A drinks menu is most probably one of the first things that a customer will seek out when looking at your website or visiting your venue. It’s so important to help maximise your profits, but it can help greatly when it comes to creating an unforgettable customer experience.
Designing a successful drinks menu takes a lot of consideration so, if you’re starting from scratch or overhauling your existing one, here’s a few pointers: –
Use meaningful descriptions
Food always gets a decent write up, using words such as “slow-cooked” or “succulent,” but drinks get a little left behind. To help your customers make a decision and a good way to upsell certain drinks, is to include a short description on each item. If it’s a cocktail, then list the ingredients always listing the main spirit first. For your beers and wine why not describe the flavour, making use of words such as “fresh,” “small-batch,” “floral,”. Detailed descriptions are helpful but don’t make them too lengthy as it can seem pretentious and end up annoying your customers.
Who are your customers?
Your drink menu should reflect your customers. Are they students who want to make the most of happy hour on a Thursday night, or solicitors popping in for a few drinks after work? The point is, you should always look at who your actual customers are and the drinking occasion.
Get creative with cocktail names
What is the theme of your venue and use names that tie-in. Use quotes, local slang, local myths or seasonal names. Whatever you do, invest time and give it lots of thought. In many cases the name can account for half of the decision making for selecting a particular option.
Keep it up to date
Always make sure that any new options are added and remove items that you no longer offer. The worst thing is for a customer to be told that an option is no longer available, when they’re just spent 5 minutes deciding on whether or not to have it.
Think about seasonal offers and make sure that your menu reflects them. As the seasons change then so should some of your menu, whilst retaining your all year-round favourites and big sellers.
Make high-profit items noticeable
Makes sure that you make your high-profit items easy to find. Place them in negative space or use larger text so that they stand out from the other options.
Should you list calories?
Being health conscious is good, but should you really list the calories of every drink that you serve? Maybe customers don’t want to actually see the calories as it may spoil their fun. An alternative idea could be to include a section in your menu of low-calorie options.
With a combination of planning and creativity, it is possible to make a drinks menu that ties in with the aesthetic of your venue, looks good, enhances a customer’s experience and highlights your premium offerings that have the highest profit margins.
If you would like help with creating a drinks menu, or any other strategic support, get in touch.