How To Increase Your Profits Through Proper Beverage Sales

Winter soldiers on here in Philadelphia, and it’s making everyone at PJP long for the Spring and Summer. Sometimes the only way to keep yourself warm is to imagine being out in the sun and warmth with a nice cold drink in your hand. Everyone loves a refreshing summer cocktail.

That’s why summertime is such a great time for bars and restaurants to increase profits through beverage sales. And as always, PJP is here to make sure you get the most bang for your buck. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to watch beverage profits turn to losses. We’ve got some great tips, and great products, to make sure that your business is as profitable as possible while still serving up a great cocktail.

Make Sure Your Bartenders Aren’t Over pouring

The fastest way to lose money at the bar is by pouring too much alcohol in your cocktails. Even a small error can actually have a huge impact on your bottom line over a long enough timeline.

Check out this example:

Typically a drink’s total alcohol content does not exceed 2 ounces. The main ingredient is usually 1.25 ounces and any other liquor makes up the remaining 0.75 ounces. For example, a margarita is typically 1.25 ounces of tequila, 0.75 ounces of triple sec, and 1 or more ounce lime juice and mix.

One case of tequila (twelve .75 L bottles) contains 304 oz. of liquor and yields 243 pours of 1.25 ounces each. Pouring just 0.25 ounces over per glass results in a yield of only 203 drinks per case. At $6 a drink, the bar owner could lose up to $240 in profit per case. If the operation goes through 7 cases a week for a full year, it stands to lose upwards of $87,360. That’s a lot of money to lose just for a quarter ounce extra per drink.

Don’t worry though; there are a few easy ways to monitor pour volume. The first would be by implementing Posi-Por pourers from Spill-Stop into a bar program. These pourers fit on liquor bottles and measure out 1 oz. pours. Another option is to mandate that bar tenders use shot glasses to measure liquor before mixing drinks. The last is proper training and supervision. Either way, all should lead to higher yields from the bar.

Make Sure Your Glasses are Clean

Grease, dirt, or soap film on a glass can leave beverages flat. A properly cleaned glass allows water to sheet off evenly, leaving it to dry without spots and streaks. Soda and sparkling wine will taste fresher with more fizz. Wine lovers will experience the true color, aroma, and taste of fine wines. When serving beer, clean glasses also promote an appealing “head” on the beer that leaves a lace with every sip. We’ve already talked about how important clean glasses are for beer, but below we actually have a chart that helps you discover how much a proper head can affect your profits. If you want to have the cleanest glasses for your beer, make sure you check out Diversey’s line of Beer Clean products.

Units of Beer per Keg*

*Statistics provided by Bar Maid

Beverages can be a huge profit generator. Even though the prep of drinks is minor compared to meals, operators should make sure not to cut any corners. If you have any more questions on how to increase your profits don’t hesitate to call your PJP sales rep!