A bar (also known as a saloon or a tavern or sometimes a pub or club, referring to the actual establishment, as in pub bar or savage club etc.) is a retail business establishment that serves alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, liquor, cocktails, and other beverages such as mineral water and soft drinks and often sell snack foods such as crisps (potato chips) or peanuts, for consumption on premises. Some types of bars, such as pubs, may also serve food from a restaurant menu. The term “bar” also refers to the countertop and area where drinks are served.
Types of Bar
1. Cocktail Bar
Cocktail bars are full-service bars serving an entire range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages but specializing in wide range of cocktails and mixed drinks – both classical and innovative. Here, the focus is on the cocktail range featured on the menu and the skills & proficiency of the bartender. Cocktail bars are upmarket beverage outlets, commonly found in luxury hotels and are luxuriously furnished and lavishly equipped. It carries a complete range of liquors, garnish, glassware and equipment in order to prepare and serve different cocktails and other drinks. Such bars can be thematic and sometimes open only in the evenings offering professional and elegant tray and bar service. Being a high class and refined bar, standing crowds and congested layouts are unlikely.
2. Dispense Bar (aka Service Bar)
Here, bartenders do not serve the public directly but pour drinks that are picked up by servers and delivered to customers at different locations like the guestroom, a table in the restaurant or a poolside deck chair. In short, it fills drink orders brought by waiters and waitresses only. Generally, in such bars, a single pouring station is enough to handle the volume. Also, guests have no access to service bars and hence are characterized by the absence of barman-guest interaction. However, service bars need the same forethought in its planning, has the same functions. Uses the same types of equipment and performs the same tasks of recording and controlling the pouring & selling of drinks as any other bar. It is of two basic types:
a) Back-of-the-house service/dispense bars: As the name suggests these are located behind the scenes and hence hidden from guest view. They are smaller and simpler in design. Backbar of such bars have a room for bulk supplies of beer, mixes, liquor stock, etc and has no display. These bars do not require hiding of ugly an equipment and mechanical dispensing systems are often used to increase speed and reduce liquor loss. These bars act as centralized bar dispensing drinks in various guest service areas like various kinds of outlets, guest- rooms, poolside etc. and thus centrally located in a hotel. It does away with the problem of having separate bars thus maximizing the service area of various outlets.
b) Front-of-the-house service/dispense bars: As the name suggests these bars are in full view of the guests but used only for dispensing beverages to the servers against guest’s orders. These bars are less usual, are generally found in conjunction with food service and are a part of the dining room. These bars must harmonize well with the overall ambience and due thought should be given to its layout, design and decor for efficiency and economy of service. The emphasis is more on functional ambience and is not lavishly equipped as a full-
scale public or cocktail bar.
