58
Beverage Media
October 2012
AT
THE
BAR
§
Lost in the Suds
Industry wide, we lose roughly 20% of
our draft beer due to waste, spillage and
theft. That translates to losing one out
of every five kegs of beer we purchase.
Clamping down on the associated cost is
essential. Proper maintenance of the de-
livery system and staff training are fun-
damentally important. Operations that
depend on draft beer sales to remain
financially viable should also consider
investing in a draft beer control system.
These microprocessor-driven systems are
capable of tracking every ounce of beer
dispensed and detailing exact usage and
providing cost percentages per brand. It’s
an effective way to close what has been a
chronic black hole for operators.
§
Make Inventory Count
Running a bar requires making a signifi-
cant investment in liquid inventory—
stock that can disappear at an alarming
rate. Failing to implement an effective
inventory control system places at risk
the capital you’ve invested in that in-
ventory. To be profitable, you need to
know exactly what inventory you have,
what you paid for it, at what rate you use
it, and exactly where it is at any point
in time. Tracking inventory throughout
your operation doesn’t require special-
ized software; it’s a question of accurate
bookkeeping.
§
Avoid Weak Links
Your business is only as strong and
vital as your weakest employee. The
bartending staff impacts every aspect
of your operation, from portioning and
marketing your bill of fare to render-
ing prompt and gracious hospitality to
your clientele. It is therefore critical
to assemble the most professional staff
you can. One of the most important
steps in this process is implementing
an ongoing training program. What
your people don’t know can most cer-
tainly hurt you and reflect poorly on
your business. Educating your staff is
an investment, not a hardship.
§
Mix it Up... & Be Consistent
A restaurant that doesn’t routinely
change its menu will eventually have
plenty of open tables. The same holds
true for the bar. Add some pizzazz to your
beverage line-up. Shake up your special-
ty drinks. Change spices things up and
helps keep your guests interested. Simi-
larly, bartending staffs typically operate
without a clearly defined set of recipes.
The result is a loss of product consisten-
cy, fluctuating costs and shoddy, hit-or-
miss drinks. Determine what they’re to
pour, or they’ll do it for you.
§
Beyond Slash Marketing
The only marketing some operators do
is to slash prices during happy hour. Pro-
mote your business from the inside out.
People are open and receptive to timely
suggestions on what to drink. Develop
bar menus and table tents that market
your house specialties. If you’ve created
delicious signature drinks, make sure you
announce your success. You’ll likely no-
tice that sales for whatever you actively
promote will skyrocket.
§
Alcohol-Free Options
Increasingly more people are socializing
without alcohol. Fortunately our stock
and trade is hospitality, not alcohol. It
is critically important to market to this
growing segment of the population with a
diverse and dynamic selection of alcohol-
free beverages. They’re loaded with prof-
its and incur no issues of liability.
■
Robert Plotkin is a judge at the San Francisco World
Spirits Competition and author of 16 books on bar-
tending and beverage management including
Secrets
Revealed of America’s Greatest Cocktails.
He can be
reached at
or by e-mail at
robert@barmedia.com.
A BARTENDER WITH CHRONICALLY
LOW SALES PER HOUR MAY INDICATE A
SERIOUS PROBLEM. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE,
A BARTENDER WITH CONSISTENTLY HIGH
SALES DESERVES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
