Taproom Success

In this episode, we explore the key drivers of a profitable food program for brewery taprooms. From menu engineering and using the "platform strategy" to understanding food costs and margins, we’ll discuss how to optimize your food offerings and track profitability in real-time. Key Takeaways: Menu Engineering : How to design a menu that drives profitability by focusing on high-margin it...

Today on the podcast we share tools, tips, and real-world examples to identify and grow your most lucrative revenue streams to increase taproom profits. Key Points A simple system you can use to find out where you actually make money in your business Quick tips to analyze profits by business area: taproom, wholesale, self-distribution A fancy spreadsheet to track your cost of goods sold for each b...

Today on the podcast we talk about how a small change in staff behavior can lead to big financial returns. It's the power of the 'ask'. Training your staff to ask the customer if they want beer to go can have a powerful impact on your bottom line. Key Points Guest are 480% more likely to buy to go beer when asked...is your staff asking? How asking about to-go beer can mean an extra $36...

Today on the podcast we tackle the CONTROVERSIAL topic of kids in the taproom. Whether you love or hate the idea, today we talk about how to maximize the children's experience in the taproom. Why it's important to create welcoming spaces for all types of guests, even kids 3 ways we can maximize a kid's experience in a taproom The BIG benefit to the taproom... Join the conversation at T...

Mister Rogers, known for teaching us how to be a good neighbor, understand our feelings, and become our best selves, poses a great question: "How do we make goodness attractive?" In today's podcast we explore this question as it relates to your taproom: "How do you make ______ attractive?" Examples: "How do you make greeting your guests when they arrive more attractive...

In today's podcast you'll hear the audio version of our taproom event planning workshop. Over 20 taproom owners and managers joined to share ideas, best practices, and trends in event planning. You'll hear what types of events work to drive traffic, sales and profitability to your taproom. Key takeaways Octoberfest? Try Dog-Toberfest. How to use shark week, easter eggs, and leprechaun...

Spring is (almost) here and it's a great time for a spring clean of your taproom financial records. We know, it sounds boring, but we'll do our best to make it fun and valuable for you! Key Points How to organize all those corporate records Tips to stay on top of taproom license renewals Best practices to count taproom inventory Join the conversation at www. TaproomSuccess.com!

In this episode you'll hear the audio version of our live presentation on How to Use Your Taproom as a Profit Center. Key Topics 5 things your taproom staff should be doing (but probably aren't) 5 actionable strategies to boost taproom profits Brewing financial excellence process Resources Ready to join the conversation? Learn more at www. TaproomSuccess.com

In today's episode we talk about customer spending habits by location in your taproom. And you'll hear our BRAND NEW Taproom Success Podcast INTRO MUSIC! Andrew shares the data on how much customers spend when they sit at the bar, or at a table, or out on your patio. Key Takeaways How customers order (printed menu, QR code, etc) Spending impact depending on where customers sit Spoiler aler...

Andrew recently  wrote a blog  about how a punk rock singer recorded one of his songs with different bands across the world, in their native language. Today on the podcast we use this idea as a jumping off point to talk about how we can tap into unique partnerships to grow sales in your taproom. Key Points Who is Frank Turner is what can we learn from him? Why taprooms should apply the "Frank...

We talk about key performance indicators, KPIs, a LOT!  Today we review the most important KPIs to focus on for success. Labor and occupancy costs are super important to measure. What else is on the most important list of numbers to watch?  Cash flow, net operating income, sales growth and margins, of course. We also have KPI spreadsheets to share. Grab these templates so that you can run the numb...

Today we tackle a hot topic: How to navigate a brewery lease renewal. There's lots of moving parts and lots of things to consider. In the podcast we break down the most important items so you can negotiate a successful lease renewal. Key Points Use the XYZ negotiating strategy to get what you want ("those who ask for more, get more") Think of the lease agreement as a 'disagreement'. Once it's sign...

