Dr.

mohamad issa watfe

Bar operation

Introduction and definition:

Food bars include Oyster bars, Snack bars, Sandwich bars….etc. however, in food and beverage
business, the term (bar) means the beverage bars particularly the ones serve alcohol.

Classification of bar:
Bars can be classified in various ways. It may be classified on basis of its function, architectural
concepts, themes, interiors and ambience, location, payment of drinks, in-situ (on premises),
entertainment offered, ……etc.

First: On the basic of function:

On the basics of function bars can classified into:

1- Front bars:

these are also called as public bars. They are situated in front of the house and characterized by
barman-guest contact.

Here bartenders serve the public face to face. Some guest are seated and served at the counter
itself while others purchase drinks at the bar counter and consume standing or carry them to the
tables provided.

Basics front bars offer adequate bar skills, beverages lists, comfort, décor and ambience.

It gets upmarket stylish, and more lavish, focused(specialized) and more expensive as it evolves
into lounge bars and cocktail bars.

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Front bars may or may not provide entertainment.

2- Service bars:

These are also called as dispense bars. Here, bartenders do not serve the public directly but pour
drinks that are picked up by servers and delivered to customers at different locations like the
guest room, a table in the restaurant or a pool-side deck chair.in short, it fills drink orders brought
by waiters and waitresses only.

A single pour station is enough to handle the volume, also the guests have no access to service
bars.

Service bars need the same forethoughts in its planning, has the same functions, uses the same
equipment and performs the same tasks of recording and controlling the pouring and selling of
drinks as any other bars.it is of two basic types:

- Back of the house service bars.

As the name suggests these bars are used for beverages sales and service functions like banquets,
meetings, receptions, conferences or conventions.

It can also be used in a particular acres like golf course and tennis court, open gardens and pools
side or anywhere else in the hotels. It is of two basic types:

- Portable bars.
- Crash bars.
4- Minibars:

They are also called as in-house bars, it is relatively new concept and consists of a refrigerated
cabinet placed in a guest room along with the menu cum rate-list, for consumption by room-

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guest. Thus, these bars are means of visual merchandising to boost beverage sales. by this
option, the guest can enjoy the drink in the privacy of the room.

Generally, miniature single serve bottles of liquor, pints of beer and cans of soft drinks arestocked
in such bars due to space constraints. Assorted snacks like nuts, crisp …etc. are also kept to make
the experience more complete.

The guest's account is charged based on consumption – manually or electronically.

Minibar (refilling, charging and inventory) responsibility lies with a separate food and beverage
team or is appended to the room service department and work 24 hours

Second: on basis of architectural concepts, themes, interiors and ambience:

1- Cocktail lounges:

Cocktail lounge are more comfortably furnished, more luxurious in ambience and more
expensive than public bar.

Seating includes chairs with armrests or sofa and coffee tables are spaciously laid out. The
ambience is particularly relaxing.

Entertainment may be in form of life music ( guitar, pianist…etc.)

These bars have a comprehensive beverage list and also serve complimentary light snacks with
the drinks.

Guests use these bars for sundowner in the evening or for aperitif before proceeding to an in-
house restaurant for dinner.

2- Sunken bars:

These bars are sunk and surrounded by water on all sides, it is built in the middle of a swimming
pool.

They are usually found in resort hotels where guests spend a lot of time in and around the pool .

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Guests swim to the bar to collect the drinks and consume it seating at immersed bar stool or on
the air floats.

3- Tiki bars:

These bars are themed on the tiki culture ( south seas-inspired pop culture in united states.

It is generally made of bamboos, canes, straw mats ……etc. and decorated with tropical flowers
including orchids, fruits….etc. they dispense cocktails and mixed drinks such as zombie.

4- Pubs:

American bars are small outlets- pretty much like local places at the comers, nothing fantastic or
special and generally dispenses common beer, standard spirits and wines.

Third: on the basis of patronizing clientele:

1- Meet bars:

Also called as single bar, they are patronized by individuals looking for a new friend of the
opposite sex for a date to a complete relationship.

These individuals stay long enough to meet someone they did like to spend the evening with, and
then move on to a suitable place for food.

2- Ladies only bars:

These bars are patronized by members of female sex only and tend to be psychological safer.

Men are not allowed in such bars.

They generally dispense ladies drinks like cocktails, gin, vodka, wines, ….etc.

3- Gay/lesbian bars:

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These bars are patronized by gay individuals looking for a partner. On the other hand, ladies only
bar doubles up as lesbian bars also.

Fourth: on the basis of key product (beverages) served:

These bars served a wide range of wines by glass/carafe/bottle and wine based mixed drinks.

Wine list consists of a wide variety of wines ranging from inexpensive house wines to quality
wines. It requires professional, knowledgeable staff that comes expensive.

2- Beer bars:

These bars serve only beer and beer based mixed drinks. They generally carry and sell a variety of
different styles and brands of beer like stout, porter, ales, …etc. by glass/pitcher/pint/can/bottle.

Such bars are owned by companies as part of their vertical marketing integration strategy.

3- Cocktail bar:

They are full-service bars serving on entire range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages but
specialized in wide range of cocktails and mixed drinks.

These bars are commonly found in luxury hotels and are luxuriously furnished.it

4- Tequila bars:

These bars are serving different styles and brands of tequila based mixed drinks.

5- Bloody Mary bars:

These bars are serving various styles and variations of famous mixed-drinks (cocktail) bloody
Mary (a mix of vodka and tomato juice).

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Fifth: on the basis of payment of consumed drinks:

1- Host bars:

It is a kind of special function bar where the total consumption of beverages of any type (from
what is available) is charged to and paid for by the host at the end .

2- cash bars:

these bars are also called as no- host bars, or cash on delivery (COD) bars or a –la-carte bars. In
some service clubs, some convention function, and meeting such bars are set up.

Here the host may pay for food while the individuals participates pay for drinks consumed,
payment may be effected by cash collection or an equivalent amount (number) of coupons that
sold prior to the event .

3- open bars:

these bars are opened to the guest to consume any liquor available and any quantity desired.

It is similar to a open buffet during the time the bar is in operation. The price here is based on the
number of guests.

Sixth: on the basis of location of bars in hotels and other establishment:

1- foyer bars:

these bars are situated in the foyer (lobby area) of some superior hotels and serve drinks in the
same area. Most of the hotels serve drinks to the guests in the foyer.

2- Airport bars:

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These bars are found on international airports. They are characterized by offering quick service to
transit passengers . they are often economically priced because of access to duty-free liquor

3- Casino bars:

These bars are found in casinos as the name suggests. They offer gambling and gaming services
as well.

Seventh: on the basis of in-situ entertainment offered:

1- Jess bars:

These bars are providing entertainment in form of jess music on the premises. It is the bar's main
focal attraction apart from the bar itself.

2- Sport bars:

These bars are providing sport entertainment on big television screens and the décor may also be
geared on the theme of sport. They are found in clubs and spring up throughout the city during
soccer season, cricket world cup, Wimbledon tennis tournament,….etc.

3- Piano bars:

These are bars with piano and the pianist. They provide excellent in-situ entertainment to the
traditionalists who love piano tunes.

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