U.S. restaurant sales hit $100.3 billion in November 2025, proving that customers are still spending money on dining out. But here’s the challenge: food costs keep climbing, margins are razor-thin, and competition for every customer has never been fiercer.
If you’re running a restaurant, cafe, food truck, or any food business right now, you’re probably feeling the squeeze. The good news? Restaurant sales grew 2.0% from January 2024 to 2025 when adjusted for inflation—which means there’s real growth happening for businesses that adapt.
Increasing restaurant sales isn’t about one magic solution. It’s about making strategic improvements across your menu, digital presence, customer experience, marketing, and operations. Each small change compounds into significant revenue growth over time.
This guide breaks down 25 proven strategies organized by category—from menu engineering that costs nothing to implement, to digital ordering systems that help you keep 100% of your revenue, to marketing tactics that bring new customers through your doors. Whether you’re looking for quick wins or long-term growth, you’ll find actionable tactics you can start using today.
Menu engineering is the strategic analysis and design of your menu to maximize profitability by highlighting high-margin items, using psychological pricing, and optimizing item placement to influence customer choices.
Why start here? Because menu optimization can boost sales by 3.3%, and using POS insights to refine your menu can improve margins by up to 20%. Best of all, most menu engineering tactics cost nothing to implement—you’re simply rearranging what you already have.
The classic framework categorizes menu items into four groups:
Your most profitable dishes deserve prime real estate on your menu. Eye-tracking studies show customers focus on specific areas first, and smart placement can significantly increase orders of high-margin items.
Here’s how to draw attention to your most profitable dishes:
With a digital menu, testing different layouts becomes simple. You can reorder items, add visual highlights, and see which arrangements drive the most orders—unlike printed menus that require costly reprints for every change.
How you present prices affects customer perception more than the actual numbers. Smart pricing strategies help counter inflation while supporting real sales growth.
Apply these pricing psychology principles:
Studies show descriptive menu names can increase sales by up to 27%. With value-seeking diners scrutinizing every purchase, compelling descriptions help justify your prices and increase perceived value.
Before: “Grilled Chicken Salad – $14”
After: “Herb-Marinated Free-Range Chicken Salad – tender grilled chicken breast with mixed greens, shaved parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and house-made lemon herb vinaigrette – $14”
Effective descriptions include:
Keep descriptions between 25-50 words—long enough to build appetite, short enough to read quickly. Online menus give you more space for rich descriptions than cramped printed menus, and you can A/B test which versions perform best.
Delivery basket sizes have declined 6%, making strategic upselling more important than ever. Add-ons and modifiers let customers customize their orders while boosting your average check size.
Consider these add-on opportunities:
For cafes and coffee shops, add-ons are especially powerful: alternative milks (+$0.75), extra espresso shots (+$0.80), flavored syrups (+$0.50). A customer ordering a $5 latte who adds oat milk and vanilla becomes a $6.25 sale—a 25% increase.
With Menubly, you can set up add-ons and options that let customers personalize their orders with size selections, flavor choices, or extra toppings—boosting average order value automatically without requiring staff to upsell every transaction.
50% of restaurant operators report higher off-premises sales compared to 2019, and pickup frequency has increased 14%. Your digital presence is no longer optional—it’s often the first interaction customers have with your restaurant.
Over 85% of customers research restaurants online before visiting. If they can’t find your menu, check your hours, or place an order digitally, you’re losing business to competitors who make it easy.
Here’s a frustrating scenario many customers face: they search for your menu on their phone, find a PDF, and spend the next minute pinching and zooming to read tiny text. Many give up and choose a different restaurant.
With the digital shift in dining habits, over 70% of menu views now happen on mobile devices. A mobile-friendly menu isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s essential for capturing those customers.
A proper mobile-friendly menu should:
Menubly creates responsive digital menus that look perfect on any device, load fast, and allow instant updates. If you have an existing PDF menu, Menubly’s team will convert it to a beautiful digital menu for free—saving you hours of manual work.
Third-party delivery apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub charge restaurants 15-30% commission on every order. Let’s do the math on what that actually costs you:
On a $50 order:
For a restaurant processing $10,000 in monthly delivery orders, that’s $1,500-$3,000 going to the platform—not to mention they keep your customer data, preventing you from marketing directly to repeat buyers.
Direct online ordering lets you:
Menubly integrates commission-free ordering directly into your online menu. Customers browse, customize, and order—you receive the order and keep every dollar. With over 100 payment options worldwide (including cash on delivery) and WhatsApp ordering integration, you can accept orders however your customers prefer.
At $9.99/month compared to $1,500+ in monthly delivery app fees, the online ordering system pays for itself with just a few direct orders.
When customers search “restaurant near me” or “[cuisine type] in [your city],” Google Business Profile determines whether your restaurant appears. This free tool is one of the most powerful ways to drive foot traffic and online orders.
Optimization checklist:
Menubly menus are SEO-optimized to appear when customers search for “[Your Restaurant] menu” on Google—add this link to your Google Business Profile for seamless discovery.
