Bartenders are often viewed as mere drink servers, but their contributions to a restaurant extend far beyond mixing cocktails. They play a pivotal role in shaping the customer experience, driving revenue, and ultimately enhancing the profitability of the establishment. A well-trained bartender can influence key business metrics, ensuring not only the satisfaction of patrons but also the financial health of the restaurant.
In a recent conversation we had with Ryan Chetiyawardana, also known as Mr. Lyan, on The meez Podcast, he shared invaluable insights on menu development and the integral role bartenders play in it.
With accolades like "Best Cocktail Bar in the World" and "Bartender of the Decade" under his belt, Mr. Lyan is a world-renowned expert in crafting extraordinary drinks that elevate dining experiences.
This blog will explore how bartenders can be transformed into essential assets for any dining venue, incorporating tips and strategies from Mr. Lyan that can help unlock their full potential.
1. Upselling and Suggestive Selling
Bartenders have a unique opportunity to enhance sales through upselling and suggestive selling. By encouraging customers to try higher-end or signature cocktails, they can significantly increase the average transaction value.
When a bartender confidently recommends a premium drink, it can lead to not just an immediate sale but also an enhanced dining experience that keeps customers returning. The promotion of premium liquors is another way bartenders can directly impact profitability.
Higher-quality spirits typically come with better profit margins, and when bartenders highlight these options, they not only elevate the drinking experience but also boost the bottom line.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Clarity of Vision
“Sometimes, when we're developing a recipe, we have an idea in mind about what it needs to represent.
That might be an emotion around it or a reference to something, like a classic that people will know. It needs to be grounded in that, so we'll often do a little bit of back and forth as a group.
It’s not about being a committee; it’s just about making sure everybody agrees that it's hitting the premise we’re trying to represent with this particular recipe or iteration that we're putting out.”
2. Balance Innovation with Practicality
While creativity is essential in developing exciting cocktail offerings, it must also align with the restaurant's operational capabilities. New ideas should be practical and feasible within the existing kitchen and bar workflows.
This means considering factors such as staff training, ingredient availability, and equipment limitations. By ensuring that innovative cocktails can be effectively executed, restaurants can maintain high-quality service and reduce the risk of disappointing guests.
Mr. Lyan Tip 2: Embrace Evolution
“There are points where we revisit a cocktail we’ve made for a certain period. I think this was more acutely observed when we reflected on several years of past recipes that were historically part of the company.
We realized that not only do you get variations in ingredients, and sometimes something might be out of season, but your palate might have changed, too. The way people have interacted with it has changed. So, we make little tweaks, meaning it’s never quite fully finished.
As something that’s organic, it’s not about being totally dialed in and staying firm to that because we see recipes as guidelines rather than hard and fast rules."
3. Focus on Time Management
Efficient drink preparation extends beyond just quick service; it significantly enhances the overall customer experience. Satisfied patrons are more likely to return, contributing to a loyal customer base.
Additionally, higher table turnover and the likelihood of additional orders from these happy customers directly boost sales and profitability.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Focus on the Pitch
“Sometimes we realize we might have gotten something exactly right based on what we think are the right flavors, the right name, and the right connections and then we put it in front of someone and ask "Are people okay with this? Have we communicated correctly?"
And that's not necessarily about changing the recipe; it's about changing all the ways in which we pitch it and talk about it.
We want to avoid freaking people out while giving them the right opportunity to dive into what it tastes like and explore.”
4. Standardize Your Recipes
Consistency in drink preparation is crucial for maintaining quality and controlling costs. By standardizing recipes, bartenders can ensure that each drink meets the restaurant’s quality standards while also keeping expenses in check.
This consistency helps build customer trust; when patrons know they can expect the same great taste every time they visit, they are more likely to return.
Moreover, standardized recipes allow for easier training of new staff, as they can quickly learn the precise measurements and techniques required, resulting in fewer complaints and overall service.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Start with Stories
“Often, we start with stories; we engage the whole team and look at things in very lateral ways before we dive into any of the minutiae.
This approach allows us to create those boundaries and set a path before we've even begun to get into flavors and the development of how we layer that into a finalized recipe.
So a big part of it for us is framing the question and ensuring that we purposefully introduce the restrictions. We want to avoid making it feel chaotic by having everything so wide; instead, we aim to find a way to force it together.”
5. Limit Ingredients
Consistency in drink preparation is crucial for maintaining quality and controlling costs. By standardizing recipes, bartenders can ensure that each drink meets the restaurant’s quality standards while also keeping expenses in check.
