5 Ways to Increase Bar Sales
From family restaurants to themed lounges, nearly any restaurant or bar can benefit from an increase in beverage sales. After all, the average establishment can thank alcohol for 25 percent of its income.1 Increasing revenue from beverage services can require some additional work and a bit of creativity, but a few easy adjustments – such as serving specialty drinks in upscale glassware or implementing theme nights – can have a big impact. Below, we'll go over some tips to help you increase bar sales.
Drink Presentation
Bar-goers drink with their eyes first. Equipping your bartenders with drinkware and glassware that highlights your menu offerings catches the eye of your patrons drinking from generic glasses.
Adding appropriate vessels to your bar can enhance the value of specialty cocktails, high-quality liquor, and other offerings from your beverage service. Some glasses also offer a heightened taste experience for your customers. For example, the coupe is known to bring out sweetness and can reduce the taste of alcohol, while highball glasses can bring out the sourness in vodka sodas and other acidic drinks.2
Upselling Strategies
Training staff to recommend new drinks or higher-priced beverages off the menu is a technique many business owners use to gain revenue; this can be as simple as bartenders recommending a more expensive liquor in traditional cocktails. Educating staff on the liquor and drinks you offer makes upselling much easier. Rather than coming off as salespeople towards your guests, your bartenders will have the expert knowledge required to guide customers toward an upgraded beverage that will improve their overall experience. If applicable, suggest specific drink pairings for certain foods and encourage your staff to promote top-shelf product.
- Recommend specialty drinks featured on your menu
- Suggest beverages that pair well with food being ordered
- Propose a higher-quality liquor for cocktails
Creating a Memorable Guest Experience
Introducing game, trivia, and theme nights that complement your restaurant or bar can create positive memories for your customers, encouraging them to think of your spot when planning social outings. Consistently adding events can keep regulars interested in addition to bringing in new patrons. Pairing these nights with drink specials and happy hours could nudge your guests to indulge in your beverage menu.
Music, decor, customer service, and menu options are all factors that should be considered when creating spaces that encourage guests to hang out for another round.
Your establishment's atmosphere is also important in creating a memorable customer experience. Providing exceptional customer service makes your patrons feel comfortable and welcome in your business. Considering your target audience can also be beneficial in helping your customers have a positive experience in your restaurant or bar. For instance, a bar marketed towards college students can look and feel very different than a brewery targeted towards craft beer fanatics.3
Investing in Bar Supplies
Adding quality supplies to your bar helps your staff accurately pour, muddle, mix, and serve cocktails on your menu. Equipping bartenders with the proper tools helps them create drinks quickly and efficiently.
Commercial bar supplies such as jiggers, garnish caddies, strainers, and foil cutters enable your bartenders to provide quality drinks to your customers, making them imperative to most bar services. Bartending supplies such as ice molds, glass rimmers, muddlers, and strainers assist your staff in crafting higher-end mixed drinks, elevating the beverage's look and value.
Keeping Your Menu Updated
Traditional cocktails, such as Old Fashioneds or martinis, are drinks customers expect every bar to be able to create, but many patrons are excited to try new options. Regularly updating your drink menu continuously keeps new drinks available to customers, which keeps them interested in coming back to see the options available. If customers aren't ordering certain drinks, take them off the menu and find a way to turn your liquor supplies into a recipe that appeals to them. Devising a menu that increases profit and stands out from your competitors can be as simple as using a top-shelf liquor in your cocktails or formulating a creative twist on an old favorite.
References
- Revenue That Comes With Selling Alcohol. CHRON. Accessed June 2022.
- How different cocktail glasses affect the way you taste. 10Best USA Today. Accessed June 2022.
- Tips for Creating a Unique and Memorable Bar. MDM Branding. Accessed June 2022.
