Amber McDonald asked:
According to the most recent food expenditure data from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, spending on food and alcohol in restaurants across the nation was approximately $485 million in 2008. With spending like this, it is no surprise people who possess an entrepreneurial spirit often desire to own and operate a restaurant in order to reap the benefits of not only food but also beer, wine, and liquor consumption. However, before profits can flow, there are various factors the new restaurant owner must consider to make the watering hole a success.
“Americans enjoy eating out, and the pace of development of the modern lifestyle indicates that they will continue to eat out more in the future,” said Douglas Brown, author of the best-selling The Restaurant Manager’s Handbook. “…Four out of five consumers agree that going out to a restaurant is a better way to use their leisure time than cooking and cleaning up.”
One of the most important tasks to prep your restaurant for success is to survey the existing bar environment where your business is located.
According to Valerie Mellema, professional bartender and author of The Professional Bartender’s Handbook, an effective way to research location must-haves for your restaurant is to talk with others in the area to find out about their typical clientele and what types of food and alcohol are popular. For example, in Florida, Land Shark beer is a local favorite, but in Pennsylvania, Yuengling is a staple of any flourishing establishment.
“If certain types of beer are popular, be sure to offer these beers by the bottle and on draft,” Mellema said. “For a large after-work martini crowd, stock the bar with a variety of vodkas and gins, along with the usual liquors.”
Creating something to be accommodating, comfortable, and entertaining is one of the initial steps of any successful bar or restaurant business – a well-organized establishment with visible stock will not only attract guests, but will also make the ordering process flow. Optimal bar organization can be achieved through the following steps:
1. Install proper refrigeration. Refrigeration is essential for a bar because many drinks require refrigerated mixers, garnishes, and even eggs.
2. Furnish your bar with an appropriate amount of cabinets and sinks. Cabinets should be easily accessible and should contain alcohol and extra necessities, like straws and napkins. Cleaning supplies are essential and there should also be a hand washing sink, a triple sink setup, and an all-purpose sink.
3. Keep a variety of drink-specific glasses in stock. Most guests will be impressed if specialized glasses are used. Various glass types included wine glasses, pints, beer mugs, highballs, cocktail glasses, martini, and rocks glasses. Back-ups of glassware should also be stored somewhere easily accessible.
4. Set up an accommodating bar top. Bar mats for jiggers and mixing glasses, as well as holders for napkins and straws, are essential. Bartenders will appreciate a mixing area with a grate and drain so the excess liquor and mixers will easily drain.
5. Supply necessary liquors. These include: Brandy, Cognac, Gin, Light Rum, Anejo Rum, Blended Scotch, Whiskey (Blended or Irish), Canadian Whiskey, White Tequila, Gold Tequila,,Vodka, Citrus Vodka, Bourbon.
6. Include a variety of cordials. Cordials can be used as mixers, after dinner drinks, or as floaters. Popular cordials include, Amaretto, Contra or Triple Sec, Cr
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