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Tres Monos bar in Buenos Aires, Argentina
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

These are the 50 Best Bars of 2023

These are the 50 Best Bars of 2023

by David Klemt

Tres Monos bar in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tres Monos in Buenos Aires is number 11 and the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award.

According to the World’s 50 Best, these stunning examples of operations, service, and atmosphere from around the globe are the best bars of 2023.

For the first time, the incredible collection of bars was revealed during a ceremony in Singapore. I watched this year’s ceremony via the World’s 50 Best Bars live stream and the energy was palpable just through the screen. We’ll have to consider attending the 2024 ceremony in person.

The 50 bars that have earned placement on this list should serve as inspiration for operators and hospitality professionals throughout the world. Whether considering operations, service, building a top-performing team, menu, design, or atmosphere, these bars are reaping the rewards of hard work and a commitment to hospitality.

As we’ve had the incredible honor of speaking with a number of the bars on this year’s list for our Bar Hacks podcast, we’ve linked a few of the bars below to their episodes.

The Numbers

The 15th edition of World’s 50 Best Bars ranks bars in 28 cities from around the globe.

Among individual cities, London claims the most bars on this year’s list with five. Further, two of those bars are in the top ten.

Mexico City is home to four bars on the list, while New York boasts three, plus the winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award. These two cocktail bar titans will go head to head for some time from what I can see, and we’re all the better for this friendly rivalry.

Overall, the UK is home to six venues on the 2023 list. Also performing well are the US and Italy, with each claiming five bars on the 2023 list. With four bars, each in Mexico City, Mexico also does very well for 2023.

This year’s host city, Singapore, boasts three bars, along with the Bar Design Award recipient. Greece also earns three spots, with one bar taking home the Legend of the List Award. There are three bars on the list in Argentina as well, all in Buenos Aires. One of these bars offers such outstanding service that it’s this year’s Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award recipient.

Another country with three bars on the list is Spain. Not only can the country now boast about being home to the bar holding the number one spot, it’s also where number four is located. Oh, and the number four bar just happens to be last year’s top bar in the world. Clearly, Barcelona is staking a claim to the Cocktail Capital of the World.

Sadly, Canada isn’t represented on this year’s list. However, Civil Liberties in Toronto does hold the number 73 spot.

Congratulations to the bars and their teams on the 2023 list, and the individual award winners! Cheers!

The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023

  1. Galaxy Bar (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  2. Jewel of the South (New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America)
  3. Atlas (Singapore)
  4. The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)
  5. Locale Firenze (Florence, Italy)
  6. Baltra Bar (Mexico City, Mexico)
  7. L’Antiquario (Naples, Italy)
  8. Carnaval (Lima, Perú)
  9. 1930 (Milan, Italy)
  10. Scarfes Bar (London, England, United Kingdom)
  11. Mimi Kakushi (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  12. Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom)
  13. The Cambridge Public House (Paris, France)
  14. Bar Benfiddich (Tokyo, Japan)
  15. The SG Club (Tokyo, Japan)
  16. 🔶🟥🔵 A Bar with Shapes for a Name (London, England, United Kingdom)
  17. Argo (Hong Kong, China)
  18. Freni e Frizioni (Rome, Italy)
  19. Sago House (Singapore)
  20. Röda Huset (Stockholm, Sweden)
  21. Florería Atlántico (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  22. Wax On (Berlin, Germany)
  23. Satan’s Whiskers (London, England, United Kingdom)
  24. Katana Kitten (New York, New York, United States of America)
  25. CoChinChina (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  26. Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)
  27. Café La Trova (Miami, Florida, United States of America)
  28. Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  29. Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
  30. Drink Kong (Rome, Italy)
  31. Coa (Hong Kong)
  32. Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)
  33. Zest (Seoul, South Korea)
  34. Overstory (New York, New York, United States of America)
  35. Salmon Guru (Madrid, Spain)
  36. Maybe Sammy (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  37. Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
  38. BKK Social Club (Bangkok, Thailand)
  39. Line (Athens, Greece)
  40. Tres Monos (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  41. Himkok (Oslo, Norway)
  42. Alquímico (Cartagena, Colombia)
  43. Tayēr + Elementary (London, England, United Kingdom)
  44. Licorería Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
  45. Little Red Door (Paris, France)
  46. Connaught Bar (London, England, United Kingdom)
  47. Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
  48. Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
  49. Double Chicken Please (New York, New York, United States of America)
  50. Sips (Barcelona, Spain)

2023 Awards

  • Roku Industry Icon Award: Renato “Tato” Giovannoni
  • Rémy Martin Legend of the List: The Clumsies; Number 47 (Athens, Greece)
  • Best Bar in Australasia (sponsored by Naked Malt): Maybe Sammy; Number 15 (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
  • Best Bar in Asia (sponsored by Torres Brandy): BKK Social Club, Number 13 (Bangkok, Thailand)
  • Best Bar in Europe (sponsored by Perrier): Sips; Number 1 (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Best Bar in the Middle East and Africa (sponsored by Amaro Lucano): Mimi Kakushi; Number 40 (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  • Best Bar in North America (sponsored by Tia Maria): Double Chicken Please; Number 2 (New York, New York, United States of America)
  • Best Bar in South America (sponsored by Scrappy’s Bitters): Alquímico; Number 9 (Cartagena, Columbia)
  • Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award: Tres Monos; Number 11 (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
  • Best New Opening (sponsored by the London Essence Co.): Line; Number 12 (Athens, Greece)
  • Disaronno Highest New Entry: Zest; Number 18 (Seoul, South Korea)
  • Nikka Highest Climber: Himkok; Number 10, climbed 33 positions (Oslo, Norway)
  • Ketel One Sustainable Bar: Röda Huset; Number 31 (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Altos Bartenders’ Bartender: GN Chan; Double Chicken, Please (New York, New York, United States of America)
  • Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu: The American Bar at Gleneagles; Book of Berries menu (Auchterarder, Scotland, United Kingdom)
  • Campari One to Watch: Lady Bee; Number 52 (Lima, Perú)
  • Bareksten Best Bar Design: Night Hawk (Singapore)
  • The Blend Scholarship: Apoorva Kohli (New Delhi, India) will intern at Sips (Number 1) in Barcelona and Alquímico (Number 9) in Cartagena in 2024.

