Wine and Beverage Inventory for Restaurants and Bars

What’s The Point Of Taking Inventory, Anyway?

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Taking beverage inventory stinks. No one except a certain Sesame Street muppet enjoys the act of counting things. Unless you’re counting your money and you’ve got loads of it. But it’s necessary for a well-run bar or restaurant to do it. But so many restaurants aren’t properly taking inventory. However, there are ways to make inventory work better. Let’s look at some practices that will make inventory easier in the long run and give your bar or restaurant a big advantage over other bars and restaurants that are clueless about their counts. These tips can make your beverage program more profitable.

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What The Hell Does Innovation Mean for Restaurants?

What The Hell Does Innovation Mean For Restaurants?

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The word innovation gets tossed around a lot, and it’s become a buzzword for any number of industries and services. The restaurant industry is one that likes to slap “innovative” on everything new or different. Innovation is something restaurateurs aspire to. What restaurant critics seek out. And the place eager foodies get to first, and like bell cows, lead the rest of the herd there. But what the hell does innovation mean for restaurants? It’s hard to say, exactly. But there are a lot of things called innovative that are not. And there are proven examples of innovation is. Maybe the better question is, which restaurant innovation really has value for the most restaurants?
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Uncorkd Restaurant Holiday Plan

A Holiday Survival Guide for Restaurants

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The holiday season is coming. No Scrooge can stop this. But restaurants can prepare themselves for the diamond-forming pressure that comes along with the holiday season. This time of year is unique for restaurant owners: it can mean big business in the form of parties, private events, and family dinners; but as your customers funnel funds into gifts and travel plans, it can mean slower business. Staffing can be an issue. But proper planning will prepare you for all outcomes. So relax, you’ll be fine. Just use these tips and build your restaurant holiday plan now. Read more

Uncorkd Digital Beer Menus

How to Bullet Proof Your Menu With Menu Engineering

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You want to build a successful menu. But what is a successful menu? In general, it’s a menu that helps you increase sales. But after  you’ve defined what success means for you, how can you measure that success over time and ensure that your menu stays successful. One strategy that has been kicked around for many years, but is now really gaining traction in the restaurant industry is menu engineering. This is a strategy that you need to know about. Read more

5 Mistakes Even Veteran Servers Make

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Every journey begins with a single step. And a server’s career begins with several missteps. Anyone who has ever worked in a restaurant, or anywhere for that matter, has made mistakes traveling along their job’s learning curve. Most aren’t a big deal and can be laughed away, or used as fodder for hazing newbies and rookies on staff. Some mistakes an be charged to inexperience, but there are a handful of bad habits that even veteran servers fall into. It’s up to management to identify and coach these bad habits out of servers through proper training. Here are 5 mistakes that all severs make, and tips to correct them. Read more

The Problem With Small Plates - Uncorkd

Fixing Small Plates: Common Problems of Small Plate Restaurant Service

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Where do you stand on the trend of small plate dining? Have you ever grumbled at the wee bit of food that you’re expected to share with a group of four? Or maybe you’ve marveled at the range of dishes you were able to try. The small plate trend has been building for a few years, and now more new restaurants are pledging themselves to the small plate zeitgeist. There is a division of opinion on small plate dining that, like properly placed forks and knives, occupy space on either side of the plate. But despite conflicting views, there is one problem that both sides must agree on: some restaurants are flat out doing small plates wrong. See for yourself, here are the most common problems with small plate dining, and tips to fix them.  Read more