Cocktail Menus That Add Up

Design, Durability, Are Top Priorities


By Brenda Owen




The days when a bar, club or restaurant's entire cocktail lineup could be rattled off from memory by a server — without even making them breathe hard — are history. Today's venues are offering more choices than ever with exotic new cocktails as well as dozens of variations on old standards. And to impart this plethora of choices to customers, bars are developing colorful, informative and creative cocktail menus specifically designed to show their cocktail lineup to best advantage.


What drinks are listed on your menu should be driven by what your concept is, says Rob Gentry, vice president of brewing with Gordon Biersch, a 25-unit brewery/restaurant chain that began using separate cocktail menus three years ago.


"We want our beverage menu to perform a certain function, so we're not big on the super trendy drinks," Gentry says. "Our concept is more driven to the classics. We do have a couple of unique drinks, but we really try to stay away from things that are going to be out of style in six or eight months."


Some change, however, is essential to keeping customers interested in experimenting with new flavors, he says, so cocktail menus should be updated regularly.


"It's really up to the concept. We freshen ours once a year," Gentry says. "We do not start over. I would say that we carry over anywhere from 60 to 80 percent of the menu."


There is no question that the hottest cocktail "keepers" right now — and a must for any cocktail menu — are Martinis and Margaritas, Gentry says. "I think a lot of it is the younger generation, the 21- to 35-year-olds that are fairly new to going out and spending time in restaurants and bars," he says. "Those consumers are very educated , and they know brands very well. And it's important to them to consume a brand that speaks of quality. The brand in Martinis and Margaritas influences the flavor profile so greatly that that is why I think they are so popular."


Build on the Basics

Philip Raimondo, director of drink development and training for Patrick Henry Creative Promotions Inc., the company that helped Gordon Biersch develop their drink program and cocktail menus, says certain elements of a bar or club should be considered before designing a cocktail menu uniquely suited to that venue.


"The theme of the concept has much to do with the design and content of the menu," Raimondo says. "The layout of the bar and type of tables affect the size of the menu. The lighting of the establishment can play a roll in the design of the menu as well. When designing a menu for a dark bar, we make sure that the fonts used to describe the drinks can easily be read in a dimly lit room."


One of the most important steps in menu development is to evaluate the club's beverage mix — percentage of liquor to beer to wine — for total beverage sales, Raimondo says. "The reason this is important is because it tells us what is selling and it helps us create a menu that will focus on the area that may not be selling the most, so we can assist the establishment with a more well-rounded percentage mix," he says.


As a rule of thumb, Raimondo says, you should make sure to cost out all drink recipes and try to achieve 20 percent cost. But don't skimp on quality when it comes to the spirits you use, he says.


"Use name brand products — this assists in selling drinks and provides a perceived value to guests," he says. "All signature drinks should be garnished, and we encourage creativity with garnishes such as candy, edible flowers, colored rimmers and more."


And to make sure you are offering customers products they will order again and again, Raimondo says, "You've really got to understand your customer base and understand what their needs and wants are. Then you have to tailor that menu to accommodate those needs and wants. We spend a lot of time making sure that our menu accommodates the needs and wants of our guests."


Signature Sales

Paramount to branding a venue in a customer's mind is to develop a signature cocktail that reflects your venue's personality, says Bill Watson, vice president of marketing for CRO (Consolidated Restaurant Operations, Inc.), a Dallas-based company that owns and operates El Chico, Spaghetti Warehouse, Cantina Laredo, Good Eats, Cool River and more.


"It's all about creating a taste craving, a flavor that customers perceive to be uniquely yours. Signature drinks create loyalty to your establishment," Watson says.


When designing a signature cocktail, it's also important that your staff can actually produce the cocktail in a timely manner. "Don't let the production of signature drinks become a turn-off to your staff," Watson says.


Supporting the starring signature drink are a cast of basic cocktails that should appear on every menu — Margaritas and Martinis, for example — but bars should focus on the distinctiveness of their version of these cocktails.


"A 'tried-and-true' cocktail can be made trendy with the imaginative selection of glassware, garnishes or other presentation elements," he says.


And if the task of putting together a profitable cocktail lineup and menu seems too daunting to tackle and hiring an agency to do the work is not in your budget, don't despair, Watson says.


"Partner with beverage vendors every step of the way. Seek their advice and input on well and back bar selection, recipe development and menu design. Beverage vendors are invaluable resources in developing your cocktail menu," he says. NCB