Bar promotion | KRG Hospitality

Mint Julep in copper Woodford Reserve cup

May 23, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Sugar. Water. Whiskey. Mint.

Sugar. Water. Whiskey. Mint.

by David Klemt

…and sometimes Angostura bitters.

Get ready to break out the stainless steel and copper cups, whiskey, and crushed ice: National Mint Julep Day is right around the corner.

This classic cocktail’s traditional time to shine—Derby Day—has come and gone. However, we celebrate this ice-cold drink on May 30. This year, FYI, this bar and restaurant holiday falls on a Tuesday.

While many people associate the Mint Julep with the Kentucky Derby and the South, the drink traces its origin to Persia. According to some historians—the fun experts who love researching culinary and drinking history—”julep” is a derivation of “julepe,” which derives from “golâb.” “Julepe” is a Spanish Arabic word that comes from “golâb,” a Persian word that translates to “rosewater.” As one might expect from the translation, golâb was a drink made by combining water with rose petals.

Over time, it’s believed, the rose petals were replaced by people making Juleps in the Mediterranean. The replacement? Mint leaves native to the area.

Eventually, like so many centuries-old drinks, medicinal elements were introduced. The English Julep, for example, added alcohol and camphor. To think, there are decades of human history where doctors prescribed cocktails to patients.

The Kentucky Connection

Of course, like so many centuries-old drinks, it’s difficult to separate the fictitious from the factual. Some say mentions of the Mint Julep can be traced to 1770s, others say the early 1800s.

As far as the Kentucky connection, there are historians that say Henry Clay, who served as a Kentucky senator and congressman, brought the Mint Julep to Washington, DC in 1850. Clay is said to have shared the recipe with the Round Robin Bar at the Willard’s Hotel (now the Willard InterContinental). The hotel’s website makes reference to this part of the Mint Julep’s history (or legend, as it were).

Chris Morris, Master Distiller for Woodford Reserve for 20 years and now the distillery’s Master Distillery Emeritus, supports the idea, historically, that the Mint Julep was a medicinal cocktail.

“The Mint Julep has a long history, and in the 1800s it was considered a morning drink,” Morris has said. “People working on horse farms or in the horse-racing industry during this time period may wake up with aches and pains.”

It’s safe to say Morris and Woodford know their way around a Mint Julep.

Further, if you dig deep enough, you’ll come across mentions of horse jockeys taking home Julep cups as trophies. Literal trophy cups, if you will.

Consequently, given its ties to horse racing, it makes sense that the Mint Julep would one day become the Kentucky Derby‘s official drink. Of course, as this brief and (hopefully mostly) factual history shows, the Mint Julep undoubtedly had a presence at the famous race long before 1939.

Craft Your Own

Below you’ll find two recipes for your National Mint Julep Day LTO menu. However, this is one classic that people don’t seem to gatekeep much.

In fact, industry experts like Chris Morris encourage experimentation and creation of signature Mint Juleps. So, engage your bar and culinary teams, highlight flavors authentic to your menu and brand, and come up with your own variation.

To help you get started, bear in mind that while spearmint is a common ingredient, there are other species of mint available. The base spirit can also be substituted. Per some cocktail historians, genever-powered Mint Juleps were a common variation in the 1800s.

There’s nothing wrong with sticking to tradition. However, the Mint Julep practically begs for experimentation. Flavored syrups, all manner of spirits and liqueurs, garnishes… National Mint Julep Day is perfect for the LTO treatment.

Cheers!

Mint Julep

2 oz. Bourbon
0.25 oz. Simple syrup
6 to 8 Mint leaves
Mint sprig to garnish
Angostura bitters to garnish (optional)
Crushed or shaved ice

Add simple syrup and mint leaves to Julep cup, and muddle. Next, add bourbon and crushed or shaved ice. Tightly pack ice in cup, then stir until frost builds on exterior of Julep cup. Top with more crushed or shaved ice, and form a dome on top of cup. Add mint sprig to garnish. If desired, also garnish with two or three drops of Angostura bitters.

Woodford Reserve Secretariat’s Mint Julep

This recipe is for the special Mint Julep served at this year’s Kentucky Derby.

2 oz. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
1 oz. Housemade chestnut liqueur
1 sprig of Mint, for garnish
1 stalk of Virginia bluebells, for garnish

Pack a Julep cup with crushed ice, making sure to make a dome over the lip of the cup. Add the whiskey and liqueur to a mixing glass and stir. Pour over the prepared cup. Garnish with one sprig of mint and one stalk of Virginia bluebells.

Should you prefer a more traditional build, express the oils of a mint leaf inside the cup. Add the bourbon, chestnut liqueur, and crushed ice. Garnish with more crushed ice, mint, and Virginia bluebells, then serve.

Image: Adam Jaime on Unsplash

May 17, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Leverage These 3 Sports for Growth

Leverage These 3 Sports for Growth

by David Klemt

Sports receive more than three million mentions daily on social media and in online communities, and three sports are driving conversations.