Image: Tres Monos

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Closeup shot of the flag of the City of Chicago with Wrigley Building in background
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Chicago to Phase Out the Tip Credit

Chicago to Phase Out the Tip Credit

by David Klemt

Closeup shot of the flag of the City of Chicago with Wrigley Building in background

In a move that some are celebrating and others claim will kill jobs, Chicago will phase out the tip credit incrementally by the year 2028.

Currently, pay for tipped workers amounts to 60 percent of the minimum wage. Starting next year, that will change.

Beginning July 1, 2024, tipped workers will earn eight-percent increases on an annual basis. This will continue until July 1, 2028. On that date, tipped workers must receive the full minimum wage.

Put another way, the city of Chicago will eliminate the tip credit entirely midway through 2028. To add clarification, this phasing out of the tax credit applies to all 77 of the city’s neighborhoods.

Overwhelmingly, Chicago’s City Council voted for the so-called “One Fair Wage Ordinance.” Thirty-six alderpeople voted “yea,” while just ten voted “nay.”

As one would expect, not everyone is happy that the ordinance was passed on Friday, October 6. Nor are they pleased that Mayor Brandon Johnson signed off on the bill a week ago today.

Specifically, Alderman Nicholas Sposato referred to the One Fair Wage Ordinance as a “job and business killer.”

Further, as reported by Restaurant Dive last week, the Illinois Restaurant Association opposes the decision to eliminate the tip credit in Chicago.

“We wholeheartedly disagree with the decision to move forward with the elimination of the tip credit,” Restaurant Dive reports a representative of the IRA saying in a statement emailed to the publication.

The National Restaurant Association also opposes the ordinance, reportedly vowing to fight any such legislation that introduced throughout the country.

However, One Fair Wage and the Service Employees International Union are celebrating the plan to phase out the tip credit. However, the SEIU would like the elimination to apply statewide.

A Compromise

Attempting to negotiate for legislation they found more palatable, the IRA had proposed a different approach.

Their version would have seen tipped workers make a minimum of $20.54 per hour. However, that ordinance would only have applied to restaurants that generate $3 million or more in annual revenue. Additionally, the IRA proposed tripling fines related to violations of the proposed ordinance.

Had that proposal been accepted, the pay situation would have been unchanged for tipped workers in smaller operations.

In the end, the IRA agreed to eliminating the tip credit over the course of five years to make the transition smoother for operators. This is due, in part, to the possibility of a two-year phasing out of the tip credit being passed by Chicago’s City Council.

The IRA, NRA, and others who oppose eliminating tip credits point to hardships on the operator side. Increased labor costs will lead to increases in menu prices, reductions in traffic and hours, the elimination of jobs, and, ultimately, the shuttering of many businesses.

However, those who support such ordinance point to the financial stability of vulnerable people, and those who work throughout the industry to earn a living wage.

The Future

While Chicago is the largest city in America to vote to eliminate the tip credit, it’s not the first pass such legislation.

The city joins Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon in doing so. Additionally, Washington, DC, will eliminate the tip credit fully by July 1, 2027. Phase one of DC’s tip credit elimination started May 1 of this year.

Of course, the news out of Chicago also comes on the heels of the FAST Act fight ending in California.

These developments beg the question: Which city or state will introduce legislation next, and how will it play out for workers and operators?

Image: Trace Hudson via Pexels

KRG Hospitality. Restaurant Business Plan. Feasibility Study. Concept. Branding. Consultant. Start-Up.

ARCA bar in Tulum, Mexico
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

2023 World’s 50 Best Bars: 51 to 100

2023 World’s 50 Best Bars: 51 to 100

by David Klemt

ARCA bar in Tulum, Mexico

ARCA in Tulum, Mexico

Check out the back half of the 2023 World’s 50 Best Bars list ahead of the one through 50 reveal taking place in Singapore on October 17.

In terms of single-country performance, the United States of America claims the most spots on this list with six. Unsurprisingly, four of these bars in New York. Rounding out the six American venues are one in Chicago and one in California.

However, in combination with Mexico and Canada, North America earns 11 places. Unfortunately, Canada earns just one spot with a bar in Toronto. Mexico City, however, is home to two of the best bars in North America (and the world).

It’s Europe as a whole, though, that boasts the most positions, with 17 bars on the list. Five of the 17 are in England.

Asia comes in second as a continent with 14 venues on the back half of the 2023 World’s 50 Best Bars. It should come as no surprise that Singapore claims five spots.

Congratulations to the bar teams below!

To review the 2022 51 to 100 list, click here.

The World’s 50 Best Bars 2023: 100 to 51

It’s only a matter of time until a number of these incredible venues break through to the top half of this list.

