LTO menu | KRG Hospitality

February 8, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Can ChatGPT Write Food and Drink Menus?

Can ChatGPT Write Food and Drink Menus?

by David Klemt

After my “conversation” last month with ChatGPT about AI, I had another conversation during which I asked it to write me four menus.

Of course, I did this to prove a point. And upon reviewing the ChatGPT menus, you’ll likely reach the same conclusion.

Curious about how creative the AI-powered chatbot could be, I asked for four specific menus. As you’ll see, two are cocktail specific, one focuses on food, and one is a 20-item F&B menu for a specific event.

So, yes, ChatGPT can write food and drink menus. But there’s a caveat. I could leave you in suspense but that’s not very nice. Let’s jump in.

Write me a cocktail menu using the most popular cocktails from 2022.

Cocktail Menu

Aperol Spritz – Aperol, Prosecco, and soda water, garnished with an orange slice
Old Fashioned – Bourbon, sugar, bitters, and a citrus peel
Margarita – Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and salt rim
Daiquiri – Rum, lime juice, and simple syrup
Moscow Mule – Vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice
Paloma – Tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and soda water
Pina Colada – Rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and a cherry garnish
Whiskey Sour – Bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup
French 75 – Gin, Champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup
Mai Tai – Rum, orange liqueur, lime juice, and orgeat syrup

*All cocktails are served over ice, unless otherwise requested.

Write me a cocktail menu using the most popular spirits and alcohol types of 2022.

Cocktail Menu

Gin and Tonic – Gin, tonic water, and a lime wedge
Vodka Martini – Vodka, dry vermouth, and an olive garnish
Bourbon Manhattan – Bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters
Tequila Sunrise – Tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup
Rum Runner – Rum, blackberry liqueur, orange juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine
Whiskey Sour – Bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup
Margarita – Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and salt rim
Daiquiri – Rum, lime juice, and simple syrup
Long Island Iced Tea – Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, lemon juice, and cola
Pina Colada – Rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and a cherry garnish

*All cocktails are served over ice, unless otherwise requested.

Write me an appetizer and tapas menu that includes food items from an array of cuisines.

Appetizer and Tapas Menu

Bruschetta – Grilled bread topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, and balsamic glaze
Hummus Platter – Chickpea dip served with pita bread and fresh veggies
Spring Rolls – Fried wonton wrappers filled with veggies and served with sweet chili sauce
Spinach and Artichoke Dip – Creamy dip made with spinach, artichokes, and melted cheese, served with tortilla chips
Stuffed Jalapeños – Jalapeño peppers stuffed with cream cheese and bacon
Fried Calamari – Lightly battered and fried squid rings served with marinara sauce
Baked Brie – Warm, gooey brie cheese topped with fruit preserves and served with crackers
Fried Rice Balls – Rice mixed with veggies and spices, rolled into balls and fried, served with sweet and sour sauce
Chorizo Sliders – Mini sliders made with spicy chorizo sausage and topped with avocado crema
Samosas – Triangular-shaped pastries filled with spiced potatoes and peas, served with mint chutney.

*Please let us know of any dietary restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Write me a food and beverage menu for the 2023 [Big Game] with ten food items and ten drinks.

[Big Game] 2023 Food and Beverage Menu

Food:

Buffalo Wings – Crispy wings tossed in spicy Buffalo sauce
Sliders – Mini burgers with various toppings, such as bacon and cheddar, mushroom and Swiss, and BBQ pulled pork
Nachos – Tortilla chips topped with melted cheese, jalapeños, salsa, and sour cream
Chili – Hearty beef chili served with shredded cheddar cheese, onions, and crackers
Ribs – Slow-cooked BBQ ribs with a tangy sauce
Mac & Cheese Bites – Fried balls of creamy mac & cheese
Deviled Eggs – Hard-boiled eggs filled with a mixture of mayo, mustard, and spices
Pizzas – Slices of delicious pizza in various toppings such as pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage
Chips & Dip – Assorted chips served with guacamole, salsa, and queso dip
Soft Pretzels – Warm, soft pretzels served with cheese dipping sauce

Drinks:

Beer – A selection of domestic and imported beers
Margaritas – Classic margaritas made with tequila, triple sec, and lime juice
Bloody Mary – A spicy tomato and vodka-based drink with celery, olives, and other garnishes
Hard Cider – A crisp, apple-based beverage
Sodas – A variety of soft drinks, such as cola, lemon-lime, and root beer
Whiskey Sours – A mixture of whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup
Spiked Hot Cider – Warm apple cider with a splash of rum
Red and White Wines – A selection of red and white wines to accompany any meal
Iced Tea – Sweetened or unsweetened iced tea
Coffee – Freshly brewed coffee, hot and ready to enjoy.

