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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/504798
www.cheersonline.com 43 May 2015 • for a good value," says Block. "It was the right time for it, and it was highly popular." In general, Legal Sea Foods finds that the wine selected for an LTO "has to do with what we think will get our objectives met, and it has to be exciting, but not too obscure," Block says. "Plus, we consider what varietals go well with seafood, and would make for a learning experience for the team." Educating employees is a core component of the Legal Sea Foods LTO programs. The company rewards waitstaff who can build buzz among customers about the wines. "We want them to learn about the wines and then want to compete in the in-restaurant contests," says Block. "The managers at each restaurant pick different goals and prizes to get the wait staff excited." Of course, you have to balance that with hospitality, he adds. "If someone orders a steak, we don't want the waitstaff recommending a white wine. It has to be all about pleasing the guest." PROMOTING THE LTOS Social media is huge in promoting LTOs. The special, limited- time nature of these menu items align naturally with the type of experiences people typically post about on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on. Advertisements in and outside the restaurants also help sell limited-time promotions. From feature menus to table tents to inserts to banners, there are many methods to reach customers once they've arrived. "Anything that helps subliminally helps to sell the items," says Waldschmidt. "The photography on the menu is huge. Server suggestions help, too." Outback also makes sure that the presentation of LTO drinks stands out from the other beverages, she says. "When the server brings the drink through the dining room, people look at it and go, 'Wow, I want one of those'." For instance, Waldschmidt adds, "when we did the Watermelon Margarita, instead of normal white salt we put Hawaiian black lava salt around the glass's rim. People would notice it and talk about it." RESEARCH, PREPARE AND TEST As with many aspects of the business, much time and effort go into evaluating potential LTOs long before they become available to customers. "We're usually testing LTOs six to 12 months out," says Waldschmidt. "We like to test a seasonal beverage in the season that they'd eventually be featured in, to get a better idea about how customers feel about them." So Outback test-drove the winter 2015 seasonals in 2014. "For LTOs that aren't so seasonally based, we have a shorter turnaround, usually six to eight months or so," she says. This leaves plenty of time for beverage managers to determine whether an LTO is attractive in flavor, but logistically unfeasible. "We looked at blood orange for our Margaritas," says Waldschmidt. "But we realized how difficult they would be to get, with pretty much just a four-week window to get them, and realized that we couldn't do that." Legal Sea Foods is careful when picking parts of the globe to feature for its wine program. "It can't be too limiting in one style or region," says Block. "We looked into German wines, but that region didn't have enough reds, at least among what I tasted." You also need to plan ahead to avoid the worst-case scenario: running out of a specialty item before its advertised window of availability closes. To ensure that it can deliver on its LTOs, Red Robin works hard to make sure that it is forecasting appropriately, says Ruch. "And we also work with our suppliers to make sure there's no issue on their end. They do a really good job of holding onto product and making sure Red Robin is taken care of." And if it does well, the LTO can later be put on the core menu, Ruch says. "Some of our beer shakes have made it onto the core menu because they exceeded their forecasts." Despite the best-laid plans and projections, operators can sometimes be caught off guard at the demand for LTOs. "We ran out of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy two summers ago, and had no replacement," remembers Waldschmidt. "But I think people are more willing to forgive you of that when it's a seasonal item. They know that things go out of season." What does Outback do when this happens? "We have the next seasonal ready to go on the back of our special menu, and we can flip it around when necessary," says Waldschmidt. THE LOWDOWN ON LTOS Red Robin this past fall offered a Divalicious Red Wine Shake LTO, made with Little Black Dress Divalicious Red wine, Pinnacle Whipped vodka, raspberry purée and vanilla soft serve.