Smart technology is driving profits on-premise as never before. In fact, technology has become the overriding force in determining whether new venues survive beyond the critical first year of operation. And the advantages do not end there. It also gets high marks for providing independents all the competitive advantages and know how of chain operations.
POS systems in particular have gone to the head of the class in terms of the range of product options, innovation, functionality and user friendliness. Regardless of the gap an operator is looking to fill, there is a POS system out there for that. Here’s a sampling of POS solutions that earn their keep every day on-premise.
Shooting, Sipping or Mixing, Tequila is a Bar Sales Catalyst
By Taylor Rau
Tequila has been through a lot as a category in recent years. From the agave shortages to increased competition from other spirits to a new movement in which its premiums and super-premiums are being sipped and appreciated by a broader demographic than ever, tequila has proven both its tenacity and versatility.
The spirit is riding the crest of a popularity tidal wave as operators report, and there are more brand and flavor options of tequila than ever before in the industry. Explore these options and recipes, and test the boundaries of your bar or club’s tequila program. Chances are, what you’ll find is that this in-demand Mexican spirit has few borders. What are you waiting for?
Businesses that actively capitalize on present opportunities ultimately have the momentum for success, but businesses that proactively identify future opportunities and potentially missed current opportunities — well, they’re sitting in the front row of the success class.
Unlike some other categories, whiskey doesn’t change much or, at least, it doesn’t change rapidly. Anybody who tells you about a “hot new whiskey” is just trying to sell you something. There are trends in whiskey consumption, but they are glacial compared to drink-of-the-week cocktails and other trendy products that keep your head spinning.
Whiskey drinkers aren’t trying to catch the next wave and aren’t counting their carbs. You will continue to receive lots of orders for Jack (Daniel’s) & Coke, and your servers will continue to fumble when a patron asks, “What bourbons do you have?”
It is the proverbial dark and stormy night. The harsh crashing of thunder resonates in the distance. A strangely dressed couple walks hurriedly down a familiar street, although tonight it seems oddly different. A black cat darts out in front of them, hissing, and quickly vanishes into the shadows. The couple nervously quickens their pace as they approach the front door of their destination. Unsure of what lies beyond, they slowly open the creaking front door. They step inside, and the door slams behind them. As their eyes slowly come to focus on the scene inside, they gasp in horror of what they see. The bar is empty! (Cue bloodcurdling scream and evil cackle.)
Profit-Taking On Premium Spirits is at an All-Time High On-Premise
By Michael Harrelson
Contrary to recent history, the upselling of spirits did not start with the arrival of super-premium brands. Nor does the opportunity to cultivate the palate of patrons and reap higher profits rest with them alone.
Before super-premiums, before ultra-premiums and luxury labels, premium brands occupied the top tier of the spirits stratum. For most of the 20th century, premiums represented the star pours on the back bar — the higher-priced and more profitable alternatives to well and value pours.
And they still do today. True, they must share the limelight with super and ultra spirits in the grand new age of cocktails. But for all the attention that higher-end spirits receive in sexy ads and commercials, on the silver screen, in the trade and on popular television shows, premiums bring both value and a higher price point to the table relative to well brands — a powerful one, two, punch in any venue’s revenue arsenal.
In the two-year span from the beginning of 2003 to the end of 2004, volume sales of premium spirits grew by 11.9 percent (premiums and high-end premiums combined) according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). The double-digit increase was only slightly less than the 14.2 percent increase posted by the super-premium category over the same period, and it represented a better than 10-percent jump over the 1.7 percent increase in the sales of value brands.
Rage Against the Dying Of the Light
Protect Your Lighting Investment
By Tad Wilkes
Night after night, hour after hour, lighting fixtures run red hot and endure a marathon worth of punishment. But often, human error contributes to shortening the lives of lighting equipment beyond just the wear and tear of their normal use. But with a little care, operators can squeeze more life and utility out the fixtures that they increasingly must spend more and more to purchase as times progress.
If the only Asian appetizer on your menu is fried egg rolls with a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce –– as sweet for sales as they are –– you’re missing out on a growing trend that is turning pre-meal tidbits into top profits for bars and restaurant/lounges across the country.
Mention the word rum and thoughts of sun-drenched tropical beaches fringing Caribbean islands, warm trade winds blowing across fields of sweet sugar cane and refreshing rum and fruit drinks at sunset come to mind. Sugar cane, and more importantly the alcohol made from this sweet juice, can be traced back a few thousand years to Asia, but it was in the Caribbean that rum’s roots found fertile ground and this noble spirit gained a reputation that has spanned the globe.
If, when you think of Atlantic City, you immediately conjure the image of a crusty, cheesy old hellhole where geriatric cases in plaid polyester slacks amble slowly through casinos, pilfering their life savings, don’t be surprised if the Ghost of Atlantic City Past — who likely will appear in the form of a 1940s Mafioso regular from Skinny D’Amato’s long defunct 500 Club and the city’s storied glory years — visits you tonight and whispers in your ear, “Fugettaboutit.”
