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How Jules Boosted His Revenue Thanks to Drinks at the Restaurant

Claire Brunaud
Sep 9, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Sep 18, 2025

When we talk about profitability, we usually think about food. But in the story of Jules, a restaurant owner in Lyon, it was drinks at the restaurant that made all the difference.

The context

Jules runs a well-established neighborhood brasserie. Regulars come for the dish of the day, the terrace in summer, and his famous homemade tiramisu.

As for drinks, the offer was “classic”: two draft beers, a few wines, some sodas. Nothing more.

Result: the average ticket was stuck, and Jules felt that while his customers were drinking, beverages didn’t really make an impact on his margins.

The problem

By talking with his staff and observing the dining room, Jules identified three weak points:

A poor drinks menu: no cocktails, very few non-alcoholic options.
Almost no promotion: the drinks menu went unnoticed.
Lack of visibility on customer habits: Jules “knew by instinct” that beer sold better in the evening… but he couldn’t quantify it.

The change

Jules decided to rethink his drinks strategy. No big revolution was needed—just a few well-targeted adjustments.

Diversify: he added 3 easy-to-make cocktails (Spritz, Mojito, Virgin Mojito).
Highlight: a new clear, visual drinks menu with suggestions up front.
Train: his staff learned to always suggest the right drink (a cocktail for the aperitif, a coffee after the meal).
Observe: he started tracking key moments (Thursday afterwork, weekends) and the most dynamic categories.

The results

Within two months, the results were clear:

+18% on the average ticket, thanks to cocktails and premium soft drinks.
+25% draft beer sales by systematically suggesting the 50cl size in the evening.
Strong positive feedback from customers, who found the drinks menu more modern and suited to their tastes.