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Home | Bar Management
 
Bar Management
Bar Management

While on the surface managing a bar may LOOK easy, it’s not. There is a lot more to having an efficient, controlled and profitable bar than it may appear.

As in dealing with food, there are LOTS of ways to lose money, potentially BIG money at the bar. Spills, waste, overpouring, free drinks, theft and unrecorded sales are just a few of the inherent challenges that are present where ever liquor, beer and wine are served.

We will be adding new content to this section on a regular basis so check back often for new insights and ideas that will help you build a more successful and profitable bar operation.

Portion Control: Protecting Your Beverage Profit Margins
by Robert Plotkin
Portion Control: Protecting Your Beverage Profit Margins Since the sales price of a drink is hinged to the serving portion of alcohol, if the portion size fluctuates, so will the drink's profit margin. Implementing an effective strategy to strictly control portioning is a crucial aspect to protecting your profit margins. . . . more >>
How to Build Your Restaurant's After-Meal Drink Sales
by Doug Frost
How to Build Your Restaurant's After-Meal Drink Sales Do you have a drink menu? Drink menus should be created with as much care as your food menu . . . more >>
Thirteen Ways to Prevent Theft Behind the Bar
by Robert Plotkin
Thirteen Ways to Prevent Theft Behind the Bar The temptations posed by constantly handling large sums of cash and dealing with a liquid inventory can often be overwhelming. This is particularly true if you have a booming bar business and a strong bartender. Here are some practical recommendations on how to reduce your vulnerability to theft behind the bar. . . . more >>
Audio: 10 SMART Systems for Reducing Profit-Robbing Theft
Audio: 10 SMART Systems for Reducing Profit-Robbing Theft Theft is an unfortunate fact of running a restaurant. It can not only rob you of your profits and products, it can rob you of your trust in people. While it is a fact of life that some people steal, learn ways you can reduce the chances you lose money to theft. . . . more >>
Signature Drinks With Style and Panache
by Robert Plotkin
Boost beverage sales with a splash of style and pizazz! Set your operation apart and keep your bar clientele engaged and intrigued by exceeding their expectations . . . more >>
Do You Have a Liquor Problem or Not?
by Jim Laube
Do You Have a Liquor Problem or Not? This is a liquor control technique developed by a personal friend of mine when he was the GM at a casual, high-end restaurant with a very busy bar. This simple, straight-forward technique for determining whether there is a liquor problem or not, resulted in adding literally tens of thousands of dollars to the restaurant’s bottom line every year. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Waste/Spill Tracking Sheet
DOWNLOAD: Waste/Spill Tracking Sheet This form provides the means to track food and bar waste as it occurs. Designed for clipboards, this form can be placed in the kitchen or bar so that re-cooks, spills, and wrong orders can be accounted for. . . . more >>
How to Prevent Internal Theft Behind the Bar
by Robert Plotkin
How to Prevent Internal Theft Behind the Bar Opportunities are rife for theft behind a bar. Bartenders steal from the bar and its customers because it is easily accomplished, hard to detect, and extremely difficult to prevent on an ongoing basis. The temptations posed by constantly handling large sums of cash and dealing with a liquid inventory can often prove overwhelming. . . . more >>

Understanding Your Restaurant's Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy
by Tom Shapiro, Esq.
Understanding Your Restaurant's Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy Do you know what is and isn't covered in your restaurant;s commercial general liability (CGL) policy? Don't wait until you have a claim to find out. This article explains, in plain English, what to look for in your CGL insurance policy . . . more >>
Breathing Life - Into Your Wine-by-the-Glass Program
by Joyce Angelos Walsh
Breathing Life - Into Your Wine-by-the-Glass Program Ordering wine by the glass is now an expected option by restaurant patrons. Offering too many choices however, can present challenges. Learn how to evaluate the benefit of a wine preservation system when considering wine service for your startup. . . . more >>
Raising the Bar for Profits
by Robert Plotkin
Raising the Bar for Profits Reach for an effective startup bar menu. Learn how exceeding guest expectations can keep bodies in chairs and cash in the till. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Liquor Control Worksheet
DOWNLOAD: Liquor Control Worksheet Suspect you have a liquor cost problem? Find out for sure and how big of a problem you have by using the Liquor Control Worksheet. This Excel spreadsheet template has helped scores of operators cut their liquor losses and keep their margins in check. . . . more >>
Inventory Control: The Bedrock of Beverage Profitability
by Robert Plotkin
Inventory Control: The Bedrock of Beverage Profitability Managing your inventory involves knowing precisely what you have, what you paid for it, where it is and when you sold it. Obtaining this information requires accurately monitoring your inventory from the moment it comes through the back door until the end of the accounting period when it is depleted . . . more >>
How to Create the Ideal Startup Wine List
by Doug Frost
How to Create the Ideal Startup Wine List Creating your first wine list can be a daunting task. Not only is the selection process difficult, but once you decide on your wines, how do you present your list so that the guest can understand your selection? Here are some truly great tips to help you get started . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Bartender Training Manual Template
DOWNLOAD: Bartender Training Manual Template Thorough, complete and easy-to-understand employee training manuals are a must for any restaurant wanting to create superior dining experiences for every guest. Download our complete Bartender Training Manual Template for a headstart on creating your own. . . . more >>
DOWNLOAD: Bartender Checklists
Use the Bartender Checklists for creating your own unique set of checklists for opening, closing, and maintaining your bar operations. This document comes in a word processing file format. . . . more >>
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