Would You Like Curry Sauce with That? Why Scripts Boost Profits Overnight

What if I told you that a single well-timed question—“Would you like curry sauce with that?”—could lift your sales by 10–15% overnight? Fast food giants know it. They train teenagers to upsell fries and milkshakes as if their lives depended on it. Meanwhile, most fish and chip shops are still handing a profit with every order.

The likes of McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, and Subway have built their global empires on the back of upselling and cross-selling. McDonald’s iconic “Would you like fries with that?” is credited with boosting sales by billions, and industry data shows upselling contributes 10–30% of total revenues in quick-service chains. In food and beverage, it can lift the average order value by 10–15% overnight.

Here’s the hard truth: scripts aren’t optional if you want to grow. They’re proven to work. The numbers speak for themselves:

• Upselling and cross-selling can increase revenues by up to 42%.
• Customer lifetime value jumps 20–40% when scripts are used consistently.
• Retention improves by 75% when upselling is woven into the experience.
• 80% of customers admit to buying extras after a simple prompt.

If you’re not scripting your team, you’re not just missing sales—you’re giving other operators the advantage in your own backyard.

What the Numbers Mean for Your Shop

Let’s put this into fish and chip shop terms. For example, if a busy day in your shop meant 200 orders at £9 each:

A 10% uplift from simple upsells = £180 extra a day.

That’s £1,260 a week, or over £65,000 a year.

From one or two questions, your staff can learn in five minutes.

The Script Toolbox for Fish & Chip Shops

Here’s your ready-to-use playbook. Print it. Pin it. Train your team.

Walk-In Counter Orders

• “Hi there, what can I get for you today?”
• “Good to see you again—fancy your usual, or something different today?”
• “Great choice—would you like to add mushy peas or curry sauce on the side?”
• “That’s one regular cod and chips—shall I make it a meal deal with a buttered roll & mushy peas for £1.40?”

Phone Orders

• “Good evening, thanks for calling Johns Chippy. What can I get for you today?”
• “Two cod and chips—was that with curry sauce or mushy peas on the side?”

Delivery Orders

• “That’s one large cod and chips with a can of Diet Coke. Would you like to add freshly battered onion rings? They’re flying out at the moment.”

Family Orders

• “You’ve got four fish and chips—shall I add a family-sized side of peas or curry sauce so everyone can share?”
• “Would you like to upgrade the chips to a large? Works out better value for families.”
• “Three fish and chips—shall I add a bottle of vinegar for everyone?”

Regulars & Loyalty

• “Good to see you again! Same as usual, or do you fancy trying our new breaded haddock tonight?”
• “Don’t forget, we’ve got a loyalty card—after six meals, your seventh is on us.”

Handling Complaints or Delays

• “Thank you for your patience. We’ve been really busy tonight. To make it up to you, can I add a portion of onion rings or a drink on the house?”

Online Ordering

Online orders have become a lifeline for many fast food outlets, and they’re also one of the easiest places to upsell and cross-sell. A simple prompt at checkout—“Would you like curry sauce with that?” or “Add a drink for just £1”—can lift basket size without adding friction. Studies show that upselling in food and beverage can raise the average order value by 10–15%, and 80% of customers admit to adding unplanned items when prompted. If your app or website isn’t making these suggestions automatically, you’re letting thousands of pounds slip through each year.

Why Scripts Work

The numbers don’t lie:

• 20–40% higher lifetime value.
• 42% revenue increase potential.
• Retention up 75%.

But here’s the twist. McDonald’s may script their staff, but they can’t do what you can: add personality. Imagine your team saying:

• “Fish without mushy peas? That’s a crime around here!”
• “A pie without gravy? Can’t let that happen.”
• “That curry sauce will warm you right up—it’s flying out today!”

That’s not robotic. That’s memorable. And it makes people come back.

Compete, Compete, Compete…

If you really want to turbocharge upselling, turn it into a competition. Challenge your team to see who can sell the most curry sauce, mushy peas, or bread rolls in a week. I’ve said it countless times on podcasts and in articles: when you reward staff for upselling, it changes everything. A small bonus, a free meal, or even just a prize for the winner creates momentum. It drives home the message that more sales matter, and it rewards the people who push forward.

Why Upselling Isn’t Pushy — It’s Service

I know what some people are thinking: “Scripts? Upselling? That sounds pushy.” But here’s the truth—when done right, upselling isn’t about squeezing customers, it’s about serving them better.

If someone orders cod and chips, isn’t it part of our job to ask if they’d like curry sauce, peas, or a drink? For many customers, that reminder actually improves their meal. It turns a good order into a great one.

The numbers back this up. Companies that upsell effectively see customer satisfaction scores rise by as much as 20%. Customers don’t want to miss out—they want the full experience. And if we don’t ask, we’re failing to give them the chance.

At the end of the day, you’re in business to do two things:

1. Give people the best possible meal.
2. Run a fish and chip shop that stays profitable so you can keep serving the community.

Scripts help you do both. They make sure every customer leaves with everything they need to enjoy their food, and they make sure you’re not handing away profit. That’s not being pushy—that’s just good business.

The Hard Challenge

Every customer who leaves your shop without being offered peas, curry sauce, or a drink is a missed opportunity. Every order without an upsell is a lost profit. Scripts aren’t fake—they give staff confidence and customers the chance to say yes.

So here’s the challenge: are you going to let McDonald’s outsell you on chips in your shop?