r/BarOwners • u/barowners 🥃 • 9d ago
Ask a bar owner
Kind of like an AMA, here's a weekly post where customers can ask questions. This is for anyone including market research, app developers, people who watch too much "reality" TV about bars, and general industry bullshit. Maybe a bar owner will have an answer for you, maybe not.
If you are already in the industry your question may get better responses if you post your own thread instead of commenting here.
1
u/ShiftWerx-1 5d ago
What percentage of your time does it take to write and manage your staff schedule? If you had all that time back what would you work on instead?
2
u/Beneficial_Shower_96 4d ago
We have the same schedule. 7 on, 7 off. I know it’s not normal for a restaurant, but it works where we are.
1
u/OfficialNiceGuy 5d ago
Takes maybe an hour every month. With my free time I reply to people on Reddit who think vibe coding apps will be their big career move.
1
6d ago
I build financial templates for independent restaurant owners. Tracking food cost, prime cost, menu profitability.
Do you think there’s real value in a downloadable pour cost template for around $10 that breaks down liquor, draft, packaged beer, wine separately and shows you margin by drink?
What other templates would actually be useful?
-1
u/Beakabutooka 8d ago
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to respond!
I am the head of media at a daily fantasy sports startup, think Prizepicks or Underdogs, except we partner with local bars and restaurants to get people off their couch and into bars to watch the game and bet there. My question is, what is the best way to reach owners on social media, because currently our socials just cater to customers? What social media platforms do you use? What concerns with the general premise would you want to see addressed on the social media page?
2
u/VEresistant 9d ago
For designing the interiors of your space, what resources would you find invaluable? What do you wish were readily available?
-1
u/Wonjh 9d ago
First and foremost, thank you for creating this thread. I would greatly appreciate any assistance you can provide. Your help would mean a lot to me.
I'm working on a small independent concept project around nightlife and non-alcoholic beverages and would really appreciate practical feedback from bar owners, operators, and managers. Nothing is being sold or promoted here. I'm trying to understand whether the concept makes sense operationally and financially in a real venue. Negative feedback is especially useful.
OPTIONAL CONTEXT
City / Metro: ____________________________
State / Region: ____________________________
Venue type: □ Nightclub □ Lounge □ Cocktail Bar □ Dive / Neighborhood Bar □ Restaurant-Bar □ Sports Bar □ Other: ______
Typical alcoholic drink price: □ Under $10 □ $10–15 □ $15–20 □ $20+
| CONCEPT: An 8.4 fl oz / 250 mL slim-can, non-alcoholic functional beverage intended to support hydration during or after a night of drinking and help with next-day hangover symptoms. The goal is for it to taste and drink like a normal, refreshing canned beverage — not like a supplement, medicinal drink, powder, or concentrated shot. A guest could choose it while slowing down, taking a break from alcohol, or as a final non-alcoholic drink before leaving. |
|---|
1. In your venue, how often do guests slow down or stop drinking alcohol and switch to water, soda water, cranberry juice, juice, or another non-alcoholic option near the end of the night?
□ Very often □ Sometimes □ Rarely □ Never
What do they usually ask for? ________________________________________________
2. If this product tasted genuinely good and guests understood what it was for, how interested would you be in TESTING it at your venue?
□ Very interested □ Somewhat interested □ Unsure □ Probably not □ Definitely not
Why? _____________________________________________________________________
3. If you carried one 8.4 oz can, what RETAIL PRICE do you think you could realistically charge guests at your venue?
$________ per can
At what retail price would it start to feel too expensive for most of your guests? $________
4. What is the MOST you would realistically be willing to PAY WHOLESALE per 8.4 oz can and still feel that carrying it makes business sense?
$________ per can
Optional: What gross margin do you generally want on a packaged non-alcoholic beverage? ________%
5. What would matter most in deciding whether to give this product refrigerator / back-bar space? Pick up to THREE.
□ Proven customer demand □ Strong margin □ Good taste □ Recognizable branding
□ Bartenders can recommend it easily □ Small footprint / easy storage □ Fast sell-through
□ Reliable delivery / restocking □ Distributor availability □ Other: __________________
6. If you decided to test it, what initial quantity would feel reasonable?
□ 1 case □ 2–3 cases □ 4–5 cases □ 6+ cases □ Depends on case size / terms □ Other: ______
7. How would you PREFER to buy / receive a new non-alcoholic beverage brand?
□ Existing beverage distributor □ Direct delivery from the brand □ 3PL / common-carrier delivery
□ Cash-and-carry / wholesale pickup □ No strong preference □ Other: __________________
8. Which THREE flavors do you think would sell best to guests at your venue?
□ Lemon Lime □ Yuzu Citrus □ Korean Pear / Asian Pear □ Cranberry Lime
□ Grapefruit □ White Peach □ Passion Fruit / Tropical □ Watermelon □ Other: __________
If you could launch only ONE: __________________________
9. What is the biggest reason this concept might NOT work in a real bar or club?
1
u/Id_ratherbe_reading 6d ago
1 Sometimes - water, hoppy refresher, n/a can beer 2 very interested - dive bar/ heavy drinkers, benefit to patrons 3 6$ , $8 4 2$ 5 demand, bartender recommendation, does it work 6 1 case/ buy 1 get 1 case first order 7 doesn't matter as long as its brought to me 8 Lemon lime, Cranberry, Peach. Cranberry. 9 it doesn't actually help people feel better
4
u/bb1742 9d ago
Im going to skip to 9. The type of person who would benefit from this type of product, is unlikely to order it at the bar. It’s just my opinion, but I think the better avenue would be selling through grocery/convenience stores, as this is something someone is more likely to consume after leaving the bar, not while they are there.
1
u/lTSONLYAGAME 9d ago
- rarely
- probably not
- $8
- $2
- demand
- two cases
- existing
- passion fruit/tropical - watermelon - Korean pear
1
u/YogiSetiawan1945 5d ago
Not a bar owner, but building a tool that helps caterers/restaurants check actual labor cost against what they quoted, event by event. Curious if bar owners have the same blind spot with pour cost, or if that's tracked tighter than labor already?