By George Barton, Sr. Beverage Consultant.

 

Let me comment on a few current trends in adult beverage and how to best leverage your teams.  Taking the necessary steps can increase incremental beverage sales and as well separate you from that “sea of sameness” in the adult beverage category.

What we know:

Males are 2x more likely to go out more often than females. So how do I attract more female traffic in my restaurant?

• CHANGE THE CHANNEL. Create a LADIES’ shed, not to compete but to recognize.
• Women should  not only feel welcome but secure in your bar environment so think about how your staffing your restaurant.
• Market inside your “four walls” with colorful and the appropriate amount of POP (point of purchase) with the intent to market to your female audience. Think about “Ladies Night Out” with a wine feature like “Little Black Dress”.

Spending– Adults

 

Adults are planning on spending about the same as last year with Millennials spending more. Think and react on how you can improve your beverage position here.

• Continue to execute flawlessly but take a good look at your strategy and how you market happy hour and late night activities. Focus on those key day parts or when you have the strongest crowds in your bar. “Fish where the fish are.”
• Staff for success, simply not to accommodate. I rarely if ever visit a restaurant and find the bar overstaffed with bartenders.  Just doesn’t happen today. Splitting a $1 tip between 3 bartenders vs 2 bartenders takes very little time to make up that difference. Your staff will understand if you provide your strategy and why it’s important to build sales, not simply maintain and accommodate.
• Provide beverage menus that are simplistic, yet call out top features that will move trial on new beverages. Innovation is critical and paramount in today’s age of mixology but ensure your target guest really wants a vintage cocktail.  It makes sense to create a bit of noise with new NEWS as well.

 

Drinks Per Occasion–Let’s focus on 2nd Drink… We know from data provided by Mike Ginley at Next Level Marketing that consumers would order one additional alcoholic beverage during an occasion if key tactics were utilized and executed. Take a look at how they rank from most to least important, yet all fundamentally critical.

 

• Ask me when I’m ready: So, teach your servers and bartenders how and when to ask their customer when their ready for their second beverage. Don’t wait until ice is being chewed or their wine glass is bone dry, nor when they are only 1/2 way thru their first beverage.  Timing is critical and finding that sweet spot is key. Don’t assume that your guest will only desire one drink.  “ Can I bring you another Blackberry Mojito” to go with those awesome Quesadillas .
• Offer Better Quality: Teaching team members to up-sale should be part of training and on-going development.  “Can I have a gin and tonic” could have a response like  “Would be my pleasure and how about Hendricks”.  Turning a glass of house red wine into a premium or premium plus feature requires little more than asking your guest, yet provide few speaking points about the recommended wine if necessary. Cocktails made with better quality ingredients can be called out on your menu, providing new innovation. You should receive credit for this due to current trends in quality and healthier ingredients.
• Faster Drink Service: OK, let’s staff to win, not to accommodate.  Teach and execute to a time limit or goal with respect to order and delivery to your guest. Ensure servers handle one table and order at a time.  Staff with drink runners if required on busy shifts.  Excellent drink service and delivery will add multiple drinks to the shift. Of course it goes without saying that all team members involved must adhere to alcohol awareness and your goal to support all legislation to keep our highways safe.
• After Dinner / Desert: Excellent opportunity to offer guests after dinner cognacs or sweet aperitifs that will balance out and blend well with your guests dinner. I would always offer a Sambuca when guests ordered a coffee or expresso and hit the mark about 1/3 of the time. Again, alcohol awareness and ensuring your team members understand the signs of when to back off.  This in no way means your guests should order and settle for one adult cocktail.
• Light and Low Calorie: Light beer, while wine, prosecco and sparkling wine as well as cocktails designed specifically with the intent to offer a lighter fare are popular and trendy with all age groups.

 

Address tactics that will deliver a punch with focus on these current beverage trends. Pay attention to 2nd drink opportunity, execution and the female voice. Mixology and the voice of your bartenders is here to stay so why not use this talent wisely. Approach alcohol service professionally yet with the goal to enhance and WOW the guest experience.

By George Barton, Sr. Beverage Consultant.

There is a lot more to controlling food cost in the bar area that one would assume. Are you placing the same focus on food products that are consumed in the bar as those that are consumed in the dining room? Let me explain why you should.

Controlling food cost must be an all-out team effort. All managers as well as team members play a key role to ensure your guests receive only the best produced products that are prepared the right way. Here are 5 key deliverables and procedures to ensure bar food cost controls are top of mind while enhancing quality at the same time.

