A guy walks into a bar, and is blinded by the fluorescent lighting, can’t seem to get comfortable in his seat and his knees awkwardly smush into the bar, so he leaves. Sounds like a bad joke, but sometimes it’s a reality. It seems simple enough, make sure there’s a bar counter with seats and someone behind it to serve your patrons. However, what will keep your customers spending more time and money at your establishment, are the bar design details that you may not have been aware of.

Comfortability
When you take your seat at the bar, you settle in. In an ideal setting, you sit back, you rest your feet on the perfectly elevated foot rail and you may locate the hook for your bags to be safely stowed out of the way. These simplicities may seem trivial but they can also cut what would have been a longer, more pleasant experience, into a shorter, less profitable one. Let’s start with seating. Obviously, a comfy seat is pretty important. A barstool with a back is always a welcome comfort but doesn’t necessarily have to be included if the environment is more casual. If your barstool doesn’t have rungs or the rungs are at odd heights, this is where a foot rail can be advantageous. A proper foot rail should raise 12” from the ground. This may seem high as the industry standard is about 9”, but when you consider chair and bar stool heights, the foot rail becomes the ground and this is the average height where most feet hit and offers the most ease of lounging.

Copperpoint Brewing Company | Boynton Beach, FL

In tandem with seating and foot rails, an appropriate bar overhang makes a huge difference in the comfortability factor. Ever sat at a bar with little to no overhang? When you do, you’ll never forget it. Your knees will be hitting the die wall and your drink will be two feet away. You’ll come close to standing every time you want a sip of your drink, since your knees have nowhere to go, while wondering whether your martini will end up on your lap or the floor. A 12” overhang on a 42” height bar on the other hand is exceptional. You can safely keep your martini close to you on the bar top without having to stand and still have room for oysters.

Liquor Storage
With most target gross profits for liquor sales at 80%, it’s safe to say how you choose to store and display your liquor is pretty important. Some bars go for an overhead liquor cage, while others choose a back bar. We tend to recommend the back bar if there is space, as it creates an elegant display and an easier way for your customers to assess their choices. Liquor cages are an interesting design element, best suited for those whose bar shape or location is not conducive, like an island. Since cages tend to be an obstruction, sports bars are better off with a back bar or under bar, so as not to impede on the tv views. Height on a back bar is suggested to create tiers of importance. Liquor bottles should also be amply and enticingly lit to call attention to your premium brands and top selling items. If you’re a brewery, lighting should be concentrated on your tap system and/ or your tap list.

The heart of most establishments is the bar. Everyone typically congregates there first naturally; it seems more social and relaxed; and that’s where the drinks are. Bars are also where restaurants can generate the most profits, so appropriate attention must be paid. Our specialty is bars and bar design, and we’d love to talk about how we can make the most of your bar.

Behind The Bar

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