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Running a restaurant group is not an easy thing to do. There are plenty of things that must be considered in order to make each restaurant successful. We already started sharing useful tips about this, so you can check out our article on building a beverage program for restaurant groups. We also have useful resources about adult beverage trends and restaurant inventory management.
Choosing different varieties of wine and building a great wine list is not the only way for a restaurant to succeed. There are many other beverages that need to be included in the menu and of course, combined with the right foods. Proper drink and food pairings can help each location from your restaurant group to earn new customers and improve profitability.
One of the things you must do when curating the beverage menu is to consider seasonal beverages. The best way to approach this is consider the food menu and what type of drinks are going to pair well with the current dishes. However, there are drinks that are true staples for the season and food needs to be be planned around them.
Do you want to know more about planning the seasonal beverages for your restaurant group? If you are looking for helpful tips, stay here and read the following paragraphs!
Steps to Craft the Perfect Seasonal Beverages List
Leveraging seasonal beverage trends can create a dynamic and profitable program for your restaurant group. By aligning beverage offerings with popular seasonal flavors, you can keep guests engaged and eager to try new selections. Seasonal beverages also encourage repeat visits, as limited-time offerings create a sense of exclusivity.
If you wonder how to create a list of seasonal beverages and manage it correctly, follow these tips:
1. Identify Key Flavors and Ingredients by Season
Research trending seasonal ingredients and incorporate them into your cocktail drinks, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages. For example, fall might bing pumpkin and cinnamon flavors, while summer could focus on tropical fruits or refreshing botanicals. Keep in mind there are some ingredients that become more popular during specific years and it’s important to incorporate them when possible.
2. Plan with Limited-Time Offerings
Seasonal beverages work best as limited-time offerings, creating a sense of urgency that encourages guests to try them before they are gone. Use creative promotions to market these items, such as themed events and seasonal tasting flights. You can do the same thing across all locations of your restaurant group or create different events for each location.
Key Takeaway: Adding seasonal beverages to the different restaurants part of your group can be very beneficial for the business. By creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity, you can drive more sales and people can also enjoy better drink and food pairings that fit the season. This is a great way to take your business ahead of the competition with a smaller investment. Don’t underestimate the power of great seasonal beverages!
3. Streamline Sourcing and Inventory
Seasonal items may require different ingredients, so work with suppliers to source these on a short-term basis. A reliable platform, such as BinWise, can simplify sourcing by helping you track inventory needs across all restaurant locations, reducing excess stock and minimizing waste.
4. Evaluate and Refine Based on Data
After each season, use your beverage inventory app to review sales data and assess which beverages were most successful. Gathering feedback allows you to refine seasonal beverages you can offer and focus on items that guests enjoy most. This way you can also adjust the less popular options.
5. Train Staff on Seasonal Offerings
Staff play a crucial role in the success of seasonal drinks and any new offers you may have. Regular tastings and training sessions help them confidently recommend seasonal selections, enhancing the customer experience and boosting sales.
By embracing seasonal trends, your restaurant group can offer fresh, appealing options that attract customers year-round, enhance brand identity, and drive higher profits.
Benefits of Offering Seasonal Beverages
Serving seasonal beverages offers several benefits for restaurants. Attracting customers with fresh, timely options that cater to current tastes and ingredients are among these advantages. Here are some other key benefits:
- Increased Customer Engagement - Seasonal drinks create excitement and a sense of novelty, encouraging customers to try new flavors and return for unique, limited-time offerings.
- Enhanced Profitability - Specialty, seasonal beverages often have higher profit margins due to their exclusive nature, and customers are generally more willing to pay more for them.
- Brand Relevance - By using ingredients that are appropriate for the season, such as warm spices in fall or citrus in summer, restaurants enhance their appeal and relevance to the time of year, improving the guest experience.
- Efficient Inventory Management - Seasonal menus allow for rotating ingredients, reducing waste by aligning stock leves with customer demand and preventing over-purchasing of items no longer in season.
- Creative Freedom for Staff - Offering seasonal beverages gives bartenders and chefs a chance to innovate, using fresh ingredients to craft unique drinks, which can also boost team morale and engagement.
- Marketing Opportunities - Seasonal offerings can be highlighted in promotions, social media, and events, drawing attention to the restaurant and attracting guests looking for seasonal experiences.
These benefits make seasonal beverages a versatile addition to a well-rounded beverage program, appealing to both new and returning customers while driving sales and efficiency. Don’t overlook the importance of using seasonal ingredients and regularly updating the menus of the restaurants in the group. You should also pay attention to what customers like in the different locations and focus on serving drinks and creating pairings based on the data you have.
To make proper data gathering possible, you need to use a reliable app like BinWise. With our platform, you are not only going to manage your beverage inventory better, but also have the means to limit waste, control costs, and have detailed information about what customers like and don’t like. Find out more by booking a demo today!
Frequently Asked Questions about Seasonal Beverages in Restaurant Groups
If you have burning questions about seasonal beverages in restaurant groups, you may find some of them answered in the following paragraphs!
How Can Seasonal Beverages Increase Profitability?
Seasonal drinks typically have a higher price due to their limited-time nature and unique ingredients. Customers are often willing to pay more for seasonal specialties, which can increase the average spend per customer. Since they are available during certain times only, people may even come to specifically have a favorite seasonal beverage, which is always good for business.
How Does a Restaurant Group Manage Seasonal Ingredients Across Multiple Locations?
Using an inventory system like BinWise can help manage inventory and track ingredient usage across different locations. It ensures consistent quality and prevents overstocking or waste of seasonal items.
What Are Some Challenges with Seasonal Beverages?
Challenges include ingredient sourcing and potential waste. By using data-driven inventory management and planning carefully, restaurants can keep seasonal offerings cost-effective and well-stocked. It’s important to use data from previous years to when planning the new season beverage menu in order to see what items were not that popular and skip them. The most popular items from previous years should probably be on the menu again.