Learn about every detail that goes into running and working at a bar from our useful bar management articles and guides. Whether you want to start your career or start a business, our list of informative articles varies from topics on how to become a bartender to how to open a bar and everything in between. We offer the best bar manager resources to assist you in effectively teaching and leading your bartending staff.
Find out the latest cocktail trends and keep your bartender skills sharp with articles that include bartending tips and tricks of the trade. Our bartender guides easily layout ways to prepare cocktails and the proper bar tools you need to create them. From trending topics and how-tos to informative articles and buying guides, our bar management resources provide exceptional information to advance your bar services.
No glass of wine is complete without the perfect glass to match. Properly pairing glassware with wine is a great way to enhance the flavor and experience of your drinks. Here’s our guide on how to pair glassware with wine.
Cascata 6 oz Dessert and Port Wine Glass - 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" x 6 1/2" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0075 Pour your refreshing sherries in our 6-ounce Dessert and Port Wine Glasses. With their small size, these wine glasses bring out the sweet flavors of your dessert wines. Featuring a chip-resistant, rolled rim, these port wine glasses keep their high-quality appearance, making them perfect for frequent use. Crafted from lead-free glass, these wine glasses are dishwasher-safe and crystal clear to showcase your delicious wines in an appetizing way. This wine glassware is tempered to prevent shattering while being cleaned in a commercial dishwasher. Lead-free glass provides crystal clear visibility to showcase beverages Petite size is perfect for serving dessert and port wine glasses Dishwasher-safe for quick and easy cleanup Voglia Nude 9 oz Dessert and Port Wine Glass - Crystal - 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" x 7" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0058 Complement pastries with dessert wines in our 9-ounce Port Wine Glasses. The bowls of these dessert wine glasses are specially designed to enhance the sweetness of your premium port wines. Constructed from lead-free crystal, these wine glasses give your sparkling dessert wines an extra sparkle to impress guests. With a laser-cut rim, these small wine glasses enrich the flavors and aromas of your wines to give customers an unforgettable drinking experience. These wine glasses are machine-blown and sturdy enough to withstand commercial dishwasher use. Small shape enhances the taste of dessert and port wines Crystal construction has high transparency for displaying the hues of your drinks Laser-cut rim allows customers to comfortably sip drinks Cascata 11 oz White Wine Glass - All-Purpose - 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" x 7 3/4" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0077 Stylishly serve chardonnay with our 11-ounce White Wine Glasses. These wine glasses are specially designed to show off the fruitful aromas of a variety of wines. The lead-free glass of this drinkware set is highly transparent to clearly display the color of your wines. With a long, narrow stem, these glasses keep hands from cupping the bowl to keep drinks cool and refreshing. Made from tempered glass, these wine glasses endure the hot temperatures and water pressure from commercial dishwashers. Lead-free glass provides crystal clear visibility to showcases beverages Versatile design allows you to serve different types of wines Dishwasher-safe for quick and easy cleanup Voglia Nude 11 oz White Wine Glass - Crystal, All-Purpose - 3" x 3" x 7 3/4" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0059 Improve the taste of your Chardonnay with our 11-ounce White Wine Glasses. Designed with a U-shaped bowl, these wine glasses preserve the complex and intricate flavors of any type of wine. Crafted from crystal, these white wine glasses have high-clarity to add a sparkle to your drink presentations. Featuring a laser-cut rim, these all-purpose wine glasses boost the scent of your wine’s aromas to enhance customers’ experience. These machine-blown glasses are strong and sturdy, making them safe for dishwasher use. U-shaped bowl brings out the intricate flavors of wines Crystal construction has high transparency for displaying the hues of your drinks Laser-cut rim allows customers to comfortably sip drinks Cascata 13 oz Balloon Red Wine Glass - 3 3/4" x 3 3/4" x 7" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0078 Enhance the flavor of your red wine with our 13-ounce Balloon Red Wine Glasses. Designed with a balloon-shaped bowl, these wine glasses expose wines to more air in order to boost the flavors of your drink. Made from lead-free glass, these wine glasses clearly display the hues of your light and dark red wines. With a chip-resistant rolled rim, these wine drinkware endure constant use at your restaurant or catered event. These tempered glasses are dishwasher-safe for a speedy cleanup after serving a large number of customers. Lead-free glass provides crystal clear visibility to showcase beverages Balloon bowl enhances the aromas and flavors of your red wines Dishwasher-safe for quick and easy cleanup Voglia Nude 20 oz Balloon Red Wine Glass - Crystal - 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 8 1/4" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0066 Give your servings of Merlot an air of sophistication with our 20-ounce Ballon Red Wine Glasses. The balloon-shaped bowl of these wine glasses exposes the wine to more air than your average wine glass to improve flavors. Featuring a crystal construction, these wine glasses beautifully display the different shades of red wines to catch the eye of any guests. Designed with a laser-cut rim, these balloon glasses allow customers to easily pick up the scent and aromas of your wine. Made from machine-blown crystal, these glasses are dishwasher-safe. Balloon-shaped bowl allows wines to breathe to enhance flavors Crystal construction has high transparency for displaying the hues of your drinks Laser-cut rim allows customers to comfortably sip drinks Cascata 14 oz Red Wine Glass - All-Purpose - 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 8 1/4" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0079 Offer customers more than just red wine in our Cascata 14-ounce Red Wine Glasses. The classic and versatile silhouette can be used to enhance the flavors of all types of wines. Made from lead-free, machine-blown glass, these wine glasses provide optimal visibility for showing off your deep reds or roses. Designed with a rolled rim and narrow stem, this wine glass allows comfortable sipping and keeps hands from warming up your beverage. Constructed from tempered glass, this glassware won’t shatter when put inside a commercial dishwasher. Lead-free glass provides crystal clear visibility to showcase your beverages Long narrow stem prevents hands from warming up drinks Dishwasher-safe for quick and easy cleanup Voglia Nude 25 oz Bordeaux Wine Glass - Crystal, All-Purpose - 4" x 4" x 10 1/4" - 6 count box SKU: RWG0067 Serve varieties of red wines with our 25-ounce Bordeaux Wine Glasses. Designed with large bowls, these wine glasses concentrate the flavors and aromas of wines to enhance your customer’s drinking experience. Made from lead-free crystal, these wine glasses are highly transparent to showcase the deep hues of Bordeaux wine. Featuring a laser-cut rim, these large wine glasses allow customers to comfortably drink With a long and narrow stem, these Bordeaux glasses keep hands away from the bowl to keep beverages cool. For a quick and easy cleanup, these machine blown glasses are dishwasher-safe. Large bowl boosts the flavors and aromas of Bordeaux wine Crystal construction has high transparency for displaying the hues of your drinks Laser-cut rim allows customers to comfortably sip drinks Wrap Up: Wine Glasses If you want to serve your premium wines in the best wine glasses, our wine glass review will help you select the perfect set of glassware for your restaurant, bar, hotel, or catered event. All of our wine glasses are specially designed to bring out the flavors and aromas of your drinks. Crafted from transparent glass or crystal, our reusable wine glasses have high-clarity to showcase the light or dark hues of wine. Our tempered wine glasses and crystal glasses are dishwasher-safe so you can easily clean up after a busy shift.
Did you know that serving beer in the appropriate glassware highlights the characteristics that make it unique? Read more to learn about the different types of beer glasses and which beers they best compliment.
Missing happy hour? Looking for a way to boost sales at your bar? Learn everything you need to know about bringing spirits, wine, and beer straight to customers’ front doors, all wrapped up in DIY cocktail kits.
Complicated and complex cocktails are out, and simple and stripped-down cocktails are in. Stay on trend with your cocktail creations in 2020 by incorporating these 7 techniques into your drink menu.
