Call us: 631-284-6383 shop@espmetal.com
The owner of a successful bar cannot realistically oversee its day-to-day operations. Instead, the owner typically will hire a bar manager to act in his or her place for this purpose.
With that, the role of a bar manager is especially critical to the bar’s continued success. The responsibilities and duties of a bar manager greatly influence how much money the bar makes and how popular it is with its customers.
A successful bar manager should be an example to the staff whom he or she manages.
One of the primary duties a bar manager has is to keep the establishment sufficiently staffed during every shift. This obligation calls for the manager to make sure there are enough barbacks and servers on the schedule to handle customer demands for every hour the bar is open. It also means taking into account absences of employees who might be sick, on vacation, or not at work for other reasons.
Adequate staffing is crucial for keeping guests happy and maintaining the normal operations of the business. When there are too few servers or not enough bartenders on the schedule, customers may have to wait for their drinks or may leave the bar in favor of one of the business’s competitors.
Another key duty that a bar manager has involves keeping track of all of the bar’s inventory. Everything from the bottles of vodka to the jars of maraschino cherries and bar napkins must be counted, kept in stock, and reordered as necessary. A lack of anything in the inventory could put a damper on how well the bar is able to take care of its guests.
Many bar managers take inventory on a daily or weekly basis depending on how busy the bar is. They also place orders for new inventory well before the existing stock runs out or is used by the bar’s employes.
The cleanliness and safety of the bar is crucial to how the establishment’s guest perceive the business. When it is clean, sanitary, and visually appealing, it is more likely to attract new customers and retain its regulars. The bar manager should be on the lookout for anything that could take away from the bar’s sanitary and clean appearance.
This task could mean watching out for spills on the bar or floor or repairing loose bar stools that could injure a customer. It can also mean making sure knives, scissors, and other sharp objects are kept off the bar and out of reach of the customers. Anything that could pose a risk to the customers or result in a safety or health code violation must be dealt with in a timely manner either by the bar’s manager or by the staff working under him or her.
Many bars have regulars who visit several times a week if not everyday. These regulars are the backbone of the business and provide revenue even when traffic with new customers is down. Because of how important they can be to a bar, it can be helpful if the bar manager gets to know each of the regulars by name.
Additionally, the manager should learn what the regulars drink and normally order and on occasion offer a free drink or a discount to keep them coming back. These simple measures show the regulars that they are appreciated and that the manager wants them to continue coming to the bar frequently.
Finally, a successful bar manager should be an example to the staff whom he or she manages. The manager should work alongside all of the staff from the bus boys to the bartenders. This means knowing how to prepare all of the drinks that the bar serves, where to take dirty dishes and glasses to the kitchen, what the table numbers are, and even where the cleaning supplies are kept and how they are used.
A bar manager who is not afraid to work alongside the staff and do the same jobs as them demonstrates a natural leadership that employees will respect and appreciate. It also sets a good example to the customers who may feel that the manager can be more easily approached about customer concerns.
The bar manager handles a multitude of important tasks on behalf of the owner each day. These duties and responsibilities influence how well the bar operates on a daily basis. They also determine in what light both the employees and customers view the manager of the bar.
