Raising the Bar for Profits

There is an industry adage that suggests the most expensive seat in your restaurant is the empty one. Keeping warm bodies in seats is best accomplished by exceeding guest expectations, which is exactly the intended function of a well-designed bar menu.

"Maintaining a balanced focus between food and beverage is fundamentally important to attaining success in the restaurant business," consultant Bill Main says. "No restaurateur would force guests to guess what specials are being offered out of the kitchen, yet many do just that when it comes to the bar. The rationale for marketing a drink menu is the same as that behind featuring a food menu."

While overlooked by some, bar menus are marketing devices capable of driving sales, improving profitability, creating an identity for the bar and even some things that you can't do for yourself.

"The unfortunate part of our business is that no matter how well you hire, the fact is there will never be enough face time with all of your guests to sell them on each and every facet of the bar and its offerings. Even if it were possible, it would likely be an undesirable situation," says Will Jacobus, director of beverage operations for Dave & Busters. "On the other hand, your bar menu speaks volumes about who you are, what you do best and provides guests with qualified advice on what to order."

The beverage experts interviewed agree that bar menus are invaluable creative tools. "Bar menus allow you to market your best cocktails, those that are genuinely special and differentiate your bar from the field," says Tony Abou-Ganim, beverage guru and founder of the Modern Mixologist consultancy. Furthermore, the drinks on your menu should be specialties that you yourself would recommend to your closest friends. Ultimately they will help create a memorable experience.