And you use a smaller shaker. Super-premium cognacs fuel an association with elegance. They're expensive and some even come with their own crystal serving glasses. Some people are intimidated by the price. This way, it seems less threatening.
Taste is critical in selling coffee, though the markup is worth it.
One of the best decisions made by Executive Chef Tim Bryant and Antoinette Laney, food and beverage manager for The Mayfair Hotel in St. Louis, was installing an espresso-cappuccino machine at the bar. Sales packages from coffee purveyors included free in-house training for all staff. Since banquets generate profits for hotels, Larry Scott, banquet manager for Union Station Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., maximized sales by checking out the competition. In promoting wine sales he included wine suggestions on banquet menus. Then he set up back bars at banquets with 15 types of cordials.