FEATURES: How to Build Profitable Cocktail Menus Guests Will Love
Building Cocktail Menus That Feel Familiar, Fresh, and Worth Every Peso
Cocktails are thriving in venues where guests are more selective about how they spend. In an environment where a craft beer or glass of wine can feel ordinary, a well-made cocktail often delivers better perceived value: something crafted, layered, and a little more special for the night out. Australian operators Jacob Crane of Sydney’s Highfield Hotel and veteran bartender-turned-consultant Natalie Ng have seen this shift up close, and their approach offers useful lessons for bars, hotels, and resorts across the globe.
Jacob Crane, General Manager and licensee of the Highfield Hotel (part of the Feros Group), notes that guests are still willing to spend, but they want the spend to feel justified. A cocktail sitting in the same price band as a beer or wine can win because the experience of something mixed to order carries an extra sense of occasion. “When people do go out, the night feels more considered,” he explains, “and a cocktail helps mark it as special.”
Recognition over pure novelty
Successful menus, Crane finds, lean on recognizable flavor cues rather than pure abstraction. At Highfield, this has included drinks inspired by classic Australian confectionery, such as the Sour Strap cocktail, which echoes the taste of a school-canteen lolly and is garnished with the candy itself so guests immediately understand the profile. A current favorite reworks the Espresso Martini with cold foam, riding the popularity of cold-foam coffee drinks.
The same principle travels easily to Philippine venues. Calamansi, mango, ube, pandan, or familiar local sweets can create the same “I know what this will taste like” connection while still feeling contemporary. Guests are more likely to order, and re-order, when the flavor promise is clear.
Menu architecture and shifting tastes
Crane’s team structures the list deliberately: a balance of vodka and tequila bases, bright red-fruit notes, a few blue options, confectionery-style drinks, and visually striking pink, purple, or red cocktails served in coupes with foam and garnishes of rosemary, fruit, or flowers. Classics such as the Pornstar Martini or Appletini continue to perform because they photograph well, drink easily, and feel familiar.
One notable change is in male drinking habits. Younger men, influenced by the explosion of ready-to-drink options, are far more open to colorful, floral-garnished drinks than earlier generations. “We’re seeing guys walking around on a Friday night with beautiful pink cocktails, and they’re loving them,” Crane says. In Asian markets, where RTDs and lighter drinking styles are also gaining ground, this openness expands what a menu can successfully offer.
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