1. Order It Well

• You must place accountability on who is responsible for costs and who orders your inventory
• Pars should be set to align with sales mix (adjust with sales fluctuation)
• Fresh cut produce is critical so ensure high level of comfort with vendor
• When possible, teach this process to new managers and key team members

2. Receive It Well

• Request to receive product early AM or off times and not during lunch or dinner rush
• Review against P.O. (purchase order) to ensure you’re not out of stock
• Make changes on “out of stock” and adjustment prices on the spot. Do not wait.
• Management orders product so management should receive and have staff store product quickly (use scales when appropriate)

3. Make it Well (To the recipe)

• Whether slicing oranges and limes or making the soup of the day, recipes must be followed (don’t assume)
• When prepping, follow production levels set by management. Levels should be monitored continuously
• Ensure team members are working in a safe and clean environment (no bare hands contact)
• Education on use of equipment, especially sharp knives, will save you $$
  Build shelf life and sensitivity guide for all products and code containers
  Juices / Ice Cream / Puree’s / Syrups / Sour Mix / All Fresh Produce

4. Don’t Let It Die on the Bar Top

• Line check bar food consumables is as important as line check in your kitchen
• Management should have proper timetable to support tasting and line checks
• Rotation of products is critical. First in, first out and include this in line check
• Ensure staff does not eat bar garnishes (blue cheese stuffed olives are not free)
• Use par system (Place fresh product out for the shift only, then restock)

5. Sell It Well (First Time Every Time)

• Cover your products cost in the price you charge the customer
• Guests “eat with their eyes” so make your garnishes look impressive
• Ensure finished product is delivered to guest the way you invented it

So in review, food cost makes up the largest portion of your gross profit. With strong team accountability, follow up and the practice of bar food cost controls, you can insure that costs are in line and positively impacting margins in your business.

Champaign, Illinois is now the home for your new favorite “third place.” That’s because we just opened up The Hub, a brand new restaurant and sports bar right in the University of Illinois campus area. The Hub features signature cocktails like their Prickly Pear Margaritas and Fighting “Illini” Mojito as well as draft beers.

 

The Synergy team, along with select trainers, led a brand new staff through menu knowledge, steps of service, and hospitality leading up to opening day. The servers and bartenders experienced hands-on training including menu tasting, role play, team building exercises, and two rounds of mock service. The opening of the Hub was not only thoughtfully planned, but also successfully executed in a fun and high energy environment.

You can enjoy premium burgers made oh a house-baked bun, brined wings and other delicious sharables with friends while watching the game on any one of their nine, sixty-inch TVs. Synergy’s own beverage consultant, George Barton, oversaw the staff training for  everything beer, wine and spirits. And Synergy chefs Justin Braly and Kim Berardi headed the back of house operations ensuring that every dish came out delicious. It’s safe to say, The Hub is the place for the best burger in Champaign and an ice cold beer!

A so-called secure scheduling law will take effect July 1, 2017 for Seattle retail, fast food, and full service restaurant businesses. At this time, Seattle and San Francisco are the two cities in the nation to adopt this predictable pay type of law.

 

What are the key factors?

• The law is meant to provide better estimates of hours an employee is expected to work
• Employers are mandated to post employee’s work schedules 2 weeks in advance before a shift – if hours are added or subtracted, employers must pay a certain amount to employee to compensate (there are exceptions)
• Employees have the right to request a schedule that allows them to balance their other commitments and they have a right to decline any hours that were not posted on the original schedule
• Employers are required to keep three years of records to show compliance of the law

 

More here: http://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards/ordinances/secure-scheduling

 

Who does this apply to?

• Retail and fast food businesses with 500+ employees worldwide;
• Full service restaurants with 500+ employees and 40+ full-service restaurant locations worldwide.

More here: http://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards/ordinances/secure-scheduling

Your “Beverage Business Card”

“Make it work for you”

By George Barton, Sr. Beverage Consultant.

How many times have you heard that your “beverage business card” can be demonstrated in how you develop and showcase your back bar. The location of your bar inside your restaurant will generally dictate that every guest will walk by or up to your bar area at some point during their stop by and visibly view your back bar. Guests will gain a favorable or negative perception based upon how you line up and market all spirits, including liquor, wine and beer. The view may only be for a brief few seconds, yet sets a clear signal how you demonstrate products which are used to build beverage sales. This will also support and encourage trial of new spirits and innovations which supports the building of incremental beverage sales.

 

Stay away from placing clutter (plate ware, personal belongs, paper work) on the back bar. Reserve ALL the space you have to excite your guest base and showcase your beverage selections with pride. We read from left to right so why not place the most expensive, highest moving spirits first, generally Vodka, then Tequila, then Rum and so on, beginning on the left side moving right. If you have multiple rows for presentation, block or line up bottles so the second row/tier bottles are in clear view and the labels are easy to read. Keep less expensive or cheaper products off the back bar including flavored liqueurs which are utilized as secondary ingredients to provide taste and flavor. Many back bar display bottles are never poured from, yet remain in tact on the shelf to market. Most bars have speed rails for the most frequently poured liquors.

