Advantages of a Wine Menu App for Bars & Restaurants

With sales of iPads and other tablets increasing every year, the restaurant industry now has a way to help improve its own business through mobile technology. Interactive menus are sweeping through restaurants to great acclaim, and wine menu apps are showing particular potential for improving guests’ experiences.

Complement to Sommeliers

Wine menu apps are helpful whether a restaurant has a sommelier on staff or not. For smaller restaurants, a tablet wine app can help customers feel secure in their decisions without the guidance of a professional sommelier.  For restaurants that do have one, sommeliers are notoriously busy. Providing a digital wine menu allows guests to narrow down their selection and ask the sommelier to help make the final decision. With guests handling their own research and signaling their level of interest, wine experts and wait staff are able to provide more targeted recommendations. Members of the wait staff can also benefit from digital wine lists as a staff training tool.

Improved Wine Menu Handling

A constant problem for people with poor or maturing eyesight is simply being able to read wine lists. With fonts smaller to allow the full menu to fit on one page coupled with the romantically dim lighting common at dinner time, some patrons just have a frustrating time making out what is on a paper wine list. Digital wine lists, however, neatly avoid both problems. Tablet wine menus dedicate an entire page to each wine, creating an easy-to-read, comfortably sized display. The backlit screens also provide guests with clear visibility without having to shift around trying to find a better light. Overall, handling an interactive wine menu contributes to a more comfortable restaurant experience.

More Background and Details

Without space limitations, digital wine menus can list vastly more information on each bottle of wine than would be possible on a paper wine list. Wine menu apps can easily include ratings, tasting notes, producers, region of origin, food pairings, and more. The rich descriptions also feel very accessible to guests, who are able to leisurely investigate the details of the wines that interest them. Through a wine menu app, even while guests are deciding on which bottle to have with dinner, they are educating themselves on different types of wine, how to better appreciate wine, and what pairings will enhance their meal. Particularly in the restaurant and bar setting, a more informed and engaged customer is better one.

Customer Self-Upsell

The amount of new information that diners have about the wine list gives them the confidence to try more adventurous bottles with higher price tags. Instead of heading directly for safer options that require less of an investment if the bottle is not a table’s favorite, guests can find just the one they’re in the mood for. Without the sense of taking a risk on the unknown, guests can choose new wines with confidence. On average, bars and restaurants that introduce digital wine lists see a 20% increase in wine sales for this reason. Guests essentially upsell themselves when they have access to more information about their potential purchases.

For more information about how a digital wine menu can improve the restaurant or bar experience for your guests, contact CorkGuru.