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At Überbartools™, we're passionate about all things bar-related, and we're dedicated to sharing our knowledge and insights with you.
KITCHENS VS BARS: THE STORY OF WATCHED VS WASTED
The kitchen and bar, in a modern hospitality business, operationally speaking pull in different directions, creating a paradigm rather than a clearly defined singularity of purpose and outcome!
This paradigm we refer to is a tug of war created unknowingly between the Kitchen/Bar.
The contrast boils down to:
“What’s WATCHED in the kitchen tends to be WASTED in the bar”.
The WATCH versus WASTE paradigm pivots around 2 different philosophies each altering individual operational imperatives, training and arising metrics.
Kitchens are tremendously expensive enterprises, with tight margins. Produce, protein and labour costs are finely balanced in an economic pas de deux, whereby the slightest hiccup, mis-costing, mis-portioning may very well blow any profit on a meal out of the water!
Bars seemingly operate differently: what costs so little per serve/shot is sold at very high multiples, requiring far less time and energy to produce a profitable result.
Given the economics, management is very focused on closely watching what’s valued the most… things which are undervalued are more likely to be taken for granted and wasted!
The issues between the Kitchen and Bar Operations can be broadly contained to 6 key differences:
- Chefs tend to be formally trained (scientifically) at culinary schools, whereas bar/beverage people tend to learn on the job.
- Structure, measurement, precision are vital to operating a profitable kitchen. Consistency is the outcome sought... yet flip this to a bar and measurement is not critical, drink balance and inconsistency is rife.
- Bars can be notoriously lax compared to strict chef imposed process and controls. A lobster tail goes missing in the kitchen and a wild chef is on the hunt... a bottle of booze goes missing there’s a grunt or huh!
- Kitchens invest in tools which save, assist and control; whereas bar spending is confined to guest facing serve ware. Bar consumables are not compared, cross checked for value, quality and performance; whereas in the kitchen, kitchen consumables are.
- Chefs do inventory daily or multi-times a week, in well run bars this may be done weekly, mostly monthly (if at all).
- Accountability in the kitchen is extremely high... every scrap, drop, grain is watched and accounted for, whereas it’s more laissez faire behind the bar.
If you are an independent or multi-unit operator the news is not all bad as there are specialist inventory control companies such Barmetrics and Bevinco offering intensive on-going management control systems to help.
Compare your kitchen and bar operations... once the analysis is done, it makes sense to impose kitchen discipline in your bar. Try it... what do you have to lose, other than money, inventory and reputation!
ÜBER REVERSE SELLING TO JAPAN
Japanese inspired barware has captured the imagination of bartenders throughout the world.
The spirit of Zen mastery, now infuses tool-ology in a way we refer to as BarShido™... (see BarShido™, the way of The Bartender).
Tool-ology we define as: the mythology, mastery and mimicry of tool design based on unchanged historical cues.
Ironically many Japanese tool re-sellers love the tools, yet hate the prices and mostly now offer Japanese “style” or “inspired” alternatives sourced from other Asian countries!
Some unwitting buyers feel somewhat cheated when their investment netted tools “inspired by” rather than “originating from”, Japan! The difference measured in terms of quality and longevity, as inevitably you pay for
what you get!
Über has always believed in innovation based on the evolution of human centred design thinking. What this means, as our understanding of workplace need, efficiency and ergonomics improves, so too should the empowering tools used to underpin that work.
It would come as no surprise that Über's re-imagining of Japanese tools such our new Ice Forks, Picks and Jiggers would become the pieces in a reverse selling process back to Japan… the equivalent we think of of selling “ice to the Eskimos!”
Consider Jiggers without a meniscus… ice tools where safety (eliminating hand slippage), modularity (replaceable parts to allow for indefinite tool life) and comfort grips were key elements of our design!
Australian based Japanese bar tender Chiharu Tomizawa… kindly lent her ice mastery talents to the Japanese speaking demo of our new ice tools... it’s worth checking out here... even if you don’t speak Japanese!
As the voyage to reverse sell Über design back to Japan evolves, join us on this journey... if nothing else, it’s guaranteed to be interesting.