You don’t need a complex, multi-page website. What customers need is simple: your menu, location, hours, contact info, and a way to order. A one-page website that delivers these essentials outperforms a complicated site that’s hard to navigate.
Essential elements for your restaurant website:
A simple website also serves as the perfect link-in-bio for Instagram and TikTok—one link that gives followers access to everything they need.
Menubly’s simple restaurant website builder creates a professional one-page site in minutes. No technical skills required—just add your info, customize your branding, and publish.
Late-night restaurant sales have grown 10% annually, partly due to technology that speeds up service. QR codes reduce wait times, improve table turnover, and eliminate printing costs.
QR code placement ideas:
The beauty of QR code menus: when you update your menu, the QR code stays the same. No reprinting table tents or marketing materials—customers always see your current offerings.
Acquiring a new customer costs 5-7 times more than retaining an existing one. Loyal customers spend more per visit, come back more often, and refer friends and family. With restaurant traffic remaining flat, focusing on your existing customer base delivers the best return on investment.
Long wait times are consistently among the top customer complaints. Quick-service restaurants have adopted innovations like dual drive-thrus to speed up service—but technology can help restaurants of any size reduce friction.
Technology solutions that reduce wait times:
When customers can browse your menu, customize their order, and submit it digitally, your staff focuses on food preparation and hospitality rather than taking orders and running payments.
Retention drives repeat visits in a market with flat traffic growth. You don’t need expensive enterprise software to reward loyal customers—simple programs work remarkably well.
Simple loyalty ideas:
The key to any loyalty program is owning your customer data. When customers order through Menubly’s direct ordering system, you capture their contact information automatically—unlike third-party apps that keep this data locked away. Build your own customer database from day one.
In a bifurcated market where consumers are more selective, online reviews heavily influence dining decisions. A strong review profile builds trust with potential customers researching your restaurant.
How to get more positive reviews:
How to respond to reviews:
Positive reviews: Thank the customer specifically, mention what they enjoyed, invite them back.
Negative reviews: Acknowledge the issue, apologize sincerely, explain how you’re addressing it, invite them to contact you directly. Responding professionally to negative reviews actually increases trust—it shows you care about customer experience.
Always respond within 24-48 hours while the interaction is fresh.
Casual dining chains focusing on value have seen sales surge 29% compared to pre-pandemic levels, proving that the right marketing message resonates with today’s customers. Effective restaurant marketing doesn’t require a huge budget—it requires consistency and strategy.
Chili’s turnaround has been fueled partly by social media buzz, showing how powerful these platforms can be for restaurants. You don’t need to be everywhere—focus on platforms where your customers spend time.
Platform recommendations:
Content ideas that work:
For more detailed guidance, check out our complete guide to social media marketing for restaurants.
Time-saving tip: Batch your content creation. Spend 1-2 hours weekly taking photos and scheduling posts for the entire week. Use your Menubly website link as your link-in-bio—customers can access your menu, order, and find all info from one place.
Owned data enables high-ROI direct marketing—and email consistently delivers the best return of any marketing channel. Building your email list creates a direct line to customers you can reach anytime, for free.
How to collect emails:
What to send:
When customers order through Menubly, their email addresses are captured automatically—building your database with every order. Unlike delivery apps that keep customer data locked away, you own this relationship.
Limited-time offers and bundles help counter price pressure in the quick-service segment—and the same strategies work for restaurants of all types. The key is promoting strategically, not discounting your way to losses.
Promotions that work:
Avoid broad percentage discounts that train customers to wait for sales. Focus on value-adds (free appetizer with entree purchase) and time-limited offers that drive immediate action.
Digital menus make promoting specials effortless—update your menu in seconds to feature limited-time offers, no reprinting required.
Off-premise dining and late-night sales continue growing, creating opportunities for restaurants to generate revenue outside traditional dine-in service. The most resilient restaurants diversify their income sources.
50% of operators report higher off-premises sales than 2019, with pickup frequency up 14%. Takeout and delivery are no longer pandemic necessities—they’re permanent revenue channels.
If you’re using third-party delivery apps, consider a hybrid approach:
Delivery basket sizes have declined 6%, making it crucial to keep every dollar. Direct ordering through Menubly means zero commission fees—the full order value stays with you. With WhatsApp integration, customers can even order through messaging for a conversational experience.
Optimization tips for takeout/delivery:
Catering represents a high-margin B2B revenue channel that many restaurants overlook. You already have the kitchen, staff, and recipes—catering lets you monetize excess capacity during off-peak hours.
Getting started with catering:
Showcase your catering menu and packages on your Menubly website with clear pricing and a simple inquiry form. Make it easy for corporate buyers to see options and contact you.
Events help monetize your space during slow periods while creating memorable experiences customers share with others. Consider what unique experiences you can offer.
Event ideas by restaurant type:
Price events at a premium over regular dining—customers expect to pay more for exclusive experiences. Schedule events during slower periods (early weekdays, Sunday afternoons) to maximize existing capacity.
Operational innovation remains vital for protecting margins amid inflation. Here’s the math that makes cost control so important: with average restaurant profit margins of 3-9%, saving $1 in costs equals the profit from $11-33 in sales. Operational improvements often deliver faster ROI than marketing investments.