 

 

Find and provide a small real estate area to showcase bottles of wine you market and pour. If your list is extensive, select those you wish to move during a given shift or week. What is more important, insure whites and reds used for pouring, not marketing, are stored at the correct temperature. The best Happy Hours in casual dining offer and market a few wines that will fit their target guest, while providing a more extensive wine list for all to review. Props like large format magnums can also be used to signal your desire to sell and market wine to your target guest.

 

The best method on showcasing your beer is through your tap system. Beer optimization, or what to include for your guest selection takes a bit of work and preparation. You want to insure you are appealing to and reaching the requests for 95% for your guests to consider and order. Based upon the # of taps you provide, you will need to determine how many mass domestics, crafts, imports, seasonals and ciders to offer based upon some few factors. Having all local crafts on your taps may look cool, yet will hinder sales from those guests who desire a Bud Light or Sam Adams Octoberfest in the fall. Too many local or crafts may also cost you in the long run if your inventory is not turned over frequently. Your best method of marketing bottle selection is to use your beverage menu wisely, calling out brands with a small description of the beer profile.

 

In the end, keep it simple and clean, yet a display that is vibrant and markets your liquor, wine and beer so that the back bar works for you, creating a vibrant appeal is the way in which to go.

By George Barton, Sr. Beverage Consultant.

 

Music plays a fundamental role in the ambiance of your restaurant and bar environment.  It sets mood, tone and assists in the connections that your honored guest look for when they visit your brand. Music is vitally important and along with light levels and temperature, it sets that perfect vibe and impression. Let’s dig in a bit on how music can affect your restaurant atmosphere.

 

You could produce your own music, use CDs or hire an outside production company to provide music based upon your predetermined direction and approval. Music to our ears is a most critical piece of the overall customer experience. We certainly know that food and service quality can make or break your visit. Music, with the correct style and volume can assist in setting tone, relaxing or even pumping up your guests, depending upon your intent and message your sending.

 

 

Let’s explore these (5) “music periods” from opening to closing times at your restaurant and while not everyone looks at this amount of complexity, let me clarify. In addition, teach your management teams how to set the music styles and volume that have been agreed upon that supports your restaurant and bar culture.

 

1. Lunch: Most customers have 50-65 minutes for lunch on average, including travel time. Select music that will satisfy that crowd, from contemporary to county, maybe a bit of pop or reggae.  The key here is to insure your guests enjoy their lunch experience without competing to be heard over loud music. Music should be in the background, yet loud enough to hear. Why have the music over power and send your guests running back to the office pumped to the max, irritated or on edge.
2. Happy Hour: Generally a (3) hour period where guests are looking to unwind a bit after work and engage with friends in a fun and lively environment. Pump up the tunes a bit to keep the tempo so everyone can enjoy friends and colleagues. Monitor unintended consequences where the music could be so loud in your bar during happy hour that guests in your dining area may suffer which could affect their intent to return.
3. Dinner: Guests may desire to dine in a more relaxed atmosphere where they can experience dinner with family and friends so crank it back down with happy hour ending. Guests in all parts of the restaurant will want the music to be in the background so they can enjoy their meal and have conversations. There are  trendy restaurants in both the casual and the casual plus segment who “crank it up” for their guest. This is part of their strategy, not for everyone, yet connects with their intended crowd. This louder trend tends to fit a younger, or millennial crowd at dinner as well.
4. Late Night: Treat it like Happy Hour, maybe even a notch above. Most bars have late night features and themes that connects with louder tunes, playing well to millennials. Maybe the time to play some music a bit on the edge, based upon the crowd and demographic you are looking to entertain. Styles here could be from pop to alternative to new age and even a bit of dance or “club music”
5. BRUNCH: Generally reserved for Sunday. This day can be a real winner or a bump along the road. Serving brunch only once every 7 days is challenging so why would you want to irritate guests with off the wall music. Classical, blues and jazz seem to the relaxing sounds that will enhance the guest experience. Again, allow guests the opportunity to engage in conversations and not fight over the music levels.

 

Music styles and volumes will never appease every guest yet you need to take the appropriate action to create music that will fit your target guest. Don’t allow every team member to turn volume up and down and select their favorite tune.  Managers should be the agreed contact to adjust styles and sound levels, otherwise you will end up trying to make everyone happy and lose the battle.  From my point of view, a well produced and agreed upon music platform from a professional music developer will provide your team the opportunity to focus on serving awesome food quality in a warm and friendly atmosphere with a tremendous focus on service.

