I've beat this drum many times before and it's one that I will continue to beat for as long as I am the victim of what I call a “consistent inconsistency”: In other words, the continuing lack of a standard when it comes to drink preparation, menu presentation and service.

To cut to the chase, a bar needs to be consistent. Every business needs to be consistent. It's what builds loyalty, recommendations and ultimately revenue.

There is a simple reason that 31,000 McDonald's Restaurants serve 47 million people a day: Consistency. The knowledge that you will get the same meal every time you order it. No deviations, no changes in flavor. Just the meal that you ordered. And after all, that's what you wanted in the first place, right?

So why is it that bar owners do not establish a system when it comes to drink service? How can the same cocktail made by two different bartenders vary not only in in taste, but in ingredients?

This was the predicament I found myself in yesterday, when I returned to the bar that makes me my favorite cocktail and they make it well. That is, it seems, until the regular bartender is off duty it seems and my cocktail now tastes different, looks different and prompts me to make a mental note to only take my seat once I know the regular bartender is working.

Could you afford to only have business when a certain bartender is on duty? Could you survive if that bartender went to work elsewhere? Sound drastic? It is, but it's a real issue.

The answer? Establish a simple operating procedure and standard for every drink, menu item and service procedure in your business. Your customers will thank you for the consistency, you will be able to measure your staff against your standards and you will see a reflection in your bottom line. This is one area where YOU make the decisions.