  1. Artesian (London, England, UK)
  2. Employees Only (New York, New York, USA)
  3. The Bar in Front of the Bar (Athens, Greece)
  4. Dark Side (Hong Kong)
  5. Lost & Found (Nicosia, Cyprus)
  6. Schofield’s (Manchester, England, UK)
  7. Sin + Tax (Johannesburg, South Africa)
  8. Tjoget (Stockholm, Sweden)
  9. Donovan Bar (London, England, UK)
  10. Maison Premiere (New York, New York, USA)
  11. Mirror Bar (Bratislava, Slovakia)
  12. Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, California, USA)
  13. Red Frog (Lisbon, Portugal)
  14. Ruby (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  15. Nouvelle Vague (Tirana, Albania)
  16. Camparino in Galleria (Milan, Italy)
  17. Svanen (Oslo, Norway)
  18. Native (Singapore)
  19. Kumiko (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
  20. Kaito del Valle (Mexico City, Mexico)
  21. La Sala de Laura (Bogotá, Colombia)
  22. High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
  23. Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
  24. Velvet (Berlin, Germany)
  25. Swift (London, England, UK)
  26. Bar Cham (Seoul, South Korea)
  27. Hope & Sesame (Guangzhou, Guangdong, China)
  28. Civil Liberties (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
  29. Rayo (Mexico City, Mexico)
  30. Penicillin (Hong Kong)
  31. Barro Negro (Athens, Greece)
  32. Ergo (Dubai, UAE)
  33. Martiny’s (New York, New York, USA)
  34. Side Car (New Delhi, Delhi, India)
  35. Tropic City (Bangkok, Thailand)
  36. El Gallo Altanero (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico)
  37. Nutmeg & Clove (Singapore)
  38. Manhattan (Singapore)
  39. Hero Bar (Nairobi, Kenya)
  40. Byrdi (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)
  41. ARCA (Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico)
  42. 28 HongKong Street (Singapore)
  43. SubAstor (São Paulo, Brazil)
  44. Attaboy (New York, New York, USA)
  45. Tan Tan (São Paulo, Brazil)
  46. Vesper (Bangkok, Thailand)
  47. Lyaness (London, England, UK)
  48. The Bellwood (Tokyo, Japan)
  49. Lady Bee (Lima, Perú)
  50. Danico (Paris, France)

The World's 50 Best Bars 2023, numbers 51 to 100

2023 New Entries

Among these 50 bars are 14 new entries:

  • Lady Bee (No. 52)
  • Arca (No. 60)
  • El Gallo Altanero (No. 65)
  • Martiny’s (No. 68)
  • Ergo (No. 69)
  • Rayo (No. 72)
  • Civil Liberties (No. 73)
  • Bar Cham (No. 75)
  • Velvet (No. 77)
  • Kaito del Valle (No. 81)
  • Svanen (No. 84)
  • Nouvelle Vague (No. 86)
  • Mirror Bar (No. 90)
  • The Bar in Front of the Bar (No. 98)

Remember, the World’s 50 Best will reveal bars one through 50 in Singapore on October 17 at 8:25 PM UTC. Cheers!

Image: The World’s 50 Best Bars / ARCA

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Black and white image of a winners' podium under a spotlight
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Brand Love: BrandVue’s 2023 Rankings

Brand Love: BrandVue’s 2023 Rankings

by David Klemt

Black and white image of a winners' podium under a spotlight

As we near the end of the year, Savanta has revealed their BrandVue’s Most Loved Eating Out Brands 2023 report, ranking 100 restaurant brands in America.

The B2B and B2C market consultancy has been publishing this report since 2019. Their fifth-annual report includes 16 categories, including ranking consumer opinion of third-party delivery services.

As a category, Burger boasts the greatest presence with 17 loved restaurant brands. In second is Italian or Pizza with 13 brands. With ten brands, Specialty comes in third as a category. Tied for fourth are Mexican and Chicken, featuring eight brands each.

Download the full report here.

Top Restaurant in Each Category

Below you’ll find the gold medalist in each category, in alphabetical order by restaurant type.

  • Asian: Panda Express
  • Burger: McDonald’s
  • Café or Bakery: Starbucks
  • Chicken: Chick-fil-A
  • Family Style: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
  • Frozen Dessert: Cold Stone Creamery
  • Italian or Pizza: Olive Garden
  • Mexican: Taco Bell
  • Sandwich: Subway
  • Seafood: Red Lobster
  • Specialty: Krispy Kreme
  • Steak: Texas Roadhouse
  • Varied Menu: The Cheesecake Factory

Other Categories

There are a handful of other categories on the BrandVue list. Namely, Delivery, Sports Bar, and Meal-kit.

I’ve separated Delivery in particular because it doesn’t represent brick-and-mortar brands. Rather, these are third-party services.

For this year’s list, Savanta ranks five delivery services. Below, the top three:

  1. Caviar
  2. DoorDash
  3. UberEats

However, it’s important to note that DoorDash bought their one-time rival Caviar back in 2019. So, it’s really as though DoorDash claims two spots among the top three.

Of course, UberEats owns Postmates, which is among the five Delivery brands on this list. So is Seamless, owned by Grubhub. However, Grubhub itself doesn’t appear on this list.

The other two categories, Sports Bar and Meal-kit, count just one brand each among them: Buffalo Wild Wings and Plated, respectively.

Top 26 Restaurant Brands

Below, the top quarter of the 2023 BrandVue list. As you’ll see, the gold medalists among the top 25 are in bold.

