7 Underused Tactics to Seriously Increase Average Customer Spend at Your Bar

Happy Hour. It’s the oldest trick in the book for getting people in early. But let's face it, relying on discounts is a race to the bottom. It can cheapen your brand and often gives a price cut to customers who would have come in anyway.

The real art of running a profitable bar isn't just about filling seats; it's about increasing the value of each one. The goal is to elevate the customer experience so that they naturally - and happily - spend more.

Forget slashing prices. Here are seven underused tactics to boost your average customer spend.

1. Upsell with Expertise, Not Pressure

Poor upselling sounds like: "Want to make that a double?" Smart upselling sounds like: "If you enjoy a classic G&T, you should really try it with the Botanist gin. Its flavour profile is fantastic."

Train your team to be guides, not just order-takers. When a customer orders a drink, equip your staff with the knowledge to suggest a premium alternative and explain why it's better. The same goes for food. A simple, "The spicy wings are a brilliant match for that IPA," shows expertise and plants a tempting seed.

2. Engineer Your Menu for Profit

Your menu is more than a list of drinks; it's your most powerful sales tool. A few psychological tweaks can guide customers towards higher-margin items.

• Use Descriptive Language: "House Red Wine" is boring. "Valle Central Merlot, a rich, velvety red with notes of plum and dark chocolate" is an experience. More appealing descriptions justify a higher price point.
  

• Create Bundles and Pairings: Offer a "Beer Paddle & Pretzel" combo or a "Whisky Flight & Chocolate" pairing. Bundles create a sense of value and encourage customers to order more than they might have planned.
  

• Highlight Your Stars: Use boxes, bold text, or a subtle icon to draw attention to your most profitable cocktails, spirits, or food items.

3. Introduce Tasting Experiences

Turn a simple drink order into a memorable event. Tasting flights are a fantastic way to introduce customers to premium products and command a higher price.

• Whisky or Gin Flights: Offer a curated selection of three or four different spirits.
  

• Craft Beer Paddles: Allow customers to sample a range of your best craft beers on tap.
  

• Wine Trios: Offer a small glass of three different wines that you're looking to promote.
  

These experiences encourage discovery, position your bar as a destination for connoisseurs, and significantly raise the average spend per person.

4. Master the Art of the Add-On

Never underestimate the power of small, shareable food items. Often, customers don’t want a full meal, but they can easily be tempted by a snack, which in turn encourages another round of drinks. Focus on items that are easy to share and pair well with your drinks menu: loaded fries, artisan nuts, olives, or mini sliders. Placing these on every table or having staff offer them proactively can add a surprising amount to your nightly takings.

5. Host Premium, Niche Events

Quiz nights are great, but you can also attract a crowd willing to spend more on a unique experience. Think about ticketed events that guarantee a minimum spend per person.

• Meet the Brewer/Distiller Night: Partner with a local or speciality brand for an exclusive tasting and talk.
  

• Cocktail Masterclass: Teach a small group how to make a few of your signature cocktails.
  

• Themed Tasting Dinners: Create a set menu where each course is paired with a specific wine, beer, or spirit.

6. Perfect the "Final Round" Suggestion

The end of the night is a key opportunity. Instead of a generic "last orders," have your team make a specific, tempting suggestion.

• "Last call, folks! Can I get anyone a final Old Fashioned or one of our signature Espresso Martinis to finish the night on a high?"
  

• "We're doing a final round of our legendary sticky toffee pudding shots!"
  

This final, enticing offer can easily add an extra high-margin item to multiple bills just before closing.

7. Convert Your Regulars Into Members

Increase Average Customer Spend at Your Bar

With meed's CHECKIN for Bars, you can turn your regulars into members, with their very own membership card in their Apple or Google Wallet.

CHECKIN takes care of itself. You point them to a QR code on the wall or the bar and ask them to scan. They will get a STAMP every time they come. If you are smart, you can use the rewards they earn to sell up rather than discount or give away products for free.

It adds a sense of belonging, which in itself is a powerful upsell tool to increase spending at your bar.