Restaurant margins are razor thin. But small, intentional changes—executed consistently—can stack up fast. After years running restaurants ourselves, we’ve learned that the fastest path to higher profits is often hiding in plain sight.

Here are 10 practical strategies you can put into action tomorrow to see results.

1. Increase the Price of Your Most Popular Item by 10%

This is the fastest win in the book.

Take your top-selling items and give them a modest bump. If your go-to appetizer is $14, bringing it up to $16 won’t ruffle feathers. Guests who love it will still order—it’s basic economics.

Quick Math:

40 orders/night × $2 = $80 extra

Over 30 days = $2,400 in margin

2. Focus on Second Beverage Sales

A second drink can turn a $70 table into an $85 table.

Train servers to clear glasses quickly and suggest another round. A simple: “Can I get you another one of those?” works wonders.

With Garnysh, managers can send quick reminders and upsell prompts to staff before each shift, keeping this top of mind without retraining every day.

Quick Math:

20 tables × 1 extra drink = $140/night

In a month = $4,200 extra

3. Find Ways to Drive Downtime Business

Slow nights don’t have to mean empty seats.

Host special events—pop-up dinners, wine tastings, themed nights—that give regulars a reason to come back midweek. Partner with local businesses to create buzz and fill the dining room.

4. List a High-End Item in Every Menu Category

Add premium items that make your menu feel elevated. A $55 tomahawk steak on the entrée list makes that $32 chicken dish look like a deal.

This “price anchor” tactic nudges guests up naturally. Garnysh helps you roll out new menu items with training notes so staff know how to sell, plate, and present them consistently.

5. Get People to Order Something They Didn’t Expect

Encourage staff to suggest add-ons naturally—“That cocktail pairs perfectly with the crab cakes” or “Our house dessert is perfect to share.”

Personalized, well-timed recommendations turn “just dinner” into a memorable experience.

6. Offer a Dish for Two

Large-format items—seafood towers, steak for two, fondue—create buzz and drive checks higher.

Quick Math:

$90 dish for two × 3 sold per night = $270

Over 30 days = $8,100 extra

Using Garnysh’s guides and recipe libraries, cooks and servers can stay aligned on preparation and presentation, ensuring consistency every time.

7. Pre-Sell Something During the Reservation Process

Upsell before guests even walk through the door.

Use your reservation system to offer add-ons like chef’s tasting menus, wine pairings, or cocktail packages. Guests commit early, your check averages rise.

8. Make It Easy for Guests to Order a Drink

If cocktails are buried at the back of the menu, you’re losing money.

Feature drinks prominently, create a separate cocktail page, or highlight a house signature. Reduce friction, and guests will order more.

With Garnysh, you can push seasonal cocktail menus and allergen details directly to staff devices, giving servers confidence when selling.

9. Upselling and Downselling

Upselling is obvious—but downselling builds trust.

If a guest balks at the $95 bottle of wine, train staff to smoothly suggest a $65 option. They’ll feel cared for, not sold to, and are more likely to come back.

Garnysh makes it easy to reinforce these tactics with role-specific training paths so every server knows how to upsell and downsell effectively.

10. Adjust Prices Strategically & Seasonally

Stay nimble and refresh pricing with the seasons.

Quick Math:

Raise one winter dish by $1

1,500 units/season = $1,500 extra revenue

Upload seasonal changes into Garnysh so every staff member is aligned on day one, avoiding costly mistakes.

The Bottom Line

Stack just a few of these together:

• $2,400 from price bumps
• $4,200 from second drinks
• $8,100 from dishes for two

That’s $14,700 in extra revenue per month—without adding seats, staff, or hours.

The catch? None of it works without consistency. That’s why we built Garnysh: to standardize training, reinforce upsell tactics, and keep every shift running the same playbook.

Put even a handful of these strategies into action, and you’ll see results overnight.

Want to see how Garnysh helps operators turn chaos into consistency? Book a demo today.