Innovative Independent :
Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
Making Tiki cocktail magic
The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar in the Fairmont San Francisco hotel , which first opened its doors in 1945 , has long been a Tiki institution and immersive experience . Tables surround a large central “ lagoon ,” which was once the hotel ’ s indoor swimming pool , while tropical rain , thunder and lightning storms occasionally blow through and a band plays from a floating boat .
The hotel recently decided it was time for a major drink menu overhaul for Tonga Room , and in 2023 enlisted the beverage consultancy Liquid Kitchen to spearhead the effort . It was important to preserve the theme and keep the original structure of the drinks , “ adding signature riffs on them with ingredients like our house-made orgeat syrup and Tonga Room ’ s orange Curaçao blend ,” says Kathy Casey , president , Kathy Casey Food Studios � Liquid Kitchen .
A noteworthy enhancement to the beverage menu includes a description under each of the classic Tiki drinks describing the history of the cocktail . “ We also added a signature section to the cocktail menu with inspired Tiki cocktails created exclusively for the concept ,” says Casey . Having an alcohol-free section to the menu was also important to appeal to families with children and non-drinkers .
EYE-CATCHING YET EASY DRINKS
Casey ’ s team focused on creating drinks that the bar team could prepare quickly and easily while delivering Instagram-worthy presentations and exceptional taste — encouraging guests to order more than one . To further enhance the guest experience , they introduced cost-effective and creative drink options to replace the “ have your drink in a pineapple ” upgrade , which had been implemented years prior but is extremely time consuming in today ’ s labor market .
For instance , the riffs on Tiki classic drinks can be topped with the bar ’ s hot pink 151 dragon fruit float , “ which is a fun upsell and so visually vibrant and appealing ,” Casey notes . “ The newly added Colada is also available in a golden Tiki glass that guests can purchase and take home as a souvenir .”
The program implemented a cocktail kitchen that prepares all menu drink batches and garnishes , as well as a week-long intensive front and back-of-house
Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar ' s beverage menu overhaul managed to preserve the Tiki theme and keep the original structure of the drinks .
Left : The Hand-Shaken Colada has been the standout star of the new Tonga Room cocktail menu . Right : Tiki classic drinks such as the Mai Tai can be topped with the bar ’ s hot pink 151 dragon fruit float .
training covering everything from sales techniques to the basics of bartending , batching protocols and bar organization . Casey also developed detailed training resources for each bar , including precision cocktail recipes with presentation photos , prep manuals and operational tools .
POPULAR AND PROFITABLE
Both Tonga Room team members and guests have embraced new cocktails . Profitability has improved as well : Menu costing fell from the 30 % range to an average drink cost of 14.5 %, while still serving spirit-forward and delicious cocktail profiles , Casey says .
The “ Hand-Shaken Colada ,” priced at $ 20 and made with Plantation pineapple rum , Bacardi Superior rum , Giffard pineapple liqueur , cream of coconut , fresh lime , pineapple and orange juices , topped with a Cruzan black strap rum , emerged as the star of the new menu .
The Fairmont San Francisco sold 11,566 Coladas from November 2023 to July 2024 , says Sarah Sims , the hotel ’ s director of food and beverage , generating about $ 255,000 in revenue .
What ’ s more , Tonga Room ’ s average check increased from $ 55.18 in the same period last year to $ 59.18 this year . “ Even with San Francisco being a little sleepier right now , we still welcome an average of 550 covers a night ,” says Sims .– K S
www . cheersonline . com Winter 2024 • Cheers 17