Happy Saturday, Hospitality Heroes!

In this week’s No-BS lesson, Brandon breaks down exactly how to turn average servers into confident sellers—without sounding pushy or forcing fake upsells.

This one’s all about selling more… the right way.

Watch the full video here 👇

🎥 How To Train Servers To Sell (Without Being Pushy)

You can watch the full video training on YouTube, or keep scrolling for a breakdown of Brandon’s lessons below.

🍸 Brandon’s No-BS Service Lesson:
How To Train Your Team To Sell Without Being Salesy

Let’s be real—“Just upsell more” isn’t a strategy.

Your team isn’t lazy.

They just haven’t been shown how to do it right.

Here’s the fix:

✅ Second and Third Drink Sales:

Don’t wait until the glass is empty.

Teach your team to offer a refill at 1/3 full—not when they’re already sipping slow.

Use assumptive language:

• “Same thing or something different?”

• “Another one now, or with your entrée?”

• Or even better—no words at all. Just a smile, eye contact, and a silent gesture toward the glass.

✅ Selling With Curiosity, Not Pressure:

Sales don’t start with recommendations—they start with questions.

Before suggesting a cocktail or dish, teach servers to ask:

• “What do you usually go for—vodka, gin, tequila?”

• “Do you like sipping tequila, or more of a marg person?”

People buy when they feel understood—not when they feel pitched.

✅ Planting Seeds = Selling Sooner

Right after the drink order—before leaving the table—say:

→ “Start thinking about a starter. We’ve got , , and __ tonight. I’ll give you a minute.”

Same with dessert:

→ “Start thinking about a sweet finish—we’ve got and . I’ll give you some time.”“Start thinking about a sweet finish—we’ve got and . I’ll give you some time.”

This soft-sell method primes the guest—and makes decisions faster when the moment comes.

✅ The #1 Thing That Kills Sales:

When a guest says “Just water,” and your server deflates like they got rejected.

That reaction? That’s what makes them feel salesy.

Fix it with enthusiasm. Smile. Nod. Say “Water? Awesome.”

Same energy as if they ordered a $200 bottle.

Coaching Rules for This Week:

🔁 Run dry reps before shift. Make them say the specials—with a smile.

💬 Require 2–3 guest questions before every recommendation.

🙌 Teach your team to react the same to yes or no.

Bottom line?

Great sales training feels like great service.

And when you coach it right, your team sells more—because they believe in what they’re selling.

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

Our Last Three Lessons:

• Advanced Verbiage System: Read More.

• You’re Doing Your Pre-Shifts Wrong: Read More.

• How To Get Your Team To Actually Listen: Read More.

You can read the rest of the past lessons here.

Mike Romaine

Chief Email Ninja at The Restaurant Launch (TRL)