Increase Sales, Tips, and Guest Satisfaction

Choice Anxiety

Your enemy as a salesperson in a restaurant is a psychological phenomenon we all experience called choice anxiety: the more options you have, the more difficult it is to choose one. A great example of this problem is something most people have experienced at some time or another: You're with your family or friends, and you start to get hungry. So, you ask, "What do you want to do for dinner?" only to spend what seems like forever trying to figure it out. You debate whether to cook, order in, or go out to eat; you debate the type of cuisine; you confront the infinitely unhelpful friend who says, "I don't care, you decide." Eventually, a decision gets made, but not without frustration. 

Avoid the “Trailing Or” and Open-Ended Questions

As a restaurant salesperson, you can spare your guests from choice anxiety by avoiding open-ended questions such as, "Would you like to start with something to drink?" More importantly, asking open-ended questions and the Trailing Or both lead to missed opportunities for guests to experience things they might enjoy. For you, they lead to missed sales opportunities. Oh, you've never heard of it the Trailing Or? Well, I'm pretty sure I made it up, but it's something we've all done, and it sounds like this: 

“Are you still enjoying your dish oooooor...”

“Do you want to start with an appetizer oooooor...”

“Oooooor” what?!

This or That

In the relationship you have with your guests, your role is to lead them through their experience. So, in situations where you ask an either/or question, always state the options clearly. Always give them a "this" or "that" to choose between. Instead of deciding whether to order or not order something, you're guiding the guest to choose between two options.

Here is what the above examples might look like using This or That:

“Would you like to enjoy one of our signature cocktails or a glass of wine?”

“Are you still enjoying your dish, or may I clear this for you?”

“If you’d like, I’d recommend the _______ or the ________ to share as an appetizer. Either of these is light enough that you’ll still have room for dessert!”

The above examples showcase Suggestive Selling, but you can use this for Upselling, too.

Guest: "Can I have a vodka martini, up?"

You: "Of course! Do you have a preferred vodka? I recommend Grey Goose or Tito's."

It is easier for guests to decide when presented with a small set of options to consider. When you provide guests with a clear set of targeted suggestions, you increase the likelihood of closing the sale and improving their experience because they aren't deciding between ordering or not ordering; they decide which of the options to choose. By combining suggestive selling or upselling with Selling Experiences, Not Things and targeted This or That options to choose between, you will increase your sales (and tip!) potential.