Media-monitoring and SaaS platform Meltwater‘s recent report shows growth in media mentions and community engagement. The report, “2023 Industry Snapshot: Sports,” also identifies three sports that are growing globally.

Most restaurant and bar concepts, at least throughout North America, can benefit from sports. They have televisions, at least decent audio, and the proper licenses to air sports and other programs.

At the risk of oversimplifying, that means that any bar or restaurant can be a sports bar. Before anyone begins furiously hammering out an email to send me, I’m not saying any bar or restaurant can automatically become a great sports bar because they have TVs. I’m simply saying that operators who want to leverage sports and specific sporting events are at a good starting point to do so.

With that caveat out of the way, let’s check out what Meltwater has uncovered regarding sports.

Sports Conversations

According to Meltwater, sports is a hot topic every day of the year. On average, there are 3.16 millions mentions of sports each day.

And that’s just on a “normal” day. Last year, that number jumped to well over 12 million mentions during the FIFA World Cup.

Meltwater identifies 2022 as a particularly strong year in terms of growth for sports conversations. That boost is expected to carry into 2023, providing savvy operators with opportunities to leverage sports.

Per Meltwater, sports social media handles, hashtags, and keywords have grown by more than 20 percent. That’s significant growth.

Now, let’s look at the sports driving much of that growth.

Football

When I say “football” in this context, I mean the sport some people call “soccer.” So, not American football, which Dave Grohl and Crown Royal pointed out is a Canadian invention during Super Bowl LVII.

For the past few decades (at least), much has been made of Americans maligning football (soccer). Well, all the tropes of that mockery may be wearing very thin.

Last year, mentions of football keywords were up 56 percent—in the US. The second-place country was Nigeria with an increase of 33 percent.

Globally, the sport’s online conversations went up by 32 percent. The day of the FIFA World Cup final? That number exploded to 630 percent. Could be smart for operators to begin planning their World Cup promotions soon.

Baseball

There are some interesting stats surrounding baseball and online conversations.

Last year, conversations of this sport grew by just three percent. And for a country that claims the sport as their national pastime, American baseball convos saw a notable dropoff: a decrease of 11 percent.

However, baseball grew by nine percent in Canada in 2022. Japan saw an increase of 36 percent, and Venezuela was up 22 percent.

Unsurprisingly, the sport’s two largest organizations dominate baseball conversations.

Leading the charge, Major League Baseball mentions grew by 16 percent in 2022 globally, and by 54 percent in Japan. Right on MLB’s heels, Nippon Professional Baseball 23 percent globally and 28 percent in the US.

For those who are curious, three teams stood out in the baseball conversation: the Los Angeles Dodgers (+59 percent), New York Yankees (+55 percent), and NY Mets (+46 percent). However, LA Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani saw truly incredible growth with an increase of 74 percent.

An important takeaway: Baseball fans in America appear quite interested in watching (or listening to) NPB. That gives operators another organization—and all their scheduled games—to leverage.

Formula 1

Ah, my favorite sport. I’m happy (for the most part) to see this motorsport growing around the world. In fact, Formula 1 keyword mentions grew 13 percent globally, and #F1 was among the hashtags used most in 2022.

On July 3, 2022, Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, Jr. (driver #55) won the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez (#11) took second and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton (#44) took third. And on this day the F1 conversation skyrocketed, growing by 338 percent.

The country leading the way for F1-related keyword mentions in 2022 was Japan, growing by a staggering 91 percent.

Much of the increase in interest in F1 can be traced back to Netflix and its Drive to Survive docu-series (some call it a reality-TV drama).

Looking at American interest in the sport, it helps that there are now three races on the calendar that take place in the US: the Miami Grand Prix, the US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix. That’s three opportunities (Miami has already happened) for American operators to take advantage of this sport’s growing popularity.

Last year, former Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel ($5), Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (current champion and #1), and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (#16) saw the most growth in terms of individual drivers.

I can only hope that my other favorite motorsport, MotoGP, starts to become more popular throughout North America.

Takeaways

Some operators may find that sports don’t work for their concept, such as a high-end cocktail bar or fine-dining restaurant. Those are two venue types that tend to eschew televisions as they don’t work with their vibe and aesthetic.

That said, each operator must choose how to best implement sports and related promotions. This includes understanding which sports, teams, and players their guests like. Then, of course, it’s also a matter of gauging interest.

With that determined, operators must also decide how to make sports work with their concept. Some things to consider are themed F&B menus, sports-related LTOs, FoH uniforms, and how far to go with promotions. That latter consideration will depend on how rabid a fan base each operator is targeting. A truly dedicated fan base encourages some bars to “officially” support a certain team.

Another important consideration? Will leveraging a particular sport or team alienate other guests due to rivalries or a lack of interest or comfort? Sometimes the cost of implementing promotions includes pushing away a percentage of guests on particular days.