5 FATAL FLAWS THAT US CHAIN OPERATORS DON'T ALWAYS GET
The closing of Target recently in Canada is just the most recent example of a US based chain misunderstanding the size, value or opportunity of a foreign market!
Ironically a foreign hospitality operator has a far better chance of operating profitably in the US, than the same US Company trying to operate in a foreign market.
The issues for US Chain Operators can be narrowed down to 5 Fatal Flaws:
1. A Buck is not worth a Dollar
It’s surprising how many people overlook that a US $1 may be worth more or less in another market. A US $10 cocktail in Canada must sell for 25% more purely based on exchange rate values, assuming Canadian input costs and gross margins are the same as the US, which they’re not.
2. Perceived and Received Value
Perceived value in one market may be considered fantastic, yet in another the Received value may be considered meagre. There's a very fine line distinguishing Perceived and Received value.
3. Cost blow-outs compare A.L.Ps (Alcohol, Labour, Produce)
Alcohol - is far cheaper per Oz or mL in the US than almost any other major market in the world... how easy to assume that the cost of alcohol in Canada is the same as that in the US or the UK.
Labour - many US hospitality businesses pay minimum hourly rates yet the costs of the same labour in another country such as Australia, Germany etc. can be 2-5 times more expensive.
Produce - costs are considerably lower in the US compared to other markets... a starter valued at US$9.95 may have to sell for CAN $14.95 just to maintain the same value, margins based on local cost conditions.
4. Unrealistic mandated COGs
Higher COGs outside the US drive operators in other markets to be continuously cost vigilant, looking to drive operational/cost improvement.
In the US a 20% COGs is nominated as the benchmark for managing spirit costs, however in another market that same cost could be 25% or more.
In Australia with double the costs of alcohol with similar retail price points as the US, how can alcohol mandated COGs also be 20%
The answer here is pretty scary, US operators operate on super normal margins i.e. low costs and relatively high price points. For averages to fall down to a 20% COGs , would indicate that either heavy discounting via give-aways, over-pouring, floor tips, or worse are occurring ... these losses are hard to see when hidden in the valley between large profits and low costs.
To uncover untoward losses in the US, we’d suggest reducing COGs mandates to 15-17%, whilst many will baulk at the number, the truth would quickly reveal itself.
To better understand averaging issues, sending businesses broke read "The Claw of Averages" blog here.
5. Ignorance is Arrogance
A failure to do due diligence at the deepest level can account for most of the major blow-outs that either better planning and tighter operational mandates would have eliminated.
International hotel groups tend to find domestic partners when opening in new markets, nevertheless whilst this helps, it may not overcome some of the difficulties flagged above.
Some years ago a US Nightclub Operator opened a large property from scratch in a new country using a local partner, discovering after signing the deal that Alcohol and Labour costs were double that of the US, ouch... the question was asked “How do you guys make money in…?”
There's are no easy ways out of opening up outside the US… suffice to say understanding the 5 Fatal Flaws is a great start to not getting caught.
THE CHEAPEST OPTION... FOOL PROOF?
The hospitality industry is renowned for taking the COO (cheapest option only).
Hey, we all love to save money, however when the supposed saving is measured over the medium to short term, then on reflection the upfront saving may not generate the hooray times expected.
A friend made a rather funny analogy… buying 2 ply toilet paper instead of 3 saves money... yet what about the extra cost in soap, hand sanitiser and more toilet paper!
Purchasing managers are mandated to scrimp, shear and save; that’s what they’re paid to do! Ironically the COO in many instances is akin to wishful thinking… looking for the least cost, hoping for the best outcome!
Operations people tend to be the ones paying the unseen costs of COO decisions; the consequences of upstream purchasing decisions are always felt and unseen downstream by the users and at some point the guest or customer.
Here’s what bar and ops mangers, complain about when going cheap is possibly the least best option:
Productivity:
Reduced turnaround times, increased labour costs
Consistency:
More time spent fixing and rebalancing meals/drinks
Quality:
Increased production costs as more product is used to achieve the same results
Maintenance:
Higher down time and cost due to product failure, breakage, replacement
Wastage:
Increased loss due to over serving, less controls, reduced accuracy
Consumption:
Buying more of less to do the same as what was done before
Consumables are necessary evils. They’re not always the hero of a story but in many instances end up saving the day in ways not always apparent!
