Backbar Academy

This past year has been a trying one for the wine industry. In California, wine makers were again besieged and burnt by a terrible wildfire season in California. And of course,..

Long before Tylenol, twenty-five dollar copays, and debates on whether masks actually work (they do), people turned to alcohol as a one-stop solution for their ailments...

Can you believe it’s going to be 2021 in less than two months? I can’t believe it either. It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in 2020, excited for a year that was..

Mules (also known as bucks) are cocktails made with ginger beer or ginger ale, citrus juice, and any kind of spirit. Easy to make and easy to sip, these are some of the most..

Whether you're a novice bartender, or a seasoned pro looking for a quick refresher, this cocktail equipment guide is helpful for anyone that makes drinks behind the bar. 

A..

Did you suggest a drink while they wait? Have they seen a dessert menu? What about that cabernet we're trying to sell? 

Managers are always looking for clever ways to raise..

Being a bar manager requires a lot more math and brain power than you may think.

"This isn't what I signed up for!" you might be shouting over a pile of spreadsheets and..

The service industry has successfully pivoted to delivery and take out in an effort drum up steady business—but aside from promoting your snacks and bites, it's time to include..

The financial fallout from coronavirus has been steep and swift—but have we been levying the same concern with the environmental impact it has had as well? 

With restaurants..

We've already discussed some drink predictions for 2020, but consumer needs have shifted dramatically in the last few months. As the fall season approaches, we're seeing the..

It's September; put down your margaritas. It's time to slip into a wool cardigan, drink a boozy coffee, and make our way to the nearest pumpkin patch. 

We've already given bars and restaurants some advice on how to cut costs; but there are plenty of companies out there that are being quite generous with their time and money to..

Before coronavirus hit, the most anxiety-inducing aspect of going out was beating the happy hour crowds for a drink. Now, there are a lot of variables diners have to consider..

When you order a drink at a bar, you probably have a pretty good idea of what glassware it's going to be served in. 

We're used to seeing our martinis in delicate stemware,..

You might have it all going for you—a great staff, an acclaimed food and beverage menu, and an instagram worthy atmosphere. But have you checked the books lately?

We won't sugarcoat it for you. Being a restaurant manager is like having 8 jobs in one.

Maybe the first time you learned about shrinkage was from that episode of Seinfeld, but today we're going to be talking about a different kind of shrinkage. 

Keeping your inventory levels low without compromising on service is a tricky balance. How do you make sure you don't run out of product, while also keeping inventory levels..

Everyone remembers the first time they had a beer (well, you might remember, depending on how much you had).

Whether it was in a basement at a college party, or on the back..

Bar and restaurant managers typically work 50-60 hour work weeks. Managers are sleep deprived, stretched impossibly thin, and they're lucky if they have enough time to enjoy a..

The hiring process is a dreaded one for bar and restaurant owners. The hospitality industry experiences more turnover than any other industry, and a rotating crop of employees..

Given the strict capacity limitations during COVID-19, it's not feasible to reopen your restaurant or bar with a full staff.

Whether some of your employees choose not to..

While patio season is looking a little different this year, that doesn't mean you can't pull out all the stops for your guests. 

As if running a restaurant weren't stressful enough, we now have to keep in mind the additional safety and sanitation guidelines to stop the spread of COVID-19. Following these..

When restaurants and bars reopen their doors, business will not resume as usual. The landscape has fundamentally changed, so the way we run our businesses has to change as well.

Batched cocktails are nothing new, but with the given circumstances of COVID-19, their convenience and ingenuity are integral to the survival of restaurants.With to-go..

Covid-19 has battered the restaurant  industry and its employees, leaving restaurant operators scrambling to find innovative ways to survive. A grim forecast from Open Table..

New features to help restaurants and bars be more profitable and no fees for six months on any Backbar subscription plan.

Imagine that your bar's liquor inventory is perfectly managed:Your shelves are clear of overstocked liquor bottles that you don't need. You never run out of menu items..

These are trying times for restaurants. With so much uncertainty surrounding the length of quarantine, shelter-in-place orders, and locally mandated business closures,..

For bars and restaurants to survive they need to focus on cashflow. Here are 10 important recommendations and non-intuitive tips to survive and then thrive.

Do your liquor costs keep creeping up and you don't know where the additional costs are coming from?  Chances are they are right under your nose and you can actually take..

