72
Beverage Media
November 2012
the left hand and add the ice using
the scoop in the right hand. Likewise,
a hand sink is ideally positioned to
the right of the workstation allowing
the bartender to dump the excess ice
and fluid from his mixing equipment,
blender or returned glasses with a min-
imum of movement.”
Well liquors should be positioned
in a speed rack mounted to the front
of the workstation for immediate ac-
cess. A speed rack is a stainless steel,
enclosed shelf designed specifically
to hold liquor bottles. Two-tiered
(
double) speed racks are also avail-
able. Call brand liquors and liqueurs
can be placed in speed racks to the left
and right of the bartenders’ worksta-
tion. These speed racks are frequently
mounted on the sides of top-loading
beer boxes or four-compartment sinks.
Premium, super-premium and
top-shelf liquors and liqueurs should
be merchandised in display cases op-
timally located directly behind the
workstation on the back bar above
42
inches. This will allow bar guests
to easily see the products and pre-
vent bartenders from having to stoop
down to retrieve them. To save on
storage space behind the bar, design
the shelves of the display case deep
enough (approximately 12-16 inches)
to accommodate positioning two bot-
tles with one facing. This will allow
you to shelve a backup of each brand
and eliminate some of the need for
undercounter liquor storage.
Stations and Peak Productivity
Other equipment that should be lo-
cated near the bartenders’ worksta-
tion includes the draft beer system and
the refrigeration equipment, such as
the reach-in cooler and top-loading
beer box. Reach-in doors should be
hinged so they open toward the bar-
tenders’ workstation for easy access.
Shared equipment, such as automat-
ic glass washer, a compartment sink
unit and the glassware drain boards
should be positioned equidistant
between the workstations, thereby
reducing the amount of cross-traffic
between the bartenders.
It is important that bartenders
have adequate lighting behind the bar
for drink-making. Flourescent light-
ing mounted underneath the bar top
and abutting the bar die is usually suf-
ficient. Track lighting behind the bar
may also be effective.
The bar top area directly in front
of the bartenders’ workstation serves
several functions. The garnish tray
and frequently used singl-service items,
such as straws, sip sticks, sword picks
and cocktail napkins or drink coasters
are placed on the bar top in front of
the station for easy access to both the
bartenders and servers.
This area is also where servers
pick-up their drink orders and re-
turn dirty glassware. The surface area
for beverage pick up must be large
enough for several drink orders to be
placed on cocktail trays. Speed of ser-
vice is impeded and a backlog can oc-
cur if there isn’t sufficient surface area
allocated for staging finished drink or-
ders. Brass rails are normally used to
delineate this section of the bar top as
a service area.
It is also advisable to use the area
adjacent to the workstation for the
sundry smallwares and the bartenders’
mixing equipment. This shelf area is
ideal for storing mixing tins, mixing
glasses, bar spoons, spring strainers,
bottle opener, wine opener, cutting
board and paring knives. The surface
of this shelf should be covered with
glassware netting to allow the wet
mixing equipment to air dry.
“
The physical layout of the bar
largely determines the placement of
equipment, liquor displays and work-
stations, which in turn, dictates the
speed at which bartenders can make
drinks and provide hospitable service,”
says Jean-Pierre Etcheberrigaray, vice-
president of food and beverage for In-
tercontinental Hotels. “A difference of
three feet one way or another may not
seem like much when you’re deciding
where to position a glass-washer, but it
can add up to hundreds or even thou-
sands of extra steps for bartenders a
week. That’s a lot of wasted time.”
And after all, time is money.
■
AT
THE
BAR
SPEED OF SERVICE
IS IMPEDED AND
A BACKLOG CAN
OCCUR IF THERE
ISN’T SUFFICIENT
SURFACE AREA
ALLOCATED FOR
STAGING FINISHED
DRINK ORDERS.
