Portable & Mobile Bars
A portable commercial bar enables event planners, caterers, and restaurateurs to serve their guests wherever the occasion takes them. Don't be limited to the same indoor venue for every event. Portable equipment brings the fun to the patio, the beach, the park, and almost anywhere else your imagination may take you.
What to Know About Portable Bars
Portable bars are great for catering, event hosting, and serving patrons at large or upscale foodservice establishments. A mobile bar enables your bartenders to offer your guests premium drinks wherever they are rather than asking them to come to you, and this can drive impulse sales and increase your total profit. While any portable commercial bar increases the range of your sales, an attractive bar also merchandises your drinks for you. With a convenient location — or constantly circulating mobile bar — ordering drinks becomes easier. The sight of a skilled bartender making delicious drinks in plain view can also put the idea of ordering drinks in other guests' heads.
As their name implies, portable bars can be moved around a facility, which makes them perfect for operations without a fixed bar, those that need flexibility, and banquet facilities. Catering operations, convention halls, event planners, and more can make use of a bar that isn't permanently installed and taking up space. Almost all these portable commercial bars come with casters installed, but their other features vary. Some have full post-mix drink systems and refrigerated compartments, while others offer little more than insulation and a place for the bartender to work. This variety of features enables each operator to choose a model that fits their exact needs without paying for features they won't use.
Portable bars come in different levels of aesthetic design. Some are simple and meant to be more functional than attractive, while others are meant to be attention-grabbing focal points. The latter are usually more expensive than the former but can drive sales in the right environment, more than compensating for their price.
Common Questions About Portable Bars
What is a mobile bar for?
Mobile bars give operators a portable place to store and serve drinks. They come in a variety of styles, but their most common feature is an ice sink, which holds ice and bottled beverages to keep them cool before serving. With an ice sink, you can keep your drinks cold even on a hot summer day and serve chilled beer, soda, or water to keep your guests refreshed. Ice sinks are insulated to keep heat out and ensure the ice lasts as long as possible. Not all bars provide an ice sink, as some allocate more space to storage, drink systems, and wastewater sinks.
An ice sink is only one potential facet of a movable bar. Most models come with accessories that improve the operator's ability to serve drinks. Some have, among other things, fresh water tanks, pumps for syrups, speed rails/racks, wastewater bins, and drink guns that can dispense either pre-mixed or post-mixed sodas. Consider which accessories would be most beneficial to your purposes and then find the bar that fits those needs.
What size ice sink do I need?
Your ice sink's size should be based on how many drinks you plan on chilling. If you mostly host events with a dozen guests and a limited drink menu, a small ice sink will suffice. However, if you want to cater to a hundred-person wedding or offer a wide variety of beverages, consider a larger ice sink. Consider also how long you plan on using the portable bar in a single instance—larger ice sinks will keep your drinks cold for longer periods of time than small ice sinks without needing their ice replenished.
What are pre- and post-mix drink systems?
Many portable commercial bars come with drink guns that can dispense either pre-mixed or post-mixed drinks. A pre-mixed drink refers to a carbonated beverage that is constituted before entering the drink system. Pre-mixed beverages are the same as ones you might find in a grocery store, already bubbling and delicious. Post-mixed beverage systems take the component pieces of a carbonated drink and reconstitute them into the final product. Post-mixed systems are more complicated, as they need carbon dioxide cartridges, more tubing, and an apparatus for the drink concentrate. Pre-mix systems are best for low-volume occasions, while post-mix systems can supply a substantial amount of end product.
What are the differences in drink guns?
Drink guns are differentiated by the number of functions they can perform. Simple versions might dispense only one or two options without changing the tanks beneath the bar, while more complex ones offer five or more.
What sort of hook-ups do movable bars need?
Many movable bars, especially ones that make use of drink guns, require electrical power to be fully functional. Depending on the unit, you may need a standard outlet or larger to make full use of the bar. On the other hand, many of their features function independently of power, which frees you to move further from an outlet than most power cords would permit.