How to Prep Your Bar for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner. A day filled with drinks, food and celebration, March 17 is a goldmine for bars and restaurants.

In recent years, Americans have spent billions on festivity-related items during this holiday. And with Covid-related restrictions finally easing after years of a global pandemic, you know this St. Patrick's Day is going to be wild. 

To prepare yourself for this lucrative event, look at a few of these tips and tricks, featuring advice from our Executive Council. Your guests will have the time of their lives, all while you maintain your sanity and rake in the cash.

Double-check Inventory

You never want to run out of the good stuff, especially on such an important holiday. Take extra time to think about what customers want. Last year's sales can tell you a lot, so be sure to look at those.

In general, you'll want to stock up on Guinness, Jameson and Bailey's. People also like to stick to everyday beers like Bud Light. Don't underestimate patrons—buy more than you think is necessary.

On a similar note, make sure you have food coloring and other appropriate supplies if you plan to make themed drinks and menu offerings, like green beer. 

Create a Menu

Whether or not you serve food, you'll want to make a menu. Feature a few themed cocktails and shots so your guests can feel festive.

If you have a full-service kitchen, plan to offer specialty bites. 

For chef Brian Duffy, founder of Duffified Experiences and longtime member of our Executive Council, St. Patrick's Day is a chance to get creative and go beyond the expected. "Let's do something really cool, like a corned beef and cabbage cheesesteak, or an Irish sausage and pepper sandwich. It's easy, it's executable, and it's handheld. People can have a sandich in one hand and a pint of Guiness in the other."

Keep it Classy

This should go without saying, but don't be insensitive on St. Patrick's Day. Stay away from insensitive items like Irish Carbombs, says Bar & Restaurant Expo Executive Council Member, Chad Michael George. "If you feel like partaking in that tasty boilermaker, order a Dublin Drop or an Irish Slammer. The bartender will likely know what you're wanting. For me, I just order up a shot of Tullamore DEW and a Harp Lager or a Smithwick's. I may have one Guinness, but I'll move to the lighter beers after that."

Decorate Accordingly

What's St. Patrick's Day without the decorations? Go all out with the shamrock cut-outs and necklaces. Confetti is fun as well. Make a playlist filled with sounds from the Dropkick Murphys, U2 and Celtic Woman—you can't get more Irish than that.

Hold a few contests to get your patrons involved, or hire someone to come in and deck the space out professionally. Themed bars are a huge revenue generator. This Texas bar was raking in $13,000 a day as Moe's Tavern. But the secret is, you have to commit to theme if you want to stand out. 

"Setting the mood starts with an internal theme for the venue," explains Michael Tipps, Managing Partner of Invictus Hospitality, and Bar & Restaurant Expo Executive Council Member. "The music program can be a great mix of American classic bands and Irish classics..the key is to keep it fun and allow the music to build up over the day to night period so you don’t cap out to early, and are able to prolong sales."

Communicate with Staff

While this is a day for festivities, that doesn't mean it's always enjoyable, especially for staff. In fact, it might even be a nightmare. Your place is going to packed on the night, so make sure you've mapped out what to expect a head of time. Schedule things out so everyone knows how the day is going to go. When are decorations going up? What's on the menu? Is there a costume expectation?

Keep everyone on the same page and it'll all go smoothly.

Start Early in the Day

For many, St. Patrick's Day starts at dawn. It's an all-day occasion, after all. To appeal to your guests, open earlier than usual. Serve a traditional Irish breakfast with sausage and beans. Offer coffee with a splash of Bailey's. Take the idea of a "kegs and eggs" and make it a little classier: waffles and green Bloody Marys are delicious. Really, you can't go wrong with this approach.

Promote Your Event

Don't let all this effort go to waste. Put up signs that advertise your specials. Send out social media posts with dates and times so everyone is aware of your festivities. People can go to any bar on St. Patrick's Day and drink—what makes your establishment special? Afterward, be sure to post about how much of a success everything was. This way, everyone knows to head to your spot next year. Promotion is key. Free apps like Canva make designing so much easier than ever before, so you can make amazing flyers and posters with just a few clicks. Make sure your signs are clear, and have all the important information so no one gets confused. 

Make St. Patrick’s Day a Hit

To ensure this holiday goes as well as it can, take note of these tips. Stock your inventory, educate your staff, and create a fun atmosphere and delicious menu. Start as early as you want—on St. Patrick's Day, some people wake up to drink and eat as soon as the sun rises. Your guests won't want to celebrate anywhere else.

For more expert tips on how to optimize your revenue, join us at Bar & Restaurant Expo (formerly Nightclub & Bar Show) March 21-23, 2022 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Registration is open, click here get your tickets now!

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This article was updated on 3/8/2022