The Bar Business Podcast: Bar & Pub Owner Profits, Marketing & Operations

Hosted by Chris Schneider, The Bar Business Coach

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

250

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Are you spending more time stuck behind the bar than building a business that runs smoothly without you? If you're a bar owner who feels overwhelmed by the day-to-day grind of hospitality and is struggling to balance operations, marketing, and profits this show is for you. Chris Schneider, with over 20 years in the industry, created this podcast to help you overcome burnout, increase profits, and create a business you can enjoy—not just endure. Join us every Monday and Wednesday to: Get expert strategies to boost profits while attracting loyal customers. Learn bar marketing tactics, menu design hacks, and leadership tools that simplify operations. Build the bar or pub that you have always dreamt of owning. Ready to take control of your bar’s success? Start by tuning into the fan-favorite episode: 5 Strategies to Boost Bar Profits This Week: Quick Wins for Bar Owners.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 15, 2026Episode 2438 min

How to Fix Guest Complaints Before They Become Bad Reviews

Most unhappy guests will never complain. They will just leave.And if your team is not paying attention, you may not know there was a problem until the review shows up or the guest never comes back.In this episode, Chris breaks down how to spot guest issues before they are spoken and how to handle complaints in the moment.Because a guest who complains is not always the problem.Sometimes they are giving you one last chance to fix it.If your team is not reading the room or asking better questions, you are probably missing patterns that cost you repeat business.Bad nights happen. But bad nights handled well can become loyalty stories.📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

June 10, 2026Episode 24222 min

How to Increase Perceived Value in Your Bar

When guests say your bar is too expensive, they may not be talking about price.They may be talking about value.In this episode, I talk about perceived value: the gap between what guests pay and what they feel they received.We break down where guests form that value judgment, from your Google profile and first 90 seconds to your menu, staff language, physical touch points, table checks, and send-off.Because price is just the number on the menu.Value is the story your whole bar tells before, during, and after the visit.If guests are coming in less often, spending less, or saying things feel too pricey, this episode is for you.Your prices may not be the problem.Your value signals might be.📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

June 8, 2026Episode 2419 min

Why Google Reviews Matter for Bar Marketing

Your Google reviews are not just nice to have.They are one of the biggest reasons new guests choose you over the bar down the street.In this episode, I talk about why most bar owners wait for good reviews to happen instead of building a system that makes them happen.We break down when to ask for reviews, how to train your team to ask, why personal invitations work better than QR codes, and how to respond when a bad review shows up.If your regulars love you but your Google profile does not show it, this episode is for you.Good reviews do not happen by accident.You need a system.📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

June 5, 2026Episode 71 hr 32 min

Party of Six: The Secret to Scaling Hospitality Brands Without Losing Their Unique Local DNA

This month, we are joined by special guest Willie Rosenthal of Gin & Luck. Discover the incredible journey of Willie Rosenthal as he transforms a single cocktail bar into a global hospitality empire with Gin & Luck.Learn how maintaining core values and embracing local cultures have been key to their success. Willie shares insights on leadership, innovation, and the strategic decisions that have driven their growth. Uncover the secrets behind their unique approach to brand expansion, team building, and customer engagement. Find out how they navigate challenges and seize opportunities in the competitive hospitality industry. Tune in to gain valuable advice for hospitality professionals and entrepreneurs looking to scale their brands while staying true to their roots.Panelists:Willie Rosenthal - Gin & Luck (Death & Co, Close Company)Minakshi Singh - Sidecar, The Brook, India Bartender ShowDave Nitzel - Dave and Dave Consulting, BarmetrixCliff Crider - Truck and Tap, Stinger ComplianceChris Schneider - The Bar Business Coach, The Bar Business PodcastGin & Luck Website - https://www.ginandluck.com/Gin & Luck Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ginandluck/Death & Co Website - https://www.deathandcompany.com/Death & Co Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/deathandcompanyClose Company Website - https://www.closecompanybar.com/Municipal Grand Hotel Website - https://municipalgrand.com/📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

