How to Increase the Average Customer Value in Your Meal Business.
When you’re running a meal business, growth is key. But how do you ensure that growth is sustainable and profitable? One important way is by increasing your average customer value—the amount each customer spends with you over time.
There are three core strategies for growing your meal business:
- Finding new customers
- Keeping existing customers
- Increasing how much each customer spends
In this article, we'll dive into the third strategy and explore how you can increase the amount each customer spends, without resorting to gimmicks or negative tactics. We’ll focus on providing your customers with more value, enhancing their experience, and making it easier for them to buy more.
1. Offer Convenient Add-Ons to Your Meals
One of the most effective ways to increase the amount each customer spends is by offering additional items that complement their meals. When done correctly, these add-ons don’t just increase your revenue—they make your customers' lives easier and more enjoyable.
Here are a few examples of add-ons you could offer:
Seasonal Drinks: For example, a fresh fruit juice or a vegetable juice with breakfast.
Buttermilk or Smoothies: Perfect for a refreshing lunch side.
Healthy Snacks: You could offer a snack option with lunch, like a smoothie bowl or granola bar, which is a convenient addition for customers looking for an afternoon boost.
The beauty of these add-ons is that they require minimal additional effort. Since you're already making meals, creating and delivering these items is a small step that could significantly increase your average order value.
Why Add-Ons Work
When customers are already enjoying their meals, adding a simple snack or drink enhances their experience, and more importantly, increases their spend with you. Offering these items makes it easy for them to say "yes" to something they already wanted, without having to go somewhere else to get it. It’s about convenience and delight, not just selling more.
2. Introduce Daily Specials and Limited-Time Offers
People love variety, and the opportunity to indulge in something special can make a big difference in their purchasing behaviour. By offering daily specials or limited-time items, you can tap into your customers’ desire for something new and exciting, while also boosting your revenue.
How to Create Daily Specials:
You can create special menus for specific days or introduce a new snack or dessert option once or twice a week. Here’s how you can approach it:
Desserts on Wednesdays and Fridays: Customers love a sweet treat. By offering a dessert on select days, you can encourage customers to order something extra.
Limited-Time Snacks: You could offer something seasonal, like a fruit salad in the summer or a hearty soup in the winter.
These specials keep things fresh, and the “limited-time” factor creates urgency—customers are more likely to try something new if they know it’s only available for a short time.
Example: Seasonal Special:
Offer Rasam or Hot Tomato Soup every winter. Comforting, nostalgic, and just what your customers might crave. Or offer a Choco Lava Cake on Fridays, something sweet to indulge in after a long week.You can advertise these specials in advance, via email or social media, creating anticipation. When customers are given the option to indulge in something special, they often opt for it, even if it’s just a small indulgence.
3. Upselling with Healthy Add-Ons
This goes hand-in-hand with offering add-ons, but it’s more targeted. Upselling is about offering healthy, value-packed options that enhance your customers’ health goals.
For example:
Offer salads, fruit bowls, or smoothies alongside their regular meal. These are especially appealing to health-conscious customers.
Think about creating a “meal upgrade” option—offer a more filling version of a regular meal with extra veggies, protein, or a side.
By offering these meal upgrades, you’re giving your customers more variety and convenience, which increases their overall spend.
4. Use Smart Subscription Tiers
Subscription models work well in the meal business, as they ensure repeat purchases. However, you can increase the average spend by introducing tiered subscription plans that offer different benefits and pricing.
Example: Subscription Plans:
Offer multiple tiers in your meal subscriptions. A customer could start with a basic plan (e.g., lunch only), then upgrade to a premium plan (e.g., lunch + dinner + snacks). Or, offer additional perks such as:
- Priority Delivery
- Free Add-ons (e.g., free dessert on weekends)
- Exclusive Meal Options
These incentives make customers more likely to upgrade to a higher tier, increasing the average amount they spend monthly.
5. Create Special Occasion Meal Packs
Customers love to treat themselves, especially on special occasions. Why not capitalize on that by offering meal packs for special events? This could include meals for: Birthdays, holiday meals (e.g., New Year’s Eve dinner packs, Christmas specials) and family meals.
These meal packs are easy to promote, and they allow customers to buy more for special occasions. Plus, it’s a way to upsell without being pushy—people love to spend on things that help them celebrate!
6. Automate and Personalize the Experience with Technology
One of the most powerful tools for increasing average customer value is leveraging technology to offer a personalized experience. This can be achieved through:
Automated Recommendations: By using a system that tracks your customers’ preferences, you can recommend additional items based on their past orders. For example, if a customer orders lunch regularly, suggest a smoothie or snack that fits their preferences.
Customized Offers: Technology allows you to send personalized discounts or offers to customers who may be inclined to purchase additional items.
By integrating smart technology, you can simplify this process and offer recommendations that feel intuitive and helpful to the customer.
Offering More Value Leads to More Revenue
Increasing the amount your customer spends doesn’t have to be complicated. By adding more value, offering thoughtful options, and making things easier, you can naturally grow your average order size. Small changes like add-ons, daily specials, or special packs can make a big difference—delighting customers and driving more revenue.
Ready to take your meal business to the next level? Make every order count, for them and for you!
