The Bar Business Podcast: Bar & Pub Owner Profits, Marketing & Operations

Most bar owners think hiding financial numbers protects the business.  In reality, it usually does the opposite.  When your staff doesn’t understand what overpouring, waste, breakage, labor pressure, cash handling, and check averages are doing to the business, they can’t help protect profit. They just keep working blind. Instead, this episode shows you how to use the right numbers to build ownersh...

How much money is your dirty bathroom costing you? Most bar owners think guests only care about drinks, service, and prices. They don’t. Guests walk into one filthy bathroom, and suddenly your whole bar feels dirty, sloppy, and untrustworthy. In this episode, we break down why bathroom conditions have a bigger impact on guest trust, repeat business, and sales than most operators want to admit. You...

Bar marketing gets expensive fast when every promotion is aimed at strangers. The smarter move is knowing which customers already visit often, spend more than average, and quietly keep the business alive. In this episode, we break down how to identify your most profitable bar customers using POS data, guest frequency, average check size, visit patterns, and order behavior. You’ll learn why generic...

Most bar owners track sales, labor, and inventory.  But very few ask if they’re tracking bar prime cost the right way. In this episode, we break down bar prime cost , how to calculate it, and why it matters more than sales alone when it comes to profitability.  You’ll learn how labor cost plus cost of goods sold can reveal problems earlier, from overstaffing and overpouring to waste, bad inventory...

Why is your bar still stuck… even though you’re working nonstop? Here’s the truth most owners avoid: It’s not your staff. It’s not your marketing. It’s you. In this episode, franchise turnaround expert Mike DeJong breaks down the pattern he sees over and over again: Owners are becoming the bottleneck in their own business. You’ll hear why most bar owners stay trapped in operator mode, constantly b...

What worked before… doesn’t work anymore. Same bar. Same drinks. But something’s off. The crowd is different. And they’re not drinking the way they used to. Most bar owners think it’s a traffic problem. It’s not. You’re running a bar built for the past while Gen Z is playing by new rules. In this episode, we break down how each generation actually drinks, spends, and chooses where to go and why Ge...

One night you’re busy. Next night? Dead. No pattern. No consistency.  All you can do is hope that people will show up. Most bar owners think it’s a marketing problem. It’s not. You just haven’t given people a reason to come in. In this episode, I sit down with Bryan Carr from Geeks Who Drink to break down how programming, like trivia, bingo, and weekly events, actually drives consistent traffic an...

Why do so many bar owners generate decent revenue… yet still feel like they’re constantly behind on money? Most people assume the fix is pushing for more, more customers, more sales, more growth. But that approach usually just creates more pressure without solving what’s actually broken. The real problem is how your money is being managed. In this episode, we walk through how to build a forward-lo...

Step into the vibrant world of hospitality with our latest episode, where we explore the dynamic India Bartender Show and the essence of joy in the industry. This episode promises to captivate anyone passionate about bars, culture, and community. Discover how the India Bartender Show is reshaping perceptions with its focus on education, community, and cultural expression. Hear from industry leader...

Why are so many bar owners making good money… but still ending every month with nothing left? Most bar owners think the answer is more sales, more customers, more volume… but that’s actually the slowest and most expensive way to fix a profit problem. Instead, this episode focuses on building a forward-looking budget that actually controls your cash and locks in profit first. From breaking your rev...

Why are so many restaurants busy… but still not making enough money? In this episode, we break down a simple but overlooked strategy that can increase your revenue in as little as 48 hours without more customers, more marketing, or more traffic. Most bar and restaurant owners are stuck chasing new customers, thinking that’s the only way to grow. But in today’s market, that’s the slowest and most e...

How can a bar succeed without Instagram, social media marketing, or online promotion? In this episode, hospitality operator Ethan Brown of Ernie’s Boondock, a multi-location bar concept, operates with no Instagram, no social media marketing, and almost no online presence. Instead of relying on digital marketing, Ernie’s focuses on something most bar operators overlook: culture, staff, and communit...

Most bar owners track sales, watch labor, and check their inventory. But very few step back and ask a simple question: Are you actually tracking your prime cost the right way? Prime cost, the combination of labor cost and cost of goods sold , is one of the most important numbers in your bar. But many operators calculate it incorrectly or rely on inaccurate inventory numbers. In this episode, we br...