Target food cost percentage: 28-35% of revenue (varies by restaurant type). Every percentage point of food cost reduction drops directly to your bottom line.
Food cost control tactics:
Even a 2% reduction in food cost on $500,000 annual revenue saves $10,000—and that $10,000 goes straight to profit.
Target labor cost percentage: 25-35% of revenue (varies by service type—quick service typically lower, fine dining higher).
Labor optimization strategies:
Technology like QR code ordering and online ordering doesn’t necessarily mean cutting staff—it often means existing staff can provide better service. When servers aren’t constantly taking orders and running payments, they can focus on hospitality that earns better tips and repeat visits.
POS data insights can improve margins by up to 20%, and AI is streamlining restaurant operations across the industry. But you don’t need enterprise-level systems to benefit from technology—affordable tools deliver significant returns for small restaurants.
Priority technology investments by ROI:
Look for tools that require no technical skills and deliver immediate value. Menubly exemplifies this approach: at $9.99/month, you get a digital menu, online ordering, and simple website—setup takes about 30 minutes, and the system pays for itself with just a few direct orders that would otherwise go to delivery apps.
Ready to start? Try Menubly free for 30 days—no credit card required.
Want to go deeper into specific strategies for your restaurant type or situation? Below are answers to the most common questions about increasing restaurant sales, plus specialized tips for different food business types.
The fastest wins come from menu engineering (highlight high-margin items, add profitable add-ons) and launching direct online ordering to capture orders you’re currently losing to delivery apps. Both can be implemented within a day and show results immediately. Focus on existing customers first—email them about new specials or a loyalty reward.
Most restaurants operate on 3-9% profit margins, though this varies significantly by type. Fast food averages 6-9%, casual dining 3-5%, and fine dining can hit 10-15% with premium pricing. Operational improvements using POS data can boost margins by up to 20%.
The most cost-effective methods: optimize your Google Business Profile for local search visibility, encourage happy customers to leave reviews, maintain active social media with appetizing food photos, and partner with local businesses for cross-promotion. Paid advertising can work but prioritize free channels first.
Typically Monday and Tuesday are slowest for most restaurants. Use these days strategically: schedule staff training, run special promotions (Taco Tuesday), host events, or focus on catering prep. Some restaurants close Mondays to reduce labor costs.
Train staff on suggestive selling, offer strategic add-ons and modifiers, create combo deals, suggest appetizers and desserts, and use menu engineering to promote higher-margin items. Digital ordering with built-in upsells can automate this process.
Yes, but only if you do it consistently with quality content. Random posting doesn’t work—commit to 3-5 posts weekly featuring food photos, behind-the-scenes content, and customer highlights. Focus on 1-2 platforms rather than spreading thin across all of them.
Industry standard is 3-6% of revenue, but many successful restaurants spend less by maximizing free channels. Start with Google Business Profile, social media, and email marketing before investing in paid advertising.
Focus on owned channels: optimize Google Business Profile (free), post consistently on social media (free), build and email your customer list (nearly free), and encourage reviews. Word-of-mouth from excellent customer experience remains the most powerful and cheapest marketing.
Emphasize what chains can’t offer: personalized service, unique local character, chef-driven menus, community connection, and quality ingredients. Many customers specifically seek out independent restaurants—make sure they can find you online and understand what makes you special.
Raise prices when you update your menu (new season, new items), during strong demand periods, or gradually with small increases rather than dramatic jumps. Always pair price increases with visible value improvements—better descriptions, upgraded ingredients, or improved presentation.
Mexican limited-service restaurants lead in ordering frequency—but cafes can capture similar repeat business with the right approach.
Menubly’s add-on customization features are perfect for coffee orders—let customers build their ideal drink while boosting your average sale. Learn more about cafe marketing strategies.
Menubly is ideal for food trucks—update your location instantly, and your QR code never needs reprinting even when the menu changes. Discover more food truck marketing ideas.
With Menubly, you can mark items sold out instantly and enable pre-ordering—solving two of bakeries’ biggest challenges. Check out our bakery marketing strategy guide.
Menubly’s category organization works great for drink menus, and table ordering speeds up service during busy periods.
Showcase your catering packages on a Menubly website with contact and booking links—make it easy for corporate buyers to see options and reach you.
Restaurant sales continue growing despite industry challenges—reaching over $100 billion monthly. The restaurants capturing this growth are those adapting to customer expectations and operational realities.
You don’t need to implement all 25 strategies at once. Start with the highest-impact, lowest-effort changes:
Each improvement compounds over time. A 3% increase from better menu engineering, plus 5% savings from direct ordering, plus 10% lift from email marketing—suddenly you’ve significantly improved your bottom line.
The tools to make this happen have never been more accessible or affordable. Modern solutions let you implement restaurant-grade technology without enterprise budgets or technical expertise.
Ready to take the first step? Create your free online menu with Menubly—setup takes less than 30 minutes, there’s no credit card required for your 30-day free trial, and you can start taking commission-free orders immediately. Your customers get a beautiful, mobile-friendly menu experience, and you keep 100% of every order.
