🍸 TRL Weekly: Selling 2nd Or 3rd Drinks

Happy Sunday, future server/bartender millionaire.

We’re back for week nine of The Restaurant Launch Newsletter.

If you’re new here, or missed any lessons, here’s what we’ve covered so far:

• “The Hi Method” - Read More.

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

• Don’t Recommend The Most Expensive Items! - Read More.

• Ninja Service - Say Less, Do More - Read More.

• Fix Your Verbiage - Read More.

• Biggest Server Pet Peeve - Read More.

• Filling Dead Air - Read More.

• Facts Not Feelings - Read More.

And we have another lesson from Brandon this week:

Today at a Glance:

• Weekly Lesson: Selling 2nd Or 3rd Drinks

• Tactical Reminders: Your Video Lessons

• Poll: Need More Votes: Server / Bartender Community!?

🍸 Weekly Lesson:
Selling 2nd Or 3rd Drinks

Selling 2nd, 3rd or even 4th drinks is an art form.

It is a combination of:

1. Sales

2. Attentive Service

3. Unobtrusiveness

4. Awareness of Drink Levels

Let me preface this lesson by saying: You should ALWAYS be aware of the risk of OVER SERVING a guest.

It is serious. I have seen what can happen to a server or bartender.

Just be aware and if you are ever unsure what to do, ask your manager.

Now let's get into the money making strategies. 

We will start with awareness and attentive service.

Start being AWARE of the DRINK LEVELS.

At ⅓ of the way full, the guest will start slowly sipping their drink.

It could even happen sooner (or later), just start looking for the time where they slow down. This could be with a water, cocktail, wine or any beverage.

If the beverage has free refills, you can refill their beverage at this drink level or even before.

I will say, to save your restaurant money, you should start asking if they want a refill (even if its free soda refills), after they are half way through their meal. 

Now let's really get to where the money is!

The cocktails, wines, beer, etc.

At ⅓ full, you should be SOMEHOW asking if they want another one.

I am going to give you some ways to do so:

• 1st method: Ask The Guest “Same Thing or Something Different”

This makes the guest decide between either BUYING or BUYING.

(A yes or yes question; instead of a yes or no question).

• 2nd Method: Silent Gesturing (as promised from my video)

For this method, you gesture at the drink SILENTLY while making eye contact with the guest you want to sell, and just do a thumbs up OR head nod.

• 3rd Method: Combo Method (This method should be combined with either of the first two methods.)

1st Method Combo: 

All you have to say is “Or in a few minutes.”

So instead of “Same thing or something different” it becomes: “Another one now or in a few minutes”

You can also extend the time and say “Or in 10 minutes” or even “Or with your entrée?”

2nd Method Combo:

For the silent gesturing, you would gesture to the drink, head nod and then maybe add in one of these:

1. “Or in a few minutes”

2. “Or with your entrée”

Note: If you are silent gesturing then say these 2 things quietly.

—

The real goal with silent gestures is that you don’t want to draw attention to all of the other guests at that table because their drink level is too high.

If you draw attention, then the guest you are trying to sell will start analyzing the other guests' drink levels and likely wait for them.

Even if you don’t get the sale, know that you still did a good thing!

You were attentive!

They will now likely drink their drink a little faster without even realizing it.

You should be in your section every 90 seconds so you never miss an opportunity.

🚀 Tactical Reminders:

1. Selling 2nd Drinks - Same thing or something different -

   Video: Click here.

2. Phrases to cut out - Stop saying “just to let you know" -

   Video Lesson: Click here.

3. Stop Assuming - “they are the type of people that…” by Jess -

   Video Lesson: Click here.

That’s all for week nine!

If you have a second, please take the one question poll below!

See you next week,

The Restaurant Launch Team