4 Tips to Help You Organize Your Bar

A bar station can be set up in many ways to increase efficiency and cleanliness. Those performing more bespoke services use different tricks and techniques than those serving high volumes of customers. However, some principles are universal. When your staff is busy trying to fulfill orders from your servers or customers, they don't want to search for the supplies they need. Having an organized bar space is about more than just efficiency.

A well-organized bar will reflect positively on your business. Not only will your bar look more professional, but your service time will be reduced. You will have an easier time restocking and answering questions like 'does bourbon go bad?’ Here are some tips to help you organize your bar.

Design for the Space

When designing your design space, it is important to weigh the importance of convenience and efficiency. One of the best ways to design your allowable space is to have various trial runs. Bring in your family and friends and experiment on the workings of your bar. Create a design that is not only efficient but that makes life easier for your bartenders and servers. Your workers and customers will thank you.

Make a Map

When you finalize your bar design, it can be helpful to draw out a layout map. As well as helping you visualize your future needs, this can be used as a functional training tool as well. Each staff member will know how and where to locate the necessary supplies. You can organize your bar in alphabetical order or in a way that maximizes the most common orders from customers. Consider grouping items that are included in your specialty drinks and seasonal drinks together in your design.

Complete Stations

If you have an expansive bar area, it's advantageous to include several complete stations. You don't want your bartenders to have to criss-cross the space to reach for any items. When your bar isn't adequately organized with individual stations, your staff cannot provide the best service. For example, if you have a special on frozen cocktails but only have one blender for your two bartenders, your customers will have to wait, and your staff will become frustrated.

Each station should have all the bar bottles, glasses, tools, and ingredients needed for the job. This way, each bartender is surrounded by the tools of the trade and responsible for restocking their own area.

Keep It Simple

Your employees work hard to provide customers with a satisfying experience. It's up to you to help them do their job quickly and efficiently. Bartenders and servers that are taking thousands of unnecessary steps to get their job done will be more likely to move on or get burned out after a long shift. Consult your staff about any issues created by your design and make any necessary changes.

As a bar or restaurant owner who serves drinks, you want to embrace some of these ideas for creating a smooth and efficient bar.

Note: banner photo courtesy of Pixabay.com