---
title: "Your Business Needs a “Fries” Strategy"
id: "1685"
type: "post"
slug: "your-business-needs-a-fries-strategy"
published_at: "2026-10-16T14:45:00+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-10-05T19:10:11+00:00"
url: "https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/your-business-needs-a-fries-strategy/"
markdown_url: "https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/your-business-needs-a-fries-strategy.md"
excerpt: "The burger gets the glory. The fries mint the profit. Here’s the simple math behind a tiny add-on that fattens every ticket. At McDonald’s, the classic ‘Would you like fries with that?’ exists because cheap-to-make sides carry outsized margins. Food..."
taxonomy_category:
  - "Updates"
---

# Your Business Needs a “Fries” Strategy

The burger gets the glory.

The fries mint the profit.

Here’s the simple math behind a tiny add-on that fattens every ticket.

At McDonald’s, the classic ‘Would you like fries with that?’ exists because cheap-to-make sides carry outsized margins. Food costs [average 31-34% of sales industry-wide](https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/research/restaurant-economic-insights/analysis-commentary/higher-volume-restaurants-reported-lower-food-cost-ratios-in-2024/)
, and low-ingredient items like fries and drinks land well under that, which is why bundling them tilts the mix toward high-contribution items.

Quick example (numbers for illustration):

- Core item: $5 at ~30% gross profit = $1.50.
- Add fries: $3 at ~80% gross profit = $2.40. Same customer, +$3 revenue, +$2.40 profit. Ticket profit jumps from $1.50 → $3.90 (+160%); margin lifts from 30% → ~49%.

## How to apply this in your business, today:

1. Find your “fries.” List 3 add-ons with high dollar contribution (price − direct cost).
2. **Make it the default. Add a one-tap prompt in checkout or a simple**[POS script at the register](https://pure.psu.edu/en/publications/is-suggestive-selling-effective-in-increasing-sales-investigating/) **.**
3. Script the ask: “Want to add [benefit] for $X?” (Keep it under 7 words + the price.)
4. Track attach rate (% of orders with the add-on), average order value, and gross profit per order. Review weekly and coach to the script.
5. [Bundle thoughtfully](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/bundles-small-tweak-big-margin/) . Pair the core offer with your highest-contribution add-ons so the profitable choice is the easy choice.

## 🧠 Key Takeaway

A few [real-world “fries”](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/upsell-vs-cross-sell/)
 outside of restaurants: extended warranty, rush processing, VIP onboarding, setup/installation, gift wrap, add-a-seat, done-for-you templates, priority support.

Volume helps, but mix wins. Engineer one small, high-margin add-on into your default flow and watch profit per order climb. What’s your “fries” — and what attach rate will you aim for in the next 30 days?

For the deeper play-by-play, it’s in [Your Business Growth Playbook](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/)
.

Written by [Jeremy B. Shapiro](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/#author)
, author of best-selling *[Your Business Growth Playbook](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/)*, and host of [Your Business Growth Podcast](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/podcast/)
.

## Jeremy Shapiro

*Best-Selling Author, Mentor, Speaker, and Podcast Host.*

With 30 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur helping founders to scale their businesses, Jeremy Shapiro writes about business growth for 7-figure business owners who want to get back to the growth they deserve. Looking to grow your business, too? Pickup a copy of his best-selling book *[Your Business Growth Playbook](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/buy/)* or schedule a 1:1 [Blueprint Discovery](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/blueprint/)
 call today.  
  
✔️ [Award Winning](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/tag/awards/)
 Author of *[Your Business Growth Playbook](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/buy/)*  
✔️ Host of [Your Business Growth Podcast](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/podcast/)
  
✔️ [Advisor](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/blueprint/)
 to 7-8 figure business owners  
✔️ [Keynote Speaker and Workshop Facilitator](https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/speaking/)

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