Beverage Consistency Quiz
Customers return to your restaurant because they want the same experience as last time.
Are you doing everything you can to produce perfectly consistent beverages?
Take our quiz and see.
5 minutes Start Quiz
Question 1
Have you ever noticed a problem with beverages being inconsistent at your restaurants?
OK. At the end of this quiz, we’ll share a link with some suggestions that may help.
Good. You may have a rock-solid beverage program.
Question 2
Have you ever received customer complaints about inconsistent beverages?
That’s not uncommon. But there are some steps you can take to make beverages more consistent. We’ll share a link at the end of this quiz.
That’s good – as long as customers know how to share comments or complaints when they have them.
Question 3
Which of the following could be probable causes of inconsistent beverages? Check all that apply.
There are many stress-inducing factors, like long lines and not enough help, that can undermine the ability of front-of-house staff to perform their jobs well. But measuring devices can also lead to inconsistent beverages. We’ll share a link that addresses this topic at the end of the quiz.
Congratulations. Among your answers, you picked the last item: “Measuring devices that are prone to inaccuracy.” In fact, there are many easy steps you that can take, like having the right type of measuring devices, to help your front-of-house staff produce consistent beverages, even under stressful conditions. We’ll share a link on this topic at the end of this quiz.
Question 4
What type of ice do you use for your blended frozen drinks? Choose one.
Larger types of ice (e.g., dice, half dice and crescents) are great for soft drinks, but when making blended beverages, smaller forms of ice (e.g., pearls, nuggets and flake ice) have definite advantages – they pack well in a measuring container and produce more consistent blends. Larger types of ice form large gaps of unfilled space when they are placed in a measuring container, which can result in inaccurate measurements.
Good choice! Smaller types of ice (e.g., pearls, nuggets and flake ice) are the best types of ice for blended beverages because they pack well in a measuring container and produce more consistent blends. Larger types of ice form large gaps of unfilled space when they are placed in a measuring container, which can result in inaccurate measurements.
Question 5
Which style of refrigerator and freezer do you have in your restaurants?
Refrigerator and freezer doors that open to the side are fine for some purposes. Just make sure you keep a close eye on the holding temperatures of your ingredients inside. At busy times, when the doors are opened and closed a lot, cold air may spill out and holding temperatures may rise, which can affect the quality of your blends.
For busy times, the better type of freezers or refrigerators are dipping cabinets, which open from the top and keep the cold air from spilling out.
Fantastic! You have the best style of refrigerator or freezer doors. Still make sure the holding temperatures for your ingredients are consistent with your supplier’s recommendation. When holding temperatures are too high or too low, it can affect the quality of the blend.
Question 6
Do you use color-coded measuring devices at your restaurants?
Very good! That’s very smart of you. Color-coded measuring devices help when training new staff and may even help experienced staff when the restaurant gets very busy.
Many restaurants find that color-coded measuring devices help when training new staff and may even help experienced staff when the restaurant gets very busy.
Question 7
Do you have a blender with optimized programs?
Excellent! Double points if it’s The Quiet One® by Vitamix® Commercial because it produces perfectly consistent blends every time. The Quiet One has 34 optimized programs covering all types of beverages, and you can move any six to the front of the machine for one-touch operation. While the machine runs, your staff can do something else, which may help with speed of service.
There is a tremendous advantage to having a blender with optimized programs. Your blends will be more consistent. It will also help with speed of service. With The Quiet One® by Vitamix® Commercial, your staff will only need to press one button on the front of the machine. The blender will take care of the rest, running through a series of speeds for a perfect blend every time. While the machine runs, your staff can do something else, which may help with speed of service.
Question 8
Measuring containers come in all shapes and sizes. Which shapes do you use at your restaurants when measuring solid ingredients?
You’re a pro. Yes, in general, narrow containers are better for measuring solid ingredients because any mounding over the brim is minimized. A wide container allows for a bigger mound if someone is not being careful, and that may lead to inaccurate measurements and inconsistent blends.
Narrow containers are usually better for measuring solid ingredients because they minimize any mounding over the brim. A wide container allows for more mounding if someone is not being careful, and that may lead to inaccurate measurements and inconsistent blends.
Narrow containers are usually better for measuring solid ingredients because they minimize any mounding over the brim. A wide container allows for more mounding if someone is not being careful, and that may lead to inaccurate measurements and inconsistent blends.
Question 9
True or False: It’s important to load ingredients in the blender container in the right order.
Congratulations! You are correct. It’s very important to load liquids and softer ingredients first, then harder or solid ingredients. Loaded in this way, liquids will initiate the blend, while heavier ingredients on top will push the softer ingredients down into the vortex.
It’s very important to load liquids and softer ingredients first, then harder or solid ingredients. Loaded in this way, liquids will initiate the blend, while heavier ingredients on top will push the softer ingredients down into the vortex.
Question 10
True or False: The beverage build station should be staged in a certain way – so the staff member is moving toward the motor base while adding ingredients.
Congratulations! That’s right. A carefully staged beverage build station ensures that ingredients are loaded in the right order and that there are no wasted motions.
A carefully staged beverage build station ensures that ingredients are loaded in the right order and that there are no wasted motions.
You scored a out of 10 on the quiz.
Congratulations! That’s a perfect score! Sounds like you are very well informed.
Congratulations! You did very well!
And, you’re not seeing evidence of inconsistent beverages at your restaurant. That’s good to hear. Still, given the pressures that front-of-house staff are under, you probably want to do everything you can to safeguard your beverage program.
Because you’re seeing at least some evidence of inconsistent beverages at your restaurant, you may want to take some additional steps to safeguard your beverage program.
Thank you so much for taking our quiz! We hope you found it helpful.
Even though you’re not seeing evidence of inconsistent beverages at this time, it makes sense to do everything you can to safeguard your beverage program. Your front-of-house staff needs every possible advantage so they can do their best work, even when they are under stress or experiencing a rush.
Based on your answers, it looks like you’re seeing at least some evidence of inconsistent beverages. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to safeguard your beverage program.
Learn more about what steps to take for consistent beverages. All the points we mention in this quiz are covered in depth in our article “Four Causes of Inconsistent Beverages” by Steve Hosey, Blending Applications Manager at Vitamix Commercial.
Read the Article