“It’s not only comforting to see a beautiful bar on display before being escorted to a table, but it also puts having a cocktail in customers’ minds prior to eating,” says Brian Van Flandern, owner of Creative Cocktail Consultants, which has offices in Las Vegas and New York City.
Today’s cocktail and beverage offerings continue to become more innovative to set operations apart from competitors and differentiate their menus. “Bars are getting more concept-driven,” says Teisje van Emmerik, co-founder of Studio Numen, a hospitality design firm, and Cocktail Professor, an international consultancy. “There are more basic bar concepts like a mezcaleria or a Tiki bar as well as more in-depth themes.”
Even bar designs have morphed to become more complex, with individual styles that match the signature drinks on the menu. For example, Studio Numen designed a bar for Marriott that simulates a big garden and includes cocktail stations with a built-in plant station and beverages inspired by nature. “Bar designs are more like an open kitchen,” says van Emmerik. “Instead of the traditional undercounter bar, there is a new trend of a ‘kitchen counter-style bar’, where guests sit level with the workstation and bar top. With this format, guests are directly located at the heart of the bar and experience all the craftsmanship of the bartender. There is lots of interaction and connection between them, and the drinking experience is even more enhanced.”
More operators now have back bars custom designed to be more ergonomic and to enhance speed of service. “Consultants can help create an area so bartenders don’t have to step more than three feet in either direction to create every cocktail on the list,” Van Flandern says. Built-in ergonomic speed rails and shelves for glassware and drying dishes are also becoming more popular to minimize bartenders’ steps.
While many restaurant menus keep shrinking to accommodate supply chain and labor shortages, bar and beverage programs are expanding offerings to help compensate. This includes jumping on the low- and no-alcohol cocktail bandwagon. “[Modern bars are providing] the full multi-sensory bar experience with rituals surrounding the drinks, serious flavor profiles and visual presentations, but without the use of any alcohol. We just launched a super cool theatrical non-alcoholic bar concept for Ette Hotel in Orlando,” says de Vries. “But also, lighter drinks, like a highball with vermouth and tonic, are very on trend at the moment. Because people have more knowledge of — and the need for — health and nutrition, bars are serving drinks with less alcohol and with wellness benefits.”
According to van Emmerik, the value of beverages is becoming more recognized within the hospitality industry. “Venues are recognizing that the revenue from the B in F&B is increasing — and sometimes it’s even bigger than the food revenue,” van Emmerik says. “Guests value a quality beverage, whether it’s a good natural wine or a craft beer that is paired with food or even an entire multi-sensory cocktail that takes up an entire course. Also, guests today have more knowledge of different drink products and are willing to pay more for their beverages. Our expectation is that drink experiences will be increasingly expanded and also be more coordinated with the food experience.”
“The way the bar is set up has a big impact on yearly revenue,” Van Flandern says. “Time is money, and the more cocktails you can get out, the more people will be served, and that’s more revenue that can be made.”
Equipment and Design Trends to Enhance Your Bar
Check out the full article on the Foodservice Equipment & Supplies website to learn about the specific equipment and design trends that are commonplace these days to compete in the marketplace.
Plan to Attend or Participate in Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023
To learn more about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023 in Las Vegas. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello (for companies A to G) e: [email protected] p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz (for companies H to Q) e: [email protected]p: (917) 258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh (for companies R to Z) e: [email protected]p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.