A speakeasy bar with an actual vault door sits off the casino floor at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. I walk in, meet Michael "Mac" MacDonnell, Vice President of F&B & Entertainment with LionGrove, and we turn it into a "quick chat" that somehow includes popcorn in a martini. #NoVacancyNews

🍸 Mac breaks down the Vault Martini: Belvedere vodka, yellow Chartreuse, orange bitters, popcorn, plus a tableside pour
🧠 He talks "threshold of pain" pricing—how far you push before the guest taps out
🪑 He explains why the Vault runs different than the other outlets: 55 seats, niche vibe, connoisseur guest
🥃 We get into rum country decisions: rare bottles, allocated product, and why relationships matter
💰 He drops the kind of number that makes operators blink: a $300,000 opening liquor order
👀 He shows what "details matter" looks like: glassware, presentation, bartenders who command attention
🕺 He talks training: a full month of coaching so the team performs, not just pours
🌴 We pivot into tropical fun with a tiki-style drink inspired by the Soggy Dollar Bar in the BVI
☕ Then the closer hits: "The Fortified" — local coffee + butter-washed rum + 24-hour prep… and it becomes the #1 seller
🧪 And yes, I taste everything "for scientific purposes" because I take research very seriously