Most bar owners spend years chasing better sales, better systems, and better data. But very few stop and ask two uncomfortable questions: Do you actually love your bar anymore? And does your business still bring you joy? In this episode we are talking about a topic most hospitality leaders avoid, the emotional side of running a bar. Because when a bar owner stops loving their business, it shows up...

What if the slowest hours in your bar could become some of the most profitable? If your afternoons feel quiet and the seats sit empty until happy hour, you’re not dealing with a traffic problem, you’re dealing with unused revenue. There’s a growing crowd of remote workers looking for a place to settle in, and your bar may already be the perfect fit. In this episode, we break down the Work-from-Bar...

Running a bar or restaurant right now isn’t just hard, it’s overwhelming. Costs are up, regulations keep shifting, and somehow you’re still expected to master tech, lead a team, control inventory, and deliver unforgettable service at the same time.  The truth? Most owners were never taught the business fundamentals before jumping in and the failure rate shows it. In this episode, Jay Ashton and Do...

Your dashboard tells you what happened. It doesn’t tell you why. If revenue is slipping, labor is climbing, or regulars are quietly disappearing, your KPIs are showing symptoms, not causes. In this episode, we break down The Human Audit, a simple 15-minute monthly system for bar owners to reduce staff turnover, improve guest experience, and protect profit by asking five direct questions. You’ll le...

You’re spending money on ads… but your bar still doesn’t have real regulars. The drinks are good.  The vibe is solid.  People come in once, and then you never see them again. Because attention isn’t loyalty. And discounts don’t build attachment. Today, we’re breaking down why a simple $50 hospitality move can outperform a $5,000 ad campaign and how to turn everyday service into moments people actu...

Why are you paying for ads… but your bar isn’t getting talked about? Your costs are controlled.  Margins look healthy.  The menu is optimized. On paper, you’re doing everything right. But great drinks aren’t marketing. They serve guests. They don’t create moments. And they won’t give people a reason to pull out their phones. A small theatrical upgrade might increase cost.  It might also increase p...

Discover how industry shows can transform your hospitality career and business. In this episode, our expert panel shares personal stories and insights on the evolving role of bar shows and conventions. Learn how these events offer unparalleled opportunities for education, networking, and innovation. Gain insider knowledge on selecting the right events, maximizing your experience, and leveraging th...

Why do your numbers look right… but your bar feels off? Your labor’s tight. Margins look healthy. The menu’s optimized. On paper, you’re doing everything right. But data is transactional. It tracks sales and costs. It doesn’t track loyalty. It doesn’t measure vibe. And it won’t tell you when you’re optimizing the life out of your bar. Cutting a low-margin item might improve percentages. It might a...

Why are guests leaving earlier than you think they should? Your pricing’s solid, the drinks are good, the team’s doing their job and still, tabs are closing after two rounds. Most operators assume it’s a marketing issue or a menu problem, but a lot of the time it’s the room itself working against you. Lighting that’s too bright, music that’s just a little too loud, or a space that’s slightly uncom...

Running a bar isn’t just about controlling costs, it’s about leading people. In our latest episode with Dave Nitzel and Dave Domzalski, we unpack their new book, A Tale of Two Taverns, and the deeper lesson behind it. Through the story of two competing bar owners, they reveal why traditional corporate logic often fails in hospitality, and how culture, incentives, and leadership directly impact you...

You can run a perfect 20% labor cost and still feel like your bar is one bad shift away from falling apart.  Call-outs start stacking up, the vibe changes, and people show up physically but mentally they’re gone. That’s usually the moment owners realize the numbers never warned them anything was wrong. In this episode, we break down the Staff Sentiment Index and why labor cost doesn’t protect you...

A lot of people think you need years of bar experience to open or run a successful bar. That assumption keeps a lot of people stuck or broke. Today, I’m talking with Zach Yurchuck of Truck & Tap, who helped build a profitable, multi-location neighborhood bar brand without coming from the bar industry. We get into why smaller bars often outperform big ones, why hiring for personality beats hiri...