To Drive Dollars, Focus on the Menu Depth and Diversity
What
is the most cost effective, under-used, under-developed marketing tool
that we in the business have to sell our chosen spirits, beers and
liquid concoctions to our captive clientele?
Your staff, you say? Perhaps, in some instances, the
answer may be yes. However, there is a tool that doesn’t have bad
nights, that doesn’t call in sick, doesn’t get stressed when a station
gets flooded and –– after a tiny, upfront initial cost –– you hardly
ever have to throw money their way again.
Consider This
Your
cocktail menu will upsell your guests’ choices, will free up your
staff’s time, will help your staff remember what they are serving and
undoubtedly will raise your bill averages, which in turn will put more
money in everybody’s pockets.
How is all this possible? When a customer
is seated at an establishment, he or she typically has a vague idea of
what they are interested in drinking.
For the sake of argument, let’s
say we have a couple; he wants a scotch (he typically drinks Dewar’s
White Label); she would like a glass a red wine (and she is eager to
try a Pinot instead of a Merlot since she rented “Sideways” last week).
Their waitperson momentarily is tied up, but the table is watered and
bread arrives while they gaze at the food offerings. He is leaning
toward a porterhouse and his scotch, and she can’t decide between the
duck and the fra diavolo. He sets down the dinner menu, spies the drink
menu and finds a long column of scotch –– they have his Dewar’s –– and
they have a 12-year-old Dewar’s. He knows he is either having his
standby or his upgrade at that moment.
“Your wines are listed in here,”
he informs his date. She takes the offered menu and spots three Pinots
by the glass all between $6 and $9. The waitress arrives, explains that
the duck is her favorite meal, explains its preparation, assures her
that Pinot will greatly complement her choice and brings two sips of
one of the best pinots and a less-great offering. The guest chooses the
higher-end one, and her companion is so happy about his waitress’ care
with his date, he opts for the 12-year-old Dewar’s.
It’s a hypothetical
situation, but it is not at all far-fetched.
Raise
Awareness
to Raise Revenues
A customer, even a good one who comes in every
day, probably has no idea the extent of your spirits offerings. Some of
your staff, for that matter, probably can’t rattle off all of your
spirits.
The industry is bringing us more products to serve all the
time, and we want to stay on top of the trends, so we take them on, and
we hope they move. I almost can guarantee that you will be emptying a
more diverse range of bottles and moving far more of your top-shelf
offerings if you take the step of making a drink menu for your
establishment.
Even my local Chinese restaurant on Beacon Hill knew the power of the
drink menu. They not only listed the specialty cocktails, but they
listed every single spirit, down to the vermouth, with a price. I
wonder how many hungry Bostonians came in for a quick bite and ended up
having a drink as well because they spied a cordial or whiskey that
they haven’t had in years or have been meaning to try?
Dining recently with my publisher at the Capital Grill in Boston, I was
taken by its after-dinner drink list, and I immediately asked to keep
it. It has the desserts on the cover and about 300 drink offerings.
Inside, the brandies/Cognac are divided into six categories, the ports
four –– dessert wines, liquors, liqueurs –– and on the back, coffees
and teas. This is a fantastic establishment, with the nicest “happy
ending” menu I have seen.
I can’t wait to go back, and with a beverage menu properly done, this
should be the reaction of any guest in your establishment.
Push Seasonal Offerings
The bar menu from the Four Seasons in Atlanta is another shining
example of a menu done well. Its drink menu, food menu and wine menu
are one. Bound in a leather binder (which they wouldn’t let me leave
with), it has a fantastic list of liquors, ports, brandies, sherries,
dessert wine, Bourbon Flights, signature cocktails and more.
The world-famous Tavern on the Green at Central Park at West 67th also
has a successful way of conducting menu-based business. Operators there
change their drink menu by the seasons. It is a great concept. It keeps
things new and interesting. Personally, I think this is the best way to
go: seasonal. The menus today can be printed in-house or around the
corner at the copy center. Any pub, club or tavern can be
seasonal. NCB
Stephen Cunningham is an independent spirits author, mixologist and veteran bartender in the Boston area. He can be reached at .
