🍸 TRL Weekly: How To Sell Mocktails

Your weekly lesson and tactical reminders inside.

August 18, 2024

Happy Sunday, future server/bartender millionaire.

In today’s lesson Brandon teaches us how to sell more mocktails.

Our Last Three Lessons:

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

Today at a Glance:

  • Announcement: Server Accelerator

  • Weekly Lesson: Selling Mocktails

  • Tactical Reminders: Your Video Lessons

Announcement: Server Accelerator (Beta)

We are looking for some beta testers to join us in testing a new program with 1-1 access to coaches.

If you want to:

âś… Make more money.

âś… Provide better service.

âś… Work your way up to a better position.

Then this is for you.

Please respond to this email and let us know.

🍸 Weekly Lesson:
Selling Mocktails

I see way too many servers offering cocktails OR just saying “Do you want drinks?” and the guest assumes they are trying to only sell alcohol.

If someone is going to order alcohol, they are usually going to order alcohol.

The one time this might not be the case is if you ask the wrong guest to order first.

Lets say it is a 5 top and the family brings one of the kids significant others to dinner.

That significant other will be a little awkward and not really know what to order because they want to follow the others lead.

This is when you should notice that and ask the other guests (like the parents) first.

In most other cases, saying “Do you want some fun cocktails?” is actually really pushy and leads to you coming off as a salesman.

What you should start doing instead is just say “May I offer you a beverage?” then pause for 1 second, if they answer, great!

If they say “Ummm” or are unsure, then start listing options:

“Mocktails cocktails, beer, wine, soda? (same pause) What are you thinking?”.

The pauses give the guest a chance to talk, but then you start talking in 1 second to save yourself from making it awkward if they don’t talk.

NOTICE I START MY LIST WITH “MOCKTAILS” and also include all options.

My goal is to get those guests away from saying “I'll stick with water” while still giving the cocktail people an option to get a cocktail.

Again, most of the time if a guest is going to order a cocktail, they are going to order a cocktail (not really changing their mind by listing cocktails first).

BUT, if a guest is going to order water and you start the list by mentioning “mocktails” it makes it seem like you guys might be known for mocktails.

This results in much more mocktail sales (and the bartenders getting mad at you for selling mocktails). 

To stop the bartenders from getting mad at you here is what you do:

Before the shift, ask them for 1 or 2 mocktail recommendations that you can sell.

You can also say “Hey, what are a couple mocktails I can sell that are easy for you to make and taste good?”.

Then you have 2 go-to mocktails to sell and the bartenders are never annoyed when you sell them because they thought of them themselves.

To close the mocktail sale just ask a couple questions and then make a suggestion.

So let's say the two options the bartender gives you are between one with ginger beer and pineapple juice and then one that's like a mojito. 

It might go something like this:

  • Guest: “Oh mocktails!” (Curious)

  • Server: “Yea! We have some great options. You can make any of those cocktails into a mocktail. But what do you like more, of a mojito style or are you a fan of ginger beer?”. 

  • Guest: “Ginger beer.”

  • Server: “Okay and pineapple juice or orange?”

  • Guest: “Orange” 

  • Server: “Perfect. We have a featured one off the menu with Orange Juice, Lime and Ginger beer. Is that good?”

  • Guest: “Sounds great!”

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

  1. Selling Drinks - Selling Cocktails / Mocktails -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

  2. How to Run Food - Jess Notes for a Runner -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

  3. Boxing Food TO GO!- Derek - Boxing Food. -

    Video Lesson: Click here.

That’s all for week twenty one.

See you next week,

The Restaurant Launch Team