Daily Double (1948?)

[music] [music] [music] Heat. Heat. [music] >> [music] [music] [music] >> Oh, good dinner, pup. [music] >> It always is. >> Thank you, Mr. >> Why, of course. It's always good. That's why we come here. Well, we must move along. Good night, P. >> Good night. And thank you, [music] Mr. Hail. >> Old customer of yours, eh? >> Oh, yes. I've known Mr. [music] Hail and his wife for years. There was that daughter, a new son-in-law with him. >> Well, they always ask for you. >> Oh, always. I've been advising him for years. What I call my daily double. [music] >> Oh, you mean they're horse players? >> Oh, no. They're not gambling and they take my advice. >> What is this daily devil of yours? >> What do you like to do when we close [music] up? Nothing. >> You better come home with me and I'll tell you about the system that never loses. >> I certainly want to hear that. >> Let's start at the beginning of this daily double business. >> Why do people go to restaurants? >> Strictly from hunger. >> Usually, but not always. Sometimes it's just because they want to eat out for a change. Could be they're celebrating a special event. Maybe it's the music or a floor show or a fashionable spot to be seen in. I know because in my roving days I worked in all kinds of places from coast to coast. >> Did you always have a lot of regular customers who kept coming back? >> Always. Take Mr. Hail. He was in tonight. You know, Mr. Hail told me why in two words. Taste memories. That makes for that fine repeat business. And when Mr. Hail orders it is not my friend strictly from hunger. He combines soup, an entree, salad, and dessert with wines. And the result is not just a meal, but a dinner. A dinner that leaves memories. And that's the daily double. Good food and good wine. It always pays. And it pays well. >> Well, your checks certainly seem to be bigger than mine. >> Not only seem to be, they are. I make more steady customers because I'm encouraging people to store up taste memories. And at the same time, I make more money. >> But so many of my customers don't want wine. How do you know? Do you ask them? >> Well, no. >> I thought as much. Don't forget that for years, newspaper ads have been telling people to drink wine with food. Magazine ads have pictured food and wine for your customers. Many restaurants have a wine display near the entrance to catch the eyes of the customers as they come in. Of course, as soon as a customer sits down at a table, there are reminders of one kind or another that suggest wine with food. Also, in many places, there is a wine list that stays right on the table. Just about everybody likes to read the names of wines, even though they don't know much about them. >> Well, that goes for me, Pop. I don't pretend to be an expert as you are. >> Maybe our expert is getting a little hungry. >> Say, that looks good. >> Help yourself, Stan. >> I was wondering what your wife was doing in the kitchen. >> She has an idea that every hour or so, a man wants something to eat >> and a little wine to make it taste better. H I didn't know this was going to be a party. >> Well, just a snack to tide you over until breakfast. >> All right, now make me an expert. >> Well, hardly that, and you don't need to be, but there are a few things that I could tell you that you should know. To begin with, there are hundreds of wine names which can be divided into five main classes of wine. And as a starter, you should know those five. First, there's the appetizer, which is served at the very start of the meal. I don't give ice water to customers who know wine. It's just as easy to pour wine as water and a lot more profitable for all concerned. >> What are the appetizer wines? >> Cherry and vermouth mainly and most people like them chilled. Next we come to the table wines. Our second class is red table wine like this which is generally served with meat. Red meat. Red wine. That's an easy way to remember. >> This is Burgundy, isn't it? >> That's right. Some other red table wines are Clarret, Zinfendel and Cabernet. These and many more are produced right in our own country. Our third class consists of white table wines such as Sautturn, Shabli and the Rine wines like Rezling. They go best with fish, fowl, and seafood. White meat, white wine. Keep that in mind. Red wine is served cool or at room temperature, but white wine should always be well chilled. Appetizer, red table, white table. What's number four? >> Dessert wines. They're sweet like port, musketel, toqu Angelica. Most of them come from grapes grown in the hot interior of alleys of California. Now we come to the fifth class, which is both white and red and could be served throughout the meal. >> Now I am mixed up. >> Well, you won't be when I tell you that class five is the sparkling wines. >> Oh, champagne. >> Yes, champagne is white, sparkling burgundy is red. And of course, they should be well chilled before serving. I find that folks like them anytime before, after, with or without meals. >> Let's see if I remember them all. >> Shoot. >> First, the appetizers, cherry and vermouth. Then the red table wines like Burgundy and Clarret. The dessert wines such as Port and Musketel. Then the two classes that are always chilled, white table wines like uh Sawturn and Ryan wines. And the sparkling wines, champagne and sparkling burgundy. That's fine. Now, what are you going to do about selling? >> You tell me. >> I've already told you about wine advertising that has paved the way for you. But when a customer is at the table, that's the time when a suggestion by a waiter is pretty likely to get results. >> Cocktail or a glass of cherry? I'll take the cherry. >> Maybe. >> We have a white wine special today. Would you like a bottle with your chicken? >> Well, maybe. Yes, we would. >> A bottle of Burgundy with your steak? Oh, that'll be fine. [music] >> A glass of port with your dessert. >> That's all you have to do. My puppets a breeze. >> One thing more. You'll save yourself a lot of trouble if you keep up to date on the wines on hand. >> Well, that's right. The stock may change. Oh, and another thing. >> Shoot. >> Suppose a customer wants Burgundy, say, with fish. Do you tell him it's the wrong wine >> in the first place? Understand there is no wrong