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Seven ways to drive traffic and increase sales with beer
By Roger Mittag
October 21, 2011
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 In an ever increasing competitive environment, bar and restaurant owners need to find an edge. As food and beverage prices continue to increase globally, it’s crucial to find a way to drive traffic and sales. The real question is how.
Enter beer – a golden opportunity in more ways than one that can spur extra sales and bottom-line growth. According to the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association’s 2011 Chef’s Survey, beer is the fastest growing menu item at supper, and beer sommeliers or cicerones are on an upward trend. Consumers’ interest in beer is growing and is nowhere near spiking.
With the advent of the local food movement and the continued growth with micro-brewers, we are seeing a “wow factor” applied to beer. In British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, there are now more than 50 of these brewers providing a wide variety of beers to satisfy a curious consumer group thirsting for a craft-brewed beer.
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Consider these points to increase your beer bottom line:
- If you are serving draught beer, make sure you serve it well. Invest in the proper draught system and ensure that your lines are cleaned every three to four weeks. Draught standards dictate that each keg is supported by its own secondary regulator. This will allow you to independently pressurize each unique draught brand. On top of that, it makes your bartender’s job that much easier and will minimize spillage and waste.
- It is not necessary to offer as many different brands as humanly possible on draught. Remember, inventory turns is key with draught and fresh beer tastes the best. Try to aim for a keg a week to ensure freshness.
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- If you are certain you are offering great beer, stop keeping it a secret. Tell everyone - loudly and often - that you offer the best quality beer and make sure you tell them why. There is so much poor quality beer out there, it’s important to create that point of difference.
- Increase your selection by expanding your bottled beer selection. The cost is lower overall, the beer lasts longer and it will allow you to create a beer menu equivalent to a fine wine menu.
- Add suggested food pairings with each beer on the menu.
Once your guest has arrived, it’s now time to turn up the service aspect. This is the opportunity to create a lasting impression and secure the return visit. Remember, good impressions will be shared through word of mouth and social media. If your staff can educate and entertain, you can be assured to increased traffic. A couple of tips on creating those valuable beer experiences:
- Invest in beer training. It may not be necessary to make every staff member a beer ambassador, but you can certainly start slowly. There should be at least one person per shift that has some extensive knowledge about beer in general.
- Beer training should be specifically focused on your brand portfolio. Your staff should already have in-depth knowledge of your food items and your wine list. It just makes sense to include beer. This will allow your team members to create an unforgettable beer experience. Just imagine the day when a server will recommend food to accompany a certain beer or a beer to accompany a particular food item. Golden and glorious!
Beer is taking its rightful place at the table as consumers are eager to explore locally brewed and expertly served draught. Knowing how to pair craft brews with great food is the perfect combination to bring customers and the door and coming back for more.
See also:
About the author
Roger Mittag, a professor at Humber College’s School of Hospitality, is also the founder of Canada leading beer education company, Thirst for Knowledge. A consultant to several breweries, Mittag recently create Prud’Homme Beer Certification, a sommelier-style program for beer and the first such program in Canada.
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