When you’re running a restaurant, there’s a few types of customers you’ll see. Some of them are looking for a fine dining experience. Others just want your cheapest deal.

And then there’s the ones that just want to drink and have fun. They’re still probably going to order a bite to eat, but that’s not exactly the whole reason they’re dining with you tonight. No, they’re here to watch the live band play. To have a couple cocktails and chat with friends. Maybe even dance a bit!

I’m talking about the bar crowd. If there’s a bar in your restaurant, then this is a crowd you’re certainly familiar with. It’s a crowd you not only need to be aware of, but do your best to cater to. Because if you cater to them effectively, you’re sure to profit long term.

Let’s take a look at a few ways to create a better bar experience for your restaurant.

Look at your existing customers

Repeat customers spend more money than new ones. I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again here.

Bars positively thrive off of their regulars. These are the people you want to cater to. Getting to know your regulars will help you understand how to create a more successful bar on a wider scale. It’ll keep them pleased and spending money, and it’ll help you create a better bar experience for everyone.

Looking to get connected with your regulars? Try taking advantage of a digital loyalty program. With services like CoGoBuzz, you can digitally reward your customers with awesome deals – simplified down to a single text message. Not only that, but you’ll also take advantage of automatically produced customer profiles. Read ahead to learn more!

Keep a separate bar menu

It’s a good idea to keep a smaller menu that’s designed specifically for the bar crowd. The ideal bar menu should feature things like casual dining options, a beer list, a few specialty cocktails, or any other odds-and-ends (such as your most popular appetizers).

Bar patrons, or even those in a lounge-type area, can still request your full menu. It’s good to give your customers options. But the purpose of the bar menu is to guide your customers through the purchasing process. Rather than just sitting down and ordering their go-to beer, they’ll open up the menu, glance around a bit, and decide to order one of your more expensive specialty cocktails. After that, they decide they’re hungry, and figure “why not order a few burger sliders?”

Liven up the environment

Like I said, the bar crowd wants to have a good time. There’s a ton of ways you can make your bar area more exciting! Here’s a few quick ideas to get you started.

  • Trivia night
  • Karaoke
  • Experiment with different happy hour deals
  • Live entertainment
  • Having relevant sports on the TVs (Ask your regulars what they like)

Do it digitally with CoGoBuzz

Revitalizing your bar experience is easy (and affordable) with CoGoBuzz. Our state-of-the-art digital service leverages WiFi, SMS, and Email solutions to get you repeat customers automatically.

Through a one-time login to your in-store HotSpot, customers can check out your latest deals, menus, and more directly from their mobile devices. On top of that, we automatically produce a full customer profile for every customer that logs in, hooking you up with the data you need to truly discover your bar’s regulars. To learn more about CoGoBuzz, check out the rest of our website!

How’s the bar experience in your restaurant? What steps have you taken to improve it in the past? Let us know in the comments!