 

So turn it up or turn it down depends upon a few key factors that defines your business and brand architecture.

By Randy Lopez, Branding and Marketing Consultant

I remember going to my grandparents house when I was in high school. It’s one of my favorite memories. It was my second home: warm and comfortable. There was always something good on the stove and pictures of my aunts and uncles from their own younger days filled the walls. My grandfather’s collection of books included old Time-Life books that I spent hours going through and the old stereo was filled with albums left behind from their kids that grew up and moved out.

 

It was definitely not a hip place though it worked for me because this was my family and I understood the history and had a vested interest in learning about each piece of dated decor and memory.

 

I’m bringing this up because as a marketing and brand guy, I’m seeing so many once-powerful chains closing up or greatly reducing their units. And it’s not just the full service brands but fast-casual giants that have lost their market share and relevance. Like the home of my grandparents, they are comfortable and appeal to certain folks but can hardly be called exciting and innovate. Times have changed and they haven’t. True, they might have some new furniture or decor but it’s just a quick fix and the basic DNA of the concept is basically unchanged. Loaded potato skins, deep fried onions, vegetable mix side dishes, and spinach dips still make up a dated majority of the menu. And let’s face it, it’s not that they don’t want to update, but because of their size, it’s difficult and expensive to remodel a chain that needs not just decor updates but a completely updated vision.

 

Whether I am working with a large chain, small group of restaurants or creating a new brand, my concern is always to look at the current reality of the industry and discuss new trends and directions to keep “grandma’s house looking interesting for the next generation.” Unfortunately, too many consultants and internal teams look at simple programs and promotions to drive short term sales and discounts that create small spikes but don’t help build the brand and long-term guest frequency.

 

And if that isn’t enough, we might be going into another recession especially with the uncertainty surrounding our current presidential race. But that can be another blog in itself. Heck, that could be a novel…

Like Grandma’s house, a fresh coat of paint or some new furniture just makes make the house (or concept) look and feel just like an “old place with some new stuff.” And as a brand builder, a new logo or menu layout only goes so far unless you add new brand touch-points like updated menu items and messaging that speaks to your current targeted guests.

 

To help get you started, here a few tips to consider when keeping your brand alive, healthy and able to change and grow with the times. If you keep these in mind, your brand has a better chance of growing in small increments rather than waiting for a large change to survive.

Know your guests – Keep track of who is visiting your restaurant. Whether it’s through surveys, email questionnaires, formal research or even informal table visits; find out why your guests visit you and not the competition. Or why they visit you only once a month, twice a week or only every year.
Use this information to look at trends and drastic changes. Especially if you have a mature brand, look at the age group and see if you are capturing your core guests as well as seeing younger folks that can grow with you in the future.

Know your competition – Just because the restaurant down the street sells pizza and you are the leading Mexican Food restaurant, you might be one of the choices for an after-work happy hour or family dinner. Look at the other successful concepts and learn from the types of experiences that the locals are enjoying.

Look at the trends – Nope, this doesn’t mean you have to add kale or have your servers wear mustaches skinny jeans and plaid shirts (even the men). Trends can keep you relevant and aware of flavors and menu ideas that might be popular in the future or help you decide everything from design elements or branded collateral and offers. Today’s younger guests are raised on cooking shows and understand more about cooking and flavor profiles than older audiences. Sometimes it’s as simple as updating specific menu items and ingredients or even just communicating existing cooking styles and preparation.

Experience the world – Force yourself to look at new concepts, listen to new music, experience the arts. Insights and new ways of thinking should find their way into your brand. My grandparents started to get set in their ways like we all do and stopped updated their place. Does your concept look the same way?

 

Revisit your branding and messaging – Like buying new clothes from time to time, everyone needs to update. Does your logo look dated (and not in a cool, “ironic” way)? Notice your menus, and every piece of advertising you do. Ask yourself if they’re connected. Does the style and brand “feel” tie in with all of your messages? If not, it might be time to do a brand style update (more on that in a later blog).

 

It might too simplistic to say that many brands could have survived if they updated their look and feel. But I strongly believe that if they reflected current trends, tastes and focused on a strong vision they would have a better chance. Like my grandparents house, they might have reached more members than their immediate family.

 

At Synergy, we have a formal process to uncover strategies and tactics to refresh your brand and create excitement with new messaging, flavors and ways to enhance the guest experience, drive traffic and build sales. Feel free to contact me if you’d like to discuss how we can help your brand stay relevant and successful for today and the future.