point-of-sale analysis and scheduling systems that review pacing, same-period-last-year data and reservation trends help ensure staffing levels align with demand.“ It enables us to schedule staff accordingly, so we don’ t have too little or too many at the time,” Mosca said. |
John Wise, VP of food & beverage, Marcus Hotels & Resorts |
Creativity also plays a role during slower periods.“ When I was working at the Playboy Club in New York, we created a‘ Statue of Liverty’ made out of chopped liver for a 4th of July event. It was silly, fun, tasty and we got a few TV stations to show up,” said Marcus Hotels’ Wise.
LESSONS LEARNED Relying on perception rather than data is one of the most common mistakes teams make when engineering bar menus, according to Kafalas.“ When asked about top sellers, bartenders may often name the drinks they personally like or think are trendy— not the ones actually driving sales. Menu
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development must be grounded in real data and built for the guest, not the bartender.”
Another common mistake is a lack of balance.“ A well‐designed menu should offer a mix of spirit types, brands, cocktail styles and flavor profiles,” said Kafalas. At Leonessa, the Italian apéritif rooftop bar at Conrad New York Downtown, the bar menu was created in partnership with tastemaker Ariel Arce and designed to celebrate the best of Italian cocktail culture with a balanced selection of spritzes, bitters, martinis, non‐alcoholic options and wine and beer.
For Wise, relying on too few suppliers for products is
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another misstep.“ To get the best products, you need to do the research and utilize a larger supply of vendors,” he said. It’ s also important to not put an artificial cap on what the guest spends.“ Be competitive and offer fair-priced value, but understand there are always guests willing to spend more for an amazing glass of wine or a high-quality bourbon or tequila,” he said.
Beyond concept, margins and programming, there is one element that helps define a great hotel bar: storytelling.“ People want to feel connected to the place that they’ re drinking in, staying in and dining in,” said Mosca.
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