Free Item Deals: Complete Setup Guide

Overview

Free item deals allow you to offer products at no cost when customers meet a minimum spend requirement. This powerful feature helps increase average order values while providing clear value to customers.

How It Works

When a customer adds qualifying items to their cart and meets the minimum spend threshold, the system automatically applies a 100% discount to the free item(s). The deal is applied instantly, showing customers the savings in real-time.

Setting Up Free Item Deals

Step 1: Navigate to Deals

1. In your Back Office, go to Management > Menu > Promos and Deals
2. You'll see the "MANAGE DEALS" page with four deal type options

Step 2: Select Deal Type

For free item deals, click on "Discount on selected items" - this allows you to apply 100% discounts to specific products.

Step 3: Configure the Deal

After selecting "Discount on selected items", you'll be taken to the deal configuration page where you can set:

Basic Deal Settings:

• Deal Name: "Free Large Pizza with £30 Order"
• Auto Apply: ✅ Enabled (recommended)
• Min Cart Value: £30.00
• Pricing Type: Percentage Off
• Pricing Value: 100% (for completely free items)

Step 4: Configure Deal Lines

1. In the deal configuration, add deal lines for the products you want to offer free
2. Set the deal line parameters:

Deal Line Settings:

• Pricing Type: Percentage Off
• Pricing Value: 100
• Products: Select the item(s) to be given free

Step 5: Set Minimum Spend

Important: When setting up free item deals, calculate the minimum spend to ensure the cart value remains above your desired threshold after the discount is applied.

Formula:

Minimum Spend = Desired Final Cart Value + Free Item Price

Example Configurations

Example 1: Free Dessert Deal

Business Goal: Give free dessert (£4) when customers spend at least £20

Configuration:

• Deal Name: "Free Dessert with £20 Order"
• Min Cart Value: £24.00
• Pricing Type: Percentage Off
• Pricing Value: 100%
• Products: All desserts

Result: Customer spends £24, gets £4 dessert free, final cart value = £20

Example 2: Free Side with Pizza

Business Goal: Give free side (£6) when customers spend at least £25

Configuration:

• Deal Name: "Free Side with £25 Order"
• Min Cart Value: £31.00
• Pricing Type: Percentage Off
• Pricing Value: 100%
• Products: All sides and extras

Result: Customer spends £31, gets £6 side free, final cart value = £25

Example 3: Free Drink with Large Order

Business Goal: Give free drink (£3) when customers spend at least £15

Configuration:

• Deal Name: "Free Drink with £15 Order"
• Min Cart Value: £18.00
• Pricing Type: Percentage Off
• Pricing Value: 100%
• Products: All soft drinks

Result: Customer spends £18, gets £3 drink free, final cart value = £15

Example 4: Free Appetizer Deal

Business Goal: Give free appetizer (£8) when customers spend at least £30

Configuration:

• Deal Name: "Free Appetizer with £30 Order"
• Min Cart Value: £38.00
• Pricing Type: Percentage Off
• Pricing Value: 100%
• Products: All appetizers

Result: Customer spends £38, gets £8 appetizer free, final cart value = £30

Advanced Configuration Options

Multiple Free Items

To offer multiple free items, create separate deal lines for each product category:

Example: Free drink AND free side

• Deal Line 1: Drinks (100% off)
• Deal Line 2: Sides (100% off)
• Min Cart Value: £25 + £3 + £6 = £34

Conditional Free Items

Use deal line products to control which items are free:

Example: Free small pizza only

• Deal Line Products: Select only small pizzas
• Result: Large pizzas remain full price

Time-Limited Deals

Set start and end dates for promotional periods:

Example: Weekend Special

• Start Date: Friday 5:00 PM
• End Date: Sunday 11:59 PM
• Deal: Free dessert with £20 order

Best Practices

1. Clear Communication

• Use descriptive deal names that customers understand
• Display minimum spend requirements prominently
• Show savings clearly in the cart

2. Strategic Pricing

• Set minimum spend to encourage larger orders
• Choose free items with good profit margins
• Consider your average order value when setting thresholds

3. Product Selection

• Offer popular items as free products
• Ensure free items complement the main order
• Avoid giving away your highest-margin items

4. Testing

• Always test your deals after setup by placing a test order
• Verify calculations with sample orders to ensure discounts apply correctly
• Check that deals work across all platforms (web, mobile, POS)
• Confirm minimum spend requirements work as expected

Troubleshooting

Deal Not Applying

• Check that "Auto Apply" is enabled
• Verify minimum cart value is met
• Ensure products are included in deal line
• Test with a real order to confirm the deal activates

Incorrect Discounts

• Verify pricing value is set to 100%
• Check that deal line products are correct
• Confirm deal is active and within date range
• Place a test order to verify the discount amount

Cart Value Issues

• Use the formula: Min Cart Value = Desired Final Value + Free Item Price
• Test with sample orders to verify calculations work correctly
• Consider delivery charges in your calculations
• Always verify the final cart total meets your expectations

Platform Support

Free item deals work across all platforms:

• ✅ Website - Automatic application during checkout
• ✅ Mobile App - Real-time deal application
• ✅ POS System - Integrated with order processing
• ✅ Third-party Apps - Via API integration

Support

For additional help with deal configuration or troubleshooting, contact our support team or refer to the complete Deals documentation in your Back Office help section.

Updated on: 19/10/2025