A Hotel Chain Boosted Sales By Getting Rid Of Fancy Cocktails

Omni Hotels & Resorts spent years innovating a creative cocktail menu with elaborate ingredients and flourishes, Vice President David Morgan told Nation's Restaurant News.

But when the cocktails weren't selling, the hotel chain began investigating and found two major problems.

First, executives found that customers didn't want cocktails they didn't recognize. Instead, they wanted to shell out for perfectly-made classics like a Manhattan or gin and tonic.

"When you're developing your signature cocktails, you have to know who your customers are, and who your servers are," Morgan told the publication.

Another problem was that servers and bartenders weren't pitching the drinks because they were too difficult to make.

Morgan's team came up with a menu of signature cocktails. They also provided servers with detailed instructions and facts about the liquors.

For instance, the Ultimate Martini is made from rye-based Polish vodka that has hints of vanilla, rye, and lemon peel.

Omni's new menu, and subsequent success, could change how companies think about cocktails.