By recommending suitable drinks alongside dishes, businesses in the restaurant industry can increase the average order value and improve the dining experience for their customers. Furthermore, as guests often value recommendations for food and drink pairings in restaurants, waiters can get bigger tips if they offer suitable meal and beverage combinations. Although many clients have preferred beverages, servers can still upsell them by offering a more suitable drink to go with the specific dish. This is one of the keys to restaurant success. In the following paragraphs, we’ll share more about the role of beverage and food pairings in restaurants and the main rules about pairing drinks and meals in the hospitality industry.
Key takeaway: Although most customers order both food and drinks, training staff members to recommend suitable beverages can boost the dining experience and help hospitality businesses increase their revenue. Although most people associate pairings in restaurants with wine, meals can also be combined with beer, mixed drinks, and spirits.
The Role of Food and Drink Pairings in Restaurants
Menu engineering is crucial for restaurant businesses. In recent years, trends like QR codes for restaurant menus have made it much easier for the hospitality sector to update and improve menus. Having an elaborate beverage menu to complement the food menu items is crucial when developing a restaurant’s menu. This allows the waiting staff to easily recommend suitable beverages based on guests’ meal preferences.
Pairings in restaurants can also be used to increase revenue. For example, many customers are willing to pay extra for beverages such as mixed drinks or high-end wines. The profit margin on cocktails and wine by the glass is often higher compared to other drinks. Thus, restaurants can improve their profitability by offering such beverages.
Although it’s a good practice to offer a variety of cocktails, wines, and other beverages, this can be overwhelming for guests. Many of them prefer to be consulted regarding the appropriate beverage to pair with their food. That’s why food service businesses should train their waiting staff regarding the main rules for pairings in restaurants and what beverages to recommend.
In recent years, the food service sector has become more competitive and complex. In addition, a growing number of customers have embraced the foodie culture. That’s why businesses should encourage experimentation and introduce pairings that clients might not normally try. This has the potential to improve and broaden the dining experience for guests.
In addition to having a role in elevating guest experience and increasing check averages, pairings in restaurants can also be used as part of restaurant marketing. Serving a well-plated meal alongside wine in an elegant glass creates an Instagram-worthy experience. Food service businesses might also encourage clients to share their dining experience on social media or review the place. This can significantly help restaurant customer acquisition and marketing efforts.
Main Rules for Pairings in Restaurants
Offering a beverage that goes well with a specific dish depends on a lot of factors. The style of the establishment and the atmosphere should be taken into consideration. Customer preferences and age should also be considered. The reason for the visit is yet another factor. For example, offering champagne cocktails might be suitable for a special occasion like a birthday, while it might not be the right choice for elderly customers. That’s why offering suitable pairings in restaurants is difficult. However, there are a few main rules when it comes to combining food and beverages.
- Match the intensity of the dish with the drink. Rich meals go well with bold drinks, while light dishes are usually paired with less-intense beverages.
- Acidic beverages can balance fatty dishes and be used to refresh the palate. That’s why champagne is sometimes offered as a pairing to fried meals instead of beer.
- Match the flavors of the drink and the dish. For example, creamy pasta goes well with buttery Chardonnay.
- Embrace contrasting flavors. Even though this partially contradicts the previous rule, wine pairing in restaurants is often done to contrast the dish and the drink. This means that citrusy wines can be combined with rich seafood dishes.
- Regional pairing is also important. For example, a customer ordering an Asian seafood dish might want to pair it with sake or another beverage that’s typical for Asian cuisine.
- Drink pairing is not limited to wine pairing. Although complementing a meal with wine is the most popular option, food service businesses should also offer other pairing options. That includes spirits, beer, mixed drinks, or even soft drinks.
Even though customer preferences are very important when it comes to pairings in restaurants, training hosts, waiters, and bartenders on suitable combinations can significantly help businesses in the food and beverage industry. Furthermore, some restaurant managers might choose to suggest pairings on the menu or have a separate wine pairing menu. This further helps guests choose a fitting drink and can boost revenue for businesses in the hospitality niche market.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pairings in Restaurants
From tips on wine inventory and calculating the cost of goods sold to advice on how to boost a distribution company’s wholesale sales, there are plenty of resources available on BlueCart and BinWise. Check out our answers to popular questions regarding beverage and food pairings in restaurants.
What Is Food Pairing?
This is a method in cooking that identifies ingredients that combine well in dishes. Unlike food and beverage pairings in restaurants, food pairing is done purely to amplify certain flavors or to improve the texture of a meal. Food pairing might differ based on regionality, personal preferences, and trendiness. Examples for popular food pairings combinations include tomato and basil, peanut butter and jelly, chocolate and milk, or ham and eggs. Modern culinary arts are pushed by chefs who are not afraid to experiment with different ingredients and create new cooking techniques.
What Is Soft Pairing in Restaurants?
Soft pairing in restaurants is the practice of offering alcohol-free drinks alongside the dish. Although many might associate that with fast food and soda combos, soft pairings have a role in all types of restaurants. In recent years, non-alcoholic mixed drinks have become very popular in bars, casual eateries, and even fine-dining restaurants. The role of mocktails in restaurants is to offer health-conscious customers, designated drivers, or non-drinkers in general a chance to enjoy their meal with a delicious mixed drink. Alcohol-free wines and beers are also popular options for soft pairing in restaurants.
What Are the Most Popular Food and Drink Pairings in Hospitality?
Steak and red wine or seafood with white wine are probably the most common pairings in restaurants. Here are other very popular food and beverage combinations.
- Sparkling wine (usually champagne or prosecco) with appetizers;
- Lagers or pale ales with crispy food or fried dishes;
- Amber or dark beer with bold and heavy meals like steak or oysters;
- Whiskey pairs well with barbecue dishes.
Due to the large variations of cocktails, mixed drinks can be paired with virtually any dish. Read more in our post about cocktail and food pairing.
BlueCart and BinWise: Ultimate Tools for Hospitality Businesses
BlueCart is used by different types of companies in the hospitality sector. Our platform allows managers to find suppliers, manage inventory, and track their profitability. Furthermore, BlueCart is among the best solutions for both specialized and broadline distributors. If you wish to inspect BlueCart’s features for suppliers, schedule a demo today. Restaurant businesses can sign up for BlueCart easily as well. On the other hand, if you’re looking for software that helps you with wine list menu management, BinWise is the product for you.