As most of you know, we have had several changes and updates in Food and Beverage over the last few years. One of our biggest challenges: proper training of servers and bartenders. Trying to keep up with the turnover of staff feels like running in place, and while we are doing so, training gets a back seat to dealing with immediate in-service problems.
Turnover is detrimental to upholding standards of service, including basics such as portion sizes, prices of drinks and what items are in stock. Turnover is a many-faceted issue and I am taking it on one item at a time. The biggest thing to remember is that for there to be training there needs to be a standard. Thus, the subject central to today's post is serving sizes at the bar.
Bar pouring standards are close to universal in the industry, and our standards are in keeping with industry standards. Above all, I want to stress that questions, concerns, and even frustration should be directed at me, not an hourly team member who is simply following our training and not a policy-maker. I can't promise that we will always agree but I will certainly listen to your point of view. I have observed some negative feedback recently and wish to encourage you to direct that feedback to me-- after all the buck stops here.
To clarify, I'm not on a soap box regarding the dangers or evils of alcohol (that would be hypocritical of me at best) but I am hearing some pretty loud grumbles directed at the team lately and so I feel it is necessary to clarify that a spotlight on training standard portioning is not about cutting costs or trying to spoiling fun. I am glad to claim that we serve the most reasonably- (and probably lowest-) cost glass of wine in town. If anyone disagrees please let me know!
I welcome your feedback. I am regularly available Monday through Friday from 9AM -6PM most days. I can be reached at 720 348 7810, or at gstrickland@viliving.com or just ask to speak to me. The servers don't make decisions about portion sizes, wine lists, hours of operation, reservation systems, or most policies. So, come to the source and we can have a friendly and spirited (see what I did there?) discussion.
Portioning Standards: Why it is Critical to Consistency
It's very important to know what "a serving" is-- whether it's wine, Filet mignon or peanuts. In the Kitchen, do we simply hack of a piece of meat and call it a steak? Of course not. The cooks are told what to portion, how to cut and how to cook it, that is their training. The bar is no different. We provide all the training necessary to perform a job, and our team members should be diligent in following it to ensure a consistent resident experience. It's our job to manage the standard serving of "a glass of wine" so that our residents can say with confidence (for instance): "I've had only two glasses of wine." If pouring standards are not followed, the amount in those two glasses could be considerably different. On the management and stocking side, consistency in pouring standards allow our management team and purchasing team control the budget. It wouldn't be a responsible business practice if each individual resident determined how big a portion is and what will be paid for it.
When discussing alcohol consumption it's very important that we are using the same nomenclature and the same size servings. The National Institute of Health has some very specific guidelines on what is a safe level of consumption, and of course when doing so they use the same standard portions as the Court of Master Sommeliers, the National Bartenders Association and the Wine Spectator. We at Vi have adopted these same standards and guidelines as our own.
This is not new. If you have been here for more than five years, you remember that wine pours at Vi were pretty consistent with restaurants and clubs across the country. Sometime during COVID and the rapid turnover of managment, team members may not have been fully trained in how to properly serve wine, beer and liquor. A couple of months ago, I watched a server who had been here a month pick up wine from a bartender who had been here a week and deliver it to a table. The glasses were filled nearly to the rim, and by my estimation there was about ten ounces of wine in each glass-- nearly half a bottle each. I investigated, and the Bartender reported negative resident feedback about the standard pour so she adjusted to a larger one to avoid future criticism. As you know we have been through quite a few team members-- particularly bartenders and I feel that it is necessary to redirect constructive criticism and also positively reinforce our training for a consistent resident experience. This way we are all singing from the same songbook and have identical expectations of what a Vi pour or portion is.
Pouring Standards: Vi Portion Sizes for Wine
A standard pour for a glass of red or white wine is 5 ounces. That means a standard 750 ml bottle of wine should get exactly five glasses. To be honest I really don't care if it's six ounces but we have to have a target to aim for.
There are a couple of exceptions to this rule.Â
Dessert wines – these wines, like a delicious dessert, are meant to be enjoyed in smaller quantities. When serving dessert wine, the standard is 2 ounces.Â
Fortified wines – this is a wine that has a distilled spirit added to it to increase its alcohol content. Sherry and port are good examples of fortified wines. When serving these beverages, a standard pour is closer to 3 ounces.Â
Wine tastings – Wine tasting pours are between 2 and 3 ounces. Â
There are wine pourers and glasses with pour lines that can help ensure a more accurate standard pour. The problem is that wine glasses are designed to funnel the aromas of the particular wine in such a way that the drinker gets the maximum benefit of flavor-- not for displaying the pour in the best light. The best rule of thumb is to aim for the widest part of the glass-- often called the "bowl" of the glass-- in most standard wine glasses that is the 5 to 6 ounce mark. Â Â Â
Pouring Standards: Vi Portion Sizes for Spirits
What about for spirits? A standard pour for 80 proof liquor is 1.5 fluid ounces when serving shots and single mixer drinks.  A double is 2-3 ounces.
Our standard pour at Vi, if one orders liquor on the rocks or neat is 2 ounces-- or two fingers if you like- the amount is the same.Â
In summary, we use pouring standards because they are good business practice. They demonstrate value for posted price and consistency of service. Pouring standards allow our residents and their guests to be confident in measuring safe consumption. They allow our team to manage inventory and budget. To keep the resident experience a consistent one, our team must be trained for and utilize universal standards and portioning.
And, remember that while I have a responsibility to our residents to uphold high standards of service and experience, I also have a responsibility to shepherd my team members and ensure their workplace atmosphere is professional and pleasant. When/if you have constructive criticism about our policies and standards, please discuss them with me as I am the policy-maker. If you observe any resident-team member conflict, please let me know, and I will personally reach out and have a discussion with them about this or any other concern they may have.
Thank you all for your support.