Why did I decide to show the top 26 rather than the top 25? My reasoning is simple: one of the top 25 is a delivery service, not a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

  1. Domino’s (Italian or Pizza)
  2. Red Lobster (Seafood)
  3. Cold Stone Creamery (Frozen Dessert)
  4. Culver’s (Burger)
  5. Caviar (Delivery)
  6. Cinnabon (Specialty)
  7. Braum’s (Burger)
  8. Auntie Anne’s (Specialty)
  9. Wingstop (Chicken)
  10. Popeyes (Chicken)
  11. Wendy’s (Burger)
  12. Pizza Ranch (Italian or Pizza)
  13. Pizza Hut (Italian or Pizza)
  14. KFC (Chicken)
  15. The Cheesecake Factory (Varied Menu)
  16. Subway (Sandwich)
  17. In-N-Out Burger (Burger)
  18. Dunkin’ Donuts (Café or Bakery)
  19. Taco Bell (Mexican)
  20. Raising Cane’s (Chicken)
  21. Olive Garden (Italian or Pizza)
  22. Krispy Kreme (Specialty)
  23. Texas Roadhouse (Steak)
  24. McDonald’s (Burger)
  25. Starbucks (Café or Bakery)
  26. Chick-fil-A (Chicken)

Unsurprisingly, the top six spots go to gold medalists. In total, gold medalists claim seven slots amongst the top ten. Twelve of the top performers out of all 16 categories are in the top 25.

Interestingly, the list also puts America’s love for burgers, chicken, and pizza on full display. Of the top 25 most-beloved restaurant brands, five fall into the Burger category, and five fall into Chicken. Four slots belong to the Italian or Pizza category.

Notably, there are no Asian or Family Style restaurants among the top 26. However, I expect more Asian and Mexican restaurants to earn places in the top quarter over the next few years.

To see the full list of the 100 most-beloved restaurant (and delivery) brands in the US, click here.

Image: Joshua Golde on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality. Restaurant Business Plan. Feasibility Study. Concept. Branding. Consultant. Start-Up.

"Say yes to tacos" graffiti
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Taco Bell Racking Up Rewards Program Wins

Taco Bell Racking Up Rewards Program Wins

by David Klemt

"Say yes to tacos" graffiti

Taco Bell, masters of the limited-time offer and loyalty program, continue to rack up wins with the return of a fan-favorite promotion, and more.

The fast-food giant operates more than 7,800 restaurants in the US alone. However, the company understands that sheer numbers aren’t enough to turn a profit.

Rather, Taco Bell continually proves they understand the power of promotions, loyalty, and LTOs.

The QSR routinely releases specialty items, then packs them away to generate buzz and traffic by making them available once again—for a limited time. Compellingly, Taco Bell also ties their LTOs to their loyalty program. Often times, the only way for guests to enjoy special perks and items is to be a Taco Bell Rewards member.

Not only does this help to engage existing members, this approach drives new program signups.

Case in point: the Taco Lover’s Pass.

National Taco Day Promotion

If you’re industry or a fan of Taco Bell, you should be aware of the Taco Lover’s Pass by now.

Tracing its genesis to 2021 in Arizona, the LTO pops up every now and then. In exchange for $10, those who grab a pass can get one free taco each day for 30 consecutive days.

Oh, and the pass is now only available via the Taco Bell app, and to members of the Taco Bell Rewards program. Again, this is an excellent way to boost engagement. Do guests want to take advantage of this LTO? Great—they’ll need to exchange their info and provide access to themselves to do so.

Normally, the Taco Lover’s Pass is available for purchase for just one day. However, this time around Taco Bell gave rewards members two days to snag one. This is likely due to a new menu item drop coming tomorrow.

For quite some time now, Taco Bell has been hinting that they’ll be making breakfast easier and better. And now we know how they plan to accomplish that goal.

Joining the Seasoned Beef Crunchy Taco, Seasoned Beef Crunchy Taco Supreme, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco, Seasoned Beef Soft Taco Supreme, Spicy Potato Soft Taco, Seasoned Beef Doritos® Locos Tacos, and Seasoned Beef Doritos® Locos Tacos Supreme on the Taco Lover’s Pass is the new Toasted Breakfast Taco.

Today, October 12 (a Taco Tuesday!), Taco Bell drops the Toasted Breakfast Taco, and holders of their coveted pass can grab one for free.

Clearly, Tuesdays are important to Taco Bell. Let’s not forget that they very publicly challenged the “Taco Tuesday” trademark, and very publicly celebrated its cancellation. So, launching an all-new item that will drive traffic to Taco Bell during the breakfast daypart makes perfect sense. The drop also further solidifies their branding and marketing.

Steal a Base…

…Steal a Taco. Not only is the Taco Lover’s Pass back, so is Taco Bell’s Major League Baseball promotion.

And, once again, it’s available only via the Taco Bell app, and only to Taco Bell Rewards members.

Focusing on the Fall Classic, “Steal a Base, Steal a Taco” is a collaboration between Taco Bell, the MLB, and Topps.

Starting October 27 (not a Tuesday), the first player to steal a base will earn the title Taco Hero. That player will also earn free Nacho Cheese Doritos® Locos Tacos for Taco Bell Rewards members.

Taking things further, however, is Topps. The iconic trading card brand has put a limited run of Topps TacoFractor cards into circulation. People who hold the card of the first player to steal a base during the 2023 World Series could win Taco Bell for life. For this promotion, that comes in the form of a digital $15,000 Taco Bell gift card.

Alternatively, the holders of Topps TacoFractor Wild Cards could win the big prize.

On October 10 (a Tuesday!), Taco Bell Rewards members will have the chance to score free Topps Chrome or Cosmic Chrome packs. This limited Tuesday Drop could lead to a Taco Hero card, which in turn can lead to winning Taco Bell for life.

Takeaway

Unquestionably, Taco Bell understands the power of marketing messaging, branding, promotions, and the LTO.

However, they also understand the need for loyalty and rewards programs to do more than just offer discounts and free menu items. A great loyalty program needs to be big, bold, and encourage constant engagement.

With that in mind, it’s more than likely time for most operators, regardless of size, to review and rethink their programs.