The largest wine spill in over 20 years spilled 96,000 gallons of wine and the famous Spotted Pig restaurant has shut its doors. 

Equipment will breakdown in a restaurant; it is a nearly unavoidable fact. However, implementing maintenance procedures will improve communication between staff members and..

Wine tariffs continues to affect millions and a French restaurant loses its long-held Michelin Star plus more!  

Grubhub looks to partner up, Starbucks opens community-based stores and influential English beer styles. 

If you're a new bar manager, you might be feeling overwhelmed with all the new responsibilities, so we're going to highlight 5 tips to focus on behind the bar to make things a..

"Come on in!  The price (can be) right!"  Customers don't want to come to your bar thinking they're playing The Price Is Right when it comes to your beer prices. 

Like any craft, bartending requires certain tools to do the job right. There are plenty of cool gadgets and delicate tools like smoke infusers or garnish tweezers that a..

McDonald's looks to change the "party culture" brought by old management and wine tariffs to increase prices 100%.

Up and coming wine regions gain momentum and Uber and Postmates file suit against new "unconstitutional" California law. 

With 2019 coming to a close, we look back at some of the developments that will lay the ground for 2020.

As we get closer to 2020 we look back at the top stories in restaurants, wine and dining trends. 

As we wrap up 2019 we take a look at the Eater Awards of the year in some of the hottest cities in the U.S.

Broken refrigerator, money out.  Rent and utilities, money out.  Spending money on marketing to get people in the door, money out, although hoping for a lot of money in. ..

Senate proposes legislation for shutdowns, and an underrated wine country outsells French wine in the U.S.

2020 is coming. It's a year that doesn't quite sound real. 2020 sounds more like an abstract year used in sci-fi shows or books to indicate a distant future when society relies..

McDonald's faces violence from customers, tips to increase holidays sales, and a romaine recall hits again. 

Burger King beef with Impossible Whopper and third-party delivery apps charge more to cover taxes.

Starbucks theme park in Chicago, Grubhub mischarges restaurants and McDonalds lets go of CEO for relationship. 

50% sales growth, new beer styles, third-party delivery apps ruin profit margins and more. 

Kincade Fire update, ghost kitchens, food trend predictions, and plant-based food dishes. 

Unnecessary costs to your restaurant, menu hacks to increase profits, and drink trends for your menu.  

Create a craft beer club, improved P.O.S. systems, and Gen Z shapes the future of the restaurant industry. 

Third-party delivery vs self delivery, increasing labor prices means higher menu prices plus more.

Who knew running a successful bar and restaurant would require so much math?

Google for restaurants, technology to improve operations and restaurants go tip-free. 

There are many costs that go into running a restaurant and while some are not controllable, others are, and taking advantage of lowering those costs will lead to a successful..

"I'm sorry we are out of that."  There is nothing worse than going to a bar and they are out of what you wanted.  Do you constantly find yourself out of products or wonder why..

Restaurants increase CBD use in ingredients and Department of Labor declares new overtime pay rules. 

Does the thought of sitting down and creating a purchasing budget stress you out to the point that you find literally anything else to do?  Or worse, take your best guess on..

Crate & Barrel creates a restaurant, more chicken sandwich wars, and using technology to hire staff. 

One of the most important elements of running a successful bar is to control and maintain a low liquor cost. 

Inventory can be one of the most costly things when it comes to running a bar or restaurant so analyzing your data to gain insights is one of the many benefits to using a ..

Delivery prices increase, Wendy's competes with a breakfast menu, and Millennials are drinking more, why?    

At Backbar we know that taking liquor inventory can be a headache, so we created a free bar inventory app to help reduce time spent on bar inventory by up to 66%.  We took the..

At Backbar we know purchasing liquor from your vendors takes time and various communication platforms.  So we made your purchase order process seamless by putting it all in..

The life of a bar manager is filled with long shifts and heavy workloads. A traditional 40-hour work week would feel like a vacation for many. If you're considering a bar or..

Since the mid-2000s, life has changed for bartenders. The cocktail revival kicked off in the mid aughts wasn't a fad, but a longtail trend that has changed how and what..

Here's a quick question: What is the most important part of the restaurant business?

We talk to dozens of restaurants every day and they often tell us one of their top challenges is training their wait staff.  And training staff on the wine list and beverage..

Who hasn't had sushi? Well, maybe a few of you. But the Japanese food has become extremely popular in the U.S. as American palates open up to foods that aren't ketchup. Sushi..

