FSR February 2023

L IQUID INTELL IGENCE

to feel more special because they can only get that beer from you, consider moving forward, says Craig Barber, CEO of O’Charley’s and 99 Restaurants. Barber adds that operators should ask themselves a number of questions: what kinds of beers diners like; who the local breweries are and how they can help; what the framework of the brand and menu looks like; and how restaurants can create that emotional connection through their beverage offerings. All these, he says, invite consumers to

spend their hard-earned dollars at your restaurant over others. “We have great food, but nowwe have a signature beer: Underground Chuck’s, a signature offering that separates us and puts us in a different category,” Bar ber says. Underground Chuck’s is a light

ican eats like chicken tender nachos, ribs, and salmon. Operators should check with brewer ies to see if they can handle the proper volume and f lavors for your concept, says Cristina Suarez, beverage director at Kush Hospitality in Miami. Across

lager, created by Fat Bottom Brewing in O’Charley’s head quarters of Nashville, Tennes see. Its neutral palate com plements the brand’s menu, which is filled with all-Amer

“When you partner with a local brewery, it’s another hook to bring people through the doors.”

UPTOWN HOSPITALITY CUSTOMIZES ITS EXCLUSIVE BEERS TO FIT THE RESTAURANTS IN ITS PORTFOLIO.

LUKE HIGGS PHOTOGRAPHY / UPTOWN HOSPITALITY

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