Bloody Marys Make Brunch Important for your Business
Dec. 29, 2014
While New Year’s Day signifies a fresh start for all, it also marks a lesser known holiday: National Bloody Mary Day. Whether you're business is a bar, restaurant or a retail store, there are some key ways to drive your Bloody Mary program on January 1st and into the new year ahead.
Keep It Simple: In a 2014 piece, the New York Times called upon bartenders and patrons alike to let the cocktail stand on its own, free of distracting add-ons. Rosie Schapp wrote, "...like many classic cocktails, a Bloody Mary depends most heavily on a harmonious balance of flavors." By focusing less attention on pickled or fried garnishes, you’ll allow your customer to get what they’re truly after: a refreshing, spicy, meaningful cocktail.
Likewise, if you’re building a Bloody Mary display, pair a tried and true, popular vodka such as Tito’s with a simple Bloody Mary mix with an eye-catching label. Customers may not be thinking about building a Bloody Mary at home on New Year’s Day as they shop for sparklers and other celebratory drinks for New Year’s Eve, but a well-built, cross-merchandised display of Bloody Mary mix and vodka makes it easier for your customers to snag two extra bottles and create another day of festivities.
Build Your Brunch Brand: Creating a brunch program that customers are excited about is a sure-fire way to build your brand and establish a loyal weekend following. Resturant-Hospitality reports: "By creating that sense of event, operators can charge premiums for items slightly dressed up from regular breakfast or lunch menus..." Though the origins of the American brunch tradition are a bit cloudy, many historians agree that the mid-morning meal was popularized in the U.S during the 1930’s and 1940’s and was penned as a relaxing opportunity for working people to regroup on Sunday mornings. Some prescribe that brunch’s popularity was peppered by Hollywood celebrities who would enjoy breakfast cocktails on layovers in cities like Chicago. Perhaps this is why brunch your customers attend brunch with a sense that it is a glamorous indulgence featuring decadent dishes and crafty cocktails. Whatever the foundation, to this day, Americans are still enamored with brunch.
Odds are, your customers’ New Year’s Day plans will be a bit on the spontaneous side. This does not mean, however, that you still can’t intercept their attention and maximize sales leading-up to the big day. By building Bloody Mary-focused displays, adding menu features, and offering samples throughout the week, you’ll be geared to acheive sales surrounding National Bloody Mary Day.