The bar industry is risky and simple mistakes can cause significant problems. When running a bar, you will be responsible for various aspects of the business. When focusing on the big things, it is easy to overlook the smaller ones. The following are a few mistakes to avoid if you want to grow your bar.
- Poor Space Planning
Space planning may be difficult but it is important. There should be a proper balance between your seating areas, the front, and the back of your bar. Poor designers may give allocate too much space on one part of the bar and ignore other important areas.
- Poor Employee Management
Poor employee management may set you up for failure. Your servers are the foundation of your business and you cannot run a successful bar without them. If your customers feel comfortable, they are likely to come back. That responsibility falls in the hands of your employees. You must equip them with the skills and tools to do that. You can support your employees by:
- Setting clear and realistic expectations
- Asking for their input and implementing suggestions
- Providing adequate training in all aspects of bar operation
- Addressing internal problems
- Explain the impact of their actions on the success of your business
- Proper scheduling
- Creating a supportive and fun work culture
- Creating proper communication channels
- Insufficient Refrigeration
Every bar must have enough refrigeration equipment. If you have one walk-in for both beer kegs and food, you may have insufficient space. If you have undercounter refrigeration, ensure that it is the right size and it has enough ventilation to work well.
- Undersized Ice Equipment
Your bar will be using a lot of ice and you should have the right-sized ice-making equipment. Check the size of an ice machine before purchasing it to ensure that is big enough for your bar. Your ice storage bin should be large enough as well. A cold plate at the bottom of the bin will ensure that your ice lasts longer and maintains its quality.
- Wrong Glassware
The wrong choice of glassware is the first indication of being a rookie. Ensure that you have the right glasses for everything on your menu. You should have rocks and highball glasses, champagne flutes, wine glasses, and martini glasses. Get glassware for different beers as well. Your glassware should be both good-looking and durable.
- The Wrong POS System
Your POS system is the foundation of your financials and inventory management. Picking the wrong one can be costly. Choose a system that goes well with your menu and concept. It should provide the type of reports you need to operate a bar successfully.
When running a bar, you will be responsible for many important aspects. It is easy to overlook small things and in no time, the numbers may come tumbling down. A proper bar design is the first step towards making your bar successful. The team at Dawnvale can help you design a bar that promotes efficiency and helps you earn profits.
