Customers Always Asking "What Do You Recommend?" — How to Turn Indecision Into Bigger Orders

A Moment That's Often Wasted

"What do you recommend?" is one of the most common questions at any cafe. And the most common cashier response? "Everything's good." or "Depends on your taste."

Both answers are technically not wrong — but totally unhelpful. A customer asking for recommendations is giving you an invitation to influence their order. If the cashier doesn't use this moment, it's wasted.

Why Customers Ask for Recommendations

They don't always truly want to know the best item. Often they're:

• Overwhelmed. Too many menu items and they don't know where to start.
• Looking for guidance. They trust that someone who works here knows what's good.
• Seeking social proof. "What's most popular?" = "what have other people already validated?"

Framework: 2 Questions Back

Before recommending, ask 2 things:

1. "Do you prefer hot or iced?" — This immediately eliminates half the menu
2. "Do you like it sweet or not too sweet?" — This narrows it to 3-4 options

Now the cashier can say: "If you like iced and not too sweet, our Iced Coffee Latte is the most popular. Or if you want to try something different, the Iced Palm Sugar Latte is also a favorite."

Specific, helpful, and gives the customer 2 options (not 20) to choose from.

Brief Your Cashiers: 3 Ready Recommendations

Every cashier should have 3 ready recommendations — not improvised:

• Best seller: "Our most ordered item is..." — a safe, proven recommendation
• High margin item: The item with the best margin — good for business without compromising recommendation quality
• New or seasonal item: "We just launched [item], if you'd like to try something new" — helps introduce new menu items

Natural Upselling

After the recommendation, add one light suggestion:

• "Want to add a pastry? It pairs really well with the coffee."
• "Want to upgrade to Large? Just Rp 5,000 more."

This isn't pushy selling — it's a genuine suggestion that customers often appreciate because it helps them discover something new.

Train, Don't Just Instruct

Don't just say "cashiers should be able to recommend." Train them: roleplay scenarios, let them try every menu item (so recommendations are genuine), and review together which recommendations work best each week.

A cashier who's confident in making recommendations is an asset worth far more than the cost of training.