The Importance of a Wine List for Your Restaurant

The Importance of a Wine List for Your Restaurant

For some restauranteurs, putting together a solid food menu can be a difficult task. Another, equally challenging—and possibly overlooked—task for some restaurant owners? Developing a wine list. Today, eMenu International is here to explain why having a good wine list is important for your restaurant.

Helps Establish Your Customer Base

A restaurant’s clientele can often be as diverse as its food menu, so it’s a good idea to take note of the wines your customers are drinking to help figure out which ones to keep on your wine list and which to remove. If you’re wanting to attract more customers looking to try new and exciting things, consider changing your wine offerings to reflect that type of clientele. Just be mindful of the number of wines you add and subtract. If your selection is too vast, you risk overwhelming those customers who prefer to keep things simple. If your selection is too narrow, you risk underwhelming those customers who prefer a robust list. A good wine list provides a nice balance of options for guests, is easy to read, and appeals to the broadest range of clientele.

Provides Opportunities for Upselling

Another important factor to consider regarding your restaurant’s wine list is that it creates a unique opportunity to enhance your guests’ dining experience. Tailoring your wine list so that every available option pairs nicely with one or two things from your food menu allows your staff to make helpful recommendations. If a guest orders a particular bottle of red, suggest one of your ribeye steaks, or if they order the seafood pasta, inform them it goes nicely with a specific glass of white wine.

Expanding Your Selection

No matter how you construct your wine list, it’s beneficial for your business to have one available to provide a positive and unique dining experience for your customers. Consider utilizing technology to help expand your wine selection.

eMenu International has everything you need to know about creating wine lists on your iPad, and other helpful tips to get your restaurant business flowing. Questions? Call the number on our website to speak with one of our specialists right away.

4 Reasons Why You Should Be Updating Your Restaurant’s Menu

4 Reasons Why You Should Be Updating Your Restaurant’s Menu

One of the most vital aspects of running a restaurant is having a menu that keeps hungry guests coming back for more. One problem many eateries deal with is a bland and uninteresting menu that doesn’t mix things up. For restaurant owners looking to keep things fresh, here are four reasons why you should be updating your restaurant’s menu and how it can improve your business throughout the year.

Seasonal Items

Many fruits and vegetables grow seasonally, and it’s a good idea to incorporate that produce into your menu while they’re in season. Buying produce out of season is more expensive than when they’re in season, so cycling through specialty items throughout the year keeps things exciting and helps you save money on ingredients.

Attracting New Crowds

No food item is for everyone, but sometimes adding something new to your menu attracts new crowds of customers who may take an interest in what you’re offering. Vegan dishes, gluten-free options, or locally sourced dishes are all popular right now, and restauranteurs may want to try and capitalize on those markets.

Reducing Costs

One of the reasons you should update your restaurant’s menu is because it’s an excellent opportunity to take away things people aren’t ordering. If certain dishes aren’t popular, it may be a good idea to take them off the menu. Removing rarely ordered entrees reduces restaurant costs by saving money on ingredients you may not be using.

Creativity

If you have chefs with a true passion for the culinary arts, it may be a good idea to allow them to explore that creativity and develop new dishes for your menu. You can introduce these new dishes as a weekend special and see how they take off before deciding to make them permanent additions to your menu.

One of the most significant advantages of utilizing interactive menus is that they’re easy to alter when you make any substantial modifications or changes to your menu. If you own a restaurant and want to explore digital menu tablet options, eMenu International has what you need to get started.