Because I live in Las Vegas, I have an array of venues available to me around the clock. It’s conceivable that I could find a home bar or restaurant to watch F1 and MotoGP. Personally, the capability of comfortably watching my two favorite sports would boost my loyalty and visits. However, there may not be a large pool of people like me in this market. Would a bartender want to turn on an F1 race just for me?

There’s a lot to consider when choosing how to best leverage sports. The upsides include converting customers to loyal, repeat guests; a realistic idea of what to consider in terms of labor and inventory for specific days, weeks, months, and seasons; and boosts in traffic, revenue, and online engagement (which in turn can translate to more traffic and revenue).

Image: Photo by PRAT clement via Pexels

Exterior of Ocean Casino Resort at sunset

May 15, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Ocean’s Summertime Celebrations

Ocean Casino Resort Summertime Celebrations

by David Klemt

Ocean Casino Resort is celebrating an impressive milestone all summer long through creative local business partnerships.

This summer, the resort will reach its fifth anniversary. The festivities will begin May 26, a month before Ocean’s “birthday.”

However, rather than focus solely on the resort and casino, Ocean is choosing to celebrate the community it serves as well. These fifth birthday activations and initiatives are an excellent lesson for operators across all hospitality business categories.

I’m sure operators—all hospitality professionals, really—will agree that restaurants and bars are integral elements of any community’s bedrock. Increasingly, the same can be said of hotels. In fact, large hotel groups are investing in the development of smaller imprints that are tasked with the mission of serving locals and local businesses.

When a restaurant, bar, hotel, or nightclub reaches annual milestones, it’s largely due to community support. Sure, businesses in destination cities benefit greatly from tourist visits. However, for most markets, longevity is anything but assured without local backing and buy-in.

It’s clear that the importance of local support isn’t lost on Ocean. This summer’s celebrations include several local partnerships and community initiatives to pay that support back.

Local Partnerships

Last year, the Ocean leveraged the demise of the Choco Taco. So far in 2023, Ocean has supported Philly and KC during the Big Game, and gotten creative with cocktails that raised funds for the Girl Scout Troops of Southern and Central New Jersey.

Local partnerships are key to Ocean’s five-year celebration:

The Seed: Created Seeds of the Ocean for Ocean’s five-year anniversary.
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall: Seeds of the Ocean lager will also be available at this local beer hall.
Rhythm & Spirits: Joining forces with Little Water Distillery to feature their gin in the Oceans 5 cocktail.
Little Water Distillery: Their Rusted Revolver Indigenous Gin is the star of the Oceans 5 cocktail, mentioned above. The distillery has also created the Chocolate Cake Martini, featuring Bar 32 chocolate shavings.
Hank Sauce: For those who prefer their celebrations spicy, Ocean and Hank Sauce have collaborated on Across the Boards. This hot sauce will accompany food items at restaurants inside Ocean.
Tony Boloney’s: They’ve created the High 5 pizza to celebrate Ocean’s birthday. This is another collaboration within a collaboration, as it features Seed of the Ocean lager and Across the Boards hot sauce.
Bar 32: What celebration is complete without something sweet? Bar 32 (a bean-to-bar chocolatier) and Ocean will be offering three commemorative chocolate bars: the Berry Pretzel Bar, Party Pretzel Bar, and Salty Peanut Butter Bar.
Mudgirl Studios: Ocean has commissioned several handmade, one-of-one pieces from this non-profit that will be featured not just in common areas on the property but also in some of the guest rooms.
Atlantic City Arts Foundation: To help celebrate its fifth birthday, Ocean has collaborated with the ACAF for a three-panel mural that will have a home at Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall.

Creative & Compelling

What I find most notable about these local partnerships is how several of them intertwine.

Not only did Ocean commission an exclusive beer, a local restaurant chain is using it for a pizza. That same restaurant chain is also using a hot sauce Ocean had created to celebrate their milestone. There are other collaborations that bring Rhythm & Spirits, Little Water Distillery, and Bar 32 together.

However, Ocean is doing more than just supporting a select group of local businesses. Mudgirl Studios employs and empowers at-risk, homeless and formerly incarcerated women. The ACAF, as one would imagine, inspires and empowers people to pursue the arts. Both support and strengthen communities throughout Atlantic City, and Ocean is giving back by supporting them.

In addition to all of that, the celebrations kick off on Memorial Day Weekend with a $300,000 sweepstakes. All in, there will be more than $5 million in promotions and giveaways in play over the course of this summer. From June 24 to July 4, Ocean is putting up one million dollars for a second sweepstakes.

Then there are Tesla giveaways, birthday fireworks, the Birthday Bar Pop-up Experience at 1927 Lounge inside Ocean Resort Casino, and Ocean’s sponsorship of the Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival.

Nola's Bar & Lounge inside Ocean Casino Resort

Look for Ocean’s birthday drinks at property bars like Nola’s Bar & Lounge

Again, it would be easy for Ocean to have simply planned a celebratory weekend, week, or month, focusing solely on themselves. Instead, they’re involving several small businesses and community organizations.