*Please drink responsibly and always have a designated driver.

Where Do You Stand on AI?

In my opinion, there are essentially four primary camps forming around the subject of artificial intelligence.

There are the Alarmists, the Enthusiasts, the Cautious, and the Shoulder Shruggers.

As my label implies, the Alarmists are fearful of AI. This group doesn’t like the genie being let out of its bottle. On the polar opposite, there are the Enthusiasts. This group can’t wait to see how far AI can go and what it’s fully capable of.

The Shoulder Shruggers basically have no opinion. They may even throw in an eye roll when the topic of AI comes around.

Then there’s the camp I most closely identify with: the Cautious. I don’t know enough about AI to be an Alarmist or an Enthusiast. Instead, I agree with points made by both of those camps.

Conclusion

Before I had my latest conversation with ChatGPT, I happened across a few interesting articles about the chatbot specifically and AI in general. A point each article shared was this: (for now), ChatGPT isn’t creative.

And that’s the caveat I mentioned at the top of this article.

Sure, it can scour the Internet for information in the blink of an eye, contextualize it (to a degree), and present it in a manner that seems intelligent. But really, neither ChatGPT nor other AI tools are capable of creative endeavors.

Now, consider the “menus” you just read. Unless your goal is to become a boring, regional chain bereft of personality and identity, not a single one is creative. In fact, they both consist of F&B items that any bartender, bar manager, chef, cook, or kitchen manager should know how to make, off-menu or on.

Simply put, these ChatGPT menus don’t provide much, if anything, in the way of brand identity.

That’s not to say that menus with the items above are “bad.” It’s just that they’re not enticing, not inspiring, not creative. They’re the definition of derivative. Why would today’s guest be drawn to a venue with those menus?

For now, I don’t think we need to be afraid of AI. Humans still rule the creativity roost. Oh, and please don’t use those AI-generated menus.

Image: Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

February 8, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Rosa is Pink, Lowlands Agave is Blue

Rosa is Pink, Lowlands Agave is Blue…

by David Klemt

Código 1530 is proud to present Valentine’s Day cocktails from Travis Pentecost of Tu Madre and Abby Blanchard of Broken Shaker.

Even more relevant for Valentine’s Day, each of the tequila-forward four recipes below is made with Código 1530 Rosa Blanco. As you can tell from the bottle image above, Rosa Blanco is a rosé tequila.

This particular tequila’s characteristic comes from the aging process. As the name implies, Rosa begins life as a blanco. But after one month in uncharred Napa Valley Cabernet French White Oak wine barrels, the liquid takes on a pink hue.

Produced using lowlands Blue Weber Agave, Código 1530 is precise about Rosa Blanco’s aging time. Too short and the barrels wouldn’t influence the tequila. Longer than one month and the wine barrel flavors would overpower the agave.

Código 1530’s exacting production and aging techniques result in their signature blanco delivering soft red wine notes on the palate, and a subtly floral finish. Rosa’s aging process enhances Blanco’s rich and bright earthy, mineral, and citrus notes.

If you have guests who are tequila fans—particularly those who love blanco—Rosa Blanco is a great conversation starter and upsale.

Kisses and Roses

recipe by Travis Pentecost (Tu Madre)

1.5 oz. Código 1530 Rosa Blanco Tequila
0.5 oz. Chinola
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
0.75 oz. Orgeat
2 dashes Plum bitters
Lemon slice to garnish
Edible flower to garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain into a Collins glass. Garnish with lemon slice and edible flower.

Will You Cherry Me

recipe by Travis Pentecost (Tu Madre)

1.5 oz. Código 1530 Rosa Blanco Tequila
0.5 oz. St-Germain
1 oz. Prickly Pear liqueur
1 oz. Fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Cherry bitters
Fresh mint leaves to garnish
Lemon slice to garnish
Edible flower to garnish

Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with fresh mint leaf “bouquet,” lemon slice, and edible flower.

