that net operators the largest profits, as
witnessed at each of Station Casinos’ 11
Las Vegas locations. “The big challenge
for us is that we have complimentary
cocktails, so we have to bridge the gap
and get people to buy into a premium or
ultra-premium brand and get out of the
complimentary drinks,” says John Arishita, Station Casinos’ corporate director of
beverage operations. “We’ve been doing
that by creating features on menus. Anything that is photographed or highlighted
is called the Mixologist Series, and all of
those are premium or ultra drinks that
entice people to spend into the menu.”
So far, the format has proven successful:
Arishita reports a 12 percent increase in
sales for Mixologist Series drinks.
In addition to developing photograph-heavy menus and promotions like recipe
cards, hotel operators can employ a
standardized menu to increase profits.
In the first year that Walt Disney
Parks and Resorts implemented a
standardized menu, beverage alcohol
sales increased 15 to 20 percent. Standardizing helped Disney drive volume,
streamline companywide inventory and
capitalize on a signature drink by creating
brand awareness.
“Our signature drink, the Magical Star
Cocktail, dominates the sales, accounting
for over 15 percent of the drinks offered
on the beverage menu,” says Brad Ward,
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts’ beverage
sales and standards manager. “The top
10 drinks account for over 65 percent of
the sales from the beverage menu. By
advertising the Magical Star in every location and giving it top billing, we can drive
huge volumes.”
Disney Resorts also has created a
successful menu format that keeps sales
numbers high without strongly promoting alcohol, a position in keeping with the
company’s family-focused audience. “We
do not use table tents, ambassadors,
posters, neon signs, etc., to promote
alcohol. Instead, at our pool bar locations,
we use a menu that looks like an oversized
mouse pad on the bar tops and tables,
and overhead signs behind the bar,” says
Ward, adding that although the resorts
offer full bars, the simple, 12-item poolside
menu drives the bars’ volume.
Whichever route operators take to increase profits, the most important thing
a hotel bar can do is make its menus visible. It sounds obvious, but Marke Team’s
Vidano says he watches operators make
this error again and again. “If a bar does
have a bar menu, it might only have two
out,” he says. “Those things should be
everywhere a customer [can] get to — at
least one on every table, and at the bar
itself, there should be one menu for every two seats. Then, if you are engineering a good bar menu, you hopefully are
moving people where you want them to
go,” he says. NCB
Ashley Gartland is a freelance food, beverage and
lifestyle writer in Portland, Ore. You can read more of her
work at www.ashleygartland.com.
Menu Format
Pros and Cons
When it comes to choosing a drink menu
format, operators must consider both their
clientele and their business goals. Here are
some pros and cons of three popular drink menu
formats to help you select a menu that’s right
for your bar.
Table Tents
Pros: Ideal for pushing sales of one or two
featured cocktails, beers or wines; servers can
be trained to point to the table tent and discuss
the featured items with guests.
Cons: Small size limits the number of drinks
an operator can highlight with an image and
descriptor.
Bound Books
Pros: Highlights multiple drinks through photog-
raphy and/or descriptive menu listings.
Cons: Exterior may not be as visibly striking or
attention-grabbing as other formats.
Placemats
Pros: Advantageous for a poolside setting or
family resort scene where alcohol sales aren’t
emphasized.
Cons: Needs replacing regularly from wear and
tear; materials used will determine how often
replacement is necssary. Small size makes it
difficult for one menu to market to multiple
customers.