Takeaways

Do I expect restaurant and bar operators to somehow offer $5 million in giveaways to celebrate a milestone? Or even $300,000? Perhaps a Tesla?

No, of course not.

However, I do think operators should really put thought into celebrating their annual milestones. Surviving the first 12 months is a huge achievement. Making it through the first 18 months and hitting the two-year anniversary is just as challenging.

So, operators should take four to six months to plan their celebrations. Additionally, they should view these events as a way to thank the community for supporting them. And, of course, that includes being grateful for beneficial business relationships.

When considering marking these achievements, it’s wise to include local businesses. Craft brewers and distillers, local farmers and vintners, non-profit organizations… All the better if the selected partners can collaborate with one another to make the celebration and partnerships that much more impactful.

Operators should take a page out of Ocean’s celebration handbook and look for creative, thoughtful collaborations. Doing so lifts up others and pays local support forward, in turn making the entire community stronger.

It’s perfectly acceptable for an operator to be proud and celebrate milestones. But it’s even better for operators to celebrate those who help them thrive.

Images courtesy of Ocean Casino Resort

May 8, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

3 Ways to Build Revenue on Mother’s Day

3 Ways Restaurants Can Build Revenue This Mother’s Day

by Austen Asadorian

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, there’s no doubt that operators across the country are preparing for the celebratory—yet extremely busy—day.

During their preparations, it’s important that operators find and incorporate new tools and innovative marketing tactics. Doing so will not only fill seats, it will ensure they capitalize on a key opportunity to drive incredible revenue.

Below are three simple but powerful ways operators can generate revenue and loyalty on—and beyond—this Mother’s Day.

Encourage Reservations & Offer Upgrades

An easy way to make this busy day seamless for guests—and, ultimately, staff—is to encourage and allow guests to make a reservation before they arrive. Reservations give operators insight into who will be dining with them, help optimize seatings and covers, and provide a idea of how much to order to eliminate food waste if a special menu is being offered.

Using a reservation system also provides operators with the opportunity to offer diners upgrades during the booking process, even including prepayment should they want to go that route. This not only allows operators to earn additional revenue before a guest even visits, but also a convenient way to offer guests peace of mind knowing they’ve handled that “something special” for Mom way before the big day.

These upgrades don’t have to be anything crazy or extreme (although that’s always an option). In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, consumers want special touches and discounts over everything else. So, an upgrade can be something as simple as a beautiful flower arrangement waiting on the table to a special off-menu dessert brought out at the end of the meal.

Use Email & Social Media to Your Advantage

Properly promoting Mother’s Day offerings to guests is extremely important because if no one knows about it, who will come?

Operators should utilize tools like email marketing to send personalized communications to their guest database promoting the venue’s Mother’s Day reservation availability or special offerings. Better yet, these tools can be used to offer loyal guests reservations before they open to the general public, further creating a special experience for those faithful diners.

In the same vein, operators should harness the power of social media, too. Operators can target paid marketing efforts on social channels like Facebook and Instagram to drive even more awareness and revenue for their restaurant by creating an event, including the details of the activities, specials, or Mother’s Day promotions, and exporting the names of top guests and email data.

Surprise Them with a Second Visit

While Mother’s Day is the focus right now, it doesn’t stop there for operators. To drive the revenue they need, it’s important to turn these celebratory diners into repeat guests.

To do so, operators should consider offering Mother’s Day diners complimentary gift cards or discounts (even via email post-visit) to bring them back. This could be for an upcoming graduation, Father’s Day (so Dad can also get the love), or even for a future birthday.

This “surprise and delight” factor is one of the easiest strategies to capitalize on holiday traffic and get diners to return to a restaurant once again as a loyal guests.

Here’s to You, Mom

Moms should be celebrated every day, but especially on Mother’s Day, and it’s important to make sure they have the best experience when dining out.

By incorporating simple tactics like offering reservations and custom upgrades or even a special surprise at the end of the meal, operators not only succeed in making the day memorable, but create a guest who will return over and over again.

About Austen Asadorian

Austen Asadorian is the Vice President of Sales at SevenRooms, where he is tasked with supporting SevenRooms’ global expansion efforts and accelerating the company’s goal of being the best-in-class solution for hospitality operators globally. Prior to joining SevenRooms, Austen was Peloton’s Director of Sales, leading the company’s go-to-market strategy for retail growth and expansion. He started his career at Hillstone Restaurant Group where he cut his teeth learning how to run efficient and profitable restaurants at scale. Austen was ultimately promoted into an executive role where he oversaw the company’s Manager in Training Program and Back of House Operations. Austen graduated from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).

Image: grumpymonstergroup via Vecteezy.com

"Think about things differently" neon sign

May 1, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: May 2023

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your May holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and May is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

Pay attention to the “weird” or unique holidays to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing? Why program only around the same holidays as everyone else?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, strange or otherwise. Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

You’ll find suggestions for promotions below. However, the idea behind our monthly holiday promotions roundup is to inspire you and your team to get creative and come up with unique programming ideas.

For our April 2023 holidays list, click here.

