How to Profit Off the Top Wine Trends for 2014 (Part 2)

/in , , /by

Last week, we posted “How to Profit Off the Top Wine Trends for 2014 (Part 1)“. If you missed the last post, you should read it. It talked about three of the main wine trends for 2014, as reported by a study commissioned by E. & J. Gallo Winery. Gallo promises to make their wine trends study a yearly event, and with their interesting findings and easy-to-read infographics, the study is definitely worth a read for restaurant professionals.

Here are the two last tips to leverage the information in the wine trends survey to increase the profits in your restaurant. (Get items 1-3 here.)  Read more

28 Terms that Make You Sound Like a Sommelier (Part 2)

/in , /by

The last post in this series named the first fourteen of the twenty-eight terms that make you sound like a sommelier, including descriptions of the wine’s color and scent. At the end of this post, you’ll see how you can put all these terms together to create an awesome wine menu or wine tasting, or to just sell more wines. Here are the last fourteen wine-expert terms you need to know in order to increase your wine revenues. (Part 1 contains numbers 1-14).

Read more

28 Terms that Make You Sound Like a Sommelier (Part 1)

/in , /by

Want to describe your wines really well (or, um, understand wine descriptions really well)? Using these twenty-eight sommelier terms will have you 86-ing your wines like mad, and it will even help when you purchase new wines. Ready to sound like an expert? Here are the first fourteen terms you need to know. (Check out “28 Terms that Make You Sound Like a Sommelier (Part 2)” for the rest of the terms.) 

Read more

Deliver Great Wines with These 3 Questions in your Restaurant

/in , /by

Your customers know that wines can be scary, but do you know how to soothe their wine woes? At Uncorkd, we know how stressful it can be to order an unknown bottle of wine in a restaurant. In fact, that’s why Uncorkd was started—because purchasing a bottle of wine at a restaurant used to be a somewhat daunting scenario. Truthfully though, with the right pitch and the right questions, you can inspire your customers to order those higher priced items off your wine menu. Here are the three questions your servers must always ask every customer as they peruse your wine list. 

Read more

Seriously. Clean Your Restaurant Today. Here’s Why.

/in , /by

Is your restaurant dirty? If it is, that needs to change, and I don’t mean you should deal with it tomorrow. You’ll want to deal with your restaurant’s cleanliness levels today. Here’s the detailed case for why you should keep up with your restaurant cleanliness.  
Read more

Make More Money by Giving Recipes Away

/in , /by

Here’s a novel idea to make more money: Give things away. I know I’ve talked before about getting more customers with free samples of food, but now I’m going to suggest that you actually let go of your restaurant or bar’s life blood. I want you to give away your recipes. Read more to learn why holding tightly on to your recipes may be hurting your business.

Read more

Deliciously Scary: Becoming a Haunted Restaurant or Bar

/in , /by

Halloween is upon us, and not only are ghostly stories all around you, the bars and restaurants that profit off of those tales are everywhere too. Jealous of all the action that your haunted competitors have at this time of year? Here’s how you can leverage your own spooky history to become an acclaimed haunted place.

Read more

3 Wine Tips to Keep Customers Coming Back

/in , /by

Tell me if you’ve experienced this scenario: You have a table that looks at the wine list and is clearly confused. When you ask them what they want to drink, they look flustered and they order a wine, but it seems their choice is random. When they taste the wine, they really seem to like it. They compliment the wine, say they’re excited to try more on the wine list… and never return. Here are three tips to get those wine-newbie guests to come back again and again.

Read more

Restaurant Simplicity Part 2: The Case for Clean Plating

/in , /by

After your guests have ordered their meals, their second impression of your restaurant will come from how their meal is served. We’ve talked a lot about customer service on this blog, but this isn’t about customer service, it’s about plating. Here’s why plating matters much more in your restaurant than you’ve previously suspected.

Read more

Drink Menu Pricing

Restaurant Simplicity, Part 1: How to Strengthen Your Menu

/in , /by

It is a fact that running a restaurant or bar has become too complex. In fact, it’s not just restaurants and bars, it’s everything. Work hours are longer for everyone, the cost of leisure activities are more expensive for everyone, the pile of obstacles that we face when trying to accomplish tasks just grows higher every single day—and every day of our lives, we have to prepare ourselves for a battle or a sacrifice. It’s time for all that stress to stop. This three-part series explores how you can make your restaurant or bar a calm oasis for your guests to escape the hectic difficulties of life. The first thing you should simplify is your menu—here’s how to do that. Read more