Sandia Margarita

recipe by Travis Pentecost (Tu Madre)

2 oz. Código 1530 Rosa Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Fresh watermelon juice
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
1 oz. Pina Agave
2 dashes Peach bitters
Fresh mint leaves to garnish
Orange slice to garnish
Gummy watermelon candies to garnish
Edible flower to garnish
Salt for rim

Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain into a prepared cocktail glass. Garnish with “bouquet” of fresh mint leaves, orange slice, gummy watermelon candies, and edible flower.

You Up?

recipe by Abby Blanchard (Broken Shaker)

2 oz. Código 1530 Rosa Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Fresh lime juice
0.75 oz. Simple Syrup
3 Raspberries, muddled
Raspberries to garnish
Raspberry gummy candy to garnish (optional)
Edible flower to garnish (optional)

Add all ingredients to a shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with raspberries. Optional garnishes: addition of raspberry gummy candy and/or edible flower

Images: Código 1530

Disclaimer: Neither the author nor KRG Hospitality received compensation, monetary or otherwise, from Volley or any other entity in exchange for this post.

Group of Big Game cocktails at Ocean Casino Resort

February 7, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Ocean Casino Resort’s Big Game Cocktails

Ocean Casino Resort Offers Big Game Cocktails

by David Klemt

Ocean Casino Resort, Atlantic City’s award-winning oceanfront casino and resort, is ready for the Big Game with four cocktails that team with the theme.

Now, by “Big Game,” we all know what I’m talking about. We know the sport, we the know the league, and we know precisely which game is under discussion.

However, due to very “enthusiastic” attorneys, we also have to talk like we’re spies or actors in a mob movie. We wouldn’t want to tempt anyone to file a lawsuit now, would we?

And I’m going to encourage you to continue following this childish way of speaking about the Big Game. When you’re promoting your Sunday, February 12 event, don’t use any trademarked terms, logos, images, etc.

Alright, the Big Game legalese is out of the way. Let’s talk themed cocktails!

Big Game Cocktail Inspiration

Midway through last year, Ocean Casino Resort showed us all their marketing prowess. When news of the Choco Taco’s demise made headlines, Ocean created a cocktail homage: the Chocotini.

To ensure the LTO could be enjoyed by most guests, the cocktail was available at four venues on the property.

Now, Ocean Casino Resort is tackling the Big Game. (Note: I’m legally required to include sports puns when writing about any major game.)

Guests have four specialty LTO cocktails from which to choose. Two representing the team from Philadelphia, two for the team in Kansas City. Each drink is available at venues throughout the casino resort, including their Topgolf Swing Suite (largest in America), Nola’s Bar & Lounge, and the Gallery Bar Book & Games.

In news that should appeal to you and your bar team, these drinks are quick to make. That’s a relief when you plan to be slammed on a particular day.

Of course, you don’t have to attempt to replicate these cocktails. They serve as excellent inspiration to motivate you and your team to come up with your own liquid homages and LTOs.

In case you’re wondering what to charge, Ocean is charging $14 each for the Brotherly Love, Hurts So Good, and Big Red cocktails. The Arrowhead carries a price tag of $15.

Philadelphia

Brotherly Love

1 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Midori
0.5 oz. Lemon juice
0.5 oz. Lime juice
Club soda to top
Lime wedge or wheel to garnish

You and your bar team can build this cocktail in a rocks glass. Add ice, then add the first four ingredients. Top with club soda and garnish with a lime wedge or lime wheel.

Hurts So Good

2 oz. Dark rum
4 oz. Ginger beer
Lime to garnish

Another simple cocktail that you can make in the glass. Grab a Collins glass and add ice. Add the dark rum, then add and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wedge and lime wheel, then serve. If this sounds like a Dark ‘n’ Stormy, that’s because it is one. And like the Big Game’s actual trademark name, be careful using that drink name for legal reasons.

Kansas City

Big Red

1 oz. Fresh lime juice
2 oz. Silver tequila
2 oz. Pomegranate juice
0.75 oz. Triple sec
0.75 oz. Simple syrup
Lime to garnish
Cherry to garnish
Salt, cinnamon blend, or spicy salt blend to rim (get creative!)

