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Platform

What is Paytronix CXP?

Combining online ordering, loyalty, omnichannel messaging, AI insights, and payments in one platform. Paytronix delivers relevant, personal experiences, at scale, that help improve your entire digital marketing funnel by creating amazing frictionless experiences.

A Complete Customer Experience Platform
Online Ordering
Acquire new customers and capture valuable data with industry leading customization features.
Loyalty
Encourage more visits and higher spend with personalized promotions based on individual activity and preferences.
Catering
Grow your revenue, streamline operations, and expand your audience with a suite of catering tools.
CRM
Build great customer relationships with relevant personal omnichannel campaigns delivered at scale.
Artificial Intelligence
Leverage the most data from the most customer transactions to power 1:1 marketing campaigns and drive revenue.
Payments
Drive brand engagement by providing fast, frictionless guest payments.

Solutions

Paytronix CXP Solutions

We use data, customer experience expertise, and technology to solve everyday restaurant and convenience store challenges.

Contactless Experiences
Accommodate your guests' changing preferences by providing safe, efficient service whether dining-in or taking out.
Customer Insights
Collect guest data and analyze behaviors to develop powerful targeted campaigns that produce amazing results.
Marketing Automation
Create and test campaigns across channels and segments to drive loyalty, incremental visits, and additional revenue.
Mobile Experiences
Provide convenient access to your brand, menus and loyalty program to drive retention with a branded or custom app.

Subscriptions
Create a frictionless, fun way to reward your most loyal customers for frequent visits and purchases while normalizing revenues.
Employee Dining
Attract and retain your employees with dollar value or percentage-based incentives and tiered benefits.
Order Experience Builder
Create powerful interactive, and appealing online menus that attract and acquire new customers simply and easily.

Multi-Unit Restaurant

Loyalty Programs
High-impact customizable programs that increase spend, visit, and engagement with your brand.
Online Ordering
Maximize first-party digital sales with an exceptional guest experience.
Integrations
Launch your programs with more than 450 existing integrations.

Small to Medium Restaurants

Loyalty Programs
Deliver the same care you do in person with all your digital engagements.
Online Ordering
Drive more first-party orders and make it easy for your crew.

Convenience Stores

Loyalty Programs
Digital transformations start here - get to know your guests.
Online Ordering
Add a whole new sales channel to grow your business - digital ordering is in your future.
Integrations
We work with your environment - check it out.

Company

About Paytronix

We are here to help clients build their businesses by delivering amazing experiences for their guests.

Meet The Team
Our exceptional customer engagement innovations are delivered by a team of extraordinary people.
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Paytronix Resources

Learn how to create great customer experiences with our free eBooks, webinars, articles, case studies, and customer interviews.

FlightPaths

FlightPaths are structured Paytronix software onboarding journeys designed to simplify implementation and deliver maximum ROI.

Customer Success Plans

Customer Success Plans (CSPs) are tiered service offerings designed to help you get the most from your Paytronix software, whether you prefer self-guided support or hands-on partnership.

See Our Product In Action
E-Books
Learn more about topics important to the restaurant and c-store customer experience.
Reports
See how your brand stacks up against industry benchmarks, analysis, and research.

Blog
Catch up with our team of in-house experts for quick articles to help your business.
Case Studies
Learn how brands have used the Paytronix platform to increase revenue and engage with guests.


2025 Loyalty Report

Is your brand tapping into these three unshakeable pillars of guest loyalty in 2025?

5 min read

How to Calculate Projected Sales and 3 Ways to Use It for Growth

How to Calculate Projected Sales and 3 Ways to Use It for Growth

Accurate sales forecasting is essential for restaurant owners looking to maintain profitability and plan for growth. If you’re able to predict future sales accurately, this helps you with budgeting, staffing, and inventory management.  

Want to manage your restaurant more effectively? This guide will walk you through how to calculate projected sales and make data-driven decisions for your restaurant. 

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What Are Projected Sales? 

