How to Increase Your Profits with Reduced Capacity

As bars and restaurants begin phased reopenings around the country amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, many venues are restricted to an opening capacity of 50% for the foreseeable future in order to comply with social distancing and safety protocols.

This will definitely be a challenge for restaurants and bars as they begin to open because of the decrease in revenue coming through the doors. In order to survive during this transition, it’s important that bars and restaurants adjust quickly and become creative.

Over on Sculpture Hospitality’s blog, Bryan Gieg, a Sculpture Hospitality franchisee based out of Denver, Colorado, shares his tips and strategies on how to increase revenue despite having fewer seats to fill.

Above all, Gieg says filling seats during traditional slow periods will be very important. If your bar was 100% full on busy nights but only 30% to 40% full some of the time, it’s now going to be essential for you to be 50% full all of the time.

What are some of the ways to do this? Gieg says themed nights could be a huge help in bringing people through the door.

“While some nights could include discount specials, others could be themed,” says Gieg. “You know your clientele and brand atmosphere the best, so here’s a chance to be creative. Be sure to monitor and change up the themes that don’t seem to engage customers or to adjust to season changes. A few common ones include Taco Tuesday’s, Wine-Tasting Wednesday’s, Trivia Nights and Date Night etc. However, be sure that the theme nights are fun for customers and staff, well communicated, and set up safely to adhere to physical distancing.”

To learn more Gieg’s other strategies for operating successfully at a reduced capacity, including the increased use of happy hours, tighter inventory controls, and expanded takeout/delivery options, view Sculpture Hospitality’s blog post.