Len Panaggio, Beverage Consultant

By Len Panaggio

March is always a challenging month in the hospitality industry. The weather is usually cold and damp and it’s a battle to get folks to leave the comfort of their homes for restaurants or bars. But there are a few things to look forward to this month, including daylight saving time on March 10 and St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. The latter provides a much-needed windfall for restaurants and bars, especially where there are big celebrations, like in Providence or Newport.

And as the days grow longer and the sun gets stronger, the arrival of spring happens on March 19, which corresponds with the start of the NCAA basketball tournament. This certainly can provide an uptick in bar business, especially in the early rounds when games are seemingly played all day and night. Also, this year, the Easter bunny hops in early on March 31, offering a nice opportunity to gain additional business this month.

Looking ahead during this relatively quiet time between the holidays and Memorial Day, I have noticed the trending return of themed specialty dinners. Once popular, COVID-19 and a down economy put them on the back burner for the last several years, but they are coming back and are being embraced by consumers who are hungry for new experiences. They also give the culinary team an opportunity to experiment and, marketed properly, may even garner coverage from the media.

Traditionally, these dinners were built around wine, then beer dinners started gaining popularity and, lately, spirits dinners are on the rise. The emergence of spirits dinners gives your bar team the opportunity to create specialty cocktails for the dinners, which is exciting! I have seen tequila dinners, bourbon dinners, vodka dinners and Scotch to name a few. I view this as a positive for the industry and something that allows your property to showcase its creativity. Just make sure you do your homework on spirits pairings: You often get one shot to impress customers who might be taking a chance on a specialty dinner.

In marketing specialty dinners, it seems like common sense, but check the spelling of your spirits! It boggles my mind how frequently things are misspelled. Also, make sure that the total cost is easily understood by potential guests. Is it “plus tax and gratuity” or “tax and gratuity included”? A $100 dinner without the proper information could add $28 to the cost and upset unprepared customers. Lastly, be sure to announce the event about a month in advance to give people time to adjust their schedules. Everyone is busy; a week’s notice is, well, weak and makes the event look last-minute and rushed.

All that said, the return of specialty dinners is a very positive thing overall for our industry and your property—and should continue to trend. The benefits of being perceived as going the extra mile, being on top of the latest trends and offering a special experience far outweigh any downside. These dinners require some work and attention to detail, but, in the end, you have created a memorable and unique experience. Customers are craving something special, different and an event to look forward to!

And a reminder: The legislature is in session, and they are once again proposing legislation that could be damaging to your business model. Keep informed on the latest at Smith Hill … there is no excuse for not paying attention to what has the potential to sideline your operations. And, as always, please get involved. Sláinte!

Len Panaggio’s career in food and wine spans more than three decades as an owner and as a beverage director at some of the top restaurants in Rhode Island. Currently a hospitality consultant, Len is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and has attended the Culinary Institute of America Master Sommelier program and the Sterling School of Service and Hospitality.