Running a successful Mexican restaurant isn’t just about serving delicious food—it’s also about making sure your customers have the best experience while driving sales. One way to do this is through upselling, a technique that encourages customers to purchase more than they initially planned.
In the restaurant business, upselling is a skill. Done correctly, it increases your revenue, improves your guests’ experience, and strengthens customer loyalty. For a Mexican restaurant, upselling offers many unique opportunities, thanks to the vibrant menu and variety of dishes that lend themselves to creative combinations and enhancements.
This guide will walk you through effective upsell examples for your Mexican restaurant. Whether you’re an established eatery or just starting, these strategies can help boost your revenue and keep your customers satisfied.
Understanding Upselling in the Context of Mexican Restaurants
Before diving into specific examples, let’s quickly define upselling and why it’s such a useful tactic in the restaurant industry.
What is Upselling?
Upselling is the practice of encouraging customers to purchase additional or higher-value items. This could mean suggesting a premium drink to accompany a meal, offering a side dish, or recommending an upgraded version of their order. The goal is to increase the total bill while enhancing the dining experience.
Why Mexican Restaurants Benefit from Upselling
Mexican food is all about variety and customization, which naturally lends itself to upselling. With an abundance of toppings, drinks, and shareable dishes, there are countless opportunities to offer something extra to your customers. Whether it’s a table-side guacamole or a premium margarita, there’s always something more you can offer to enhance your guests’ meal.
By leveraging upselling, you can make every meal more memorable—and more profitable.
Upsell Example 1: Premium Tequilas & Margaritas
Tequila and Margaritas: The Perfect Pairing
When it comes to Mexican dining, margaritas are king. Most customers are eager to order one, so why not turn that into an opportunity to upsell? By offering premium tequilas or upgraded margaritas, you can increase your sales without much effort.
How to Implement
- Highlight Premium Options: Offer a range of margaritas with premium tequilas like reposado or añejo. When customers are already choosing a margarita, suggest a slight upgrade for just a few more dollars.
- Flavored Margaritas: Don’t just stick with the basics—offer flavored margaritas like mango, strawberry, or even spicy jalapeño. These are often more expensive and provide a unique experience.
- Margarita Flights: If your restaurant serves a variety of margaritas, consider offering a margarita flight where customers can sample several flavors at once. This upsell works well for groups and creates a fun, social experience.
Example Dialogue:
“Would you like to try our top-shelf margarita with añejo tequila? It adds a smooth, rich flavor to your drink. Or perhaps a flight of margaritas to sample the flavors?”
By promoting premium margaritas and tequila options, you can significantly increase your beverage sales, all while enhancing the dining experience.
Upsell Example 2: Specialty Salsas & Toppings
Add Spice to the Meal
Mexican cuisine is all about bold flavors, and what better way to upsell than by offering additional salsas, guacamole, or cheese to complement your guest’s meal?
How to Implement
- Salsa Bar: If your restaurant has a salsa bar or offers a variety of homemade salsas, encourage guests to try new flavors. You could suggest adding a few extra scoops of pico de gallo, mango salsa, or a spicy roasted chile de árbol salsa.
- Table-Side Guacamole: Offering table-side guacamole is a perfect way to upsell. Not only is it a fresh, interactive experience, but you can also recommend adding extra ingredients like pomegranate, roasted garlic, or jalapeños.
- Premium Toppings: While many customers stick with the basics (sour cream, shredded cheese), you can entice them to upgrade with options like avocado slices, grilled shrimp, or steak.
Example Dialogue:
“How about adding a scoop of our fresh guacamole made right at your table? It’s the perfect complement to your tacos.”
This upsell is a great way to enhance your guests’ experience while increasing the check total.
Upsell Example 3: Large Group & Family-Style Dishes
Group Dining: A Chance to Upsell Big
Mexican food is perfect for sharing, and large family-style platters make for a fantastic upsell. Dishes like fajitas, taco platters, or even burrito bowls are often ideal for large groups, and they come at a higher price point.