Prepare a Martini or cocktail glass by adding a rim. This can be a simple salt rim, a cinnamon blend rim, a spicy salt mixture, or even a barbecue seasoning-style rim. Opt for chilling these glasses ahead of time if you prefer. Add ice and then the first five ingredients to a shaker. Shake until well chilled, then strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge or lime wheel, plus a cherry.

The Arrowhead

1.5 oz. Rye whiskey
4 oz. Ginger beer
4 dashes Angostura bitters
1 squeeze of Lemon juice
Lemon wedge or wheel to garnish

Prepare a Collins glass by adding ice. Add each ingredient, garnish with lemon wedge or wheel, and serve.

Images courtesy of Oceans Casino Resort

"Think about things differently" neon sign

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.

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 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 4, 2023by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Celebrating the Baltic Porter

Celebrating the Baltic Porter

by David Klemt

In just over two weeks we celebrate a rich, dark beer style with sweet malty characteristics that traces its history back to the 18th century.

Once a favorite among the working class in London, Baltic Porter is seeing a resurgence. This is, unsurprisingly, driven largely by interest from the craft beer world.

Tracing its own history to 2016, Baltic Porter Day celebrates its namesake beer. The beer holiday takes place every third Saturday in January. So, this year we celebrate Baltic Porter Day on January 21.

That should give operators enough time to prepare. One of the best ways to drive interest in this holiday—and beer style in general—is to look into local breweries. Craft breweries, brewpubs, and microbreweries around the world release Baltic Porters to celebrate this holiday.

Locality and hyper-locality are, as we know, important to many guests. That makes it a smart move to develop relationships with local brewers, distillers, farmers, vintners, etc.

Operators who don’t yet have those relationships need to commit to changing that this year. And, hey, Baltic Porter Day is an excellent reason to begin that change and approach local brewers.

What’s Baltic Porter?

In the 1700s, high-hop Pale Ale wore the beer crown in England. However, some small breweries made a run at the throne. They wanted to see a dark beer on top.

So, according to some beer historians, brewers looking to take on Pale Ale began with sweet brown beer. The beer was higher-hopped, dark, and higher alcohol with cocoa, chocolate, and coffee notes.

Porter was born, named for the working class people who embraced it: dock and street workers.

Eventually, the production and reach of Porter of small brewers was overtaken by larger breweries. This is largely due to maturation time, which translates to higher costs; it can take six to twelve months for a Porter to mature.

Over time, Porter found its way to Northern Europe, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Those three countries are known as the Baltic states.

Brewers in those countries tried their hand at Porter production. Importantly, Baltic state brewers put their own spins on Porter. Notably, they replaced ale yeast with lager yeast.

Additional changes include replacing British hops with Baltic hops, and blending pale and dark malts. Baltic brewers roasted the malts in a drum kiln. The invention, created by Daniel Wheeler, allowed brewers to roast malts without burning them.

The Baltic Porter was born.

Characteristics of Baltic Porter

Curious operators and teams can find the official Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines for the this style here.

As a quick summary, the following are keys to Baltic Porter:

Appearance: Opaque dark brown to dark reddish-copper. Not black in appearance.
Aroma: Rich, malty sweetness with some dark malt characteristics. No hops on the aroma.
Flavor: A roasted but not burnt flavor. Rich, malty sweetness. Caramel, nuttiness, toffee, molasses. Dried fruit and alcohol.
Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-high carbonation keeps the beer from feeling “heavy” on the tongue. Smooth but full-bodied.
Finish: Licorice or roast coffee.

Since this beer tends to range in ABV from 6.5 to 9.5 percent, it’s wise to serve this beer with food. Think hearty fare, like barbecue, chili, and burgers, and Gouda as a cheese pairing.

Of course, local brewers should be able to offer up their own ideas for food pairings. After all, they know their beer better than anyone else.

As some sources note, people often serve Baltic Porter in a snifter. However, a pint glass is perfectly acceptable for this beer style.

Image: Peter Fischer from Pixabay

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

Stay Weird neon sign with purple background

November 2, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Stand Out with Weird Holidays: Nov. 2022

Stand Out with Weird Holidays: November 2022

by David Klemt

Want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Then commit to keeping it weird.

Several “holidays” are set against every date on the calendar, and November is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream (Thanksgiving, anyone?) to “weird.”

