Liquor is rarely cheap, and the cheap stuff is the last thing you want to put on the menu. To be competitive in the hospitality industry, liquor prices do no favors when trying to offer competitive prices. Bars and restaurants can only go so low without slashing margins, and without profits, bar service comes to a halt.
So, how can you make sure your margins don’t shrink too low? The key factor is your liquor distributor. If you can get the same (or even better) products at better prices, you can automatically lower costs and subsequently increase your margins.
Beyond that, there are still many ways to be sure you keep a wide profit margin while sticking to your standards in quality and service. Here are a few of our favorite tips to help you lower liquor costs and increase margins at your bar or restaurant.
Know Your Crowd
This is pretty much the golden rule in any industry—comedy, service, performance, and just about anything else. If you’re playing to the wrong crowd, you’re going to drown.
What does this mean in a bar setting? For starters, if your regulars seem a little more highbrow, play more on your sophisticated cocktails. If your crowd is just looking for a conversation and good beer, get ready to pop open some cold ones. Knowing what your regulars want and providing it for them in an environment designed to “call out” those beverages and make them extra accessible is a natural way to boost sales. It might be cool to try a new drink or two, but if the bar already has exactly what your regulars want, they’re bound to come back to get it again.
Beyond supply, the feel of your place plays a big role, too. What are your guests here to do? If they’re trying to have a few beers while they watch the game, upgrading the TVs before they die and playing up the sporty pub vibe is going to help them feel right at home. If a dive bar is more the setting they’re looking for, a pool table, a dartboard, and a jukebox can go a long way. Everything you can do to make your customers feel comfortable and at home will motivate them to order more drinks and spend more time at your place.
Keep a Tidy Menu
A tidy menu with tidy recipes can go a long way to make sure you’re keeping good track of your costs, namely if there are cocktails on the menu. If you keep to a strict 3-oz. of gin in your house martini, for instance, you then know exactly how much each glass is going to cost (and how much you’ll earn). On the other hand, if the martini is open to interpretation and the bartender is a little heavy-handed, you might be spending more on gin than you thought.
Trends are important, too. As healthier beverage options gain momentum, maybe stocking up on a non-alcoholic beer can be a good move. This comes back to knowing your regulars, too. The same goes for building a quality cocktail menu. Whether having an option for the designated driver or for that someone who wants to join friends on a night out but doesn’t drink him or herself, you’re bound to have a customer or two that doesn’t consume alcohol. Having enjoyable options for these abstaining souls is a great way to make sure no-one feels alienated, and that everyone feels comfortable at your place. It will also ensure that everybody is able to order something—meaning more profit in your pocket.
Explore Better Prices
And finally, perhaps the most obvious way of making sure you keep a good margin is to spend less on your supply. This is easier said than done—luckily, Zipp’s Liquor can help you out. Knowing the industry and making the right connections, Zipp’s Liquor is able to provide you with the best prices on all of your best-selling beverages and brands. With a quick, reliable, flexible, and intelligent wholesale distributor service, this one’s almost a no-brainer.
Choose Zipps Liquor to Lower Your Liquor Cost
Want to see just how much you can save by choosing Zipps Liquor as your wholesale distributor? Give us a call or fill out the form below to get a free quote.
On average, Zipps Liquor wholesale customers save 5-10% on average compared to other local wholesale liquor distributors. We’ve been in the wholesale liquor business for 25 years, meaning we have established relationships with vendors and suppliers to bring you only the best wholesale liquor pricing. Whether you own a small hometown bar or you own a large restaurant franchise, we can provide you with wholesale beer, wine, and liquor at prices that will help you increase your profits. Give us a call to see our prices for the beer, wine, and liquor brands you serve at your business!
Choose Zipps Liquor to be your liquor wholesaler. Learn more about our wholesale distribution, or call now for a free quote!
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