Guide
Raising Average Order Value
The fastest way to raise average order value at a competitive socialising venue is to capture food and drink choices before guests arrive. Pre-ordering lifts attach rates and prevents the underspend that happens when a busy group orders reactively at the table.
Last updated: 17 July 2026.
Why AOV is the lever that compounds
With category visit frequency at only around two visits per year, per Mintel, raising spend per visit matters more than raising footfall. Average order value is where a filled slot becomes a profitable one, and it moves through bundling, drink attach and pre-ordering rather than through discounting.
Pre-ordering is the biggest single lever
When guests choose food and drink in advance through a branded link, the group commits before the pressure of the visit. Drink pre-ordering lifts wet spend by around 23% on average, because rounds are decided calmly rather than skipped at a busy table. Accurate pre-orders also cut food waste by around 20%, which protects margin from the cost side at the same time.
Bundle the activity with food and drink
Package the timed activity with a food platter and a drinks option, and present it at the point of booking. Bundling raises the baseline spend and makes pre-ordering the default. Creventa captures the package choices per guest and turns them into the kitchen and bar reports automatically.
Make it effortless for the organiser
One organiser holds the booking, guests add their own choices and payments, and Creventa chases anyone outstanding. Removing friction from group ordering is what turns an intended upsell into a captured one.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
How much can pre-ordering raise spend?
Drink pre-ordering lifts wet spend by around 23% on average across Creventa venues, because groups commit to rounds in advance rather than ordering reactively at a busy table.
Does raising AOV mean discounting?
No. The levers are bundling, drink attach and pre-ordering, which raise spend without cutting price. Accurate pre-orders also cut food waste by around 20%, protecting margin from both sides.
When should choices be captured?
Before arrival. Capturing food and drink at the point of booking, through a branded link, is what turns an intended upsell into a booked one.
Sources
- Savills, competitive socialising research, 2024: sector grows at rapid rate
- Mintel, UK Competitive Socialising Market Report: report
