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.