May 5: National Silence The Shame Day

Much progress has been made when it comes to reducing the stigma around mental health issues. However, there’s still much more work to do.

The focus of this holiday is just that: removing that stigma. You can use this holiday to encourage the conversation, raise awareness for issues close to you and your team, or to raise funds for a charitable mental health organization.

May 6: World Naked Gardening Day

Okay, so, unless you own a very niche restaurant, bar, or resort, please don’t celebrate this holiday naked while at work. Instead, celebrate the spirit of this holiday: reconnecting with and honoring nature.

One easy way to do this is to feature cocktails made and garnished with fresh ingredients: rosemary, citrus, juices, etc. And again, you can raise money for any number of conservation organizations dedicated to safeguarding natural resources.

May 8: National Have a Coke Day

Rum and Coke. Bourbon and Coke. Jack and Coke. Whiskey and Coke. If you’re a Coke restaurant or bar, you know what to do on this holiday. If you’re not, well… I guess you can program against it and launch National Don’t Have a Coke Day.

May 10: National Third Shift Workers Day

Depending on your hours of operation, this is an easy holiday to program around. To offer up just a few ideas: healthy meal options; restorative beverages; third-shift-specific LTOs.

May 16: National Do Something Good For Your Neighbor Day

Restaurants, bars, and hotels are the heart and soul of communities around the world. Use this day to give back to those who support you.

May 17: National Pack Rat Day

I’m sure if we all look around our homes we’ll see that maybe we have too much stuff. This is another excellent holiday to give back to our communities.

One way to do this is to host a clothing, canned food, or other resource drive. Donations can be rewarded with LTO items to encourage participation.

May 20: National be a Millionaire Day

Well, you probably can’t turn your guests into millionaires. However, you can certainly help your guests drink like one. While you can shine a spotlight on your super- and ultra-premium spirits, there’s another way: the Millionaire cocktail.

2 oz. Bourbon
0.75 oz. Grand Marnier
0.25 oz. Absinthe or pastis
0.5 oz. Grenadine
0.5 oz. Egg white
0.5 oz. Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Freshly grated nutmeg to garnish

Prepare a coupe by adding ice to chill it. Dry shake all the ingredients, minus the nutmeg. Add ice and shake again until well chilled, then double-strain the prepared coupe. Garnish by grating nutmeg over the top of the glass.

Want to kick things up a notch? Offer the Billionaire cocktail:

2 oz. Baker’s 107-proof bourbon
1 oz. Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
0.5 oz. Grenadine
0.5 oz. Simple syrup
0.25 oz. Absinthe bitters
Lemon wheel to garnish

Prepare a cocktail glass by adding ice to chill it. Add all ingredients except lemon wheel to a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled, then strain into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

May 25: Sing Out Day

I mean, if there was ever a day to promote karaoke, this is the one. Even better if you can design a competition around it to maximize engagement.

May 26: World Lindy Hop Day

Alright, I’m going to do it—I’m going to suggest you leverage TikTok and Instagram. The Lindy Hop is a dance, I can tell you right now that there’s at least a fair chance that people will be featuring this dance (or variations of it) on social media. So, time for you, your team, and guests who want to participate to learn the Lindy Hop.

May 30: National Mint Julep Day

There are a few easy ways to celebrate National Mint Julep Day. The first, of course, is to perfect your venue’s Mint Julep. The second? Offer a variety of Mint Julep riffs: chocolate, peach, tequila, mezcal, sage, basil… Come up with three or four and your LTO is all set.

A third way is to feature this year’s Kentucky Derby $1,000 Mint Julep Experience recipe, Secretariat’s Mint Julep:

2 oz. Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
1 oz. Housemade chestnut liqueur
1 sprig of Mint, for garnish
1 stalk of Virginia bluebells, for garnish

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

Heroica Puebla de Zaragoza Puebla, Puebla, Mexico

April 28, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Cinco de Mayo Isn’t Independence Day

Cinco de Mayo Isn’t Mexico’s Independence Day

by David Klemt

When planning and executing Cinco de Mayo promotions and menus it’s important to be respectful and understand what this day commemorates.

One step toward honoring this holiday rather than making a mockery of it? Knowing that Cinco de Mayo honors the Battle of Puebla, which took place in 1862.

This day isn’t—and I can’t stress this enough—Mexican Independence Day.

Fight for Independence

Mexican Independence Day is September 16, not May 5. Mexico was also called “New Spain” when the land was a colony under Spanish rule. And by most historical accounts, this 300-year rule wasn’t benevolent.

A Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, colloquially known as Father Hidalgo, dared to call for independence on September 16, 1810. Father Hidalgo rang the bell of his church in Dolores and delivered the famous “Grito de Dolores” speech (“Shout (or Cry) of Dolores).

It took over a decade of ferocious, brutal fighting for Mexico to earn its independence. Spain withdrew from the Mexican War of Independence on August 24, 1821. On that same date, Spain recognized Mexico as independent country. Mexico honors their independence by celebrating the day that Father Hidalgo, the Father of Mexican Independence, delivered his rousing speech.