Projected sales refer to estimated future revenue based on past sales data, market trends, and other external factors. The formula for calculating projected sales is: 

Projected Sales = (Average Monthly Sales × Expected Growth Rate) 

Why bother calculating your projected sales? In the restaurant industry, forecasting sales is crucial for managing operational costs, optimizing menu pricing, and setting realistic financial goals. A well-calculated sales forecast allows restaurant owners like yourself to prepare for fluctuations in demand and adjust your sales strategies accordingly. 

5 Factors Influencing Your Projected Sales 

Many factors affect future sales revenue, making it important to analyze multiple variables when forecasting sales. Here are five factors to consider: 

  1. Seasonal Trends: Sales typically increase during holidays and peak seasons but may drop during off-peak months. 
  2. Economic Conditions: Inflation and market downturns decrease consumer spending, leading to lower sales, while economic growth boosts revenue. 
  3. Competitive Landscape: New competitors decrease sales by drawing customers away, while weak competition may increase revenue. 
  4. Marketing Efforts: Effective promotions and advertising increase sales, whereas poor marketing or negative reviews reduce them. 
  5. Customer Preferences: Rising demand for things like delivery or plant-based options increases sales if adapted to, while ignoring trends may decrease revenue. 

4 Types of Data Needed for Sales Projections 

To calculate projected sales or projected revenue, you need a mix of historical and real-time sales data. Four important data sources include: 

  1. Historical Sales Data: Analyze past sales over different periods to identify patterns. 
  2. Market Research Reports: Review external data, such as industry trends and demographic changes, that may impact future sales. 
  3. Sales Pipeline Insights: Examine reservations, online orders, and walk-in traffic to forecast future sales. 
  4. Marketing Campaigns: Evaluate the effectiveness of past promotions to improve future sales forecasting. 

To efficiently gather and organize sales data, integrate a point of sale (POS) system to track transactions and store historical records. Use CRM software to compile reservations and orders, and supplement this with market research reports to monitor industry trends. Additionally, analyze marketing performance by linking sales data to past promotions, and regularly clean and review your data.  

Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Projected Sales 

Let’s calculate the projected sales revenue for a restaurant together. Suppose the restaurant currently generates $50,000 in monthly sales. Based on market research, an expected growth rate of 5% is applied. 

Step 1: Use the Formula 

Projected Sales = Average Monthly Sales × Expected Growth Rate 

Step 2: Apply the Numbers 

$50,000 × 1.05 = $52,500 

Step 3: Interpret the Results 

With a 5% growth rate, next month’s projected sales would be $52,500. This provides a baseline estimate, but adjustments should be made based on market conditions, seasonal trends, and recent sales data. 

3 Tools to Improve Sales Forecasting 

While the above formula provides a basic forecasting method for calculating projected sales, it's a highly simplified model. If you’re able to, utilize modern tools and technologies that offer deeper insights and more accurate sales projections. Here are three such tools: 

  1. POS Systems: These track real-time sales data, allowing you to identify trends and compare them with past performance for more precise predictions. 
  2. Sales Projection Tools: These use historical data and advanced algorithms to generate forecasts, accounting for factors like seasonality and promotions. 
  3. Market Research Reports: These provide valuable data on broader economic trends, helping you adjust projections based on shifts in consumer behavior and market conditions. 

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4 Mistakes to Avoid in Sales Projections 

Many restaurant owners make errors when forecasting sales, leading to inaccurate projections. Here are four common mistakes, along with strategies on how to avoid them: 

Common Mistake 

How to Avoid it 

Relying Only on Past Data: Businesses often focus too much on historical data when calculating sales.  

Incorporate external factors like market conditions and industry trends into your forecasts. 

Relying Only on Annual Sales Forecasts: Many businesses make the mistake of relying solely on annual forecasts, which can overlook short-term fluctuations. 

Break your forecasts down into weekly and monthly projections to capture more immediate trends and make quicker adjustments based on real-time data. 

Ignoring Seasonal Variations: Many restaurants fail to account for seasonal changes, local events, and holidays that cause sales to fluctuate. 

Factor in seasonal fluctuations and local events to adjust monthly sales projections. 

