Make Yes Easy: “Do You Want Fries With That?”

McDonald’s knew they could make a decent profit on a burger. But, they knew they could make an even greater profit on fries. By having every cashier ask, “Do you want fries with that,” they increased revenues, boosted profits, and lifted customer loyalty by making people feel like they got a deal. This is the power – and the benefits – of making it easy for people to say “yes.”

Most businesses offer more than one product or service. If they understand what’s interesting and valuable to their clientele, they have their own burgers, fries, and supersized meals hiding in plain sight. All they have to do is understand how to position them.

A hair salon offers additional style products. A grocery store has the gum and candy in the checkout aisle. An accountant might offer audit insurance at the end of completing a tax return. These are all easy things any worker can offer, and they’re all super-easy for a customer to say “yes” to.

“Do you want fries with that,” removes the friction of having to think of or ask for fries. Now, it won’t always work, some people really don’t want fries, and that’s a beautiful thing too. If saying “yes” makes people experience your value, saying “no” (so long as you’re not fighting them to force a “yes”) makes them feel empowered.

We want to figure out what the burgers, fries, and supersized options are in our businesses. Then, we have to offer them. A lot. Making “yes” easy makes the cash register sing. Find your version and ask, “Do you want fries with that?”