Cheers!
Francis Léonard
CEO Tip&Go (USA Canada) - Are you ready to tackle the labor shortage? Tip&Go THE E-tipping solution !
Did you know that as co-founder of the Ice Hotel Quebec-Canada we used to serve drinks on the rocks! Yess the glass was made out of ice :)
But more seriously, When on a business trip, after a long hard-day’s work, it’s relaxing to sip a glass of whine at the hotel’s bar while socializing with other guests. No need to drive back home, just take the elevator to your room ??!
?
Bars’ Origins[1],[2],[3]
The English word bar comes from Old French barre "beam, bar, gate, barrier" (12th century), from Vulgar (spoken) Latin barra "bar, barrier". Starting in the 1590s, it was used as synonymous for ‘tavern’, in reference to the bars of the counter over which drinks or food were served to customers.
The word 'tavern' is much older. It is derived from Latin 'taberna' which originally meant shed, workshop, or pub. One of the earliest references to bartending can be found in ancient Mesopotamia around 2000 BC, where tavern keepers served beer to patrons. In ancient Greece and Rome, mixing wines and herbs to create different concoctions gained popularity, with individuals known as "apothecaries" serving these drinks.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, alehouses and taverns became social gathering places, and bartenders played a crucial role in serving patrons and maintaining order. These establishments often brewed their own beer, and the bartenders would pour drinks directly from barrels.
In the 18th century, bartending underwent a significant transformation with the emergence of the cocktail. The term "cocktail" was first defined in 1806 as a combination of spirits, water, sugar, and bitters.
The Prohibition era in the United States (1920-1933) had a great impact on bartending. With the ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol, bartenders had to adapt and find creative ways to produce and serve illicit drinks in hidden speakeasies.
In the late 20th century, bartending experienced a resurgence. Classic cocktails regained popularity, and bartenders began experimenting with new ingredients and techniques.
?
Cheers and Toasts[4],[5]
“Cheers” originated from the old French word chiere which meant “face” or “head.” By the 18th century it meant gladness and was used to express encouragement. Today, “cheers” is simply a symbolic and succinct way of wishing good health to those around us.
We get the term “toast” from a literal piece of bread that was dropped in the wine to make it taste better (it was thought that the bread soaked up the acidity in bad wines ??).
Why click glasses? In Medieval times, it was done to ward off any evil spirits that might be hanging around. People also thought that by clinking glasses, some drink might spill onto the floor and be left there to appease any bad spirits. Another reason was to avoid being poisoned. Back in the day, poisoning an enemy’s drink was an easy way to murder them. Knowing this, people believed that if their glasses were filled to the top and they clinked hard with someone else’s, the drinks would mix by pouring into one another. Then, by taking a sip you were showing that the drinks hadn’t been tampered with and no harm would come to you.
Hotel Bars[6]
Between the 1860s through Prohibition, as gathering places for the wealthy and famous, hotel bars were an integral part of the ‘Golden Age of Cocktails’. While few bars in the world can truly be considered iconic, those that make the cut are an integral part of both cocktail and pop culture history.
For instance:
·???????? The American Bar at The Savoy in London opened in 1893. The Britain’s oldest surviving cocktail bar has been a favorite of A-listers like Marilyn Monroe, Mick Jagger, members of the British royal family, and Winston Churchill (who was known to hide a personal bottle of whiskey inside a locked cabinet behind the bar ??). More than a century later, the bar continues to top “World’s Best Bar” lists.
·???????? The renowned Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris at Place Vend?me served its first round of drinks in 1898. Originally opened as the hotel's “Ladies’ Bar,” the intimate room off the hotel’s main lounge served evening tea and elaborate drinks garnished with fresh flowers, a touch that remains today. By the 1920s, the bar had transitioned to a co-ed drinking den and was dubbed the “Petit Bar,” becoming a favorite of Coco Chanel. It was here that the Nazi’s retreat from Paris was celebrated with several rounds of martinis.
·???????? One of America's most legendary hotel bars, the King Cole Bar at The St. Regis New York, is the birthplace of the Bloody Mary. Called the Red Snapper (its common name dubbed too “vulgar” to appear on the elegant hotel’s menu), the spicy vodka drink was created in 1934 by bartender Fernand Petiot for visiting Russian aristocrat Serge Obolensky. The best seat in the house? Table 55 can be reserved for $2,500 and includes a custom menu featuring caviar, lobster, exclusive wines, rare whiskies, and other spirits.
?
Fun facts[7],[8],[9],[10],[11]
·???????? Ada "Coley" Coleman — the inventor of the "Hanky Panky" cocktail — was the first woman head bartender of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, working there from 1903 until 1926.
·???????? The Martini was born in a New York hotel bar. A bartender at the Knickerbocker named Martini di Arma di Taggia is said to have served hotel regular John D. Rockefeller the drink for the first time.
·???????? At Marriott's Moxy brand, each hotel checks guests in at the bar, where they receive a complimentary "Got Moxy" cocktail.
领英推荐
·???????? Business travelers are the most common visitors to the hotel bar and restaurant, attending during 67% of the trips they take, and having nearly three drinks per visit; 56% of people say that they partake in Happy hour in a hotel, versus 36% outside a hotel[12].
?
It takes a significant number of employees to take care of all hotel’s departments. Unfortunately, staff shortage is the NUMBER ONE issue in the Hotel Industry.
This is why offering an electronic tipping solution like Tip&Go could help decrease the pressure on hotels by encouraging staff to stay put ??.
?
Francis Léonard, CEO
TIP&GO?
?
?
?
?
#etipping, #tippingapp, #staffshortage, #cashlesstipping, #electronictipping,#hotelindustry, #hospitality, #hotelbar
[12] [1[12] NielsenIQ CG examined the drinking preferences of 5,000 hotel visitors in the US.