If you're a restaurant manager looking for bigger opportunities, or a non-management level restaurant employee looking to take the next step in your career, then you can't..

I recently wrote about Bar Inventory Accounting and while that post and many others in our Backbar Academy discuss best practices for doing inventory efficiently and..

Running a successful bar relies on a team of people that must all be in sync and aware of their duties and responsibilities. One of the best ways to hack success behind the bar..

For most restaurant and bar owners and managers, the enjoyable part of the job revolves around delighting customers in the front of house. There are not many hospitality..

One of the fastest growing careers in restaurants and hospitality is the sommelier track. In the past few years the growth has been explosive in the United States. In 2017, the..

Doing regular inventory of your bar is critical to running a successful beverage operation. And there are many ways to take bar inventory. Whether you record counts into Excel..

People don’t go to restaurants just for the food. They go for the experience of having a relaxing time while having their favorite meal. And everything matters when it comes to..

Taking bar inventory can be time consuming and frustrating. It’s a lot of work to count hundreds of bottles, move boxes, punch numbers into spreadsheets and then analyze the..

We know that normally, business owners have enough questions of their own and aren’t looking to add any more to their collection, but these five questions could prove to be a..

Losing a restaurant manager can be really devastating. It can upend employee relationships, diminish a positive work culture, derail finances, and it's flat out really expensive

In 2016, the restaurant industry saw a turnover rate of 72.9% for restaurant employees. This marked a nearly 7% increase in turnover rate from 2014. This is a big problem for..

Some managers have intangible qualities that make them effective leaders and impactful mentors. If you're lucky, you've had the opportunity to work under the guidance of a..

The explosive growth of restaurants has increased the cooking opportunities for cooks and chefs and this has left many kitchens understaffed. A growing frustration with the..

Every year Earth Day is a time when everyone makes the extra effort to volunteer and be more environmentally friendly. Now its time to expand our efforts and make it apart of..

With 2019 in full effect lets take a look at some of the biggest wine trends that are going to take the industry by storm. From the continuous love for Rosé to the rise in the..

The allure of the restaurant industry is easy to understand. The money can be good and comes fast. The obligation is often minimal. And the job is built around encouraging..

What makes a good restaurant staff? Is it that they smile? Can double-stir cocktails? Sure, hospitality and talent are big factors for that. But a good restaurant staff is a..

The world of wine can be intimidating. From full bodied red wines to crisp dry white wines. The options are truly endless! However, when it comes to pairing wine with food..

Whether its the freezing winter, the holiday season, or healthy new year's resolutions, a slow business season is expected every year. But, there is still hope! No one can..

Does your restaurant's menu change seasonally? It should. And not just your food menu. Your wine, beer, and cocktail lists should all rotate throughout the year. Even if you..

A consistent flow of new beers, breweries, and bars are feeding the beer loving public each day. If you're at a bar and ask for a beer list, chances are there will be a brew..

A restaurant is only as good its staff. The bartender, servers, and help staff are the heart and soul of a restaurant. They have the most direct relationship with guests and..

Par levels are a phrase you'll hear often when working at a bar or restaurant. But it's more than an industry term. Knowing how to calculate par levels for bar inventory is an..

Ah, the sacred wine by the glass list... In many restaurants the glass list is responsible for up to 75% of all wine sales. With gross margins on glass pours often exceeding..

Everywhere we look, it seems like a new, high-level cocktail program is being offered at bars both new and old. More restaurants and bars are adding inventive cocktails to..

Once, during a busy Friday night a bar in Chicago, a recently hired server returned a glass of White Zinfandel to the bartender. The wine, a blush pink color, wavered in the..

Pricing drinks can be a tricky part of the bar business, but it doesn’t have to be. Pricing your drinks properly ensures that you are able to sustain your bar long-term, and it..

Taking liquor inventory at your bar or restaurant can be a pain. But the best way to minimize the pain is to create a liquor inventory spreadsheet that is organized and allows..

A well run bar should have an alcohol cost between 18-20% of sales. It's the golden range for bar managers and beverage directors. And, like baseball players striving to have a..

If you hang out in bars long enough, you'll eventually start to hear all sorts of unusual and interesting phrases being thrown around. Each bar will have its own unique..

What wine pairs well with fish? What is the difference between a red and white wine glass? What does a dry wine mean? These are common wine questions that a server may be asked..