Change at Chang's
Creative Updates on Classic Cocktails Add to P. F. Chang’s Selections

While the numbers of what’s selling are always at their fingertips, the beverage planners at P.F. Chang’s are basing new updates in their program on a more subjective observation of trends and patterns. But, of course, that’s more or less in line with the chain’s approach to date, which began with plucking the best cocktail ideas from individual partners. “Our philosophy was for a long time was working toward each store be very involved behind the bar,” says Mary Melton, beverage director for P. F. Chang’s. “In 2004, we tried to take the best of all those programs and put it together for our one big program. “That’s how we got a lot of our drinks that we’re known for now, such as the Asian Pear Mojito or our Mai Tai or the Key Lime Pie Martini. A lot of these came from thoseoperators and partners.”

What’s Happening Now
That direction for the beverage program has resulted in impressive beverage sales for the chain, but complacency has never been a trait of the chain that caught the nation’s attention with its updated Asian fusion concept. Trends continue to progress, and P. F. Chang’s decided that it’s time for a tune-up. “Now we are taking those cocktails and trying to take our program and bring it up to what’s happening now in the beverage world,” Melton says. “We still have a lot of those recipes that are P. F. Chang’s classics, but we’ve also brought in a lot of old recipes, such as an Old Fashioned, Daiquiris and a Collins, and we’re making them with our own twist, to bring them into 2008. “We’ve done the same with the wine. We’re bringing it into trends and what’s happening now. People are willing to try all kinds of different flavors, and they look at the whole globe. They talk about spirits from Brazil or wines from Austria, which is very exciting.” 

What People are Looking For
“Because we have so many stores, we can look at our reporting and sales data and get an idea of what people are looking for,” Melton says. But mainly, Melton and her colleagues pay close attention to societal indicators such as magazines and other means of tracking trends to pick up on what is happening in the marketplace. An example of the fruits of this approach is the incorporation now of organic agave nectar and fresh limejuice in lieu of syrups and mixers in its Margaritas. It’s something that today’s consumer, Melton believes, now is primed to try, as a pleasant surprise on a cocktail menu. “People are seeing agave nectar more and more,” Melton says. “I remember when I would go to Whole Foods and there would be one or two of them there as an alternative to sweeteners, and now there are shelves of them. So, we’re bringing in what people are getting more used to seeing out there and putting it behind our bar.” One of the new offerings on the menu is a variation on
the French 75, an old cocktail made with Champagne and originally with gin and later Cognac. P. F. Chang’s took a few liberties and christened its version, the Chinese 88. “Eight is a lucky number in Chinese,” Melton explains. The drink features Plymouth Gin, Champagne, simple syrup and limejuice. The Tom Collins also got an update at the chain. “We brought in Pearl Plum and named it the Plum Collins,” Melton says. “It’s Pearl Plum vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup, cranberry juice and topped with plum wine.” The Orange Peel Manhattan uses Woodford Reserve, Italian sweet vermouth, orange bitters and, instead of a cherry, a fresh orange peel. “Every drink you’ll see, you’ll recognize the drink but not necessarily the new twist.”