"How do I run a successful bar?" is a question many bar managers may ask themselves if their establishment isn't profitable. Running a bar is more than just serving customers flavorful cocktails. Bar managers are responsible for keeping their bar stocked with essentials, finding ways to attract more customers, providing great hospitality, and making sure their business is profitable. We've created this detailed guide to help you gain an understanding of how to manage a bar. Visit Other Bars To Get Ideas Make a list of local bars that you've had great and awful experiences in. Go to each establishment and take notes on how barkeepers interact with patrons, how they serve beverages, the setting of the bar, and anything else that catches your attention. Review your notes and find the similarities and differences between each establishment. This allows you to see what you don't want your employees to do and how to run a successful bar. Provide Great Hospitality Providing customers with a poor experience will have a negative impact on your business. Patrons will remember how barkeepers served them the wrong drinks, how they were poorly treated, or how long they waited for beverages. This causes customers to not come back to your bar and talk poorly about your establishment. Instead, you want to provide guests with a great experience so they visit your bar on a regular basis and say positive things about your business. To provide patrons with a memorable experience, it's important to train your staff to: Always greet customers Be positive and smile Be personable Learn the menu and assist guests Quickly and accurately serve drinks Write "thank you" on checks Train Your Staff To Upsell A simple way to boost profits in your bar is by upselling customers. Upselling involves your staff suggesting that patrons try a more expensive item or add it to their order. For example, if someone orders a scotch on the rocks, you want bartenders to inform them about how great the new scotch is. Employees should be descriptive when describing the new scotch. This lets guests know that your staff is knowledgeable which will likely lead to them spending more money. Keep Your Drink Menu Simple If your menu has 30 pages, customers won't know what to order and feel overwhelmed. It also forces you to spend more money on liquor, garnishes, soda, and other drink ingredients which causes your inventory and potential for waste to increase. If you're using a specialty ingredient, finding ways to repurpose it across multiple cocktail recipes plays a big role in reducing food cost and waste. For example, if you plan on making a jalapeno margarita, you should also consider adding a martini with jalapeno-infused simple syrup to your cocktail menu as well. Create A Signature Drink While many guests will order popular drinks like mojitos or daiquiris, creating a drink that is unique will give your bar an edge. There won't be another establishment that serves your signature cocktail and it may generate a lot of buzz around town or on social media. When trying to create a signature cocktail, you need to consider your customers. Find out what drinks sell the most at your bar and how you can add a unique twist to them, such as serving them in labware glasses. Measure Your Liquor Consistently overpouring rum, bourbon, or other drink ingredients cost bars thousands of dollars and is one of the most common ways bars go out of business. It's important to train your employees on how to use measured pourers and jiggers so they can effortlessly approximate portions to help eliminate waste. Host Happy Hour And Special Events Hosting a happy hour during the week is a great way to draw customers into your establishment. They'll be able to enjoy delicious drinks at a discounted price which benefits your bar in a variety of ways. For instance, guests may enjoy your establishment so much that they decide to stay past happy hour and pay full price for drinks. They may also tell their friends, family members, or co-workers about your specials which may provide you with more business during the week. Another way to draw patrons to your bar is by hosting events. These events can be a one-time thing or something that occurs on a regular basis. For example, you can make every Wednesday a karaoke night or host a big trivia event once a month to draw a larger crowd. It's important to advertise happy hour specials and events on social media, posters outside the establishment, or signs around town. Keep Track Of Transactions Every successful bar you visit has an electronic Point Of Sale (POS) system. This system organizes orders and transactions to keep every establishment running smoothly. Your staff will be able to keep track of customer tabs and you'll be able to see the sales made on a daily basis. You also want to make sure you've added options into your POS system that allows you to ring in the appropriate upcharges for rocks pours, martini pours, and other drink modifications to ensure guests are charged accordingly. Keep Your Bar Stocked The last thing you want your employees to tell customers is, "sorry, we're out of whiskey." This makes guests unhappy and they won't want to visit your bar again. That's why it's important to have speed rails and back bar coolers filled with all the drinking ingredients you have on your menu. Additionally, you want to keep track of the beverages your guests order the most and least. For example, if you notice margaritas are the most popular cocktail in your establishment, you want to ensure your bar has plenty of tequila and lime juice. However, if beer is the least requested beverage, you want to have less beer in your inventory. Keeping track of inventory and what guests order allows you to spend less money on alcohol that doesn't sell. Have All The Bar Essentials Stocking your establishment is more than just having liquor, beer, and wine. You also need to have these bar essentials to run a successful bar: Bar napkins Garnishes Cocktail mixes Bottle opener Wine opener Bar towel Bar spoon Blender Straws and stirrers Muddler Cocktail shaker Cocktail strainer Ice bucket Ice tongs Jigger Juicer/Reamer Mixing glass Speed pourer Social Media Presence Having a strong social media presence is a crucial aspect of running a successful bar in the digital age. