Insights
Practical beverage thinking for restaurant operators.
Answers to the questions owners and managers ask about margin, wine lists, by-the-glass, buying, stock and teams. Commercial first, with the detail behind the numbers.
The Commercial Case for an External Beverage Consultant
The real question is rarely consultant or no consultant. It is which beverage decisions are going unmade, and what that is costing the venue.
More insights
Why a Large Wine List Is Not Necessarily a Better Wine List
The real costs of an oversized wine list, when depth does make sense and a practical way to decide how many wines your venue needs.
Profitability & MarginWhere Restaurant Beverage Margins Quietly Disappear
Eight common places beverage margin leaks in restaurants and wine bars, with a worked example and a simple monthly check to find them.
Sales, Reporting & TeamWhat Your Beverage Sales Reports Should Tell You
Which beverage sales reports are worth reading, what to look for in them and the decisions they should lead to for restaurants and wine bars.
Wine List & PricingHow to Know Whether Your Wine List Is Working
Seven practical signals that show whether your wine list is doing its job for guests, the team and the business, and what to check next.
Building the ProgramHow to Build Beverage Expertise Without Hiring a Full-Time Specialist
Practical ways for independent restaurants and wine bars to build beverage expertise in-house or bring it in, without a full-time sommelier or manager.
Profitability & MarginWhat is a good beverage cost percentage for an Australian restaurant?
Why a good beverage cost percentage depends on gross profit dollars, sales velocity, wastage and stock, with practical starting points for restaurants.
Want the quick version?
The free Beverage Profit Check turns these ideas into 24 questions you can answer in ten minutes.
Talk through your venue.
If something here sounds familiar, a short conversation can point you to the right first step.