How bars can save thousands of pounds!
In the world of bartending, a seemingly small detail - like the thickness of a lemon slice - can have a significant impact on margin, and therefore profitability. Let’s start with a simple fact: the average cost of a lemon in the UK is 30p. And, whilst this could be regarded as being relatively inexpensive in the overall scheme of things, how it’s sliced can determine how much money your bar spends, or more precisely, wastes, each year.
The ideal lemon slice for cocktails is 4mm thick. Why? Because a thinner slice (3mm) disintegrates too quickly, losing both its visual appeal and flavour much too fast. A thicker slice (5mm or more) doesn’t add any extra benefit and so you are just giving away a percentage of the lemon for nothing. However, research carried out in pubs and bars shows that the average thickness of lemon slices cut by hand, which is how nearly all of them do it, is a whopping 7mm! That’s 3mm too thick. Although that doesn’t sound like much, look at it this way: for every lemon sliced, well over 40% of it is being wasted due to those extra millimetres. For a large, busy bar using around 80 lemons per day, that wasted portion adds up quickly. In fact, bars cutting by hand are throwing away just over £10 worth of lemons each day, every day. Over the course of a year that amounts to over £3,700 gone - literally sliced away.
But there is a solution:
Invest in precision. For under £1,000, you can buy a machine that guarantees consistent 4mm lemon slices every time. With the average machine paying for itself in less than three months, the savings are immediate. Plus, think about the time saved on labour, not just slicing lemons but prepping other garnishes and ingredients. Even better, with an average lifespan of over seven years, the savings just from lemons alone can add up to over £25,000 in extra profit. That’s 25 times the initial investment. Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Small changes, like using a precision slicer for lemons, can have a huge impact on your bar’s profitability. It’s not just about saving fruit; it’s about optimising every step of your process to maximise efficiency and profits. So why slice away your profits when a simple investment can yield long-term savings? Start saving now by giving us a call!