What does “zuschlagen” mean in German?

Zuschlagen literally means to strike or slam something shut: die Tür zuschlagen, or der Mann schlägt zu, a blow. In everyday talk it has a friendlier second meaning: to grab an opportunity before it is gone. Bei dem Preis musst du zuschlagen means “At that price, you have to jump on it.” Context tells you whether it is a punch or a bargain.

The cook in this Gözleme clip says that if you see street-side bakers making the Turkish flatbread, you müsst auf jeden Fall zuschlagen, meaning you should order some. It is a good example of the positive use. At an auction, den Zuschlag bekommen is “to win the bid,” so the same root covers both a sudden strike and closing a deal.