Ten for the Money 

Bar Managers' Building Blocks for Beverage Success

In the hectic night-to-night struggle to keep sales moving upward, many operators forget the individual aspects. These are the ones that, when ignored, can send revenues through the floor. Industry veteran David Commer shares his views on building a better drink program — from behind the bar and every other angle.

1. Quality First! –– A good bar manager understands the importance of using only approved quality products to ensure that the guest receives the highest quality beverages. It is impossible to produce quality beverages with poor quality products.

2. Recipe Adherence –– As with food, only by strict adherence to the recipes and recipe procedures can we ensure that we are providing our guest with our best. The best-kept secret in beverage operations is that recipe adherence is one of the keystones to controlling costs and building sales.

3. Staffing the Bar  ––  Bartending is a vital position in every bar or restaurant and requires responsible, professional people. Bartenders are responsible for preparing, selling and serving beverages. They also are responsible for properly securing funds for the sales and maintaining inventory. Staffing the bar properly also means having enough qualified people to handle the business that you want to have.

4. Staffing the Dining Room or Lounge –– A good beverage operation demonstrates an understanding of the relationship between staffing and sales. Hire the right people, train them properly, set expectations and hold them accountable. Having enough staff to properly service and sell adult beverages is what separates the great operations from the good ones.

5. Training –– A good beverage operation ensures that the bartenders have all of the knowledge and skill required to properly perform their duties. This begins with teaching proper measuring and recipe making procedures, proper sales and service to the guest and includes proper accounting and inventory control. Beverage training should extend into the dining room and wait staff or cocktail servers.

6. Preparation –– “Be prepared” is more than a Boy Scout Motto. Being prepared goes beyond having the products on hand to quickly and efficiently preparing quality food and beverages for your guests. It starts with the design and layout of the workspace. Design and layout can have a dramatic impact on speed of service, which can significantly affect sales.

7. Security –– Banks don’t hire honest people. Banks put systems in place that keep people honest. The Bar business is a cash business and anytime you have cash, you have a huge opportunity for mishandling it. Look at all areas of the operation including purchasing, inventory, storage, preparation and cash handling to ensure control systems are in place.

8. Alcohol Free Zone –– Much has been written about the importance of a good alcohol-free program. Not having a good alcohol-free program is not providing service to a segment of your guest base.

9. Responsibility –– As a provider of adult beverages, every operator has a responsibility and an obligation to sell and serve responsibly. Nobody wants to harm people or to see harm done. A good beverage operation has a very strict program to prevent serving underage guests and to prevent over-serving in addition to its beverage sales initiatives. To build sales responsibly, focus on selling the first beverage to more guests and selling a second beverage in the dining room where appropriate.

10. Marketing –– Before driving guests into their establishment or toward specific products, good  operators must have their act together. Once the details of execution are in place, marketing is an operator’s best friend. Every operation that offers beverages should have a beverage menu. If guests don’t know what is available, how can they buy it? A beverage menu can provide focus for your guests and your staff toward your specialties. NCB

David Commer is a national consultant to major food and beverage chains. His company, Commer Beverage Consulting, is based in Carrolton, Texas, and he can be reached at (214) 476-6630 or by e-mail at Commer also will be hosting a seminar at “The Show” March 6-8. For more information, visit nightclub.com.