Image: Chad Stembridge on Unsplash

Bar Nightclub Pub Brewery Marketing Agency Team

"Optimist" graffiti
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Leisure and Hospitality Adds 96,000 Jobs

Leisure and Hospitality Adds 96,000 Jobs

by David Klemt

"Optimist" graffiti

Update: The figure of 61,000 restaurant and bar jobs was adjusted to 48,300 after revisions.

The latest report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that the outlook looks promising for hospitality.

Put together, leisure and hospitality added 96,000 jobs in September. However, hospitality certainly leads the way according to the most recent report.

In particular, the news is wonderful for the restaurant and bar sector. Adding 61,000 jobs in September, “food services and drinking places” are back to February 2020 levels.

Put more simply, restaurants and bars are back to pre-pandemic employment numbers. It has taken more than three years, but we can finally breathe a collective (but cautious) sign of relief.

In fact, one in five jobs created in September was in a restaurant or bar. That’s incredible growth and welcome news.

But reaching this point hasn’t been easy. Operators, along with restaurant and bar workers, have clawed their way through the past several years.

The industry has changed, and operators need to avoid the temptation of regressing. Yes, employment levels are back to where they were before the pandemic. Worker and guest expectations will not return to where they were before February 2020. The changes are here to stay.

Lodging/Accommodation

Unfortunately, not every sector of hospitality is back to pre-pandemic employment levels.

First, the positive news. Lodging (or accommodation, if you prefer) did add jobs in September. Whereas restaurants and bars rose 61,000 jobs, lodging is up 16,000.

That’s good growth and reason to be optimistic regarding that sector. That’s where the good news ends when it comes to hard employment numbers.

On the negative side, lodging hasn’t yet returned to pre-pandemic employment levels. In fact, the sector is remains down by 217,000 jobs when compared to February 2020.

Should lodging/accommodation continue to add jobs at this pace, we could see a full recovery in Q4 2024.

However, the past few years have been an eyeopener for many lodging and accommodation operators. Many hotels, for example, have reduced the sizes of their teams.

It’s possible that as long as guest feedback remains positive, hotels and resorts will continue to operate with smaller teams. Indeed, technological innovations have made it simpler for mid- and large-scale properties to pare back labor.

Takeaway

While returning to pre-pandemic employment levels in restaurants and bars is great news, we must still be cautious.

This is a delicate situation, and one month of growth isn’t enough to shout, “We’re back!” There’s reason to be optimistic, to be sure, but adding jobs is just one part of an equation that features many variables.

For example, the unemployment level in the US remains unchanged at 3.8 percent.

So, be optimistic. Allow yourself to feel some hope. But be cautious. Continue to work toward empowering your teams, increasing traffic and revenue, mastering the guest experience, and achieving short- and long-term goals.

Image: George Pagan III on Unsplash

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Two Espresso Martinis on a bar
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Celebrating the Espresso Martini

Celebrate the Espresso Martini with Mr. Black

by David Klemt

Two Espresso Martinis on a bar

For the second time in its brief but exciting history, Mr. Black Espresso Martini Fest is coming to bars throughout America.

Last year, 70 bars in eight cities across the US took part to celebrate the Espresso Martini. This year, participation more than doubles.

Fourteen cities in ten states will play host to more than 200 bars during the fest. For 2023, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Phoenix, and Seattle are joining in on the fun.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mr Black Spirits (@mrblackspirits)

I, for one, expect Espresso Martini Fest to have the same staying power as other cocktail celebrations. The inaugural event took place in 2016 in Australia. In 2018, the Fest spread to the UK. After launching in the US, the week-long event growth has doubled over the course of just one year.

Logically, Mr. Black Espresso Martini Fest should join the ranks of Negroni Week, Old Fashioned Week, and Bee’s Knees Week.

Now, I know I’ve called the Espresso Martini “the cocktail that won’t die.” And yes, I’ve pointed out that it’s not technically a Martini, and that many bartenders hate it for the time it can take to make. That doesn’t mean participating in Espresso Martini Fest is a bad idea.

This is a cocktail that guests enjoy. It’s a drink that generates headlines each year. And clearly it’s a beverage that can drive traffic and generate revenue. At the end of the day, participation is a smart move.

2023 Espresso Martini Fest Cities

Given that the Fest runs from October 9 to 15, it’s unlikely the organizers are still vetting venues for participation. However, at the time of this article’s publication, the portal appeared to be open. It’s a worth a shot if you want your bar to join Espresso Martini Fest!

At least you’re aware of the event now so you can prepare to sign up next year.

Bars in the following cities are taking part in this year’s Fest:

  • Austin, Texas
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Houston, Texas
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Miami, Florida
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • New York, New York
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • San Diego, California
  • San Francisco, California
  • Seattle, Washington

I certainly anticipate this list growing by at least 50 percent for 2024. Cheers!

Image: Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Closeup view of buttons on vintage, antique cash register
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

SevenRooms Reveals Revenue Management Tool

SevenRooms Reveals Revenue Management Tool

by David Klemt

Closeup view of buttons on vintage, antique cash register

Just when you think SevenRooms is done launching new solutions for the year they announce a new tool that will excite operators.

That new tool is Revenue Management. Much more than “just another” plugin, SevenRooms Revenue Management is an engine.

This new engine is feature-rich and automates a number important tasks. In fact, one feature in particular has our attention: the “do-it-for-me” function.

What does that feature give operators the power to accomplish while saving time and labor costs? Below are just a handful of benefits:

  • party size recommendations
  • dining duration configurations
  • decrease last-minute cancellations via cancellation policy implementation
  • floor plan configuration recommendations

Should this automation feature prove easy to understand and use, we can see that this latest tool may become the most popular among SevenRooms users.

To learn more about Revenue Management, scroll down to the latest SevenRooms press release.