Battle of Puebla

Just over four decades after defeating Spain, Mexico would be forced into another pivotal fight. I won’t get into the entire history here but France invaded Mexico.

Initially, Spain and the United Kingdom supported the invasion. Further, much of the world believed France would easily and quickly emerge victorious. After all, France sent a military force with superior equipment.

This wasn’t the first time France invaded Mexico, and it wouldn’t be the last. That’s another important detail to keep in mind: Cinco de Mayo isn’t Mexican Independence Day, and it doesn’t the mark the end of the Franco-Mexican War.

Cinco de Mayo, mainly celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla, is about national pride. Outnumbered two to one and outgunned, Mexico forced the retreat of a military force that hadn’t experienced defeat for several decades on May 5, 1862.

The war didn’t end until the French withdrew from Mexico in 1867. During this time, the American Civil War was raging. Additionally, United States policy at the time was to remain neutral regarding wars in other countries. That said, historians point to Secretary of State William H. Seward as helping encourage France’s withdrawal.

However, I’d posit that it’s likely fierce resistance and failure to achieve victory easily over Mexican military forces that inspired France to abandon their campaign in Mexico.

Celebrate with Respect

It’s generally accepted that the first Cinco de Mayo celebrations in the US took place in California. Well over a century after Mexico’s victory at the Battle of Puebla, restaurants and bars across America were leveraging the holiday.

Again, it’s important to remember that Cinco de Mayo isn’t celebrated the same way in Mexico as it is the US. There are celebrations in Puebla but overall, it’s seen as a minor holiday.

When planning Cinco de Mayo promotions, it’s important that operators and their teams be respectful. May 5, 1862 wasn’t a party—hundreds of people died during the Battle of Puebla. Perhaps this comparison will help: Americans should know better than to say, “Happy Memorial Day,” on Memorial Day. It’s a day of mourning and remembering those who sacrificed their lives fighting for the country.

So, please celebrate with respect. Respect for Mexico and respect for Mexican culture and heritage. Don’t have your team put on sombreros, don fake mustaches, shake maracas, or engage in any other ridiculously racist stereotyping. I shouldn’t have to say this but don’t engage with racial or cultural stereotypes any day, ever, for your marketing and promotions.

Along those lines, don’t speak Spanish disrespectfully. That includes rejecting “Cinco de Drinko” or “Gringo de Mayo” in your marketing.

That said, if Mexican food and beverage staples make sense for your concept, feature them. Does your kitchen team make amazing, authentic tamales, tacos, and other items? Awesome. Showcase your tequilas, mezcals, and Margaritas. Offer the Batanga (but probably don’t give guests the knife).

Just be thoughtful and respectful with your Cinco de Mayo promotions.

Image: Jorge__ Medina_ on Pexels

April 3, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: April 2023

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about your April holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and April is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our March 2023 holidays list, click here.

April 6: International Day of Sport For Development and Peace

Sure, sports can spark some bitter rivalries. However, it can also bring people together. Whether you choose to air sporting events this day (make sure you have the proper licensing to do so) or create a themed LTO menu, encourage guests to set aside their differences and come together at your restaurant or bar.

If you’re operating a sports- or game-focused eatertainment concept, this is also an excellent day to host a friendly tournament. Who knows? It could become a weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly promotion if it takes off.

April 7: National No Housework Day

Your guests are likely already burnt out on spring cleaning. Tell them to toss aside their brooms, mops, and sponges and reward themselves with a visit to your venue.

April 8: National All is Ours Day

I’ll bet that if you think about it for a moment you can come up with at least one incredible element or landmark in your community. This is the day to celebrate it with your guests. National All is Ours Day is dedicated to appreciating what we have and taking an adventure, however big or small.

April 10: Dyngus Day

This isn’t necessarily an “odd” holiday. However, those who didn’t grow up in a community with a significant Polish presence may not know about it.

On Dyngus Day, people who take part in Lent get to indulge and blow off some steam. Common food items enjoyed on this day are Polish hot dogs, potato pancakes (placki ziemniaczane), dumplings (pierogi), and donuts filled with custard (paczki).

April 11: National Barbershop Quartet Day

If you search for one hard enough, you can probably find a local barbershop quartet that sings current-day hits. It could be pretty cool to have them entertain your guests…

April 13: National Make Lunch Count Day

This is the day to really impress with an incredible lunch to boost pickup, delivery, and in-person traffic for this daypart.

April 23: National Take a Chance Day

Do you have a food or beverage item you have yet to put on your menu? Something you want to test but just haven’t gotten around to it yet? This is the day to entice your guests with something new and encourage them to try it. It’s also the perfect time to collect feedback to either revise the item, add it right away, or move on from it.

April 27: National Tell a Story Day

So, this day may be better served as a deadline for you. Do your website, social media channels, menu, and venue design tell your restaurant or bar’s story? If an honest assessment shows that they don’t, use April 27 as a deadline to tell your brand’s story to your guests. Storytelling is a powerful engagement tool, so make sure yours is dialed in.

