increases, says Eater. 

One of the smartest countermeasures you can apply without sacrificing customer satisfaction is menu engineering methods. 

It’s not just about the design but more about profit psychology. 

Chilli’s, a staple American casual dining chain, took a new light, overhauling its menu as it struggled in the past due to declining traffic.

They eliminate over 50 items and focus on core categories such as burgers, chicken crispers, fajitas, and margaritas. 

It aimed to simplify its operations and emphasized high-demand, profitable dishes.

As a result, they were able to experience a 19 percent increase in customer traffic, with sales rising from $1.06 billion to $1.35 billion in the recent quarter. 

4. Consider hyper-local sourcing

More diners are willing to pay extra for transparency, sustainability, and community support.

When your customers see that their meal is made with ingredients from nearby farms or local artisans, they’re more likely to perceive it as high quality and worth the price.

Plus, working directly with local suppliers can cut out costly middlemen and reduce supply chain expenses.

Take Blue Hill at Stone Barns as an example. This fine dining restaurant focuses on hyper-local sourcing, charging 25-30% more for a farm-to-table experience.

Customers appreciate the transparency and quality, making the higher price more justifiable.

5. Venture on subscription models to increase restaurant sales

Subscription models are one of the effective ways how you can increase sales without advertising.

All you need is to design subscription programs offering exclusive benefits to encourage repeat patronage and increase your overall sales.

For instance, Sweetgreen’s subscription program, Sweetpass+, offers members a three-dollar daily discount for a monthly fee of $10 or $100 for an annual fee. According to Restaurant Dive, the company welcomed and grew its program’s enrollment by  25 percent, indicating a positive response from customers seeking value and exclusive perks. 

This further enhances the customer’s loyalty and allows you to establish a predictable revenue stream. 

6. Gamification and social media-driven rewards

Gamification in restaurants involves using interactive rewards, challenges, and incentives to keep customers engaged and encourage repeat visits.

You can do this through loyalty programs, digital badges, and social media contests.

Global coffee chain Starbucks introduced the Star Dash challenge to customers. The selling point is they can earn extra stars for purchasing specific items within a limited time.

This strategy boosted the brand’s transaction frequency by 25% and encouraged customers to try new items they might not have otherwise considered.

Customers love a challenge and the feeling of earning something extra. With a gamification strategy, your restaurant can drive higher engagement and sales while making the experience more enjoyable for guests.

How a QR code menu software helps generate sales without breaking the bank

Let’s face it: not everyone has the luxury of time to monitor the performance of published marketing campaigns or even design new sets of menus when the competition in the market is already fierce.

And not everyone has the luxury to spend dimes on kiosks, expanding social media strategies, and even re-engineering menus.

Though effective, you need a cost-effective tool. Think of QR code menu software like MENU TIGER to take some loads off your shoulders.

A user-friendly, feature-riched restaurant technology like this is a big plus in creating well-designed service operations. 

Here’s how: 

24/7 sales analytics and data sales report availability

Checking out order sales and the performance of your menu items made it easier using this smart software.

You’ll be able to generate results in real-time, helping you determine which of your offerings bring in profits or losses. 

Feature for upsells 

Overstocked your wine? There is no need to discard them because this smart menu is built with restaurant marketing tools with functions where you can upsell them. 

Customers can customize their orders through add-ons, which adds to your revenue stream.  

User-friendly self-service kiosk configuration

Set up your own self-service kiosk using this software easily for advanced ordering operations. 

With your available smart screens, you can display your menu prominently near your door so your customers can place their orders directly. 

Customizable digital menu

Add your most mouthwatering food photos into your menu with vivid descriptions to appeal to your customer’s senses.

You can easily engineer your menu by recommending your bestsellers and high-profit dishes to them.

The best thing about this is it’s accessible through a digital menu QR code and readily downloadable through this software for free.

Increase restaurant sales in the MENU TIGER way

Increasing restaurant sales does not merely mean hitting the quota you set for your business but continuously growing it.

The key to sustained growth is adaptability, keeping up with industry trends, and thinking extraordinarily to stand out from the competition. 

Maximizing digital solutions like MENU TIGER restaurant ordering software proved to be an efficient scene-stealer in the restaurant industry.

Compact with solutions and features necessary to improve different areas of your operations, this smart menu tech is surely a top-tier unconventional method of sustaining revenue. 

Get ready to hit the chart and sign up with MENU TIGER, where innovative tech meets bigger checks! 

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