Pay attention to the latter to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, weird or otherwise. And this month’s list in no way includes every odd holiday.

Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

For October’s list, click here.

November 4: National Candy Day

So, you would think we’d celebrate National Candy Day on Halloween, what with all the trick or treating. But no, we celebrate candy the first week of November.

This could be an excellent day to move any candy-themed menu items that may have somehow survived your Halloween programming. Or, hey, lean into it and garnish a number of cocktails with candy.

November 6: National Nachos Day

I know, I know—nachos aren’t weird. No, they’re one of the most fantastic foods on the planet. In fact, one could argue they’re among the culinary pinnacles of human achievement.

However, that doesn’t mean we can’t get a little weird and creative with nachos. Think outside the box (or platter), get with your back-of-house team, and come up with a unique nacho plating or two.

November 8: National Tongue Twister Day

There are a few ways to approach this holiday: create an LTO menu with tongue-twister descriptions; give menu items tongue-twister names; theme some drinks to well-known tongue twisters; or hold a tongue twister contest. Here’s one to get you started:

“Betty Botter bought some butter / But she said the butter’s bitter / If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter / But a bit of better butter will make my batter better / So ‘twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter.” Good luck.

November 12: National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day

I’m including this because I like how oddly specific this holiday is. No thanks to the humble anchovy, apparently!

November 15: National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day

Okay, so I’m not sure I’d actually call this holiday Clean Out Your Fridge Day. Instead, consider creating and adding a specific promotion to your programming repertoire.

For example, if you’re a wine bar, consider using this day to move open but unfinished bottles of still and sparkling wine before they oxidize or go flat. I’m not a fan of operators discounting menu items but in this case, doing so is better than the alternative. This can be done once per week, twice per month, once per month, etc.

November 17: Use Less Stuff Day

This is an excellent holiday to commit to a couple different operational changes. One, do whatever is practical to reduce the waste your restaurant, bar, nightclub, or hotel generates. Two, consider reviewing your menu and simplifying where you can.

November 20: National Absurdity Day

I mean…does any day scream “WEIRD HOLIDAY!” more than National Absurdity Day? The sky’s the limit here: get as weird, wacky, and creative as you can in a way that’s authentic to your brand and market.

November 24: Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day

Have a talented team? Boast a group of talented regulars? Encourage them to show off their unique skills talent show style, offering prizes and capturing your event via social media.

November 25: Blasé Day

The holiday season is stressful. It’s go, go, go, family, family, family, friends friends, friends, for several weeks. So, create a “lazy” promotion that provides your guests with a calm escape from their holiday stress. Be the oasis they need as the year closes out.

November 30: National Mason Jar Day

Ah, the mason jar. Its wide mouth and fit in most people’s hands is both rustic and comforting. They’re also perfect for a wide array of garnishes. In fact, consider serving over-the-top Bloody Maries in your mason jars…or moonshine cocktails…or beer cocktails… just great cocktails.

Image: Dan Parlante on Unsplash

October 10, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

Possess this Scary Spirit for Halloween

Possess this Scary Spirit for Halloween

by David Klemt

If you truly want to imbue your cocktails and the guest experience with the otherworldly this Halloween, you need this spirit.

In fact, this bottle likely contains the most “spirit” forward spirit one can possess. It’s also one of the rarest. Oh, and it took a rest for 30 days inside the Occult Museum.

On October 13, Harridan Vodka will launch their Paranormal Reserve officially. And if you’re after a true small-batch vodka, you’ll want to keep an eye the Paranormal Reserve countdown timer.

This is your opportunity to create and host a frighteningly unique Halloween LTO promotion.

Conjuring the Halloween Spirit

Does the Occult Museum sound familiar to you? If so, you’re likely a horror film fan or into the supernatural.

For those who don’t know, the Occult Museum was started in 1952 by Ed and Lorraine Warren. The two paranormal investigators collected a vast array of artifacts that they claimed came into contact with evil.

One of these objects is Annabelle, a cursed Raggedy Ann doll. According to lore, the doll is so dangerous it’s kept inside its own glass case. A sign attached to the case reads, “Warning, Positively Do Not Open.”

So, what could possibly be frightening about a Raggedy Ann doll? Well, this one is said to have an interesting “attachment.” That is, a demon in search of a human host that has attached itself to the doll.

