🍸 TRL Weekly: Make Better Recommendations

Your weekly lesson and tactical reminders inside.

October 27, 2024

Happy Sunday, future server/bartender millionaire.

In today’s lesson Brandon is teaching us how to get better at making recommendations.

Our Last Three Lessons:

You can read the rest of the past weekly lessons here.

Today at a Glance:

  • Weekly Lesson: Make Better Recommendations

  • Tactical Reminders: Your Video Lessons

🍸 Weekly Lesson:
Make Better Recommendations

How many times has a guest asked you for a recommendation and then you recommend something and they don’t even get it?

This is your fault, not theirs.

When the guest asks the question “Which one do you recommend?”, you should never just pick one of the options for them.

I know it's the obvious thing to do because of the way they worded the question, but you have to pretend they asked “Which one do you recommend FOR ME?”

This small change makes you realize that it's not about what you like .. it's about what the guest likes.

The reason they sometimes don’t take your recommendations is because they aren’t in the mood for that option OR they simply don’t like it.

So what should you do instead?

If they are asking about 2 specific dishes you can say:

  • “Both are amazing!” then describe both dishes to them and say, “Which one sounds better to you?”

If they then say something like “No really, which one do you like?” then you can answer with your favorite.

If the guest just asks for a recommendation in general, you should help them!

Ask them 2 to 3 questions (trying to find out what they enjoy) and then recommend one perfect for them.

Say something like:

  • “Ton of good options! Are you thinking pasta, seafood, chicken, steak?” or “What do you usually go for?” or “What are you in the mood for?”

Your goal should be to genuinely help the guest find the dish that they would enjoy the most.

Obviously if there are 2 good options for them, you can go with the more expensive option, but you should never sell them on something they wouldn’t love just because it is expensive.

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

  1. Brandon Fronting the Table - Advanced Marking -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

  2. Jess - How Service Should Feel -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

  3. Derek - When To Avoid Saying “Sorry”  -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

That’s all for week thirty one.

See you next week,

The Restaurant Launch Team