Simple Ways to Empower Your Employees to Sell More Pizza, Naturally.
With a confident team, the right sales tools, and a few simple strategies, your store can become the go-to place for friendly service and craveable pizza that sells itself.
In a busy convenience store, your employees are the face of your business. They greet your customers, ring up sales, and answer questions—and that makes them your most powerful sales tool. With a little training and the right approach, your team can turn everyday conversations into increased pizza sales and higher profits.
You don’t need a sales background to sell pizza. You just need great timing, a helpful attitude, and a few easy ways to talk about what’s hot and ready. Let’s talk about how to train your team to sell pizza—and why a quick suggestion can make a big difference for your bottom line.
Why Employee Engagement Matters
Customers like to hear from real people. A simple recommendation—especially from someone friendly and familiar—can be all it takes to turn a routine stop into a larger order.
When your employees feel comfortable talking about your food items, they’re more confident and more engaged. They’re not just ringing up transactions—they’re helping the customer and adding value to the experience.
Remind your team that selling pizza isn’t about pushing products. It’s about being helpful, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about what’s available.
What Is Suggestive Selling? (And Why It Works)
Suggestive selling is just what it sounds like: offering a friendly suggestion based on what the customer is already doing. It’s not a hard sell. It’s just a quick, helpful nudge in the right direction.
Think about it like this:
- A customer buys a fountain drink. Your employee says: “We’ve got fresh Hunk A Pizza® hot and ready—want to grab a slice?”
- A regular customer walks in. Your employee says: “Hey! We just put out Thin Crust—want to try it today?”
- Someone buys a pizza. Your employee says: “WingBites® go great with that—want to add a snack to your order?
These small interactions help customers discover new products, try something different, or add just one more item to their order. And that leads to bigger tickets and better sales.
How to Train Your Team (Without Slowing Them Down)
Training doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. In fact, the best way to get your team comfortable with suggestive selling is to keep it simple and practical.
Here are a few tips:
Keep it short. Use quick role-play examples during shift changes or team huddles. Practice a few phrases and build familiarity and confidence.
Let them try the food. Employees are more excited to talk about products they’ve tasted. Let your team sample new items so they can speak from experience.
Post visual reminders. Use sticky notes, cheat sheets, or signage near the register with key phrases like “Try our Thin Crust today” or “Add a side of WingBites®!”
Explain the why. Help your team understand that suggestive selling helps the store succeed—and helps them deliver better service to the customer.
This kind of training doesn’t interrupt their day—it enhances their role and helps them feel more confident behind the counter.
Simple Phrases That Sell Pizza
You don’t need a sales script or a training module. You just need a few easy, natural phrases your employees can work into regular conversations. Here are a few ideas to post near your register or warmers:
- “We’ve got fresh pizza ready to go—want to grab a Hunk?”
- “Just baked a batch of WingBites if you’re hungry for a snack.”
- “Want to turn that into a combo with a drink and some wings?”
- “It’s only a dollar more to add a second pizza—want to mix it up with Thin Crust?”
The goal isn’t to push. It’s to offer helpful suggestions at the right moment. Keep it casual, upbeat, and friendly. A smile and a good attitude go a long way!
Use Tools That Support the Sale
Great products sell best when they’re easy to see and easy to grab. Make sure your team has the tools they need to back up their suggestions.
Keep warmers stocked during peak hours. If a customer hears “We’ve got pizza hot and ready,” they should see it ready to go.
Use POP materials near warmers, registers, and high-traffic spots to draw attention.
Highlight combos and deals with clear signage to make the value obvious.
These visual cues reinforce what your employees are saying and help customers make quick decisions—especially when they’re hungry and in a hurry.
Recognize and Reward Great Effort
Don’t forget to celebrate the wins! If you notice a team member doing a great job at upselling or recommending products, give them a shout-out. A little recognition goes a long way.
You can also:
- Run quick contests to see who can sell the most pizza or WingBites in a week.
- Offer small rewards like gift cards, snacks, or an extra break.
- Share tips and stories from the team so everyone learns from each other.
Creating a positive sales culture helps your team stay motivated—and helps your store grow.
Empower Your Team, Increase Your Sales
At the end of the day, your employees don’t need to be expert salespeople. They just need to feel confident recommending something they believe in. With the right support, the right products, and a few friendly suggestions, your team can turn everyday transactions into higher sales and happier customers.
Ready to get started?
Talk to your TBHC Delivers Account Manager for tools, training ideas, and support to help your team sell more pizza—slice by slice.
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TBHC Delivers
TBHC Delivers is the largest distributor of Hunt Brothers Pizza; we are our own business and brand. We own our trucks and follow, believe and deliver on all Hunt Brothers Pizza’s visions. TBHC Delivers builds upon the high-quality product of Hunt Brothers Pizza with value-add customer service like our 15-Point Promise.