How to Implement
- Highlight Shareable Dishes: When guests mention they’re dining with a group, suggest sharing family-style dishes. Many Mexican restaurants offer large fajita platters that are served sizzling, perfect for group dining.
- Offer Additional Proteins: When customers order a large dish, encourage them to add more protein options, like chicken, steak, or shrimp.
- Upsell Sides: Pairing large platters with additional sides like rice, beans, or Mexican corn pudding can increase the total sale.
Example Dialogue:
“It looks like you’re dining with a group. Have you considered our sizzling fajitas platter? It’s big enough to share, and we can add extra shrimp or steak for just a few dollars more.”
Family-style dishes are not only a great upsell but also create a communal experience, making your restaurant even more appealing to groups.
Upsell Example 4: Desserts & Coffee Pairings
Sweet Endings and Warm Drinks
At the end of a meal, many customers are tempted by something sweet. Mexican desserts like churros, flan, and tres leches cake are unique and delicious, and they provide a fantastic opportunity to upsell.
How to Implement
- Dessert Pairings: When a customer finishes their meal, suggest pairing a dessert with a Mexican coffee like café de olla (a spiced coffee with cinnamon and piloncillo) or an authentic horchata.
- Offer Combo Deals: Bundle a dessert with a coffee for a discounted price or a “sweet deal” to encourage customers to indulge in both.
Example Dialogue:
“How about treating yourself to our famous churros? They’re served warm and perfectly complemented by a cup of café de olla.”
Desserts and coffee are low-cost items with high-profit margins, making them ideal upsell items to boost your bottom line.
Upsell Example 5: Add-Ons for Customization (Extra Proteins, Sides)
Customization: A Key to More Sales
Mexican food is all about customization. Encourage your customers to make their meals their own by offering extra toppings, proteins, or sides.
How to Implement
- Extra Proteins: Suggest adding extra proteins like grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak to their tacos, burritos, or salads. These options can increase the check total without much effort.
- Sides and Toppings: Offer additional sides like guacamole, rice, beans, and chips. These sides are often inexpensive to add, but they enhance the meal and encourage customers to spend more.
- Meal Upgrades: Suggest upgrading a regular dish to a more substantial one, like changing a taco to a burrito or adding a side of queso fundido.
Example Dialogue:
“Would you like to add grilled shrimp or chicken to your tacos? They’re a perfect addition to bring extra flavor.”
Offering guests the chance to enhance their meal with additional toppings or proteins is an easy way to increase sales while allowing them to customize their experience.
Upsell Example 6: Signature Combos & Specials
Bundles and Time-Sensitive Offers
Creating combo deals or offering limited-time specials is an effective upselling tactic. By combining several items at a slightly discounted price, you can increase the overall check while offering more value to the customer.
How to Implement
- Combo Deals: Offer a set meal that includes an entrée, a drink, and a side for a special price. This works especially well with taco platters, burrito combos, or nacho bowls.
- Limited-Time Offers: Promote seasonal specials, like a holiday-themed margarita or limited-edition salsa, to create a sense of urgency and drive sales.
Example Dialogue:
“We’re running a special today—get our taco platter with a margarita for just $2 more. It’s the perfect pairing!”
Conclusion
Upselling is an essential strategy for increasing revenue and improving customer satisfaction in your Mexican restaurant. By offering creative upsells, like premium margaritas, table-side guacamole, or family-style platters, you can elevate your guests’ dining experience and boost your bottom line.
The key to effective upselling is offering value—suggest items that truly complement the meal, and your customers will be more than happy to take you up on the offer. Remember, upselling is about enhancing the experience, not just increasing sales.
By implementing these upsell strategies, you’ll create a win-win situation for both your customers and your business. So, what are you waiting for? Start upselling today and watch your revenue grow!