wine. Rules like red meat, red wine were made by taste experts. You suggest the wine they recommend. But stop there. Don't argue. I used to know a waiter once. His name was Ulysus. That really was his name. After he'd been around a while, everybody called him useless. Well, [music] one day that's two filt of soul and make one very well done. >> Two soul >> and one very well done. >> They're all well done. >> And waiter. >> Now what? [music] Bring us a bottle of your special. That burgundy. >> Burgundy? >> Yes, burgundy. [music] >> With fish? >> Certainly. I want it with fish. >> White meat and red wine. You won't [music] like it. >> But I do like it. >> But it's against all the rules. >> Forget the rules and bring the wine. >> Okay. But I hope nobody sees you. >> You could never win an argument like that. >> And you shouldn't win. I say let a man eat and drink as he pleases. In some places, the wine like the food is served sort of family style because the folks that go there like it that way and that's the way they're going to have it if you ask me or even if you don't. Then there are other restaurants where the serving of wine is an elaborate ceremony. The sier or wine butler wears his chain and [music] leather apron. This wine ritual goes with very formal dinner parties. Some people who know fine wines and fine foods [music] like this traditional service. Of course, we don't go that far in our place, but still, when I serve a customer, even an old friend like Mr. Hail, I follow a regular routine, as you would have noticed if you've been watching me tonight. [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Now then, let's go over it again slowly. First, show the label so your customer will know he's getting what he ordered. Don't tear off the foil, but cut it, which leaves the bottle neat and attractive. Put the cap in your pocket. Wipe the top of the bottle and the cork. If the bottle has a screw cap, you cut the foil. Unscrew the cap and wipe the bottle. Have a good cork screw and don't lend it because then you won't have it when you want it. Screw it through the cork and in full view [music] of your customers for that's part of the showmanship of serving wine. My friend useless never found that out. [music] [music] Hey, [music] [music] [music] [music] hey, hey. >> [music] >> I keep the bottle on the table all the time. Showmanship, [music] my friend. Now you get rid of the cork screw and you're ready to serve the wine. With the right kind of a corkcrew like this, there's no trick to it at all and no need for that knee action. Opening a bottle of champagne is a little different. Loosen the wire hood and remove the top of the foil, keeping your thumb on the cork so it won't pop out unexpectedly. Slant the bottle so the wine is less likely to [music] overflow. Usually, all you have to do is twist the cork slightly to release it. However, hold it so it won't fly out and hit [music] somebody. Have a glass handy so you can start pouring if the bottle overflows. And there you are. If it's not a sparkling wine, wipe off the mouth of the bottle before pouring. [music] It's an old custom to serve the host first. Oh, about an ounce. It gives him any bits of cork, and he has a chance to sample the wine. Give the bottle a twist as you finish pouring, and you won't have to use a napkin. Also, you won't be likely to dribble wine on the tablecloth, which is annoying to the customer, besides giving the laundry extra work. [music] >> [music] >> Don't fill the glass to the brim, but leave at least a/4 of an inch at the top. [music] [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> I knew you wouldn't like red wine with fish. [music] >> When you filled the glasses, place the bottle handy so the [music] host or the guests can help themselves while you're away from the table. G Pop, you get a real kick out of serving wine, don't you? >> I get more than that, my friend, because it makes what Mr. Hail calls taste memories, which is just another way of saying repeat business. Also, those bigger checks that mean more money in our pockets. >> That's for me. >> Then you've got everything in your favor. The American public is demanding more wine all the time. Why? They're now buying over 500 million bottles a year. They have it at home and they've come to expect it away from home. Serve it to them and serve it right when you are building up that grand repeat business. If you don't meet competition, you can depend on it. They'll go somewhere else. There's the demand. Now, for the [music] wine, in my opinion, you simply can't beat our American wines and California wines in particular on the ground of both variety and quality. Right here are the vines, the soil, and the climate to grow the best grapes. And remember, our wineries have the technical experts, [music] too. No better wine growers in the world. American wines for Americans. That's my platform. >> How about a piece of American cheese? >> Oh, that's nice of you. Thanks a lot. >> Through the years, I've never changed my mind about wine. It doesn't make a bit of difference whether you serve wine to folks who drink it regularly and take it as a matter of course with a meal, or whether it is for people who get all dressed up and order wine for some special occasion. Either way, there's something about wine that tends to make a meal an event that sort of lends an air of festivity to every meal, to every gathering. Why, Stan, when Martha brought in this bottle of wine, even you said, "I didn't know this was a party." >> I guess I did. I never thought of it that way before. >> Have some more cheese, Stan. >> Thanks. I will. Tastes mighty good. >> Does do you think it might be because you have wine with it? >> You've got something there, Pop. When it comes to wine, I'm with you all the way. >> Yes, sir. One sure way to make good food taste even better is to suggest good wine with it. >> Cocktail or a glass of cherry? >> We have a white wine special today. Would you like a bottle with your chicken? >> A bottle of Burgundy with your steak? >> A glass of port with your dessert? >> Good food and good wine. It means bigger checks, more repeat business, and more money in your pocket. >> That good old Daily Double. >> Play it, my friend, and you can't lose. >> [music]