You own a restaurant and want to grow your business. But you are not sure if you would like to serve alcohol to the guests. Well, speaking from a commercial perspective, serving alcohol will undoubtedly bring more money to your pocket. However, everything is not as simple as it may seem. There are good and bad sides to both coins. Therefore, continue reading this article to learn more about the pros and cons of serving alcohol in your restaurant.
Different Crowd: One might think that serving booze at a diner will automatically draw more crowds in, but that is not necessarily true. Most families are not comfortable going to a place that serves booze. If you own a family-style restaurant and serve primarily to the family with kids, you might end up losing customers if you decide to serve liquor.
- When people drink, they often become aggressive and loud. The change of personality can be drastic and unexpected. Naturally, parents do not prefer to take their kids to a restaurant with many drunken guys ready to start a fight. Therefore, do your research well before adding a bar to your family-style diner.
- You may have to hire a bouncer or two to escort the drunken people out of the establishment so that the other patrons are not disturbed by the commotion. The managers and the staff may also need to take classes to handle demanding guests when they are drunk. There are certification programs that allow restaurant staff to learn the code of conduct to serve the guests better.
Food Pairing: Alcohol works great with food. Think of your favorite dish, and it will automatically taste better if you have the right beverage to pair the food with. Therefore, most restaurants want to serve alcohol to their guests to provide them with a better food experience. Foodies who wish to try out new dishes prefer to visit restaurants that serve their favorite alcohol.
Less Competition: Not all restaurants can acquire required licenses, without which one cannot serve alcohol. You will only compete with restaurants that serve alcohol. So, if your establishment gets a liquor license, you have an advantage. Plus, you will make more money serving food with alcohol than before.
- You need to consider the additional costs involved if you decide to serve alcohol. For example, liquor licenses, fees, tax, and insurance costs can quickly add up. If you are not prepared to deal with these costs, it is better not to opt for a liquor license. Plus, you need special servers and bartenders to serve the drinks. The maintenance cost can easily double up if you add a bar to the restaurant.
- Even though you will have less competition in the market, you must upgrade your diner accordingly to match the standard. The restaurants that serve drinks invest in their décor to provide the customers with a cozy setting. Therefore, research well and check out the competition before you start the renovation process.
Be sure to think long and hard before going in either direction. Take a pen and paper and calculate the profit margin. If you are willing to put in the extra hours to make the necessary changes, you should go for it and add a bar to your already successful restaurant.