Should You Serve Alcohol In Your Restaurant?
Owning a restaurant that may not typically serve alcohol can put you in an odd position should you choose to serve alcohol to your patrons in the future. Should you serve alcohol in your restaurant? Will it benefit your business or put your restaurant in a confusing light for your patrons?
It doesn't have to be difficult to decide if you should add some basic alcohol offerings in your restaurant. If you want to have a full bar in your restaurant or serve hard liquor, you'll need a liquor license. In many states, if you want to serve beer and wine in a restaurant, you have to be licensed as well. Hard liquor licenses can be limited based on how many other restaurants in your area have them and they have to be renewed regularly to stay valid.
Should you serve alcohol in your restaurant? Here's a guide to help you decide if this is best for you.
Patrons have been asking for a drink
If your patrons have been asking if you serve beer or wine or even shots of hard liquor and they've been disappointed to find you don't, it may be wise to consider adding alcohol to your menu. Alcohol can be a great addition to your menu because it can bring in regular customers for your food and new customers for your drinks and atmosphere. Serve the type of alcohol you have a license for and are comfortable selling.
You want to make better profits
In most cases, adding alcohol to your restaurant offerings may help boost profits. Alcohol can be offered at a profitable markup that costs you little but doesn't affect the patronage of your customers and they'll happily fork out money for drinks so they can enjoy their meal even more. In general, alcohol sales are among the top profitable sectors and can help you make more money in your restaurant while keeping your customers happier than ever.
You want to stand out from other restaurants
Do you want to stand out among other similar restaurants in your area and give customers more reason to visit your establishment besides lower prices? Consider a modest alcohol menu that can bring in customers who want to have a drink with their meal. Your prices can stay the same and your alcohols can be marked up to where you make more money than ever simply by adding a few beers on tap or chilled wines.