April 29: National Sense of Smell Day

Personally, I’d program around this day with the help of brand reps. A tasting or guided pairing that engages the sense of smell can really wow your guests, delivering an incredible and memorable experience.

April 30: National Bubble Tea Day

Bubble tea isn’t the most unique beverage. However, learning how to craft boozy bubble tea drinks for your spring and summer menus…that’s a great way to celebrate this holiday and show off your bar team’s creativity.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

February 3, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: February 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: February 2023

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and February is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our January 2023 holidays list, click here.

February 6: Pride In Foodservice Week

I’m not gonna lie: This is the first I’ve heard of this week-long celebration of foodservice. That’s fairly embarrassing given that this holiday dates back to 1991.

As you’re probably assuming, Pride in Foodservice Week celebrates foodservice professionals. So, highlight your team on social media (with their approval, of course); do something special to show your team you appreciate them; and find a way to celebrate the foodservice pros that visit your restaurant, bar, or hotel this week.

February 7: National Fettuccine Alfredo Day

Is this holiday unusual? No. Is Fettuccine Alfredo in any way bizarre? Of course not.

But you can certainly tap your kitchen team to do something unexpected with this classic dish. Stuff bao buns or dumplings with Fettuccine Alfredo. Create deep-fried Fettuccine Alfredo bites. Find a way to serve it on a stick. Just get creative and own this food holiday.

February 8: Kite Flying Day

Now, I’m not expecting you to somehow create a promotion around actually flying kites. Although, if you have the space and resources, go for it.

Instead, consider focusing on a particular cocktail, like the Plastic Kite or Paper Plane. Is a paper plane a kite? It can be if it’s designed as one, so the cocktail should be fair game on this holiday.

February 10: National Umbrella Day

North America has been slammed by freezing weather and brutal storms. Your guests can probably use an escape from the cold temperatures.

One excellent way for them to transport themselves elsewhere (at least in their minds) is tropical drinks. And tropical drinks tend to be served with the iconic cocktail umbrella. You know what to do: Perfect your tiki or nautical cocktail recipes, create an LTO menu, and draw in your guests.

February 15: National Flag of Canada Day

There’s nothing weird about the Canadian Flag. In fact, it’s one of the most iconic and instantly recognizable flags on the planet.

So, this is your day to celebrate Canadian spirits, beer, and food whether you operate in Canada or anywhere else. Tap your reps, get your hands on Canadian spirits and beer, focus on a few Canadian delicacies, and put together a mouth-watering LTO F&B menu.

February 18: National Crab Stuffed Flounder Day

To be clear, I’m including this holiday because it’s so specific. Obviously, this calls for an LTO or special based on one dish. I’ll give you one guess which dish it is.

February 20: Hoodie Hoo Day

If you’re somewhere it won’t bother too many people, I want you to do me a favor. I want you to yell, “Hoodie hoo!” Did you do it? Did it put a smile on your face?

It’s basically impossible to yell those two little words and not be happy afterward. Well, that’s the whole point of this holiday: happiness. We could all use a dose of happy these days, and this holiday can certainly provide it.

February 25: World Sword Swallowers Day

There are a couple ways to celebrate World Sword Swallowers Day. But for the love of your bottom line, don’t let any of your guests attempt to swallow any swords, cocktail or otherwise!

Instead, dig into the recipe books and find some classics just look right with garnishes skewered by cocktail swords. Or, serve up the Swinging Sword cocktail by Buchanan’s:

1.5 oz. Buchanan’s 18-Year-Old Special Reserve Blended Scotch
0.75 oz. Fresh squeezed orange juice
0.5 oz. Fresh squeezed lemon juice
0.5 oz. Grenadine
Fresh mint sprig for garnish

Add ice and all liquid ingredients to a shaker. Shake well, strain into a coupe, garnish, and serve.

February 27: Telecommuter Appreciation Week

This is another week-long holiday I didn’t know existed. And again, it’s not new—this holiday was first celebrated in 1993.

However, I think it’s more relevant than ever. Rather than encouraging people to work from home on this holiday, celebrate your WFH guests. If your WiFi can handle it, encourage your guests to work from your restaurant, bar, or hotel. And make sure to create LTO food and drink menus to incentivize to do so.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

January 2, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Program for Unique Holidays: January 2023

Program for Unique Holidays: January 2023

by David Klemt

Do you want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Change how you think about holiday promotions.

Several holidays are set against every date on the calendar, and January is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream to esoteric.

For our December 2022 holidays list, click here.

January 5: National Whipped Cream Day

There’s a ton you can do with whipped cream when it comes to your F&B. From garnishing shots to piling it on desserts, whipped cream is just a fun time.

This is also the perfect holiday for party spots to offer Whipshots or feature whipped cream-flavored vodkas.

January 6: National Technology Day

There are several ways to approach programming for this day. To focus on one, this would be a great day to highlight your cool bar tech. One item that comes to mind is the Ripple Maker.