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others provide a direct and engaging way to connect with potential and existing customers. By regularly updating social media profiles with appealing images of signature drinks, happy hour specials, and upcoming events, bar managers can generate interest and excitement among their target audience. Engaging with customers online by responding to comments and reviews humanizes the brand and fosters a sense of community. Encouraging patrons to share their positive experiences at the bar through user-generated content can create a powerful word-of-mouth marketing effect. A vibrant social media presence not only helps attract new customers but also strengthens brand loyalty and customer retention. Employee Training and Development The success of a bar heavily relies on the quality of its staff. Investing in comprehensive employee training and development is vital for ensuring exceptional customer service and operational efficiency. Bar managers should conduct regular training sessions on various aspects, including mixology techniques, cocktail preparation, customer engagement, responsible alcohol service, and conflict resolution. By empowering staff with the necessary skills and knowledge, they become confident ambassadors of the bar's brand. Moreover, offering opportunities for career growth and advancement within the establishment fosters a loyal and motivated team. A well-trained and engaged staff ensures consistent, high-quality service, leaving customers with a positive and memorable experience that encourages them to return. Cleanliness & Ambiance Creating a welcoming and inviting ambiance is paramount to the success of any bar. Bar managers should prioritize cleanliness and maintenance to create a positive first impression for customers. Regular cleaning and organizing of the bar area, tables, seating, and restrooms demonstrate professionalism and attention to detail. Carefully curating the ambiance with appropriate lighting, comfortable seating, and appealing decor sets the mood and atmosphere for patrons to relax and enjoy their time at the bar. Thoughtful touches such as soothing background music can enhance the overall experience. A well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing ambiance not only attracts new customers but also encourages them to stay longer, increasing the chances of repeat visits. Offer Food Options Diversifying the bar's offerings by providing a selection of food options can significantly impact its success. While alcoholic beverages are the primary draw, having a well-thought-out food menu can enhance the overall customer experience. Bar managers can consider offering a range of appetizers, bar snacks, or even full meals that complement the drink selection. Food options not only keep customers satisfied and encourage longer stays but also increase the potential for upselling by suggesting food and drink pairings. Additionally, catering to dietary preferences and accommodating various tastes ensures that the bar appeals to a wider audience. Introducing unique or themed food items can also become a talking point among customers, leading to positive word-of-mouth recommendations and increased footfall. Cheers To Success Running a successful bar goes beyond serving delicious drinks; it requires a strategic approach that focuses on various aspects of the business. By visiting other bars, gaining inspiration, and learning from their successes and mistakes, bar managers can refine their own strategies. Providing great hospitality through well-trained staff ensures that customers have a positive experience and keep coming back for more. A vibrant social media presence helps attract and engage with a wider audience, while a clean and inviting ambiance creates a welcoming atmosphere. Offering food options enhances the overall customer experience and increases revenue potential through upselling. By implementing these strategies, keeping the bar well-stocked, and tracking inventory, bar managers can create a thriving establishment that stands out in the competitive hospitality industry. With dedication, creativity, and attention to detail, your bar can become a go-to destination for patrons seeking memorable experiences and delectable libations. Cheers to your success!
Shaken or stirred, these cocktails have stood the test of time. Learn how to create your favorite cocktail with a splash of interesting information on how these cocktails came to be.
Take advantage of these unique wood forks. Years before the first piece of silverware was invented and used, people were using wood cutlery. In this day and age, wood cutlery has come a long way from that first day when a person picked up a piece of wood and turned it into a spoon. The style, design and durability of wooden utensils is worth discussing, especially with all of you who love cooking, eating and entertaining.
