Moving the point of service has been an effective way to increase food and beverage sales and revenue over the last year and a half, but the reality is mobility has always been a profit driver. When restaurants and foodservice operations can relocate serving carts, kiosks, stations, lines, and even bars from one area to another, that means the point-of-sale is versatile, too.
Mobility has always been a profit driver.
One easy way to understand the power of mobility is to think about hotels and hospitality. In a large, resort hotel, the ability to move service from the lobby in the morning to a conference room in the afternoon and then poolside during the evening is powerful. It’s also profitable, especially when the focus is on bar and beverage.
As any restaurant operator will tell you, the largest profit generator is most often the bar. Whether it’s cocktails, beer, or wine, the greatest margins in foodservice are typically the liquid ones, so gaining the ability to move bar service around a property is a great way to reveal the hidden revenue in portable bars.
The 3 Most Important Factors in a Portable Bar
Not all bars are created equal, so if a restaurant is looking to move service outside in the age of Covid or if a hotel wants mobile service across the entire property, there are a few important factors to consider.
DURABILITY
Let’s start with the less glamorous one. While durability isn’t the most visible factor and is often taken for granted, having a portable bar that can stand up to the rigors of the road is key. Nobody wants to be stuck on the far end of the property only to have the castors break down. Knowing mobile bars undergo a lot more than stationary ones, it’s important to consider their durability.
VERSATILITY
Ideally, customers will be able to order the same preferences as they would at the long wooden bar inside. From a full menu of classic catalogs to favorite beer styles to both red and white wine, a portable bar should be configured in a way to provide menu choices just like stationary bars.
USABILITY
Tending bar can be one of the most physically-taxing jobs in all of foodservice. It’s a job based on speed-of-service to maximize profitability, but not all bars are designed to maximize comfort and profitability. In reality, a bartender’s comfort level will impact output, which impacts profits. Having a portable bar ergonomically designed will make it more usable and more profitable.
Discover portable bar solutions that meet these requirements.
Multiteria specializes in food and beverage serving solutions that make work easier for staff, an important element in today’s labor-starved foodservice industry, and more profitable for operators. Learn more about our suite of portable bar solutions, and start enhancing your profitability today.
