Case Study | Cocktail Bar
Inventory Loss & Overpour Prevention
Client Profile
A stylish craft cocktail bar in an undisclosed Southeast Asian city, known for its creative drinks and strong social media presence, approached Adaline & Agamemnon after noticing inconsistencies between reported sales and actual liquor usage. The bar was busy every weekend, yet profits weren’t aligning with stock levels.
Challenges Identified
- No formal system to track daily liquor usage or bar waste
- Staff overpouring and unlogged “complimentary” drinks went unnoticed
- Inventory count was conducted irregularly, and stock reports were not reconciled with sales
- POS system wasn’t linked to back-bar inventory, making real-time tracking impossible
Services Delivered
- Inventory Audit & Reconciliation
- Overpour Prevention Plan
- POS–Stock System Setup
- Staff Training & Risk Communication Framework
- Complimentary Drink Policy & Weekly Stock Reporting Template
Services Delivered
- Inventory Audit & Reconciliation
- Overpour Prevention Plan
- POS–Stock System Setup
- Staff Training & Risk Communication Framework
- Complimentary Drink Policy & Weekly Stock Reporting Template
- Conducted a full inventory review across spirits, mixers, and garnishes
- Identified discrepancies between stock levels and reported sales over a 6-week sample
- Flagged inconsistent ordering patterns and lack of accountability around bottle depletion
- Created standard pour size chart by glassware, spirit, and cocktail type
- Trained bar staff on proper pour technique and use of jiggers for consistency
- Introduced a weekly “loss log” for team transparency and trust-based accountability
- Suggested a separate comp drink tracking system to maintain culture without killing margin
- Recommended POS upgrade that integrated with inventory tracking
- Set up daily closing procedure with expected bottle depletion tracking per shift
- Introduced reorder alerts and low-stock flags for stockroom control
Outcomes
- Reduced liquor overuse by 24% in the first 2 months
- Improved inventory accuracy and reduced untracked “shrinkage” by 60%
- Established culture of accountability and transparency without micromanaging staff
- Owner now receives weekly inventory-to-sales reports and restocking alerts automatically
Client Feedback
“We didn’t realize how much we were losing until the numbers were right in front of us. Lisa helped us tighten our systems without killing the vibe. Now our margins are up and the team actually feels more confident and supported.
Case Study | Contemporary bistro
Menu Engineering & Profit Restructure
Client Profile
A well-reviewed contemporary bistro with steady walk-in traffic reached out after noticing that, despite positive guest feedback, average ticket sizes were flat and certain dishes weren’t moving as expected. The owner mentioned it is busy and full house during lunch and dinner hours; however, profitability was lower than expected. They suspected the menu layout and pricing structure were working against their revenue goals
Challenges Identified
- The menu lacked visual flow and category balance
- High-margin dishes were buried or presented without contrast
- Pricing didn’t reflect prep effort or cost structures
- Too many similar mid-priced dishes made it hard for guests to decide
- Staff weren’t consistently recommending the most profitable items
Services Delivered
Menu Performance Audit
- Reviewed 3 months of sales data by item, margin, and ordering frequency
- Identified “silent heroes” (high-margin but under-ordered) and “dead weight” items
- Mapped guest psychology vs. menu layout (eye flow, pricing clusters, decision fatigue)
Menu Structure Redesign
- Restructured categories to reduce friction and boost perceived value
- Applied price anchoring, decoy items, and bundling strategies
- Introduced a small “highlighted picks” section to draw attention to best-sellers
- Added icons and visual cues to differentiate high-margin recommendations
Staff Training & Menu Communication
- Trained front-of-house staff to confidently upsell key items
- Created language guidelines for suggestive selling and pairing
- Introduced a table-side strategy for explaining limited-quantity or premium dishes
Outcomes
- Average ticket value increased by 17% within 4 weeks
- One formerly underperforming entrée became a top-3 seller through visual promotion and team advocacy
- Simplified prep workload by phasing out low-rotation items with high kitchen complexity
- Staff reported more confidence in recommending dishes—and better guest engagement at the table
Client Feedback
“We thought our menu was working because guests seemed happy. But once we saw how the numbers aligned with guest behavior, it became clear we needed a strategic reset. This process made our menu not just easier to read, but easier to profit from.”
Services Provided
- Menu Performance Audit
- Strategic Menu Layout Redesign
- Profit-Optimized Pricing & Category Planning
- Staff Menu Communication Briefing
- Guest Behavior vs. Sales Alignment Map