In today's podcast we flip the calendar to the New Year and talk about taproom goal setting and resolutions. Andrew shares 10 Taproom Resolutions to Boost Profits and Enhance Guest Experiences. Key Points Focus on ONE THING to get the best results Measure results so you know what's working (and what isn't) Check out Andrew's Top 10 Taproom Resolutions Want more Taproom Success tips, strategies and...

Andrew recently hosted a webinar with three breweries to learn how they use taproom data. In this podcast, you'll hear the summary, high level, of what Andrew learned from these breweries. One brewery learned from data that food runners were delivering food too quickly... Another brewery learned that though their brewery is in a tourist area, guests still want to talk about the beer.... And anothe...

Weekly check-ins allow you to monitor sales and other key metrics to measure success in your taproom business. In today's episode, we share the 2-minute drill agenda to keep your check-ins efficient and the weekly scorecard to capture the most important taproom numbers. Key Points Avoid boring, un-productive meetings using the 2-minute drill agenda How to use data, tools and tactics to drive profi...

Today we share tips to build a great financial plan for your taproom. We know we should have a budget, but sometimes it's hard to get started. And hard to finish. And harder still to put the plan into practice. In today's episode, the Taproom Brewery Budget QuickStart Guide, we'll talk about ways to make budgeting easier. Key Points How to identify and overcome budget obstacles The importance of s...

In today's podcast we look at the data behind greeting your guests and thanking them when they leave. These simple and fundamental customer service practices really make a difference. Key Points Two step process to increase customer retention and engagement: 1) Greet your guests when they arrive, 2) thank them when they leave. Time matters. Greeting your guests in less than a minute sets the tone...

Kary recently read The Decision Book: 50 Models for Strategic Thinking, and found lots of great models to share with taproom managers. In today's podcast, we'll review some of our favorite strategic models and how to use them in your taproom. Key Topics 3 favorite strategic models for taproom managers Models for short term day-to-day decisions Models for longer term decision-making

Not all taproom group sizes should receive the same type of customer service. The solo guest on a laptop might want less interaction, while the engaged group of two might want more. Today on the podcast Andrew breaks down taproom data from 2022-2024 with 1300 unique taproom visits from across the country. Andrew analyzes the data, and summarizes the information into actionable takeaways you can im...

Beer cost of goods sold (COGS) can be quite a mystery. What's included? What's excluded? How do you figure it out? In today's episode we help you solve the beer COGS mystery. Key points Use the one-sentence beer COGS technique: Is this cost necessary to make my beer? (If yes, it's COGS. If no, it's not). The most common beer COGS question: Are my cost of goods correct? We'll provide answers and to...

Today we dive into the importance of a 'maniacal focus' on the customer and customer service. Let's face it...the bar is low for customer service. We have become accustomed to low prices and low service. However, the key to success in your taproom is excellence in customer service. Here are some quotes to ponder, and inspiration to focus on the customer in your taproom... "If you...

In today’s episode we offer up 10 Old School Taproom Marketing Ideas to bring new guests into your taproom. How about direct mail? What if you handed out your business card to get a ‘free beer’? Perhaps a ‘big tent’ event to create community and bring people together (in YOUR taproom)? You’ll get the details on these ideas and many more. As a bonus, we’ll talk about 5 ways to increase guest spendi...

In today's podcast we talk about the power of combining marketing and finance to boost sales and profits in your taproom. Key Takeaways Why NOW is the best time to invest in your marketing plan How to find the dollars to dedicate to marketing efforts Marketing ideas that cost zero dollars but yield big results Want even more taproom marketing ideas? Join our Taproom Success Membership , where...

In today's episode we share how to use event calendars, ID checks, and staff introductions to help drive taproom revenue. Key Takeaways Worried about checking IDs? The data tells us that when a guest is 35+ and asked for their ID they spend 25% more! Data shows that 45% of taprooms do not have a visible events calendar. Yes, guests are 25% more likely to return when they know about cool upcomi...

In today's episode we explore the effect that 'convenience' has on influencing customer taproom visits. How do customers choose where to go have a beer? hat are the criteria that go into this decision? And how can you use this information to bring more guests into your taproom? We talk a ton about the different types of people who visit taprooms, but we don't always talk about why...