To keep the demon from achieving its goal—which it reportedly began pursuing in 1970—Annabelle’s case has been blessed. The case has inscriptions of the Lord’s Prayer and Saint Michael’s Prayer. Also, it’s said that Ed Warren would recite a binding prayer over the case from time to time to ensure the demon couldn’t escape.

Supposedly, Annabelle nearly killed a priest who mocked it when he visited the Occult Museum to scrutinize the Warren’s claims of its demonic possession.

This story and more are told in The Conjuring movie series. In particular, Annabelle, Annabelle: Creation, and Annabelle Comes Home. Given that it’s October, it’s the perfect time to watch the first installment and doll-focused movies of The Conjuring universe.

In fact, this would be the month to design a promotion around The Conjuring watch parties with themed LTO cocktails.

A Frightful Rest

Okay, so I can already hear some of you asking what this has to do with Harridan Vodka. Well, calm down—I’m getting to it.

The Warren Occult Museum, located in Monroe, Connecticut, closed to the public in 2019. In other words, if you didn’t get to visit prior to its closure, you’ll most likely never have the chance to see Annabelle or the other occult artifacts contained within.

But you can purchase a bottle of 44-percent ABV vodka that rested for 30 days inside the Occult Museum: Harridan Vodka Paranormal Reserve.

Just 666 bottles are available, and 665 took their 30-day slumber right next to Annabelle. These bottles will retail for $199 on Thursday, October 13.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Harridan Vodka (@harridanvodka)

Obviously, that leaves one bottle we need to address. Bottle number 666 was rested inside Annabelle’s case. And while the other 665 bottles are housed inside black Ouija-themed boxes, number 666 is contained within a glass case similar to Annabelle’s.

Of course, this unique bottle comes with an appropriately otherworldly price tag: $13,000. And, hey, the person who makes this bank-balance-slashing purchase might just be in possession of the world’s only vodka infused with evil.

If you’re one of the few who manage to get their hands on these Occult Museum-rested Harridan Vodka bottles, it’s fair to say you can name your price for the opportunity for guests to buy an ounce.

Happy Halloween, ya filthy animals!

Images: Harridan Vodka

October 7, 2022by David Klemt David Klemt No Comments

7 Days Until Old Fashioned Week!

7 Days Until Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week!

by David Klemt

In just seven days operators, their front-of-house teams and guests will have the opportunity to participate in Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week.

Those who choose to join in on the fun will help generate funds for crucial cause. Further, participation means joining forces with some revered heavy hitters in the industry.

For example, Broken Shaker’s Chicago and Miami locations are taking part, as is Cure in New Orleans. Birdie G’s in Los Angeles, the Denver outpost of Death & Co., and Houston’s Julep are also participating. And then there’s LA Jackson from Nashville, the legendary Leyenda in Brooklyn, DC’s Silver Lyan, and Philly’s R&D all joining the cause.

A Great Cause

As stated, this is more than a cocktail promotion. Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week supports an important cause and fantastic organization.

The cause is providing F&B professionals who are struggling with financial assistance, and the aide comes from the Southern Smoke Foundation.

Since 2015, Southern Smoke has been dedicated to raising funds to help individuals in the F&B space. The non-profit organization strives to help our industry peers in need persevere through crises.

From raising funds for the MS Society, establishing the Emergency Relief Fund, and providing free mental healthcare, Southern Smoke consistently proves themselves a trustworthy industry partner. By 2021, Southern Smoke had donated more than $5 million in financial aid to industry workers affected by Covid-19.

Take Part

Elijah Craig, the storied small-batch bourbon and rye producer in the Heaven Hill Distillery portfolio, makes participating simple and fun.

Unsurprisingly, we at KRG Hospitality love an activation and promotion that’s easy to execute and fun for everyone in the building. This year, Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week takes place from October 14 through October 23.

To help raise money for Southern Smoke’s crisis management mission, encourage your bar team and guests to post pictures of their Old Fashioneds to social media. All one has to do is include tag @ElijahCraig and the hashtag #OldFashioned Week. Elijah Craig will take it from there, donating $5 for every post up to $100,000.

I’m confident that over the course of ten days we can all come together and flood social media with 20,000 images of delicious, well-crafted Old Fashioneds.