This consistency also helps build customer trust; when patrons know they can expect the same great taste every time they visit, they are more likely to return.
Moreover, standardized recipes allow for easier training of new staff, as they can quickly learn the precise measurements and techniques required.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Establish Common Language
“Flavor is quite a hard thing to describe, so how do we find ways to articulate it? I learned this very early on when I would say, "Oh, it needs more pink," which used language that wasn’t necessarily universal to everyone.
But now, as a team, particularly with our collective experiences, there's definitely something that can help around this. It's true; there weren't many resources before things like this to help people get on the same level. You want to be able to answer the same questions together.
So we use some of that language to ensure we're working on it in the right iterations, rather than just saying, "Oh, I just want to add this."
6. Empower your team
Bartenders and other staff members often have unique insights based on their interactions with customers. Engaging them in menu discussions can lead to the introduction of popular and profitable cocktails.
Team-generated ideas can also enhance the overall customer experience, leading to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business—both of which positively impact profitability.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Merge Science and Art
“We work with booze, which is a very good solvent, and we can extract things that are potentially dangerous.
I've always seen science and art as the same thing. It's about how you reach that point of being rigorous in your process. It's hard to understand what you can create if you can't figure out what you're controlling. Being able to take some of those insights has been amazing.
That's what we should be doing as creatives anyway—doing that observation piece and saying, "Okay, this is what has happened as a result of my experimentation and explorations." That process, I think, is a very powerful one to learn.”
7. Create a Culture of Creativity
A lively and creative cocktail menu can attract customers looking for unique experiences, increasing foot traffic and overall sales. A culture that embraces creativity allows the restaurant to adapt more quickly to changing trends and customer preferences, ensuring sustained profitability over time.
Employees are also more likely to stay in a workplace that values their creativity and input, reducing turnover costs and maintaining a consistent level of service.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Innovation is Universal
“I think innovation exists on every end of the scale. It doesn't need to be on the high end. I think every space needs to create freedom for creativity.
That doesn't mean you have to have a huge block of time, a giant team, or loads of resources to do it. You just have to frame the question: What is the value of what you're trying to achieve for that space?
The more you can be clear about what that is, our industry is just full of incredibly creative people. You don't need to have spent years researching or in research labs to do that.”
8. Invest in Restaurant Software
Integrating bartenders into data tracking systems can uncover valuable insights, from identifying top-selling drinks to monitoring profit margins and spotting cost-saving opportunities.
Leveraging this data-driven approach enables smarter, more strategic decisions that directly improve profitability.
Mr. Lyan Tip: Encourage Openmindedness
“One day at White Lyan, my first bar, I encountered an unusual ingredient that’s basically fossilized poop. I thought, 'It's great! It's got this incredible aromatic quality to it. We can make a Sazerac out of it.'
While my team was generally open-minded about creative ideas, they quickly pointed out, 'We can't put that in front of guests at this stage.'
This experience reinforced a crucial aspect of creativity: everybody's got to buy into it. Without that team buy-in, any innovative idea simply won't work. As I learned, if the team is not on board with it, then it's a no.”
meez for Bartenders and Cocktail Programs
meez is a powerful tool for bartenders, revolutionizing how cocktail programs are managed by streamlining recipe organization, batching, and inventory. With meez, bartenders gain full control over their drink-making processes while driving profitability and efficiency.
Key Benefits of meez:
- Digital Recipe Library: Access standardized recipes with precise measurements and techniques, ensuring consistent quality and reducing errors.
- Recipe Scaling in One Click: Easily scale recipes for faster batching, making high-volume service more efficient while maintaining portion control.
- Comprehensive Menu Management: Build out your full cocktail menu and view profitability, food cost percentage, and revenue in one place to keep your program financially healthy.
- Real-Time Version Control: Ensure recipe updates are immediately available to all staff, simplifying training and reducing inconsistencies.
- Inventory Tracking: Simplify stock management with sheet-to-shelf inventory counts, allowing bartenders to track supplies efficiently.
- Analytics Dashboard: Gain insights into purchasing data, menu performance, and potential issues like over-portioning or waste, helping you make data-driven decisions to optimize your bar program.
With meez, bartenders can focus on creating great drinks while also driving profit, cutting waste, and enhancing operational efficiency.
Conclusion
Bartenders are critical players in the quest for restaurant profitability. Their ability to drive revenue, enhance customer experiences, and innovate within operational constraints positions them as vital assets.
By optimizing bartender performance and integrating their skills into broader business strategies, restaurants can ensure sustained financial success. Investing in your bartenders is investing in your restaurant's future.
