March 22, 2018 | by Sculpture Hospitality
Happy hour can be both a fun time for customers to let loose after work and take advantage of some drink deals and a lucrative window for your bar or restaurant to make some extra money and build a reputation. It doesn't take a lot of effort to transform what can be a quiet time of the day into one of your busiest. With a little planning, your location can become an after-work destination that helps people relax after a long day. Here are just a few things you can do to create a more compelling happy hour experience:
March 13, 2018 | by Ian Foster
If you are unfortunate enough to go through a sales tax audit of your bar operations, you’ll be required to pay sales tax on drinks you never sold.
February 27, 2018 | by Buzztime
You post on social media. You run a great loyalty program. And you’ve mastered email marketing. Still not seeing the foot traffic you want? It’s time to deploy your bar or restaurant’s secret weapon: in-venue entertainment with an interactive, super-social twist.
February 23, 2018 | by Sculpture Hospitality
As someone who works in the bar and restaurant industry, you are probably familiar with potato vodkas, but you might not be up to speed with the latest trend: sweet potato vodka. Traditionally, potato vodkas are more popular in Eastern European countries where there is easy access to plenty of inexpensive potatoes, but Americans have jumped on the bandwagon and taken things a step further with the emergence of sweet potato vodkas. Here is everything you need to know about this growing trend.
February 16, 2018 | by Sculpture Hospitality
There are a lot of different reasons why bar and restaurant owners first go into business. Some simply have a passion for food and drink that they want to share with others. While some are looking to create a place where friends and family can gather and have a memorable experience. Whether you went into business looking to become an integral part of the neighborhood or you just wanted to practice your craft, when your bar or restaurant does become more involved in the community, everyone benefits.
February 9, 2018 | by Sculpture Hospitality
February is a short month, stuck right in the middle of the winter, which makes it the perfect choice for the official month of love. Valentine's Day provides an opportunity to indulge in a night on the town with your sweetie and add a little spark to what can otherwise be a forgettable month. For bars and restaurants, it is one of the busiest nights of the year with reservations being filled up weeks and months in advance. Popping a bottle of champagne is a traditional way to mark the occasion, but you can help guests truly make it a special night with these specialty Valentine's Day cocktails.
January 31, 2018 | by Sculpture Hospitality
Bourbon and whiskeys are enjoying quite a moment right now. More and more people are becoming connoisseurs, and high demand means that bartenders need to be stocking their shelves and offering a great selection of specialty cocktails. While there are plenty of options, it is also essential to turn an eye towards profit and find the right combination of flavor and cost. Here are some great ideas that will keep your biggest whiskey fans happy while also driving revenue:
January 22, 2018 | by Sculpture Hospitality
With the start of the brand new year just behind us, it's not too late to think about resolutions on how you want to improve and be a better manager in 2018. While there is never a bad time to set new goals, the beginning of the year provides the perfect time to reflect and gather yourself after surviving a busy holiday season. If you aren't sure where to start, here are some smart resolutions that will help you become a rockstar bar manager in 2018:
January 10, 2018 | by Krista Dinsmore
Jon Taffer, Executive Producer and host of Spike TV's "Bar Rescue" and renowned hospitality expert, announced a partnership with Sculpture Hospitality, the global leader in inventory control and the iconic Bevinco brand. Taffer has officially endorsed the company's full suite of inventory services; Bevinco, Bevinco Mobile, Bevchek and Measuring Cup, offered through their dedicated network of individual owners/operators. Taffer will work closely with Sculpture Hospitality to continue to enhance the suite products to better serve the market. Margins in the industry are shrinking so maximizing food/liquor profits are key to success and this collaboration will enable Sculpture to integrate impactful cost saving strategies, based on Taffer's years of experience.
December 28, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
Most bars and restaurants have a list of surefire winners when it comes to cocktails that are popular and provide an ideal gross profit margin. Part of achieving this balance comes down to knowing your audience and being able to market the right drinks to the right people. One particular challenge for bartenders, especially around the holidays when champagne is often used as a celebratory drink, is creating champagne drinks that still drive profit. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to create delicious beverages with a champagne-base that are just as profitable as any other liquor.
December 20, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
After a big meal that includes all your favorite holiday foods, there is nothing better than the perfect dessert cocktail to wash it all down. The same pumpkin, cinnamon and peppermint flavors that help make the holidays memorable, are also great in a variety of warm, creamy and rich dessert drinks. Add the right splash of liquor, and you have a relaxing beverage to sip on with friends and family.
November 29, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
If you are looking for creative ways to attract customers to your bar on slow nights, trivia can be a great option, but it might not be the right choice for every bar. You need to consider any potential limitations of your space, your goals for implementing a themed night and the wants of your clientele when considering whether trivia night is a viable option. As a bar owner or manager, you don't want to end up alienating your regulars or running a sub-par trivia night that ends up being a flop, so before you take the plunge, here are some factors to consider that will help set you up for success.
November 20, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
The fall months are about cooling temperatures and great seasonal fruits and vegetables that influence fall flavors. When it comes to beer flavors and favorites, there is a shift from lighter citrus brews to darker ales and lagers. You will also find a range of pumpkin flavored options, but fall beer flavors go beyond just pumpkin. Here are just a few craft beers that are inspired by fall flavors and may be worth adding to your own menu:
November 7, 2017 | by Ian Foster
November 2, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
Every day Americans spend over $2 billion in restaurants; yet, every day, restaurant and bar owners and managers see profits narrowed from spillage, food waste and bad hires.
October 20, 2017 | by Ian Foster
Q: Are you running the right pour cost?
A: It’s not that your pour cost is wrong, you're probably working your pour cost out correctly. The problem is... What are you comparing it to? How do you know it is good? See More...
October 18, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
You may let a sleeping dog lie, but you’re going to want your alcohol to move.
No matter how successful your bar is, chances are if you look through your inventory, you can find some dead stock—and you may be scratching your head as to how to get it off your shelves. Loosely defined, dead stock is a product that takes over six months to deplete.
October 13, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
Bars and restaurants have a notoriously high turnover rate, but that doesn't mean that you can't attract and retain top talent who will become a selling point for your establishment. If you are competing with other bars in the area to win over the best talent and consistently losing out, it may be time to consider a different approach. For starters, don't be so hard on yourself. Certain bartenders may be more drawn to the environment of a swanky rooftop bar versus a venue with more of a neighborhood bar feel.
October 4, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
The first sign of Fall has arrived: pumpkin spice flavor products have hit the shelves. However, as you well know, Fall flavors are about a lot more than artificial pumpkin flavorings. They present the opportunity to make some truly tasty cocktails that bring out the best of the season. From Fall fruits like apples, pears, and cranberries, to spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, there are plenty of great flavor combinations to work with behind the bar.
September 19, 2017 | by Sculpture Hospitality
Even if you aren't the kind of vodka fan who drinks it straight, vodka makes a great base for some classic drinks. For bar and restaurant managers looking to make a profit, vodka cocktails can come with a low pour cost and can be used to drive revenue. Finding the right balance between tasty drinks that people will want to order and that will also drive profits is easier than you think. Keep reading to learn more about which profitable vodka cocktails you should be serving.