Not everyone can be expected to invest in or buy quality- every purchasing decision must be balanced in terms of consequences and outcomes.
The best, most honourable intentions to do the right thing by a business, may not be the win for one’s staff and customers!
Investing in quality does cost more... but usually ends up costing far less... think of it as being fool proof!
Innovate Or Perish... The Do or Die of a Bar
The old adage “a rolling stone gathers no moss” applies today to any bar and restaurant business.
The advice suggests: continuous movement or innovation keeps businesses nimble and responsive! Failure conversely; a perishable outcome!
Rolling stones require energy, lose momentum and one quickly finds oneself standing on the Titanic end of inaction, waiting for the orchestra to play your competitors new song!
Far too many bars find a niche, work it, and yet fail to tweak, refine and on occasion pivot due to management's false feeling of comfort and safety!
Competition, rapid change and instant learning translates desire into needs, a process of forward motion called “Kaizen”.
To canny business people, Innovation translates opportunity into profit (the new black) for liquid/hospitality entrepreneurs!
Today’s consumers have short attention spans, are easily confused and become unmoved!
New, intriguing, fresh become the new mind grabs oiling attention; winning action, attracting $!
Innovation or Perish!
We’re not advocating for a moment that it’s only Innovation that’s the key to business success, it’s more about the back end process of developing at the margins, new ideas, tinkering with what’s successful now and how that will look with a fresh twist!
Helping customers translate their unsatisfied desires into new wants, allows us to engage and connect very differently with people.
Translated desires turn into new curated drinking experiences, ultimately keeping folks talking, happy; returning to your point of origin!
Warning: Innovation by and of itself is NOT a cure-all as innovation requires stewardship, focus and planning to ensure action, success and profitability!
Innovation is the story of forward momentum, anything less, is turning a business into a perishable. Innovate or Perish!
Today’s Innovator becomes tomorrows Perishable... better get moving!
Speak easy move fast.. Speed Behind the Bar
There’s been much debate amongst bartenders concerning the pros and cons of speed behind the bar.
Speak to any bartender working a club, Vegas Strip, high volume bar and they’ll quickly tell you speed‘s king!
If you’re working just for tips, as many do in the US, speedy drinks equals fast tips!
With many bartenders regarding themselves as guns... delays in making a drink is costly so, it’s all guns blazing or go hungry!
Like most traditions behind a bar, they didn’t happen overnight... they evolved over time.
On that basis, it’s possible that Prohibition era American Speak Easy bars are the likely modern starting point of the need for speed behind the bar!
The rationale: Speak Easy owners/bartenders never knew when they could be raided by authorities… seems logical then, if you wanted to sell plenty of drinks, make money, that a heighted sense of urgency was required... speed was critical!
During Prohibition drink quality and craftsmanship were not deemed particularly important, so speed was the catalyst to drinking quick and serving fast!
Whilst at Uber we don’t agree that fast drinks will necessarily be good in terms of quality, flavour and balance, we realize there’s plenty of room to cater for all styles and sorts of bartending/customer needs.
Customers waiting to be served is money potentially left on the table; drinks poorly executed represent money leaving a venue as a guest potentially swaps to a cheaper drink category or leaves disappointed altogether!
Speed behind the bar has consequences... it comes down to juggling between speed, care and quality… pick any 2!
Spirits Chevalier Beyond Mixologist
French terms are entrenched in hospitality adding elegance and refinement to describe process and outcomes.
Once upon a time professional Bartenders struggled with an adequate descriptor to purpose their skills and talent.
To fill this void various self-ascribed terms were created and have now entered the bar lexicon including Mixologist, Liquid Chef, Cocktologist to name a few.
In a new age where a shingle can be quickly invented via a web site, Linked In profile or business card... it’s perhaps timely whereby spirits knowledge, mixing, serving experience, operational know-how and management skill could be better defined with an all-encompassing term with professional presence, prestige and yes panache!