To learn more about last year’s Old Fashioned week, listen to Bar Hacks episode 52. Our very special guest on this episode is Lynn House, the 2022 Best US Brand Ambassador Spirited Award winner.

Get Creative

Now, I’d normally include the particular drink recipe here but I think—I believe—we all know how to make an Old Fashioned by now. So, I’m going to encourage all participating operators and their bar teams to create a small, signature Old Fashioned LTO menu or Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week.

Also, to get those creative juices flowing, here’s the recipe for the Elijah Craig Rosemary Old Fashioned:

Craft rosemary cinnamon syrup by combining 1 cup of water with 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 rosemary sprigs, and 1 medium navel orange in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, add one cup of Demerara sugar and stir until it dissolves. Strain into a clean, sanitized bottle.
Combine 2.5 oz. of Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, a half-ounce of housemade rosemary cinnamon syrup, and three dashes of orange bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
Stir and strain into rocks glass over a large ice cube, then garnish with a Maraschino cherry on a rosemary-sprig skewer. If you so choose, light the sprig on fire for a moment to generate some rosemary smoke.

Image: CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

October 3, 2022by krghospitality krghospitality No Comments

Stand Out with Weird Holidays: Oct. 2022

Stand Out with Weird Holidays: October 2022

by David Klemt

Want to stand out from from other restaurants and bars in your area? Then commit to keeping it weird.

Several “holidays” are set against every date on the calendar, and October is no exception. These holidays range from mainstream (Halloween, anyone?) to “weird.”

Pay attention to the latter to raise eyebrows, carve out a niche for your restaurant or bar, and attract more guests. Why do what everyone else is already doing?

Of course, you shouldn’t try to celebrate every holiday, weird or otherwise. And this month’s list in no way includes every odd holiday.

Focus on the days that are authentic to your brand; resonate with your guests; and help you grab attention on social media.

For September’s list, click here.

October 5: Chic Spy Day

Of course, there’s one holiday this month that simply will not allow anyone to ignore it: Halloween. So, why not lean into it early? Encourage guests to show up looking like a chic spy, perfect your Vesper Martini, and show spy movies. In other words, task your guests with really getting into the spy theme, and create a menu that shows off your creativity as well.

October 6: National Orange Wine Day

No, there aren’t any oranges used in the production of orange wine. Rather, it’s white wine with which the grape skins and seeds remain in contact. The result is an orange hue. And as we all know, orange is one of the key colors of October and Halloween. To celebrate National Orange Wine Day, put some orange wines on your menu.

October 7: National LED Light Day

They say there’s a holiday for just about everything. The existence of this holiday points to that sentiment being accurate.

To wow your guests and get them in the mood for your ultimate October promotion, a Halloween bash, drop food-safe, waterproof LEDs into cocktails for a “spooky,” otherworldly effect.

October 13: National Train Your Brain Day

You know what’s an excellent way to train your brain and stay sharp? Trivia! And do you know what a lot of guests like to do at bars? Trivia! Guest what you should plan for National Train Your Brain Day…

October 17: Wear Something Gaudy Day

I mean, it’s Halloween month and people want to dress up. Guide their costume ambitions by encouraging them to get gaudy and tacky on Wear Something Gaudy Day.

October 18: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Okay, so this isn’t a weird holiday. There’s nothing strange about chocolate cupcakes. What they are is delicious, and your kitchen staff can always decorate chocolate cupcakes with fall and Halloween themes.

October 20: International Sloth Day

Ah, the sloth. It really has the right idea most days: slow down. On this day, encourage your guests to slow down and relax at your restaurant or bar. Comfort food, delicious beer, and classic brunch cocktails are the order of the day.

October 21: National Count Your Buttons Day

There are several ways to celebrate this day. However, I think a good, old-fashioned “Guess How Many Buttons are in This Jar” contest is the way to go. Give away a bottle, a meal, a bar tab, etc. The sky’s the limit.

October 22: National Make a Dog’s Day

Is your business dog-friendly? Can your kitchen come up with dog-safe menu items? Then encourage your guests to come in and pamper their pooches.

October 25: National Greasy Food Day

There’s no point in competing or programming against Halloween. Not for most operators, anyway. So, celebrate this debaucherous, indulgent day with greasy bar and comfort food ahead of your Halloween promotion.

Image: Dan Parlante on Unsplash