Recent Questions
Here are some of the questions that we have been sent (& answered) recently.
Chris J. in Cleveland, OH asked:
What do you mean when you use the term, "Cradle to Grave" accounting? I've never heard of that and I've owned a restaurant for 12 years.Robert Plotkin's Response:
Hello Chris,
Admittedly it’s a dated phrase. “Cradle to Grave” accounting is used to describe an inventory system that tracks products from point of purchase to the moment they’re delivered and received, through the requisition process—which also involves recording comps, spills and transfers—until the end of the accounting period in which they’re depleted.
The system allows operators to know exactly what inventory they have on-hand, how much it cost, where it is at any point in time and when it needs to be reordered. It also creates a paper trail for each product. Should a variance issue arise regarding a certain item its movement through the operation can be reconstructed.
Thanks for the question. —RP
Stephen T. in Darwin, Australia asked:
For the past year I was the Duty Manager of [name deleted], a small exclusive golf club. I supervised a staff of about 8 members. I have every reason to believe that I was handling the position well—from cash handling to staff training.
Last month I got a new job as a bar manager here in Darwin. From the beginning I’ve been having troubles. It seems that all of my suggestions and recommendations are rejected out-of-hand, this despite my presenting sound rationale for each initiative. They tell me that they will work with me and yet I keep getting pushed aside.Robert Plotkin's Response:
Hello Stephen,
Greetings from the American Southwest! Thank you for bringing me into your confidence. Like everyone else I know, my career has suffered through periods of xxx and occasionally forced me to work with lunatics and insufferable idiots. So worry not about yours suffering irreparable damage. What’s most important now is that you begin extricating yourself out of this situation without losing your cool.
Anyway, here are my thoughts —
(a) From your description of the new management, I’d say that you’ve landed in the wrong place and are working with the wrong people. In theory, when you started your new position, the management should have briefed you on the breadth of your duties, what their expectations were of you, and most importantly, presented you a matrix by which your efforts would be evaluated. How can you possibly excel at your job without being given an exact accounting of what their expectations are of you? It sounds as if you’re working in the dark and that your well-intended efforts have been met unexplained resistance.
(b) I’d also say that, for some reason, you’re being perceived as a threat by the management team. It’s a horrendous trait, but some people in management positions get territorial and react like adolescents when threatened. Although your intention was to improve the operation, it seems you only succeeded in throwing their fearful minds into a frenzy. And they didn’t even have the courtesy of responding with the pathetically trite, “That’s not how do things here.”
(c) Without acting hastily, consider seeking employment elsewhere while still actively engaged at your present position. Let me know in what areas of beverage management you might be weak in and let’s see if we can’t close those gaps.
Thanks for the question. —RP
Francisco L. in Denver, CO asked:
I recently read an article you wrote on Tequila in Cheers Magazine. I’m the beverage director for a small but growing chain of Mexican restaurants with 6 units at present throughout the West. The CEO has tasked me to increase beverage revenue chain wide. We want to expand our marketing of tequila, but are wary of stocking too many different brands. The investment necessary to load our backbars with top-shelf tequilas seems cost-prohibitive, yet unavoidable. Any advice?Robert Plotkin's Response:
Hello Francisco,
Thanks for the email. I understand your hesitation to invest the resources necessary to become a great tequilaria. I think you’re well advised to consider your alternatives first.
It naturally follows that your restaurants should be actively promoting tequila at the bar. However, the question remains which approach to adopt? Here’s what I’m thinking.
Begin your efforts with the store that is currently doing the best job marketing tequila. I would evaluate what liquors and liqueurs you’re currently stocking on the backbar and look to blow-out those in the bottom 20-25 percent in terms of sales volume. I’d then use some of the space freed up on the backbar for 4-6 new marques of tequila. The result will be a less congested backbar with some new killer tequilas on the shelf.
I’d look to increase the marketing efforts with several new signature Margaritas, La Palomas and/or tequila Mojitos. I’d adopt a few tasting flights centered around the new marques and certainly consider launching a tequila-oriented drink menu that includes descriptions of the tequila on-hand.
I’d also rollout 2-3 tequila-infusions jars on the backbar. Pepper, chili-infusions are naturals. Tequila also marries well with fresh fruit. Infusions are loaded with profit and can’t be easily ripped off by the competition. Another of the many benefits of promoting infusions is that you can effectively increase the number of tequilas with which you can tantalize guests without actually carrying more labels on the backbar. Your guests will have only one place on the planet to get them.
Last, I highly recommend that you hedge the initiative with continuous education of the staff on tequila. What they know and don’t know about tequila will play a large role in how your clientele responds to the marketing effort. Thanks for the email. I understand your hesitation to invest the resources necessary to become a great tequilaria. I think you’re well advised to consider your alternatives first.
It naturally follows that your restaurants should be actively promoting tequila at the bar. However, the question remains which approach to adopt? Here’s what I’m thinking.
Begin your efforts with the store that is currently doing the best job marketing tequila. I would evaluate what liquors and liqueurs you’re currently stocking on the backbar and look to blow-out those in the bottom 20-25 percent in terms of sales volume. I’d then use some of the space freed up on the backbar for 4-6 new marques of tequila. The result will be a less congested backbar with some new killer tequilas on the shelf.
I’d look to increase the marketing efforts with several new signature Margaritas, La Palomas and/or tequila Mojitos. I’d adopt a few tasting flights centered around the new marques and certainly consider launching a tequila-oriented drink menu that includes descriptions of the tequila on-hand.
I’d also rollout 2-3 tequila-infusions jars on the backbar. Pepper, chili-infusions are naturals. Tequila also marries well with fresh fruit. Infusions are loaded with profit and can’t be easily ripped off by the competition. Another of the many benefits of promoting infusions is that you can effectively increase the number of tequilas with which you can tantalize guests without actually carrying more labels on the backbar. Your guests will have only one place on the planet to get them.
Last, I highly recommend that you hedge the initiative with continuous education of the staff on tequila. What they know and don’t know about tequila will play a large role in how your clientele responds to the marketing effort.
Thanks for the question. —RP
