Easy ways to refresh the look of your restaurant: part two – quality glassware

In our last blog we talked about specialty glassware and its benefits. Now let’s take a peek at the top shelf and see what we can do there. So what is it that a customer expects when ordering top shelf liquor? I can tell you for sure that it isn’t a Dixie cup.

Your choice in glassware can add that final touch to your bar drinks that increase a customer’s enjoyment and keep them coming back for more. For instance, when choosing glassware for beer you’ll want to decide if you would like an increased perceived value in a mug where there appears to be a larger amount of beer due to the way the base is shaped, or would you rather have an hourglass pilsner that allows for a larger head. Restaurant guru tip: always make sure you account for the head when choosing glass size.

When it comes to wine glasses there is not only the visual appeal of the glass to consider but also what type of rim is on the glass. Talk to any wine connoisseur about the importance of the rim on a wine glass and you’ll most likely end up in a conversation about the advantages of a sheered rim glass. A sheered rim won’t make a bad wine taste like top end, but it will make a quality wine taste even better. The sheered rim allows the customer to taste the wine more than they taste the glass and it also directs the wine in a more precise manner toward the correct area of the tongue. Another benefit of a sheered rim is by increasing the amount of oxygen one draws into the mouth, volatilizing the wine and directing the flavor up into the nasal cavity for increased taste perception.

So now that we’ve covered specialty glassware and top quality glassware, let’s talk about storage of your newly expanded glassware selection. You could store them under the bar but that is really counterproductive to what we’ve been trying to accomplish. Perhaps it is time to invest in an over head glass rack so your glasses can still be generating customer interest and conversation even if they aren’t currently in use. Has anyone been to a pub which has a yard glass hanging on the wall behind the bar? How many ales do you think the bar is really selling in that yard glass; probably not many, but I will say for sure that somebody asks about the glass at least once a night.

You can find all of your glassware needs at Serv-U. If you have questions regarding glass size for your beer or if sheered glasses are right for you, feel free to contact us via phone at 800-797-3788 or swing by our website and launch a live chat with one of our customer support staff.

Next time we’re going to move on and start talking about dinnerware, so be sure to check back for the third installment of our series.

Measured liquor pour: small investment equals large profit

How much money is your bar leaving on the table? For the bar owner, over pouring of liquor with a free flow pour can result in a huge loss in revenue. Today we are going to discuss one low cost change that you can make which has the potential to increase consistency and profit; that change is adding measured pours. Let’s quickly review the numbers pouring from a measured 1 oz shot out of a one liter bottle:

 

price per drink	2 more drinks earn per bottle	2 more drinks earn per case	3 more drinks earn per bottle	3 more drinks earn per case
$2.50	$5.00	$60.00	$7.50	$90.00
$3.00	$6.00	$72.00	$9.00	$108.00
$3.50	$7.00	$84.00	$10.50	$126.00
$4.00	$8.00	$96.00	$12.00	$144.00
$4.50	$9.00	$108.00	$13.50	$162.00
$5.00	$10.00	$120.00	$15.00	$180.00

 

When you reduce over pouring with a measured spout you can increase the number of drinks the bartender can serve by an additional two to four drinks per bottle. Considering the average number of liquor bottles in a bar, the impact using a measured pour spout will have on long term profitability is easy to see.

In addition to the revenue increase, you are increasing the quality of your customer service by ensuring that each customer is treated equally and consistently on every drink. The drinks won’t be too weak one night and too strong the next. This will hold true on busy nights when the staff can’t pay as close of attention as they normally do or on the first night of a new bartender.

 

You can find measured pours at Serv-U in the bar supplies section and are available in a wide range of measurement sizes, colors, and collared & uncollared. If you have addition questions, feel free to contact us via phone at 800-797-3788 or swing by the website and launch a live chat with one of our customer service reps.

Happy Hour and Happy Customers

So this will probably come as no surprise to most, but happy hour is a very popular tradition at lots of bars across the country.  After all, who doesn’t love a good deal?  (Especially when it’s cheap beer…)

So it should also come as no surprise that a recent Technomic survey found that over 70% of bartenders say the best way to bring in sales on a new drink is to use a price promotion.  So if you are planning to give a new cool drink a try in your bar, consider testing it out with a tempting price tag.  Once your customers taste how great your latest concoction is, the idea is that they’ll continue to buy it even after the price promo is over.  And DO make sure the promotion is for a limited time.  Otherwise, your guests may come to expect bottom barrel prices and become resentful when you finally have to raise them.  Best just to make it clear that you’re having a limited time promotion, hype it up a bit, hook your audience, and then bring prices up as expected.

If your bar needs updated bar equipment to go with your updated drink menu, be sure to stop by www.servu-online.com to get everything you need!

Restaurant Supplies for Profit: Alcohol Still a Winner

What more appropriate topic for a late Friday afternoon than….alcohol?  I’ve got good news for those businesses sporting a liquor license: according to an article I found throught the National Restaurant Association, alcohol sales continue to climb (albeit slowly) in these somewhat uncertain times:

“According to the Norwalk, Conn. research company, wine consumption increased 4%, while distilled spirits were up 3.2% and beer rose 1.2%.”

Now that’s reason to celebrate, isn’t it?  Even better, one of my favorite beverages is doing exceedingly well (but keep your eyes peeled for the effects of a bit of a hops shortage this year):

“Craft beers also saw double-digit growth, while wine continued to find appeal with newer drinkers.”

 

So while Americans may be tightening their belts, they’re willing to spend a little extra once in a while for a really great beer.  So keep your back bar coolers stocked, and your taps running smoothly!