Growth Recap

Let’s take a look at just some of the growth SevenRooms has achieved over the course of just the past few years.

  • March 2021: SevenRooms appoints Pamela Martinez as the company’s chief financial officer.
  • September 2021: SevenRooms announces a multi-year partnership with TheFork. The partnership is big news for operators throughout Europe and Australia. Further, the partnership illustrates how the company is pursuing global growth.
  • October of 2021: The company forms a partnership with Olo. This ensures clients who also use Olo are able to capture data from a key group: off-premise customers. That data creates profiles for such customers automatically. That means operators can learn more about—and effectively market to—customers who engage with them via online orders.
  • December 2021: SevenRooms and ThinkFoodGroup—the hospitality company behind Chef José Andrés’ portfolio of restaurants—make their partnership public. Interestingly, this partnership also includes ThinkFoodGroup joining SevenRooms in an advisory role.
  • January 2022: The platform announces the hiring of a chief revenue officer, Brent-Stig Kraus.
  • December 2022: SevenRooms enters into a partnership with Competitive Social Ventures.
  • January 2023: The company announces the appointment of their first-ever chief marketing officer.
  • March 2023: SevenRooms announces that Danny Meyer and EHI are investors in the platform. Following that announcement, SevenRooms launches Email Marketing Integration less than two weeks later.
  • May 2023: The company drops their Pre-Shift tool. Two weeks after that launch, SevenRooms announces a new global partnership with Marriott.

Most platforms launch a new solution or announce new partnerships once or twice per year. Not SevenRooms. And it’s this constant growth that encourages us to recommend the platform to our clients.

SEVENROOMS LAUNCHES REVENUE MANAGEMENT TO HELP OPERATORS INCREASE SALES & PROFITABILITY

Automated revenue management solution will provide restaurants with the tools they need to optimize their operations and fill more seats, more often

NEW YORK (September 28, 2023) – SevenRooms, a guest experience and retention platform for the hospitality industry, today announced the launch of a new solution for restaurants: Revenue Management. The product serves as an engine for operators to generate more sales and profitability from the same seats, using data science to recommend how to optimize availability and increase table utilization.

To survive current economic conditions, restaurants need solutions that can save them time, reduce their labor costs and increase their sales and profits. Inspired by effective revenue management strategies long-used by the travel industry, Revenue Management extends this practice to the restaurant industry. The product automates these processes without the need for analysts, additional staff or high-priced consultants to manage changes, helping to:

  • Fill more seats, more often to increase sales by reducing the time seats sit empty
  • Save time and reduce burdensome labor costs by automating in-depth analysis, quickly making changes with a ‘do-it-for-me’ option
  • Provide operators with easy-to-digest insights along with ready-to-use actions that demystify proven steps taken by revenue leaders

Other systems on the market today may offer reporting on a handful of insights, but none help operators immediately action revenue-focused suggestions with a ‘do-it-for-me’ option that has an instant impact on their operations. Sample actions include recommendations on party size or dining duration configurations, when to institute cancellation policies to decrease last-minute cancellations, floor plan configuration recommendations and more. Diners also benefit, with more available reservations, a better dining experience (e.g. being sat on time and not being rushed out the door) and more unique experiences and offerings to choose from when dining out as operators have more time to focus on the guest experience.

Notably, Revenue Management also gives operators insights into how much demand was missed across booking channels by summarizing data on recent reservation attempts. This helps operators better manage these channels and optimize their books to offer more reservations across their most profitable channels.

“With Revenue Management, we are delivering on our promise to help operators make more money, providing a product that automatically executes on strategies used by the most successful hospitality brands throughout the world – without having to add team members or search out implementation experts,” said Angela DeFranco, VP of Product at SevenRooms. “This tool is both proactive and reactive, helping operators uncover untapped opportunities while simultaneously working to identify potentially harmful configuration issues that may restrict venues from maximizing sales and profitability. Today’s operators are busier than ever, and we are excited to bring Revenue Management to hospitality operators, helping them automatically fill more seats, more often while continuing to elevate their guest experiences.”

For more details on SevenRooms’ newest innovations, please visit sevenrooms.com/new.

About SevenRooms

SevenRooms is a guest experience and retention platform that helps hospitality operators create exceptional experiences that drive revenue and repeat business. Trusted by thousands of hospitality operators around the world, SevenRooms powers tens of millions of guest experiences each month across both on- and off-premises. From neighborhood restaurants and bars to international, multi-concept hospitality groups, SevenRooms is transforming the industry by empowering operators to take back control of their businesses to build direct guest relationships, deliver exceptional experiences and drive more visits and orders, more often. The full suite of products includes reservation, waitlist and table management, online ordering, mobile order & pay, review aggregation, email marketing and marketing automation. Founded in 2011 and venture-backed by Amazon, Comcast Ventures, PSG and Highgate Ventures, SevenRooms has dining, hotel F&B, nightlife and entertainment clients globally, including: Marriott International, MGM Resorts International, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, Wynn Resorts, Jumeirah Group, Hard Rock Hotels & Resorts, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bloomin’ Brands, José Andrés Group, Union Square Hospitality Group, Australian Venue Company, Altamarea Group, AELTC, The Wolseley Hospitality Group, Dishoom, Live Nation and Topgolf. www.sevenrooms.com

Image: Erik Mclean via Pexels

Bar Pub Brewery Nightclub Club Nightlife Technology Plan Tech Stack

A dock and door in the Charente-Maritime department of France
by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

The Year of Pineau des Charentes?

The Year of Pineau des Charentes?

by David Klemt

A dock and door in the Charente-Maritime department of France

A pier and door in the Charente-Maritime department of France, home of Pineau des Charentes.

