of the mocktails there, because mocktails definitely appeal to younger customers (who aren’t likely to see the alcoholic beverage menu). Boston’s The Gourmet Pizza ( www.bostonsgour met.com), a chain based in Dallas, unveiled in 2007 its new kids menu offerings with several mocktail choices, such as Sour Apple Soda and Strawberry Melonade (a strawberry-watermelon lemonade). “They’re on our kids menus at all times, and also rotate onto our promotional menu,” says Erika Buesing, director of marketing for Boston’s. “We just featured them on our summer promotional menu.” Keep in mind that, as with any menu, wording can make or break the sale. Use mouth-watering descriptions that make customers want to try the drinks. Also point out any special features of the drinks, such as “all natural,” “made with organic juice,” or “topped off with a wedge of juicy pineapple.” Technomic’s Beverage Consumer Trend Report found that using certain terms can appeal to customers’ health-conscious sides and increase the perceived quality of the drinks: 38% of consumer respondents said that the description “100% fruit juice” would make them more likely to order the beverage, while 32% said that the phrase “natural ingredients” would entice them to buy. And don’t hesitate to show the drinks to guests; add them to table tents and menus to encourage impulse buys. Some

Cranberry Kiss (provided by Ocean Spray)

6 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail 1 oz. orange juice Club soda Orange wedge, for garnish

Pour cranberry juice and orange juice into a glass with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with an orange wedge. Makes 1 serving.

manufacturers of mocktail ingredients or equipment, such as drink mix or ice-blended machine companies, offer point-of-sale materials, such as signs, posters, etc., to help with the visual aspect of marketing. “I would also suggest that the restaurant display the flavored syrup bottles, just as a bar would display its high-end liquors on a glass shelf behind the bar,” advises Robertson. “They are truly a selling point as well.”

Sampling and specials. Offering samples to customers is an effective way to advertise your specialty beverages, because once customers taste them, they’re more likely to purchase the full size (just make sure the sample is delicious!). “We sample on our busiest nights,” says Robertson. “We create a couple of pitchers of the mocktails and have the host walk through the waiting area, pouring samples for our guests. A pizzeria owner might even want to do a drink special on certain nights—the Nonalcoholic Happy Hour, when all mocktails are half-price with the purchase of a pizza.”

Even the mere sight of fun mocktails can get customers hankering to try them. “We know of operators who send servers walking through the dining room with a tray full of incredible drinks just to entice sales,” says Stroker. “A beautiful drink has great ‘me-too’ potential!”

LTO options. Limited-time-only beverages make up another area that is growing in the restaurant world, so why not combine these two trends and offer some LTO mocktails? “A great way to market new offerings without diluting the current beverage menu is to offer specialty mocktail drinks as LTOs,” says Stroker. “By introducing these new unique drinks in that manner, they’re likely to generate more interest and trial.”

Through making an LTO offer, you’ll also be able to determine which flavor combinations are most popular with your customers, helping you decide which should be added to the permanent menu. “Promoting mocktails as limited-time offers is a good way for pizzeria operators to experiment and gauge the demand of their patrons,” says Thoresen. “But managing a revolving portfolio of LTOs in a profitable manner presents a number of challenges, so careful monitoring is essential.”

Pricing. When it comes to pricing your mocktails, you want to make sure you’re making sufficient profit, but you also don’t want to price them so high that no one buys. “You must ensure your target food and beverage costs are met; we target our cost for nonalcoholic drinks at 28%,” explains Robertson. “The conflicting side is the need to ensure that there’s a tangible price/ value relationship, and that the product is not priced beyond the customer’s value range.” He goes on to note that, once pricing is set, strict control—of pours, giveaways and mistakes—is key to ensuring that profits stay in line with predictions. But, ultimately, the consensus is clear: Mocktails can be very profitable. “They allow you to raise your per-person average by at least $1 to $1.25,” he says.