You’ve heard it a million times:
“Would you like fries with that?”
Here’s why that tiny question prints money.
A profit teardown of McDonald’s classic upsell:
Fried add-ons are margin monsters. Many fried items (think fries, onion rings, apps) often run ~75%+ gross margin, cheap inputs, high perceived value. Every “yes” on fries disproportionately lifts profit.
Ask at the decision point.
McDonald’s times the upsell after you’ve said “burger,” when resistance is lowest and “complete the meal” feels natural. Digital flows make this automatic, and effective.
Research shows self-service increases spend thanks to consistent upsells and less social friction.
Real-world kiosk lift.
Operators report kiosks driving double-digit higher average checks and more attachments, the exact mechanics behind a fries-style upsell.
McDonald’s mixes for higher checks.
Recent results highlight positive check growth driven by pricing and product mix—precisely the levers an add-on like fries pulls.
Here’s the math:
Add a small fries at $2.50 with ~75% margin ⇒ +$1.88 gross profit on the spot.
If 100 orders roll in and your fries attach rate rises from 35% → 50%, that’s +15 extra fries × ~$1.88 = +$28.20 gross profit for that window.
Multiply by windows, hours, locations… you get the idea.
Back to you:
You may not sell fries, but you do have a high-margin “complete the meal” add-on: priority support, rush delivery, setup, training, premium packaging, warranty, a done-with-you layer.
Place it at checkout and let the system ask every time.
🧠 Summary
Scaling isn’t only more customers, it’s a bigger A in F × A × Q (from Your Business Growth Playbook).
Lift Transaction Amount with one high-margin add-on, placed at the exact moment your buyer says “I’m in.”
What’s your version of fries?
Describe your best high-margin checkout add-on in one line, what makes it work?