June 3, 2026Episode 24031 min

Opened a Bar With No Staff and No Experience with Harald Plok

What happens when a regular ends up running the bar?In this episode, I talk with Harald Plok about taking over Turtle House Sports Bar in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.He had no real bar experience.He kept his 9-to-5.He renovated the place himself, dealt with the legal side, rebranded the bar, opened it solo, and worked it seven days a week.We get into what it takes to build a bar community from scratch, how he learned cocktails on the fly, why he focuses so hard on making guests feel welcome, and what changed when he finally started hiring help.If you have ever thought, “I could run a bar,” this episode will show you what that actually looks like.It is not cute.It is work.📌Connect with Harald and Turtle House Sports Bar: Website: https://www.turtlehousebg.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turtlehouseplovdiv/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584712465618📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

June 1, 2026Episode 2398 min

Why Bad Bar Scheduling Is Driving Up Your Labor Cost

High labor cost does not always mean you have too many people.Sometimes your people are just scheduled at the wrong time.In this episode, I talk about why bar labor cost is often a scheduling problem, not a headcount problem.Your sales do not move evenly through a shift.But your labor usually does.That mismatch is where labor percentage starts getting ugly.We break down how to read your sales curve, spot the ramp, peak, and tail, and schedule your team based on when the money is actually coming in.If cutting staff is your only labor strategy, this episode is for you.Because the goal is not fewer people.It is the right people at the right time.📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

May 27, 2026Episode 23812 min

How to Raise Bar Prices Without Guest Pushback

Raising prices is awkward.But not raising them can wreck your margins.In this episode, Chris talks about using a seasonal menu change as a natural pricing reset for your bar.Instead of randomly bumping prices and hoping guests do not complain, use your summer menu to rethink what stays, what gets cut, and where your margins need help.Chris breaks down sales data, P-Mix, high-volume items, seasonal cocktails, fresh ingredients, and fast builds that are easier to sell at volume. The goal is simple:Make guests excited about what is new, not annoyed about what costs more.Your summer menu is not just a menu update.It is your cleanest chance to raise prices without starting a fight.📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

May 25, 2026Episode 2378 min

Why Your Bar’s Instagram Reels Get Views but No Customers

A lot of bar reels look great.But they do nothing.In this episode, Chris breaks down why the gap between “looks content” and “feels content” is killing your social media ROI.Pretty cocktails, neon signs, plated food, and clean bar shots can look good, but they do not always make people want to leave their house and come in.What actually works is content that captures the feeling of your bar: the crowd noise, the energy at 10 p.m., the regulars, the birthday moments, the staff having fun, and the little real-life moments that make someone say, “We have to go there.”If your bar is posting reels but not seeing those views turn into bodies in seats, this episode will show you what to start capturing instead📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

May 20, 2026Episode 23629 min

From Corporate VP to Bourbon Blender with Brandon McCraney

What happens when the business you planned is not the business you actually build?In this episode, I talk with Brandon McCraney, owner of Old Raleigh Distillery, about leaving corporate life, chasing whiskey, and opening a distillery during COVID.Brandon shares how Old Raleigh started as a blending vision, how a change in North Carolina law turned him into a bar owner, and what it was like opening before he could even sell his own whiskey.We also get into whiskey blending, one-off batches, cask finishes, and why building a bourbon brand takes more than a good product.If you’ve ever had to pivot because reality wrecked your original plan, this one is worth listening to.Sometimes the business you survive is the business you were supposed to build.📌Connect with Brandon McCraney and Olde Raleigh Distillery:📌Visit: Olde Raleigh Distillery website Shop: Buy Olde Raleigh whiskey online Join: Olde Raleigh Whiskey Society Visit in person: Tasting room in Zebulon, North Carolina Book: Distillery tour or event space Follow Brandon: @brandonmccraney on Instagram Follow Olde Raleigh: @olderaleighdistillery on Instagram📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

May 18, 2026Episode 2359 min

How One Private Event a Week Can Add $78K to Your Bar

Most bars say they do private events.But most bars do not have a real system for booking them.In this episode, Chris breaks down why private events are one of the most underused revenue streams in independent bars, especially when slow nights are harder to fill.He covers what to put on a one-page event inquiry sheet, how to think about food and beverage minimums, when to take deposits, why you should not discount your minimums just to close, and how fast follow-up can make or break the booking. Because private events are not just “extra business.”They are pre-sold guests, guaranteed minimums, and revenue you can lock in before the night even starts.📌Start Here🔴If this is something you’re dealing with in your bar, don’t figure it out alone. Join Bar Business Nation — the free Facebook group for bar owners talking through staff, slow nights, profit leaks, and better ways to run the business. → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/