Upselling increases your average check value per guest. With catering and events, you can boost your F&B revenue by 15-30% with smart upsells without adding extra guests. In this article, you'll learn exactly how to calculate what different upsell strategies deliver.
What is upselling in catering and events?
Upselling is selling more expensive alternatives or add-ons on top of the base package. In catering, think premium meat, extra courses, special wines, or luxury canapés. The goal: more revenue per guest without extra marketing costs.
💡 Example:
Corporate lunch for 50 people:
- Base package: €25 per person = €1,250
- With upsells: €32 per person = €1,600
Extra revenue: €350 (28% more)
Calculate your current average check value
Before you can measure what upselling delivers, you need to know where you stand. Calculate your average revenue per guest over the last 3 months:
Formula:
Average check value = Total F&B revenue / Total number of guests
💡 Example calculation:
Last 3 months:
- Total F&B revenue: €45,000
- Total number of guests: 1,800
Average check value: €45,000 / 1,800 = €25 per guest
Measure the impact of different upsells
Track each upsell category separately to see what works best. The main categories in catering:
- Premium ingredients: Better meat, fresh fish, organic vegetables
- Extra courses: Appetizer, intermezzo, dessert
- Beverage upgrade: Premium wines, champagne, special cocktails
- Service upgrade: Waiter service instead of buffet, extra staff
- Presentation: Nicer plating, decoration, special styling
Calculate the revenue impact per upsell
For each upsell, you calculate three figures: acceptance rate (how many customers say yes), price premium per guest, and extra revenue.
Formula:
Extra revenue = Number of events × Average number of guests × Acceptance rate × Price premium per guest
💡 Example: Premium meat upsell
Situation:
- 10 events per month
- Average 40 guests per event
- 30% say yes to premium meat
- Price premium: €8 per person
Calculation: 10 × 40 × 0.30 × €8 = €960 extra per month
Per year: €11,520 extra revenue
⚠️ Heads up:
Measure your acceptance rate realistically. Start conservatively (10-20%) and only increase once you have more data.
Track your upsell performance
Keep track weekly of which upsells work and which don't. Create a simple overview per event:
- Total number of guests
- Number of guests with upsell X
- Acceptance rate (percentage)
- Extra revenue per event
- Food cost of the upsell
- Net margin per upsell
Focus on upsells with high acceptance rate AND good margin. An upsell that everyone wants but barely makes profit won't help you move forward.
Optimize your upsell strategy
After 2-3 months of data, you can sharpen your strategy:
- Raise prices of popular upsells (acceptance rate >50%)
- Stop
- Test new upsells in the same price range as successful ones
- Train your team to actively offer the best upsells
💡 Example optimization:
After 3 months of data:
- Premium meat: 45% acceptance (raise price from €8 to €10)
- Extra dessert: 12% acceptance (keep offering)
- Champagne toast: 8% acceptance (stop it)
Result: Focus on what works = more profit per event
Calculate your total revenue growth
Add up all successful upsells to calculate your total impact:
Formula for total impact:
Total extra revenue = Sum of (Upsell 1 + Upsell 2 + Upsell 3...)
Compare this to your baseline revenue to determine your growth percentage. A good upsell strategy delivers 15-30% revenue growth without extra marketing or guests.
How do you calculate the impact of upselling? (step by step)
Measure your current average check value
Divide your total F&B revenue by the number of guests from the last 3 months. This is your starting point to measure growth.
Track each upsell separately
Record per event: total number of guests, number with upsell, acceptance rate, and extra revenue. Focus on maximum 3-5 different upsells.
Calculate the impact per upsell
Use the formula: Number of events × Average number of guests × Acceptance rate × Price premium. Add up all upsells for your total extra revenue.
✨ Pro tip
Focus on maximum 3 upsells at a time. Too many choices lower your acceptance rate. Always test new upsells first at 5-10 events before rolling them out broadly.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a realistic acceptance rate for upsells?
Start with 10-20% acceptance rate for new upsells. Successful upsells hit 30-50%. Anything above 50% means your price is probably too low.
Should I calculate the food cost of upsells separately?
Yes, absolutely. Upsells often have a different margin than your base package. Premium ingredients can have 40-50% food cost, while extra service delivers almost 100% margin.
How often should I adjust my upsell prices?
Check your acceptance rates monthly. If an upsell is above 50% acceptance, you can raise the price. Below 10% acceptance means: stop it or lower the price.
Which upsells work best in catering?
Premium meat and extra courses usually score well (25-40% acceptance). Beverage upgrades are hit-or-miss. Service upgrades have low acceptance but high margin.
Can I combine upsells into package prices?
Yes, bundling often works better than individual upsells. For example: 'Premium package' with better meat + extra course for €12 instead of €8 + €6 separately.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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