🍸 TRL Weekly: Don’t Recommend The Most Expensive Items

Welcome back, future server/bartender millionaire!

This is our third week of The Restaurant Launch Newsletter.

So far we’ve covered:

• “The Hi Method” - Read More.

• “What Else May I Bring You” - Read More.

And we’re back for another massive lesson from Brandon this week:

Today at a Glance:

• Brandon’s Weekly Lesson: Don’t Recommend The Most Expensive Items

• Server Story: Joe from Edinburgh

• Tactical Reminders: Your Video Lessons

• Server/Bartender Poll: Take Our Quick Poll

🍸 Brandon’s Weekly Lesson:
Don’t Recommend The Most Expensive Items

The biggest difference between an average server and the best servers in the world is that the best servers switch from monologues to dialogues.

• A monologue is when the server talks the entire time and tells the guests about everything.

• A dialogue is when the server has a unique back and forth and includes questions so the guest is actually interacting.

Throughout service, I want you to be looking for ways to include little questions.

The more you can get the guest to talk, the better.

Furthermore, it is extremely common for a server to name the most expensive item on the menu any time the guest asks for a recommendation.

I strongly disagree with this method. 

I want you all to start making service about the GUESTS! 

Ask them questions about what they usually go for, what they like, what they are in the mood for or how hungry they are! I will give you a great example below.

WRONG Option:

• Guest - “What do you recommend?”

• Server - “The 16 oz. bone in ribeye! It is my absolute favorite because our steak is the best. It is really tasty and juicy.”

• Guest - “Ohhh sorry, I should’ve told you that I am a vegetarian.”

CORRECT Option 1:

• Guest - “What do you recommend?”

• Server - “Everything is amazing! What are you in the mood for, a steak, fish, seafood, sandwich, salad…” 

  • (continue listing if they are waiting for you to name the one they like, but they will most likely cut you off at some point)

• Guest - “I was thinking a steak”

• Server - “Steak. Do you prefer it marbley or more tender?” 

  • (if they say tender, you recommend a filet mignon… if they say marbely, you recommend the ribeye)

• Guest - “Marbely, I guess…” 

  • (slightly confused so we must help them understand the difference)

• Server - “Well marbely just means it is going to be a bit juicier and have more fat marbling which adds more flavor as well. That would be our 16 oz. bone in ribeye. Did you want to do that?

  • If they don’t say yes to the ribeye right away we can add “or the filet would be a bit more tender and 8oz.”

I included a second option for you guys in the tactical reminders section below.

The first tactical reminder is a video lesson giving you our “CORRECT Option 2”.

In that video I mention a 3rd option for when a guest asks for a recommendation.

That 3rd option would be 3, short, simple descriptions followed by a question.

Use the facts of the dish and stop adding fancy adjectives.

Something like this:

CORRECT Option 3 -

• Guest - “What do you recommend?”

• Server - “Everything is amazing. If you like steak, we have a 16 oz. bone in ribeye served with mashed potatoes. If you like fish we have a 6 oz. halibut, broiled and served with roasted potatoes and asparagus. And a great vegan option would be the cauliflower steak, broiled and served with a chimichurri. What were you thinking?”

  • (I leave off with an open ended question like 'what were you thinking?’ so the guest feels comfortable saying if they were thinking something different.)

👩‍🍳 Server Story: Joe

Today’s Server Story is a short one, but one that I think is extremely impactful.

Last year we traveled through the UK and one stop was The Royal Mile in Scotland, Edinburgh.

It was PACKED in every restaurant and bar.

Like the main street of any major city in the US.

We met Joe, the head bartender, and he told us he is their sales leader and a MASTER at upselling.

But guess what…

He makes just above minimum wage, and a good MONTH of tips is $500.

You read that right. MONTH!

The lesson here?

Servers and bartenders in the United States have it MADE.

Don’t take it for granted.

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

1. Help Guests instead of Sell Guests - Stop naming the most expensive item when they ask for recommendations.

   Video: Click here.

2. Sell with Questions - Sell anything by asking questions.

   Video Lesson: Click here.

3. Make this Switch -“Are you ready to order?” to “What questions do you have for me”.

   Video Lesson: Click here.

That’s all for week three!

If you have a second please take the poll below to let us know what the number one thing you’re looking to gain from this newsletter is.

See you next week,

The Restaurant Launch Team