Len Panaggio, Beverage Consultant
By Len Panaggio
The king of summer months has arrived and with it comes so many celebratory events. Clearly, the nation’s 250th birthday is the headliner. From fireworks to parades — including the nation’s oldest in Bristol — the traditional Fourth of July festivities will be even more spectacular. Because the Fourth falls on a Saturday, government offices, banks, and likely many businesses will be closed Friday, kicking off a three-day weekend with all that summer has to offer.
Having said that, once again a reminder to those scheduling that whole week, especially starting Thursday, will surely be busy! Remember, it is easier to call staff out than it is to call them in, so be prepared.
By the time you read this, we will have experienced the extended closing hours put in place during the World Cup and it will be interesting to see how that panned out; good, bad, indifferent? We do have a quarter-final to be played on July 9 and I am sure that will be a great game. On the topic of sports, the Cerity Partners Hall of Fame Open starts on Sunday, July 5 running to July 12 in Newport, guaranteeing a very busy week in the city-by-the-sea. There are many other events so take advantage of them all.
Obviously coastal communities will be experiencing their busiest month of the year, and the city tends to slow down. However, WaterFire will be burning brightly on July 4, and all the restaurants that have benefited in the past will surely benefit on that day as well. Providence Restaurant Week begins July 26, running until August 8. Again, scheduling is very important during these times.
What will people be toasting with during this time? Consumption continues to decline; although thankfully, the trend is showing signs of slowing down. Therefore, if you haven’t come to grips with the reality of this trend you are missing out on the opportunity to revamp your offerings. I encourage your mixology teams to create some clever drinks in honor of the 250th celebration. Creating a layered red, white and blue cocktail, or mocktail, will be eye-catching.
And, as of this writing, gasoline is still way above $4.00 per gallon and like it or not, has an effect on what our guests are willing to spend on a beverage; so as I have been saying for some time, keep that in mind! Hopefully, the geopolitical situation will have been resolved by now.
Labor continues to be a challenge, and the bartending jobs are there, but the Gen Z population doesn’t want to work on nights, holidays and weekends. They want to be at a bar, but on a bar stool. Once again, this situation requires thoughtful scheduling. And fortunately, the legislature didn’t move on eliminating or increasing the tip credit as the minimum wage is going up to $17 per hour on January 1, 2027. Sadly, they didn’t move on the no tax on tips and no tax on overtime at the state level.
Lastly, it’s also time to think about the weather, not hurricanes necessarily, but thunderstorms, downpours, and those quick summer showers. Everyone wants to drink and dine al fresco; that’s what we have been waiting for.
Nevertheless, these events do happen, and you need to have a plan in place to deal with a short or long interruption. I have dealt with that issue many times and over time created a plan to handle weather situations as effectively as possible, minimizing the total disruption it can cause.
I wish you all a safe and productive holiday weekend and a lucrative July!
Len Panaggio’s career in food and wine spans more than three decades as an owner and as a beverage director at some of the top restaurants in Rhode Island. Currently a hospitality consultant, Len is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and has attended the Culinary Institute of America Master Sommelier program and the Sterling School of Service and Hospitality.
