Long before QR codes and marketing software, there was beer. A quick search for “Beer City, USA” will point you to Grand Rapids, MI, a city that owes its growth partly to barley, hops, water, and yeast. At Big Lake Brewing in nearby Holland, MI, traditional beers and Midwest hospitality exist in harmony with QR codes and trendy non-alcoholic beverages.
A single-location brewery that has grown from drinks-only to a full food menu that makes up 60% of sales, Big Lake credits the pandemic for instilling flexibility into its DNA. Mike Jones has been along for the ride—first as a veteran bartender, then Assistant Manager, and since January, Big Lake’s General Manager. He oversaw the brewery’s switch to the SpotOn POS system during tulip season, the busiest time of the year for Big Lake Brewing. “I gained some gray hairs, but I would never go back to our previous system,” says Jones, “I love all the reporting and everything that comes with SpotOn.”
A cloud-based system means Jones can access labor reports, daily sales reports, and product mixes from his phone, saving him days worth of admin time in the Big Lake back office. Big Lake Brewing’s draft list is dynamic. Jones uses to-the-minute reporting from their brewery POS system to identify best sellers and build a more profitable menu.
Despite all the numbers logged in the background, the guest experience takes the forefront at Big Lake Brewing. Jones credits SpotOn’s Seat & Send feature for making Big Lake a place families want to return to. It allows guests to place their order while they’re on the waitlist so that it’s sent to the kitchen when they’re seated, minimizing down time for both the restaurant and guests. Plus, they’ve seen a 10% increase in Saturday sales since implementing the feature thanks to improved table turnover times.
“Since we switched to SpotOn, we're seeing it in our P&Ls. Our top line is up, and our middle line for our cost is more efficient. Our profit is higher at the end of the day.”
While quick pivots come naturally to Big Lake Brewing, there will always be an adjustment period. Jones introduced handheld POS systems to help his staff serve more tables and earn a bigger take-home during each shift, plus QR code ordering for the patio. A more efficient team, plus auto-gratuity, helps keep tips and labor costs steady as Big Lake has grown over time. For Jones, it’s a non-negotiable. 20% of their team have been working at Big Lake for over six years, well surpassing the average restaurant tenure.
Despite everything coming up roses (or, tulips) for Big Lake, it's the hospitality industry standard is that even when it’s all going right, it’s no guarantee. Whether fine tuning scheduling with restaurant management software before, not after, expansion, or finding new ways to juice an already exciting menu, Jones takes a proactive approach.
For Jones, Big Lake is so much more than a brewery. As NA beverages have boomed in popularity, Big Lake Brewing takes advantage. From hop water to mocktails, the path to increased revenue doesn’t necessarily correlate with higher ABV. The challenge, for Jones, is getting the word out there that a brewery ≠ alcohol-exclusive menu. Thanks to social media and email marketing promotion, Jones has seen non-alcoholic beverages consistently improve with every P&L.
While Jones might seem like a natural at blending beer, tech, and a hardworking staff into an unbeatable combination, he was hesitant to take the GM role at first. He loved bartending, and, per Jones, “It’s easier to be a star player than a head coach.” It’s true. Nothing about restaurant management is easy. But Jones’ laser focus on Big Lake’s future and willingness to shed that which doesn’t serve them bodes well for a winning season.
