More revenue with less alcohol

Since I started going out to eat with my pregnant wife, it has become truly clear to me how poorly—and fortunately sometimes also how well—restaurant owners cater to people who do not drink alcohol. When we go out to eat, we almost always drink wine with our dishes. Partly out of habit, but mainly because we like it best. In recent months, however, this has suddenly ceased to be a given, at least for my wife. Unfortunately, as a result, we are often confronted with how poorly the hospitality industry caters to the demand for non-alcoholic beverages.

It often starts right away with the aperitif: “I’d like a glass of those delicious bubbles, please, and do you also have a nice non-alcoholic aperitif for my pregnant wife?” Unfortunately, many restaurants don’t go beyond the standard selection of soft drinks, neither for the aperitif nor to accompany the rest of the dinner. Drinking cola with dinner might be a treat when you’re twelve, but I wouldn’t recommend it with your four-course meal, especially not in a seafood restaurant. That is why, lately, my wife unfortunately often doesn’t get much further than bottled water and coffee. A terrible shame.

Fortunately, there are also restaurants that cater well to the demand for alcohol-free options. Unfortunately, however, you often have to look to the higher end for this. For instance, we dined at restaurant Seinpost in Scheveningen, where the alcohol-free experience kicked off with an aperitif of Crodino and spring water with a red fruit “ice cube” that slowly dissolved in the glass. This was followed by a tea pairing featuring a matching tea with every course, served by the tea sommelier. Light herbal blends accompanied the starters, building up to a Lapsang tea with a powerful smoky flavor with the main course.

At Bistro Pastis in Copenhagen, my wife drank the delicious drinks from Luscumbe, and at the restaurant Oliver and the Black Circus in the same city, she had a matching mocktail (alcohol-free cocktail) with every course. All ordered in addition to the bottled water that is standard on the table. So, all extra revenue.

Author: Niek Timmermans, advisor to Van Spronsen & Partners hospitality consultancy.

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