We ask Bard to Write Cocktail Menus
by David Klemt
Asking Google’s Bard chatbot to write a couple cocktail menus—including recipes and prices—delivers some interesting results.
To be honest, by “interesting” I mean “shrug-inducing.” None of the menus are what I would deem creative.
Think about the basic cocktails you expect to see on any menu and you’ll have an idea of what to expect below.
Are you able to help restaurant and bar operators create their menus?
Yes, I can help restaurant and bar operators create their menus. I can access and process information from the real world through Google Search and keep my response consistent with search results. For example, if you ask me to create a menu for a restaurant that serves Italian food, I can research popular Italian dishes and ingredients, and then create a menu that incorporates those dishes and ingredients. I can also help you to price your menu, and to create marketing materials for your menu.
Here are some tips for creating a menu that is both appealing and profitable:
- Choose a theme or concept for your menu. This will help you to narrow down your choices and to create a menu that is cohesive.
- Research popular dishes and ingredients. What are people eating in other restaurants? What are the latest trends?
- Create a menu that is both affordable and profitable. You want to make sure that you are charging enough to cover your costs, but you also want to make sure that your prices are not too high.
- Use high-quality ingredients. This will help to ensure that your food tastes good and that your customers come back for more.
- Be creative and innovative. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new dishes and ingredients.
- Promote your menu. Use social media, print advertising, and other marketing channels to get the word out about your menu.
Please write me a cocktail menu with ten creative drinks for a modern steakhouse—including prices—located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sure, here is a cocktail menu with ten creative drinks for a modern steakhouse located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with prices:
1. The Old Fashioned
A classic American cocktail made with whiskey, sugar, and bitters.
- 2 oz. Canadian Whiskey
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- 4 dashes bitters
- Garnish: orange twist
- Price: $15
2. The Manhattan
A classic American cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
- 2 oz. Canadian Whiskey
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes bitters
- Garnish: cherry
- Price: $18
3. The Margarita
A classic Mexican cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and triple sec.
- 2 oz. Canadian Tequila
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1 oz. triple sec
- Garnish: lime wedge
- Price: $14
4. The Daiquiri
A classic Cuban cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- 2 oz. Canadian Rum
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- Garnish: lime wedge
- Price: $16
5. The Cosmopolitan
A refreshing and flavorful cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, and lime juice.
- 2 oz. Canadian Vodka
- 2 oz. cranberry juice
- 1 oz. Cointreau
- 1 oz. lime juice
- Garnish: lime wedge
- Price: $17
6. The Sex on the Beach
A fruity and refreshing cocktail made with vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, and orange juice.
- 2 oz. Canadian Vodka
- 1 oz. peach schnapps
- 2 oz. cranberry juice
- 2 oz. orange juice
- Garnish: orange slice
- Price: $18
7. The Bellini
A refreshing and flavorful cocktail made with prosecco, peach puree, and simple syrup.
- 4 oz. prosecco
- 2 oz. peach puree
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- Garnish: peach slice
- Price: $19
8. The Kir Royal
A refreshing and flavorful cocktail made with prosecco and crème de cassis.
- 4 oz. prosecco
- 1 oz. crème de cassis
- Garnish: lemon twist
- Price: $20
9. The Mimosa
A refreshing and flavorful cocktail made with champagne and orange juice.
- 4 oz. champagne
- 4 oz. orange juice
- Garnish: orange slice
- Price: $21
10. The Bloody Mary
A spicy and flavorful cocktail made with vodka, tomato juice, and spices.
- 2 oz. Canadian Vodka
- 4 oz. tomato juice
- 1 oz. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 oz. lemon juice
- 1 oz. hot sauce
- Garnish: celery stalk
- Price: $22
These cocktails are sure to please your guests and add a touch of sophistication to your steakhouse.
Please write me a cocktail menu with ten creative drinks for a modern Italian restaurant—including prices—located in Las Vegas, Nevada, off the Strip.
Here is a cocktail menu with ten creative drinks for a modern Italian restaurant located in Las Vegas, Nevada, off the Strip:
1. The Gondolier
A refreshing and flavorful cocktail made with prosecco, Aperol, and lemon juice.
- 2 oz. prosecco
- 1 oz. Aperol
- 1/2 oz. lemon juice
- 1/4 oz. simple syrup
- Club soda
- Garnish: lemon twist
- Price: $15
2. The Martini
A classic Italian cocktail made with gin and dry vermouth.
- 2 oz. gin
- 1 oz. dry vermouth
- Garnish: lemon twist
- Price: $17
3. The Negroni
A bitter and refreshing cocktail made with gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth.
- 2 oz. gin
- 1 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- Garnish: orange twist
- Price: $19
4. The Spritz
A refreshing and light cocktail made with prosecco, Aperol, and club soda.
- 3 oz. prosecco
- 1 oz. Aperol
- 4 oz. club soda
- Garnish: orange twist
- Price: $15
5. The Americano
A refreshing and light cocktail made with Campari, sweet vermouth, and club soda.
- 2 oz. Campari
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 4 oz. club soda
- Garnish: orange twist
- Price: $17
6. The Limoncello
A sweet and refreshing cocktail made with limoncello, prosecco, and club soda.
- 2 oz. limoncello
- 3 oz. prosecco
- 4 oz. club soda
- Garnish: lemon twist
- Price: $15
7. The Margarita
A classic Mexican cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and triple sec.
- 2 oz. tequila
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1 oz. triple sec
- Garnish: lime wedge
- Price: $19
8. The Daiquiri
A classic Cuban cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- 2 oz. rum
- 1 oz. lime juice
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- Garnish: lime wedge
- Price: $21
9. The Old Fashioned
A classic American cocktail made with whiskey, sugar, and bitters.
- 2 oz. whiskey
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- 4 dashes bitters
- Garnish: orange twist
- Price: $23
10. The Manhattan
A classic American cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.
- 2 oz. whiskey
- 1 oz. sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes bitters
- Garnish: cherry
Takeaways
The first thing I’ll say is that these menus are…fine. There’s nothing wrong with populating a cocktail menu with classics. After all, classics are the go-to for a large portion of guests.
However, I wouldn’t call any of the recipes above creative. And I certainly don’t think they’d blow anyone’s mind. I also call into question some of the specs. For example, a Negroni “should be” a 1:1:1 ratio.
Then there’s the Bloody Mary for a Toronto steakhouse. I’m not trying to speak for an entire population but that should be a Caesar. Additionally, this family of drinks should come with an array of add-ons for customization and personalization.
And what about that $18 Sex on the Beach? I don’t think I’d ever recommend that for an upscale steakhouse. If anything, I’d suggest a Porn Star Martini instead.
I don’t know what Bard would recommend for pricing the Manhattan since the chatbot didn’t include that detail. I’m guessing somewhere between $20 and $23.
Speaking of pricing, it’s fair to assume that Bard aggregated menu prices, averaged them, and spat out the results of its calculations. That may seem helpful but operators should bear a few things in mind when determining pricing:
- ingredient costs;
- labor costs;
- target margins;
- what specific markets and target guests will tolerate and sustain; and
- dynamic menu pricing to address fluctuating costs.
Going back to the drinks themselves, it’s important for operators to consider the trends toward premiumization and luxury; signature cocktails; “owning” a specific drink or family of drinks; and speed, consistency, and presentation.
Artificial intelligence can tell you what’s trending online. But can it create real-world cocktail menus that will attract guests, drive traffic, and generate revenue? In my opinion, no—that’s still the realm of experienced and creative bar professionals.
Image: Timothé Durand on Unsplash
