How to upsell wine and spirits

Whether you run a casual neighborhood bar or a high-end restaurant, upselling is essential for boosting sales and creating positive guest experiences that will set your on-premise establishment apart from the rest.

“Upselling isn’t about selling more, it’s about serving better,” says Jason Hart, Director of Sales at Southern Glazer’s in Dallas and a key sponsor of — and whose evolution in his career in hospitality is featured in — our Waitstaff 101 Resource Hub. “The most successful teams use product knowledge and thoughtful recommendations to enhance the guest experience, and the data proves that when hospitality comes first, revenue follows.”  

1. Share your expertise

When your sommelier or servers recommend a specific wine to your patrons, they should share tidbits of their expert knowledge to give guests a more compelling reason to try it. This information can include details about the wine’s region of origin, varietal, vineyard, climate, or tasting notes. Pouring a taste for each person and recommending a bottle for the table (vs. individual glasses) is a great way to upsell, especially when serving a larger group.

2. Suggest a pairing

As your guests are deciding on their food choices, be sure to have wine pairings ready for your staff to suggest. Pairing wines with a seasonal special or regular menu favorite will elevate the dining experience for your customers (and drive a higher check!). Pro tip: Encourage your staff to keep their ears open to the dishes their tables are considering — that way they will have a wine pairing suggestion ready to share.

3. Offer a special vintage

By offering your guests a special vintage bottle of wine, you’re not only creating a great upselling opportunity but also making their visit more memorable. When your customers look back at their time at your bar or restaurant, they’ll remember the personalized service as well as the exceptional sip of wine.

4. Promote a value proposition

If your on-premise establishment offers drink specials on certain days or times — such as Wine Down Wednesday or an early evening happy hour — ensure your staff shares this with your customers during their first touchpoint. Guests may be more willing to order a bottle of wine they wouldn’t have normally considered, enhancing their dining experience and increasing their check.

5. Recommend special-release wines

Recommending a high-margin special release or limited-availability bottle of wine is the perfect way to create a memorable moment for your guests that will build your reputation as a special venue. Emphasizing the quality, rarity, and exclusivity of the wine enables your staff to take advantage of this upselling opportunity.  

1. Provide craftsmanship insight

By framing a premium spirit as an opportunity for guests to enjoy a high-quality product, your staff can encourage higher spending and create an elevated experience. Empower your staff to share specific details about what makes the spirit unique, including aging, type of barrels used, and information about the family who produces it (if applicable).

2. Create a cultural connection

Creating a cultural connection between customers and your drink selection is a great way for your staff to upsell spirits. These types of connections can include geographical information — a distillery in the same local area as your bar or restaurant, for example — along with suggestions for serving and tasting to enhance the experience.

3. Highlight flavor profiles

Train your staff to explain the flavor profiles of your beverage offerings. Certain flavors pair well with food, in a cocktail, or simply on the rocks. Whether your guests are seeking familiar flavors or open to tasting something new, these flavor descriptions will help them appreciate their beverage even more.

4. Share mixology tips

When your customers order cocktails, your bartenders and servers have the perfect chance to upsell with premium spirits that will complement a guest’s cocktail of choice, such as a 100% blue agave tequila for a margarita or a reserve whiskey for an old fashioned. Your staff do this in combination with our tips above on craftsmanship, cultural connections, and flavor profiles to make their spirit recommendations even more compelling.

5. Offer limited-edition spirits

Offering a limited-production spirit to your guests will give them a memory of your bar or restaurant that should bring them back for years to come. Though the price tag of these top-shelf spirits may be intimidating to some, instilling confidence in your staff to share what makes these products worth trying is key to upselling. Ultimately, you’re crafting an outstanding guest experience, not just making a sale.

“Excellence in service unlocks the power of word of mouth," says Catalina Lara, Senior Director of On-Premise Sales at Southern Glazer’s in Dallas. “When guests have an outstanding experience, they turn into repeat customers who spread the word to their friends and family, acting as marketing agents for your business.”  

With more than 19,000 certifications in wine, spirits, beer, sake, and more, Southern Glazer’s hospitality leaders have proven expertise and insights that can help you grow a successful on-premise business. We developed the Waitstaff 101™ Resource Hub to share valuable resources and tools that will equip you to boost sales, upsell wine and spirits, and increase your servers’ tips.

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