Beverage List Making

Question 1

What must be taken into consideration when making a beverage list?

Answer 1

• Provides a good match and balance for the menu
• Maximise all sale opportunities
• Achieve required levels of profitability
• Meets all legal requirements
• Meets and exceeds customer needs and perceptions
• Reflects current trends
• The outlets location (city centre, suburbs, rural)
• Local competition
• Customer spending power
• Availability of suitable suppliers

Question 2

What must beverage lists reflects?

Answer 2

• The wine and beverages must positively contribute to the meal experience
• The type of establishment
• The food on offer
• Customer profiles and price expectations

Question 3

What are the different types of beverage lists?

Answer 3

• Full lists - extensive and mainly used in upmarket operations
• Banqueting and function lists - restricted choice to maximise sales
• Bar and promotional lists - Can promote selected wines - Can include ‘bin ends’
• Room service lists - to be considered where appropriate
• Cocktails lists - used in conjunction with other lists

Question 4

What does a manager have to consider?

Answer 4

• Pricing structure – differs between businesses, but gross profit is generally between 70-75%
• Stock turnover and profit
• Promotions and control of all stocks and sales
• Remember profit levels of certain drinks
• Purchasing and sourcing competitive market prices

Question 5

What is a sales mix?

Answer 5

• Items that are popular and profitable - if you stock more you sell more
• Items that are popular but not profitable - stock enough to compete with demand - source products cheaper –> sell at same price
• Items that are profitable but not popular - consider promotions to increase popularity
• Items that are unpopular and unprofitable - stock less

Question 6

Why is wine list design important?

Answer 6

• Can greatly affect its success
• Understanding various lists will inspire customer confidence in them
• Should be well written and printed with appropriate language
• Try to include
  ○ A bin number for each wine (number of the wine)
  ○ Full description to include vintage and matching
  opportunities with food
  ○ Country and region of wines
• Size and price of bottles (same for if available by the glass)

Question 7

What are some legal considerations?

Answer 7

• Price making (Food and Drink Services) Order 2003:
  ○ All prices must include vat
  ○ If there are 30 items or less, then all prices must
  be shown, of which 5 must be soft drinks
  ○ With wines, a minimum of 5 (with prices) must
  be shown
• Weights and Measures Act 1985:
  ○ Measures that product will be sold in must be
  shown for spirits, liqueurs and vermouth, ports
  and sherries
  ○ Prices must be shown for each product
  ○ All menu/price lists must be displayed to the
  public in prominent places
  ○ Allergens should also now be recorded and
  available for customers