How to Make a Yummy Food Menu for Your Bar
Table of Contents
Why Food in Bars is a Big Deal
Hi there! Do you run a bar? Do you want more people to come? Food can help! When bars have good food, people stay longer. They buy more drinks too. This is good for making money.
Bars that ask what food their customers like do better. In fact, these bars see their new menus work 68% faster than other bars.That means more happy customers!
First Steps to Make Your Menu
Before you make a menu, you need to think about some things:
- Who comes to your bar? Are they young? Old? Do they like fancy food or simple snacks?
- What drinks do you sell most? Your food should go well with these drinks.
- How big is your kitchen? If it’s small, you need simple foods.
- What makes your bar special? Your food should match your bar’s style.
Let’s look at what one bar did. The Gin Library in London made a menu called “Botanical Bites.” These small foods went with their gin drinks. After just 6 months, they made 45% more money! That’s a lot!
Foods That Make People Buy More Drinks
Some foods make people thirsty. This is good for your bar! Here are some foods that work well:
- Salty snacks – like nuts, chips, or custom bar coasters with salty treats
- Spicy foods – like hot wings or spicy fries
- Fried foods – like fried pickles that give you 72% profit
- Cheese – people love cheese with drinks!
Make Your Menu Look Nice
Your menu should be easy to read. Big words and clear pictures help. You can use:
- Bold words for food names
- Pictures of your best foods
- Simple words that everyone knows
- QR codes that show your menu on phones
Bars that use phone menus sell 40% more food during busy times. People can see pictures and order more!
When you serve drinks, use nice wine buckets to keep drinks cold. This makes people want to order more food too!
Foods That Go With Beer
If you sell lots of beer, you need food that goes well with it. Bars that have at least 3 local beers see 18% more people come back again.
Here’s a simple chart showing good foods for beer:
| Beer Type | Good Foods | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Light Beer | Chicken wings | Not too heavy |
| Dark Beer | Burgers | Rich flavors |
| IPA Beer | Spicy foods | Matches the hop taste |
| Wheat Beer | Fish | Light and fresh |
Remember to keep your bar tap handles clean and pretty. This makes beer look good and people will want food too!
Easy Foods for Busy Times
When your bar is busy, you need foods that are fast to make. Pre-made foods can help your kitchen work 30% faster during happy hour.
Some easy foods are:
- Meat and cheese on sticks
- Mini sandwiches
- Dips with chips
- Stuffed olives
You can put these foods on nice trays. Maybe use custom logo bar mats under the trays to look fancy!
Special Foods for Special Days
Having special foods on different days makes people come back. You can do:
- Taco Tuesday – cheap tacos on Tuesday
- Wing Wednesday – special wings mid-week
- Fish Friday – fish dishes for the end of work week
- Weekend Brunch – morning foods with drinks
The Night Owl Lounge in NYC made QR code menus that told people what foods go with which drinks. This made tables open up 30% faster so more people could come in!
Foods That Look Good Online
People like to take pictures of cool food and drinks. If your food looks good, people will show their friends on the internet.
Bars that use local foods in their menu get 35% more people talking about them online. That means free ads for you!
Some foods that look good in pictures:
- Colorful drinks in acrylic ice buckets
- Tall burger towers
- Foods with smoke or fire
- Fancy desserts
Healthy Choices are Good Too
Not all bar food has to be fried or fatty. Some people want healthy choices. Bars that have plant foods (like cauliflower wings) get 27% new customers.
You can make easy healthy bar foods like:
- Veggie sticks with dip
- Shrimp skewers
- Salad cups
- Fruit and cheese plates
Make a Menu That Makes Money
Some foods make more money than others. Fried pickles and stuffed olives can give you 72% profit. That means if they cost $1 to make, you can sell them for about $3.50!
Look at this chart of foods and how much money they make:
| Food Item | Cost to Make | Selling Price | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| French Fries | $1.00 | $4.00 | $3.00 |
| Chicken Wings | $2.50 | $8.00 | $5.50 |
| Nachos | $1.50 | $6.00 | $4.50 |
| Pretzel Bites | $0.75 | $4.50 | $3.75 |
Drinks and Foods That Go Together
People buy more when you tell them what foods go with their drinks. Here are some good pairs:
- Beer + Pretzels
- Wine + Cheese
- Whiskey + BBQ
- Vodka + Light snacks
The Brew & Chew bar in Chicago added 8 local beers and pretzel boards to their menu. This made 22% more people come in on weekdays.
Keep Your Bar Clean and Pretty
People want to eat in clean places. Use rubber bar mats to keep your bar clean and dry. These help stop spills and make cleaning easy.
Also, nice looking PVC coasters keep tables dry and can show your bar’s name.
Ask What People Think
Always ask your customers what they think about your food. You can:
- Put out comment cards
- Ask while serving
- Look at online reviews
- Watch what foods sell most
When you know what people like, you can make your menu better all the time!
Final Tips for Your Bar Food Menu
Let’s wrap up with the most important things to remember:
- Make foods that go with your drinks
- Have some quick, easy foods for busy times
- Keep some healthy choices
- Use nice bar supplies like custom ice buckets to look good
- Ask what your customers think
With these tips, your bar food menu will bring in more people and make more money. Good luck with your yummy new menu!
