Pizza Today - June 2017 - 48
feature / SALES
Boosting Check Averages
Ten ways to get it done
STORY DANIEL P. SMITH / PHOTOS JOSH KEOWN
E
very four weeks, managers
from the 46 Lou Malnati's
Pizzeria locations scattered
across the Chicago area gather together -- leaders of carryout units in
one room and managers of the chain's
full-service restaurants in another.
The managers look each other in
the eyes, share data and swap ideas
and best practices around operations,
staffing and the like. Amid the flurry
of conversation, one particular metric
makes a consistent appearance: check
average. The managers compare their
individual tallies and discuss strategies to elevate the average ticket, well
aware that higher sales translate into
4 8 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / J U N E 2 0 1 7
higher profits.
"What gets measured gets
addressed," reminds Lou Malnati's
Senior Director of Marketing Mindy
Kaplan.
Such discussions have certainly
helped propel Lou Malnati's growth
since its 1971 founding, sparking
additional restaurant openings, loyal
fans and steady success in Chicago's
ultra-competitive pizza marketplace.
While check averages certainly aren't
the only metric dissected, Kaplan
says, it remains an important data
point company leadership monitors
to ensure Lou Malnati's continues its
reliable pace.
No doubt successful restaurant
operations across the country would
agree. Check averages represent a
measure of health and, often times, a
symbol of opportunity.
Pushing check averages upward,
though, well, that takes coordinated
efforts and thoughtful strategies.
Ten strategies to boost check
averages
No. 1: Establish - and monitor
- standard upselling practices.
During each Lou Malnati's phone
order, staff are charged to ask if the
customer would like a salad, appetizer
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Pizza Today - June 2017
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - June 2017
Pizza Today - June 2017
Commentary
Contents
Contributors
Expo Spotlight
Interact
Conversation
Man on the Street
Respecting the Craft
On Tap
Destinations
Knead to Know
Turn Down the Sound
Pizza Style Guide
Adding Sustainable Food
Caprese Across the Menu
Employee Reviews
Increasing Check Averages
Pizza Today on the Road: Harry’s Bishops Corner, West Hartford, CT
Pizza Today on the Road: The Original Vazzy’s, Bridgeport, CT
Product Showcase
Pizza Today Yellow Pages
The Marketplace
Reader’s Resource
Trending Recipe
Pizza Today - June 2017 - CT1
Pizza Today - June 2017 - CT2
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Pizza Today - June 2017
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Cover2
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Commentary
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 4
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 5
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Contents
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 7
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 8
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 9
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Contributors
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 11
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Expo Spotlight
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 13
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Interact
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 15
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Conversation
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 17
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Man on the Street
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 19
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Respecting the Craft
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 21
Pizza Today - June 2017 - On Tap
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 23
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Destinations
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 25
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Knead to Know
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 27
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 28
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 29
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Turn Down the Sound
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 31
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 32
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 33
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Pizza Style Guide
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 35
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 36
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 37
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Adding Sustainable Food
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 39
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 40
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 41
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Caprese Across the Menu
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 43
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Employee Reviews
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 45
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 46
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 47
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Increasing Check Averages
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 49
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 50
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 51
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Pizza Today on the Road: Harry’s Bishops Corner, West Hartford, CT
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 53
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 54
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 55
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 56
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 57
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 58
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 59
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Pizza Today on the Road: The Original Vazzy’s, Bridgeport, CT
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Product Showcase
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 62
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 63
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Pizza Today Yellow Pages
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 65
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 66
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 67
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 68
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 69
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 70
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 71
Pizza Today - June 2017 - The Marketplace
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 73
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 74
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 75
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 76
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 77
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 78
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 79
Pizza Today - June 2017 - 80
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Reader’s Resource
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Trending Recipe
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Cover3
Pizza Today - June 2017 - Cover4
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