Australians are a funny lot… we invent irreverent and quirky names for everything... some examples… fruit seller: a fruitologist, a trash or garbage collector: a garbologist... whilst in no way diminishing these professions think there’s still more room that elevates elite bartenders beyond the word Mixologist!
It’s not unknown for some bar rookies to imagine that attendance at a 1 day bar course, several spirits education event(s) together with a little bit of “stick” under the belt to be sufficient to self-describe as a Mixologist nee bartender... of course the more practical amongst us know it takes a lot more than spirits to maketh the bartender.
Back in Prohibition times and the generation before, bartending was considered not only a noble profession but a position with community respect; in a nut shell the word bartender meant something.
It takes years to acquire the necessary mastery to evolve past a generic descriptor such as bartender and in the process attain meritorious professional standing; with requisite recognition and compensation.
It’s time for a newer term to clearly position the professors of spirits from the doctors, interns and students of the mahogany!
We propose a new term:
Spirits Chevalier, elevating the Mixologist to a higher standing equivalent or surpassing that associated with the term, Sommelier.
A Spirit Chevalier can only be earned not daubed like a fake Knighthood or regal title purchased from a defunct duchy, princedom or cash strapped state.
Great terms with honours must be accorded; requiring new levels of International standards so that those who have acquired and fulfilled all aspects can only then be elevated to become a Spirits Chevalier.
MixTake - Bartender Scapegoat
On the internet little is written on the topic of bartender scapegoating, this process we call a MixTake!
MixTakes represent alcohol discrepancies, waste and over-pouring (DWO) with Management only blaming bartenders!
Why the Mixtake?
Confusion exists between the concept of mixing a drink and DWO; both involve liquid transference; with one attached to blame!
MixTakes are generally caused by Management misunderstanding operational figures creating 2 victims; the bartender and team morale!
Many bar and beverage managers have never received professional training on the math, science and dynamics of running a bar, thereby making it easy to draw a straight line from the problem to a bartender!
On the other hand, professionals coming out of culinary institutions tend to have the benefit of being taught scientific process to problem solve.
Scapegoated bartenders tends to work in bars where there‘s little or no investment in proper pouring tools, allowing sloppiness to set in, with potential protective steps missed or overlooked.
In our view Management must provide the tools and training for bartenders to do the job expected, anything less, well, that’s a MixTake!
Scapegoating bartenders without equally apportioning responsibility to management is a massive MixTake, costing business opportunity and destroying careers!
More Pimples than Dimples
Success is not attractive when it’s just cosmetic.
In a hospitality marketplace with too many choices, being noticed is more important than looking pretty!
Great looking bars and restaurants dot the map yet rarely cross the “T(errific)” intersection or consumer crosshairs!
In a world where more real, more authentic and more crafty is the badge of individuality and exception... “Pimples” work!
Of course, “Dimples” are the cute boy or girl next door look... but… why have what’s next door, when we can go out for fun and adventure elsewhere or everywhere!
Hands up for being the only “Pimple” on the block: having excited guests coming back for more is what it’s all about!
Shots vs Watts - The Real Juice
It’s been often said that the concern to save our environment overshadows far more substantial losses that every bar in the world suffers from!
Our research has found that there’s a direct relationship between the cost of electricity and the cost of alcohol referred to as the Shots “n” Watts paradigm!
Aren’t we all guilty of forgetting to turn off lights, power down the A/C, or taking for granted some electricity chewing device… do any of us give it a moment’s thought? On the other hand the same could be said about the more financially devastating impact of alcohol wastage.
To understand the Shots “n” Watts Paradigm we internationally surveyed the costs of electricity and equivalents costs of alcohol in 4 countries. The results are quite unbelievable!
Shots Vs Watts World Survey
The key take-outs:
1. That approx. 1 shot of alcohol is roughly equal to 10% of the cost of ONE kilowatt hour of electricity.
2. That wastage / over-pouring of really small amounts of alcohol, 3 and 5 mL (1/10th - 1/6th Oz) costs more in comparable $ wastage, than what it costs to run 1 Kilowatt hour of electricity.
3. It only takes just 3-4 seconds to pour a standard drink... with arising over-pouring losses/wastage multiplied many times per minute per hour.
