Bars, Restaurants, and Trends: Bangkok 2015

Already beyond the half-way point of 2015, it's shaping up to be an interesting year. Here are some of the more interesting 'trends' we've witnessed in Bangkok through the first 7 months.

1.) Paper Cocktail Straws are this year's Mason Jars

While they do get soggy if they sit in your cocktail for too long, they add a lot of color and flair to your drink. Give it another 4 months before we se them everywhere. Just like the Mason Jars.

2.) Will Monster Soda be able to take a market share of the already crowded Thai energy drink scene?

3 years ago, Thailand was introduced to the European / American version of Red Bull. Now, and slowly, we start to see Monster sodas on the shelves at Gourmet Markets and Villa. But at 125 THB a pop, will they be able to make it into a market already saturated with energy drinks? Thailand could sure use their deep sponsorship funds........

3.) Leo Beer on the Rise 

Seeking that little extra flavor of Thailand? Or perhaps a local ex-beer-ience? Many people are. Singha beer's sidekick sibling is quickly emerging as the hip, 'beer-in-the-know.' But hang on.....shouldn't "Leo" be a Lion?" What's up with the Leopard?

4.) Screwdriver listed on your cocktail menu? Really? Cape Cod too? 

Every space on a restaurant or cocktail menu is valuable real estate. Yet, we still see too many menus with simple, standard cocktails listed. We're looking at you hotels. With so many other alternatives to suggest, why offer a drink on your menu that shows no creativity (or interest) and immediately dates you back to 1987.

5.) Where Does Service Charge Go?

The second part of "plus plus" is the staff service charge. With an automatic 10% added to your dining bill, where does this charge go? Does it go to the staff? Does it go the house? When the staff ignores you all night, is the service charge warranted? If the staff is great, are you expected to 'tip' on top of the service charge? Always a complex issue, but one that always stirs up a good debate and some tough answers.

6.) Pirated "Fresh Products" and "Organic" products?

In a country that pirates everything from watches to luxury hand bags, what's keeping the country from pirating 'organic' produce or even 'fresh' items? Ever wonder why that fresh fish tastes a little frozen? But hey, the menu states "fresh." And that 'organic' coconut water. Are you sure? Is that Rolex real?
There are some really good venues keeping things honest, but at the same time, there are some that are not.

7.) The Use of Professional Consultants

With the Thai baht losing strength amid political uncertainty, we'll see more hotels look to bring on freelance consultants to assist where needed. These needs will likely be in concept development, operations, and the bar. Unwilling to risk hiring any more highly paid expats or obtaining the always tough to get work-permit, hiring a seasoned professional for a couple of weeks or a couple of months will be the sound thing to do. www.evolution48.com

8.) Filipino Staff are Making an Impact

1-2 years ago, only a handful of restaurants were employing Filipino staff. With many restaurants and bars catering to English speaking guests, English speaking (and perhaps a bit more passionate??) staff have become a huge advantage. We now see many, many more restaurants with Filipino staff. And for the ASEAN agreement for the end of 2015? No one seems to know.

9.) You Better Have a Bunch of Mobile Device Chargers

It's now assumed that all restaurants and bars will offer complimentary Wi-Fi. But this year's Wi-Fi is having somewhere to plug in your phone......ideally close to your dining table, if not on the table itself.

10.) Infographics

Let's face it, other than a good Stephen King novel, nobody's reading anything longer than 2 pages. So then, your restaurant manual (which has been pieced together from manuals at the Hard Rock, Hyatt, and Sheraton) is about 118 pages too long. The answer? Pictures or "Infographics."

11.) The Argument in a Thai Restaurant: "But I Can Get This Same Dish on the Street for 30 Baht" is invalid.

Yes, you can get a great tasting plate of kra-pow gai on the street for 30 baht. You can also get a hungry rodent scurrying up your leg or a cockroach crawling across your toes. You can even get this with extra-strength pollution sprinkled on top. It's all Bangkok experience, right? Right.

12.) Culinary Schools to Start Adding more Cocktail/ Beer Appreciation Courses

The culinary schools are everywhere. The ones that do well, however, will be wise to offer a couple of cocktail classes or beer appreciation courses. The interest is there.

13.) The Return to Fun

Think it's time that we move away from the waxed mustaches and suspender wearing bartenders making drinks with 43 ingredients in them (and take 30 minutes to make). Got anything that you can make in a couple of minutes, tastes great, and just makes me want to have FUN? The bartender smiles, "How about a Mezcal Margarita?"

14.) Free Standing Restaurants

​With hotels understanding that hotel guests prefer to eat 'outside' the hotel, we'll continue to see more hotels turn their in-house food & beverage concepts over to stand-alone, or freestanding restauranteurs. The advantages are simply too many. That freestanding restaurants are more appealing to the local market tops this beneficial list.

15.) Interested to Hear More or Looking for a Bit of Help in Your Own Venue?

www.evolution48.com is a boutique Hospitality Consultancy firm located in Bangkok, Thailand.

Looking for a little help?
We'd love to assist.