Overview

Upsell Menu Items allow you to encourage additional items to Customers during online ordering when they select a specific menu item.


Upsells appear as suggestions such as “Some Special Offers for You” and are designed to increase average order value without changing the original menu item. Upsells only display to your Customer during online ordering. They do not appear for your team when taking orders in Order Entry.


Performance and usage can be tracked using the Upsell Item Report.

Important Behavior to Know

  • Upsell Menu Items only display during online ordering

  • Upsells do not display in Order Entry for phone or manual orders

  • Upsells are optional and can always be skipped

If you want your team to recommend add-ons while taking orders, use Each Items or Options / Extras instead.

When to Use Upsell Menu Items

Upsell Menu Items work best when:

  • You want to encourage commonly paired items

  • The add-on is optional

  • The item does not require choices

  • You want to prompt add-ons at checkout rather than inside the menu item

Common examples include:

  • Desserts

  • Bottled beverages

  • Side trays

  • Disposable supplies

Important Rules Before You Begin

Before configuring Upsell Menu Items:

  • Both the triggering item and the upsell item must already exist as menu items

  • The upsell item must have pricing set on the same menu

  • Upsell items should be simple menu items (no Options or Extras)

  • Do not select prep or internal-only items

Step 1: Open Upsell Menu Settings

  • Go to Admin

  • Scroll to the Menu section

  • Click Upsell Menu Item

  • Click Configure Upsell Menu Items

Step 2: Select the Triggering Menu Item

  • Choose the menu item the Customer will be ordering

  • This item will trigger the upsell prompt during online ordering

Avoid selecting prep or internal-only items.


Step 3: Select Upsell Items to Promote

After selecting the triggering item:

  • Choose the menu item(s) you want to promote as upsells

  • Optionally add a short description (not required)

  • Optionally apply a percentage discount

  • Click Save Changes

You can assign up to three (3) upsell items per triggering menu item.

Discounts on Upsell Items

When configuring an upsell item, you can:

  • Leave pricing unchanged, or

  • Apply a percentage discount (for example, 5% or 10%)

Any discount applies only when the item is added through the upsell prompt.

Viewing Which Items Have Upsells

To quickly see which menu items already have upsells configured:

  • Go to Admin → Upsell Menu Item → Configure Upsell Menu Items

  • Menu items highlighted in yellow already have one or more upsells assigned

What the Customer Sees Online

When a Customer selects a triggering menu item, CaterZen may display a prompt such as:

“Some Special Offers for You”

For each upsell item, the Customer can:

  • Skip the upsell entirely

  • Add the item to their order

  • See pricing and any applied discount


Tracking Upsell Performance

Once Upsell Menu Items are live, you can track their performance using the Upsell Item Report.

This report shows:

  • Which upsell items are being offered

  • How often each upsell is added to orders

  • Overall upsell effectiveness

→ Reports: Upsell Item Report

Best Practices

  • Use upsells sparingly and intentionally

  • Promote items that naturally pair with the triggering item

  • Avoid overwhelming Customers with too many prompts

If changes do not appear right away, you may be prompted to clear your menu cache.

Troubleshooting

If an upsell does not appear:

  • Confirm the upsell item has pricing on the menu

  • Confirm the item is not a prep or internal-only item

  • Confirm the upsell was saved successfully

  • Refresh your browser

  • Clear the menu cache if prompted

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Support

For additional help, refer to the CaterZen Support Center or contact our CaterZen Support Team.


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