For those unfamiliar, this is a device that prints images on top of frothy or foamy drinks via food-safe media. Ripple’s next-gen device, the Ripple Maker Pro II, is available now.

January 7: Old Rock Day

The purpose of this holiday is to celebrate the planet. Earth is an “old rock,” after all. Two programming ideas that come to mind are: celebrating classic rock; showcasing spirits that have been on the market for decades (or even centuries).

January 10: National Cut Your Energy Costs Day

By now we all know that sustainability and responsible business practices matter to many guests. National Cut Your Energy Costs Day is a great time highlight your own eco-friendly policies, potentially raising money for “green” causes.

January 11: Learn Your Name in Morse Code Day

If you want to have some fun with your guests, print an LTO menu with F&B item names in Morse code. Include descriptions that aren’t in Morse code that give guests an idea of what to expect from each item.

There are several Morse code translators online, like this one.

January 17: National Bootlegger’s Day

This is the holiday to celebrate brands or cocktails that:

survived prohibition;
were created during prohibition; or
produce or feature moonshine.

January 20: Penguin Awareness Day

Are you aware of penguins? You’re not? That’s odd.

Anyway, there’s an almost startling amount of cocktails with “penguin” in their name. So, why not create an LTO menu of “penguin” cocktails? Bonus points if some proceeds can go to a penguin-focused charity.

January 21: Squirrel Appreciation Day

Do you appreciate squirrels? Well, you should—it’s believed they plant three billion oak trees every year.

Now, I bet you can guess what I’m going to suggest: celebrating the classic Pink Squirrel. And why not? It has been around since the 1940s and is an icon, after all. If you really want to go all out, slap some foods into a Jell-O mould and get crazy.

January 29: National Puzzle Day

As with other holidays, there are a few ways to celebrate National Puzzle Day. You can provide guests some small puzzles to keep them busy (and keep them at your restaurant or bar for longer). Alternatively, get your hands on a very challenging puzzle, set it up on a card table, and encourage guests to work on it together. Or even ask guests to bring in their own puzzles.

January 31: National Backward Day

Programming for this holiday can be as simple as printing your menu backwards. Of course, you can also get much more immersive—it’s all in the details and recognizing opportunities to help guests walk away with memories.

Image: Ivan Bertolazzi on Pexels

"I Voted" stickers on a white background

November 8, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Are You Rewarding Voters Today?

Are You Rewarding Voters Today?

by David Klemt

Voting is one of the hallmarks of democracy, a right and privilege so crucial that one can’t overstate or exaggerate the value and importance.

It is, therefore, supremely unfortunate that access to this right has become so acrimoniously political. Of course voting relates to politics—that’s a given. That doesn’t mean the act itself should be disingenuously politicized for twisted means.

For example, far too many people have grown convinced that their vote means nothing. Further, it’s an outrage that voting is made so difficult for so many who know voting matters.

So important is this fundamental right, there are three amendments to the US Constitution protecting it specifically: the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twenty-sixth.

Before going further, I’m not this passionate in support of only those who vote “my way.” I want every American of voting age to have easy access to cast their ballot. Equally as important to me, I want every American to feel like their vote means something.

Of course, that also means accepting results we don’t like. We don’t always get our way in a democracy, after all.

This is all to say the following: Operators can play a role in elections. A simple-yet-important role.

Encourage Voters

I’m not the first to say it: Restaurants and bars are the cornerstones of their communities.

Back in June, I expressed the role our industry plays across the country and globe: “Restaurants and bars are pillars, cornerstones of the communities they serve. These are businesses that welcome people in, treat them like family. They’re there for them as they move through their lives. People who were seemingly at odds with another routinely found common ground over a bite and a sip. More often than not, that’s still the case.”

I still believe this, and that’s why I believe operators can play a role on this Election Day, and those in the future. The role is simple but powerful: Encourage your community to get out there and vote.

Now, one clear way to motivate your community to get out there today is to reward those wearing “I Voted” stickers when they visit your restaurant or bar. It’s commonplace now for operators to offer voters food and drink discounts, free menu items, or other perks on Election Day.

Restaurants and bars around the country routinely execute this type of promotion. From free sides and snacks to discounts on entrees and drinks, operators throughout the US find ways to encourage voting.

Proceed with Caution

Just keep something in mind: Legal scholars say that when federal candidates are on the ballot, such promotions are illegal.

The interpretation of a particular federal statute makes it illegal to pay people to vote. “Paying” includes providing something of value in exchange for voting, such as food or a drink.

One workaround is to ensure anyone who enters your business can participate in your promotion. No “I Voted” sticker? No problem. A guest says they haven’t voted? Not a disqualification.

Another solution is to simply encourage your social media followers to vote and come by for a visit. No reward, necessarily, just encouragement to exercise their right.

In other words, be the supporter and motivator your community needs. And be careful about any promotions you may be offering today.

Image: Element5 Digital on Unsplash