Steak and wine: two of the highest-value items on your menu. They're both all about pleasure and satisfaction, and this special synergy they have can translate into a profit-boosting strategy for you.
When guests order steak, they're already more likely to have a glass of wine. Use these upselling tips to ensure they actually order that glass.
- List one or two recommended wines by the glass or bottle adjacent to steak items, to simplify that upsell for both the staff and the patron.
- Conduct waitstaff tastings showcasing great steak and wine pairings. The more your staff enjoys a pairing, the more likely they’ll be to sell it.
- Give your staff plenty of descriptive language to bring pairings to life: "We have a really juicy, fruit-forward Zinfandel that will be perfect with that.”
- Offer a taste of a by-the-glass wine when the steak is brought to the table. Tasting the wine with the steak will likely lead to a sale.
- Serve a steak with a wine-based sauce, such as “Zin Is In” bone-in Strip Steak, and pair it with the same varietal by the glass or bottle.
- Invite winemakers to participate in special winemaker dinners focused on beef and wine pairing.
Contributed By: The Beef Checkoff