Take Cognac’s eponymous and legendary brandy, add grape juice or grape must, mature the blend, and you get Pineau des Charentes.

Pineau, a less unwieldy name for this vin de liqueur, comes in white, red, and rosé styles. Unfortunately, owing to Pineau not being as famous as Cognac, these fortified wines aren’t very well known to the general public.

However, bartenders and bar owners are trying to turn that around. In fact, the iconic Ivy Mix theorized last week that 2023 could become the Year of Pineau.

 

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A post shared by Ivy Mix (@ivymix)

Toward the bottom of her post, Mix says it’s “[t]time to [p]lay with Pineau!” She also includes a recipe for a Pineau-led version of the Saturn cocktail.

Pineau is excellent for hot summer days, and it plays well in tiki or nautical drinks and other cocktails.

Of course, Mix’s post got me thinking: Do enough people know about Pineau to help guide their guests in discovering it and adding it to their beverage rotation?

So, below you’ll get a crash course in Pineau des Charentes, your and your guests’ new favorite fortified wine.

Mix has been a guest of the Bar Hacks podcast, featuring on episode 54 and episode 58 if you’d like to learn more about her approach to hospitality.

A Happy Accident?

If you know anything about me, you know I love a good drink origin story. This is mainly due to the fact that there are either disputes or we’re simply perpetuating a guess or theory.

Well, Pineau des Charentes has a bit of a “foggy” origin itself.

From what I can find, this vin de liqueur traces its roots back to a winemaker in the late 1500s—supposedly. Rumor has it that he put grape must—freshly crushed grape juice—into what he mistook for an empty barrel. In reality, the barrel, which was put to rest for a few years, contained Cognac.

Bippity, boppity, booze, Pineau was born. In 1921, a winemaker in Burie, a commune in Charente-Maritime, commercialized Pineau.

How it’s Made

Production, while controlled, is straightforward.

In most cases, a single house handles production on their own. They grow the grapes that become brandy, they make the juice by pressing more grapes, and they add the juice to the eau de vie.

For the curious, the grapes most often used in the production of Pineau are:

  • Cabernet Franc
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Colombard
  • Folle Blanche
  • Jurancon
  • Merlot
  • Merlot Blanc
  • Meslier St Francois
  • Montils
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Semillon
  • Ugni Blanc

Many people are probably familiar with the term for blending eau de vie with juice: assemblage. However, they may be less familiar with the result of assemblage: mutage. This step simply stops the fermentation process.

With assemblage completed—the ratios are highly controlled—the blend is matured. A white Pineau must spend 18 months maturing, 12 of those months in an oak barrel. For a red Pineau, those numbers are 12 months and eight months.

Then, the Pineau is bottled. As mentioned at the start of this section, Pineau is controlled; it’s subject to the rules of the vin de liqueur Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, or AOC. So, Pineau must be bottled within its AOC region.

Types of Pineau des Charentes

At the top of this article I mention that there are white, red, and rosé Pineaus. In other words, there will be a familiarity with Pineau from the wine drinkers amongst guests. This can, of course, make it easier to introduce it to them.

White Pineau, the most widely known style, is broken down into:

  • blanc, minimum aging (18 months, 12 in oak barrels);
  • vieux blanc, spending at least five years in oak casks; and
  • très vieux blanc, resting for at least 10 years in oak.

That brings us to red Pineau and its age breakdown:

  • rouge, minimum aging (12 months, eight in oak casks);
  • vieux rouge, resting for a minimum of five years in oak; and
  • très vieux rouge, spending at least 10 years in oak barrels.

Red is the most popular style of Pineau in its home region.

Now, when it comes to rosé Pineau, the aging is very similar to red or rouge. However, the line of separation, based upon maceration time, is quite thin.

Speaking of familiarity, by the way, many well-known Cognac houses also produce Pineau. This means guests should recognize names like Rémy Martin, Pierre Ferrand, and Hardy.

How it Tastes

All of this leads us to the big question that will be on your bar team and guests’ minds: What does Pineau taste like?

Generally speaking, Pineau is sweet. However, it’s not sweet in an overwhelming way. Rather, your guest-facing team members can explain that Pineau is described as having a natural sweetness. Older styles also tend to deliver more complex profiles, including flavors such as honey and nuts.

Of course, the best way to know how to describe a given Pineau in your inventory is to taste your team on each expression.

Pineau is most often enjoyed chilled and served in a tulip-shaped glass. However, as Mix and other bartenders will tell you, Pineau performs very well as a base or modifier in cocktails.

And at 16- to 22-percent ABV (most often 17 percent), Pineau is similar in proof to Sherry and Port. In fact, I recommend creating a fortified wine flight (premium price for premium products and a premium experience) that allows guests to compare Sherry, Port, and Pineau.

To get things started, Mix’s Pineau-based Saturn recipe is below. Cheers!

Venus’s Point

  • 1.5 oz. Pineau de Charentes White ​(Mix uses Pierre Ferrand in the Instagram post above)
  • 0.5 oz Agricole Rhum (Mix uses JM in the Instagram post above)​
  • 0.75 oz. Fresh lemon juice​
  • 0.25 oz. Passionfruit syrup​
  • 0.25 oz. Orgeat​
  • Lemon wheel​ to garnish

Simply shake, strain, serve up, and garnish.

Image: Les Argonautes on Unsplash

KRG Hospitality. Bar Consultant. Nightclub. Lounge. Mixology. Cocktails.

Boutique hotel room with black and white walls and linens
by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

5 Ways to Elevate the Hotel Experience

5 Inexpensive Ways to Elevate Your Hotel Guest Experience

by Kim Richardson

Boutique hotel room with black and white walls and linens

With all the different amenities today’s travelers are looking for, you’re not going to be able to accommodate all of them.