Ironically many electricity saving/generating gizmos have payback periods measured in 5 year chunks… yet when it turns to saving massive amounts of money to reduce liquor loss… the answer is meh!
Saving the planet is sexy, saving money is virtuous… why not do both!
To save your bar environment check out the SurePour Solution ™ here.
The Baristocracy - The Elite
There’s a pecking order in the Bar business... it’s manifests via the movers, shakers, followers, flaunters of our industry… these fine people are The Baristocracy… and we all know some from its ranks.
These people are at the very pointy end of the success pyramid: deliverers of innovation that changes, improves and inspires all of us deeply.
Members of The Baristocracy attract guests who then drink deeply from the “spring”” at these rare liquid oases.
Most of us appreciate that delivering exception daily and weekly requires enormous energy, passion and skill... yet, not all of us can do it!
In an awfully crowded marketplace... adoring eyes glaze hungrily at excellence; those that fall into this lair, often tend to self-expel excuses such as: “oh, we’re just as good as such and such” or "we’re so much better than so and so”!
Sadly, people motivated by professional jealousy can never cut the mustard or slice a metaphoric lime, as they’re destined to only sweep the floor after the dust from others success settles!
How can the innovators create highways that others can or will never overtake?
The Baristocracy never stops moving forward, it’s not in their nature to rest, as perfection requires motion, tinkering, tailoring and then re-toiling some more.
The message for all of us: for the guys at the top of the pyramid success is never completely owned; it’s loaned or leased temporarily, with rent paid daily!
The rent being: having the right attitude (ego removed), inordinate creativity, hard work and the biggie, self-made luck!
Pay your rent daily... and hopefully you’ll soon join the honour roll too!
The ProGrip™... Learning from Bartender Injury to Help Others
Innovation is the spinning core which centers the Über™ world, powering ideas such as our ProGrip™ handle; a solution for eliminating bartender injury, muddling drinks.
The ProGrip™ illustrates how in the space of 10 years, human centered design is now entrenched in the workplace; critical to improving working lives!
When the ProGrip™ was conceived, we hadn’t understood that bartenders weren't alone in pain... baristas, chefs, handymen, the elderly had their own painful stories of discomfort and frustration!
Unfortunately, we never heard these sounds, they were drowned out by the noise of complacency assuring us: “oh, that’s the way it’s always been, so don’t worry about that!”
Deflated, we retreated to our cone of silence, to create space for our eventual Ü(reka) moment.
Funnily enough the story unfolded by accident, in my mother’s kitchen... in between deeply breathing sautéing onions smells with the aromas of simmering fresh herbs.
In the days and months that drifted by… glimpses and insights revealed hidden paths felled by questions asked… you know the type of thoughts, no one thinks about, unless of course, you can’t perform that task at all!
Sam and l began to look at a gazillion hand tools, understanding the design with arising mandated motions… rotation (stirring) and compression (pounding) and directional (extension) movements; each action impacting on speed, efficiency and most importantly the body: fingers, hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders; depending on task.
In many instances the unifying single task implied by all tool design: the user must form a fist to hold or grip the tool!
The ProGrip™’s unique handle alters a relevant tools center of engagement, transforming a vicelike grip into one anchored by a thumb via an insertion point (hole in the handle)... the arising engagement between user and tool thereby changes, with the body’s natural response conforming to a relaxed state (less tension).
Once the relationship of user/tool changes, then so does the relationship of the body to that tool.
The ProGrip™ Relationship
A fantastic example of this is watching a barista holding a tamper (THE COFFEE MUDDLER).
A tamper is squat and cumbersome, contorting a user’s fingers, hands and wrist into prolonged and very uncomfortable positions... the result, huge issues of RSI affecting wrist, elbow and shoulder. Go talk to any barista... they all know someone who has a problem if it’s not themselves!
Changing focus from hand grip to that of a thumb pivot alters grip strength, muscular stresses, wrist position/angle relative to the hand, body and tool.
During 2015 Uber™ will be undertaking more human centred design research to allow us to re-imagine a sway of tools whose times has come!
Who would have thought observing bartenders suffer whilst muddling drinks… would lead to something good!
Pat.US & Other Markets: 8,814,423 B2