Overestimating Growth: Restaurant owners sometimes make overly optimistic projections, leading to excessive spending on inventory and staffing. 

Be realistic about growth projections and avoid overspending on inventory and staffing based on overly optimistic estimates. 

3 Ways to Use Your Projected Sales Data 

By analyzing your sales data and using it strategically, you can greatly improve your decision-making process. Here are three ways to use your projected sales data: 

  1. Staffing: Adjust schedules based on projected sales to make sure you have the right number of employees during peak and off-peak hours. 
  2. Inventory Management: Forecast ingredient needs to minimize waste. 
  3. Marketing: Use sales projections to identify slow periods, then create promotions and campaigns to drive traffic during those times. 

For example, if historical sales data analysis indicates a slow period ahead, you could use this information to launch a targeted restaurant social media marketing campaign, discussing a limited-time offer or special event, to drive traffic. Consider introducing a "Happy Hour" promotion or a "Buy One, Get One Free" deal to encourage visits during off-peak hours, driving both sales and customer engagement. 

2 Steps to Adjust Projections Based on Real-Time Data 

Forecasting shouldn’t be a one-time task—you should change the way you calculate sales projections as new data becomes available. Here are two steps to help you maintain accurate sales forecasts: 

  1. Monitor Weekly and Monthly Sales Reports: Regularly compare actual sales revenue with your projections. If discrepancies arise, adjust your forecast to reflect changes in customer behavior, unexpected events, or other influencing factors. This will help you stay agile and avoid costly miscalculations. 
  2. Track External Factors: Stay informed on broader economic conditions, such as shifts in consumer spending or supply chain disruptions, that can affect sales. Pay attention to local events, weather patterns, and industry trends that might influence customer demand. Incorporate this information into your projections to make sure you're not blindsided by changes outside your control. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Calculating Restaurant Projected Sales 

When it comes to calculating sales forecasts for a restaurant, understanding the key concepts makes a significant difference in forecasting accuracy. Below are answers to some common questions about different sales forecasting methods to help guide your sales forecasting calculations. 

What does projected sales mean? 

Projected sales refer to the estimated revenue a restaurant expects to generate over a specific period, such as a month or year. It is calculated based on historical data, market trends, seasonal factors, and expected growth. By accurately projecting sales, you can plan for staffing, inventory, and marketing, while making informed business decisions. 

What is the formula for projected sales? 

The formula for projected sales is: 

Projected Sales = Average Monthly Sales × Expected Growth Rate. 

For example, if your restaurant’s average monthly sales are $50,000, and the expected growth rate is 5%, the projected sales would be $50,000 × 1.05 = $52,500. This simple sales forecast formula helps estimate sales, though it should be adjusted based on real-time data and market conditions to make sure that it’s accurate. 

How do I calculate estimated sales in Excel? 

To calculate estimated sales in Excel, use a basic formula: multiply the average monthly sales by the expected growth rate. Set up a spreadsheet by entering historical sales data and using Excel’s formula functions to project future sales. By adjusting variables like growth rate or seasonal factors, you can create multiple scenarios to assess different sales outcomes and plan accordingly. 

What is an example of a sales forecast? 

An example of a sales forecast for a restaurant might look like this: Based on historical data, the restaurant expects $50,000 in monthly sales, with a 5% growth rate.  

With this data, the forecast for the next month would be $52,500. This forecast can be further refined by considering factors like local events, holidays, or economic changes that could influence customer traffic and spending habits. 

Increasing Your Sales and Keeping Them High 

Imagine this: It's a busy Friday evening, and your restaurant is understaffed because your sales forecast was off. Customers are waiting, inventory is running low, and valuable sales opportunities are slipping through the cracks. Now, picture this happening week after week—how much money would you be leaving on the table? 

To manage your restaurant effectively, there’s no way around it—you need to accurately calculate projected sales and figure out your average monthly sales rate. Start with the basics and continuously refine your forecasting techniques as you go. If you need advice about sales forecasting and growing your sales revenue, get in touch with our team.

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