It’s no secret: Happy hotel guests make for happy employees and happy owners. They’re the true advertisement for our hotel and resort locations.

But as the maxim goes, you can’t make all the people happy all the time. With very exceptions—brands that can afford to embody the money-no-object version of unreasonable hospitality—it’s not realistic to think you can satisfy every guest’s every whim.

With all the different amenities today’s travelers are looking for, you’re not going to be able to accommodate every single preference. Some of them may not be in your budget, and others may not make sense for your business.

With that in mind, here are some basic items that every hotel location can provide with little to no cost.

Get back to the basics of your business and make sure the machine is running smoothly before you worry about adding things that cost you additional money. A little goes a long way!

1 Create a seamless and friendly arrival experience.

Whether your guests spend days traveling to you or maybe just take a 10-minute car ride, it’s important that their stay starts off with a warm and welcoming experience. This sets the tone for their entire stay.

How does your staff greet them at the door and front desk? Are the details of the reservation correct? Is the room ready on time? Is the room the correct type? Do you and your team acknowledge special details and requests? More importantly, do you follow through to deliver on those requests?

People put a lot of time into planning a trip. A rocky arrival or a mishandled request can really put a damper on someone’s getaway whether it’s for business or pleasure. When they start off with a bad experience, they’re more likely to nitpick the rest of their stay.

The guest experience starts well before arrival. Don’t forget to keep in mind all the interactions they have prior to arrival: ease of reservation process, user-friendly websites, and pleasant interactions with any staff they might have.

2 Personalize the experience. Send a welcome note and acknowledge special occasions.

Sending a welcome note to a guest is a great way to personalize the experience, and I do mean personalize! Try to stay away from generic welcome letters.

Use their name in the letter. If they’re a repeat guest, use phrases such as “Welcome back.” If you see something in the reservation notes about them celebrating a special occasion, be sure to acknowledge it in the welcome note and wish them well.

Welcome notes can be sent as an email, something that is handed to them at the front desk, or a card in their room. Consider sending a small gift when you know someone is celebrating a special occasion. The gift doesn’t have to be expensive; its purpose is to make them feel noticed.

A small treat can be enough.

3 Partner with companies for amenities you are not able to provide (ex: gym, restaurants, transportation, spa/salon).

Partnering with nearby companies is a great way to add extra amenities to your hotel. This doesn’t have to be something that costs you money.

You can discuss the terms case by case with each business. They may be willing to offer a discount coupon (complimentary to you) for allowing them to put collateral in your lobby or on your website. You can also discuss trades of service.

If you’re not a full-service hotel, a discount at a nearby restaurant or cafe can go a long way. Similar to this, if you don’t have a fitness center maybe there is one nearby that is willing to offer your guests complimentary access (or for a discount). Spa/salons are also a great amenity you can feature.

If you’re not located in a walkable area (or maybe there’s a big attraction nearby that’s not walkable), consider teaming up with a transportation company that can be available to your guests.

When partnering with these nearby businesses, it’s important that they actually are nearby and accessible to your guests. We’ve all been in situations, be it a hotel or a membership, that comes with discounts, but then when you go to look at them, they’re not convenient to use. Don’t be that business.

4 Master the basics. Keep a clean property and deliver on all amenities promised.

This sounds like an obvious one, but this is often where we drop the ball as an industry.

It’s not always about being a five-star hotel and having tons of luxurious extras. Meeting guest expectations by following through on what you promised should be a given, but it’s truly not.

Regardless of the level of hotel, a clean property is important. Guests shouldn’t find dirty items from the last guest. All public spaces should be clean and stocked with any amenities you offer.

If you offer complimentary coffee in the lobby until 10:00 AM, make sure it’s really there and available until that time. Don’t put the last container out at 9:00 or 9:30 AM and stop checking on it.

I’m the guest who goes down for coffee at the last minute it’s available. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve started filling my cup and heard the trickle of the container running out. Then I’m left with going to find coffee elsewhere or hunting down a staff member to get more.

These types of experiences might not warrant a guest complaint but they do create a feeling of not getting what they pay for.

Keep your guests notified of any unexpected changes to the promised amenities. If your lobby is under renovation, your famous restaurant is closed for a private party, or the pool isn’t available, send proper notification to your guests prior to arrival. Consider offering some type of compensation as a show of good faith prior to the complaints rolling in.

Things don’t always go according to plan, and we can’t always be perfect, but you have the power to dictate whether this is a good or bad experience for your guest.

5 Provide readily available directions and info on the local area (restaurants, local attractions, tours, shopping).

No matter how hard your guests work on researching the area ahead of time, there is nothing better than hearing from the locals about the real places to check out.

Be sure to have a varied list of places to recommend to the guests based on their specific interests. As our travelers often are without a car, make sure you’re able to tell them the best way to get there.

Any additional information you can provide on these places is great. Consider having brochures on hand, websites, apps, and QR codes. Consider compiling a list of your staff’s favorite places to go. This can be posted in a public space, done as a handout that can be given to guests upon request, or distributed electronically.

As you can see, you don’t have to throw tons of money at your hotel to make a big, positive impact on your guests. Thinking ahead, partnering with local businesses, and ensuring your staff adheres to your steps of service, policies, and procedures can deliver big dividends.

For more tips, be sure to sign up for the KRG Hospitality newsletters (email and LinkedIn) and follow me on Instagram!

 

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A post shared by Kim Richardson (@hospitalityby.kim)

Image: Andrea Davis on Pexels

KRG Hospitality. Boutique Hotels. Resorts. Properties. Consultant. Feasibility Study. Business Plan

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