As the summer months approach, bars and restaurants are eager to capitalize on the increase in foot traffic. People are out enjoying the sunny days, long evenings, and laid-back vibes, which creates the perfect opportunity to draw in more customers. However, standing out in a crowded market requires strategy, creativity, and some bold moves. Whether you have a sprawling outdoor patio, a small cozy space, or even a rooftop, there are plenty of ways to boost your bar's appeal this summer. In this post, we’ll explore five effective strategies to increase your bar’s traffic during the summer season. From leveraging your outdoor space to creating irresistible specials, here’s everything you need to know.
Making the Most of Your Outdoor Space
The outdoor area becomes an untapped wealth source during the summer months. Customers enjoy sunbathing as they drink with their friends. Your business must take advantage of outdoor seating areas with patio or terrace spaces that your bar provides. Here’s how:
Enhance Comfort and Ambience: Your outdoor setting develops an attractive environment that drives visitors to extend their time at your location. Attractive lighting combined with comfortable seating, along with appealing decorative elements, form the core elements for outdoor success.
Seating: Your bar space should include tables made for two each, as well as spots big enough for gathering groups of people together. Luxury elements emerge through the use of cushions and throws, together with fashionable outdoor furniture pieces.
Lighting: Lanterns combined with string lights, together with fire pits, generate an inviting soft atmosphere. Mood lighting will improve the atmosphere by avoiding both excessive brightness and darkness.
Décor: Get creative with your theme. A complete tiki bar experience can be achieved instantly by using items such as palm leaves and bamboo furniture made for outdoor seating. Apply your space to life with color variations, diverse textures, and plants that will generate visual excitement.
Weather-Proofing: The summer climate brings unpredictable conditions, which limit the use of outdoor seating areas during hot weather and rainy or windy days. The installation of shade sails and retractable awnings, and portable heaters will protect from the elements. Misting systems and fan distribution will provide comfort to visitors when temperatures rise.
Check out this article mastering the art of table setting to truly elevate your outdoor dining experience.
Introduce Summer Specials to Keep People Coming Back
A great deal remains the strongest magnet for bar visitors, so summer presents an ideal opportunity to introduce special offers that will bring customers back repeatedly. Several options exist for you to spark your imagination.
Summer Cocktail Menu: The bar should present a summer cocktail selection containing local fruits and tropical components, together with citrus elements and fresh berries. Several distinctive summer drink recipes include:
Frozen Margaritas: The traditional margarita gets new dimensions through watermelon and mango, and passionfruit flavor combinations.
Sangria Pitchers: A refreshing drink combination of wine with fruits and brandy or liqueur provides a shareable option for customers.
Craft Beer Flights: A flight of local and seasonal craft beers should be offered to customers who wish to try different brews.
Frozen Cocktails: The hot summer days demand relief through frozen, chilled beverages that provide a satisfying chill and an enjoyable drink experience. Frozen cocktails include mojitos and piña coladas, and frozen lemonades with added gin.
Happy Hour Specials: Happy hour serves as a powerful tool to attract customers during times when your business experiences low traffic in the afternoon or evening. Your establishment can provide reduced prices on drinks, together with small portions of appetizers and sliders. Establish themed happy hours named “tiki hour” or “sunset sips,” which your loyal customers recognize as their relaxation zone.
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Loyalty Programs: The loyalty program should be implemented to encourage customers to visit again. The loyalty program lets customers receive complimentary drinks or appetizers by reaching a specified visit number or purchase threshold. Your establishment will attract more visitors and gain loyal customers who will establish your bar as their regular destination.
In What Ways Can You Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space?
We have explored ways to enhance comfort and ambiance in your outdoor area, yet now we will examine particular activities that optimize its potential.
Host Live Events: Your outdoor space will become the prime choice for customers seeking entertainment through the addition of live entertainment. Your outdoor space development should depend on available space and financial resources.
Live Music: Artists who perform either solo or as part of bands, together with a DJ, will develop an energetic environment that feels social. Provide reduced prices for drinks and event tickets to draw in more customers.
Themed Nights: Conduct different themed evenings at the establishment that include taco & tequila and trivia nights, and outdoor movie nights. Your bar will gain local popularity as the preferred destination for enjoyable times through these special events.
Games: The addition of lawn games such as cornhole and giant Jenga and ping pong will provide entertainment for guests who drink at your establishment. The friendly competition between customers leads them to extend their stay and bring their friends to the establishment.
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Create Unique Opportunities: The public enjoys taking photographs, particularly in locations that offer great photo opportunities. Your outdoor area will gain visual appeal through the installation of distinctive backdrops or installations. A combination of walls with murals alongside neon signs with the bar name and photo booths with entertaining props will make guests want to take photographs for social media sharing, resulting in gratis advertising for your establishment.
Leverage Social Media to Drive More Foot Traffic
Social media is one of the most powerful tools to bring attention to your bar, especially when it comes to attracting the summer crowd. Here are a few ways to make the most of your social media presence:
Showcase Outdoor Space: People are visual, so make sure to post high-quality images and videos of your outdoor space, delicious drinks, and special events. Social media platforms are ideal for sharing mouth-watering cocktail photos or videos of a packed happy hour.
Use Hashtags and Location Tags: Encourage guests to tag your bar in their posts and use specific hashtags like #yourbarnamesummer, #tikivibes, or #sunsetsips. Location tags help people find you when they’re in the area, and trending hashtags can help your posts reach a wider audience.
Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with local influencers or food bloggers to review your bar and share their experience on their platforms. This can significantly expand your reach and attract both locals and tourists to your venue.
Run Social Media Contests: Engage with your followers by running fun contests. For example, run a "best summer cocktail recipe" contest where participants can submit their drink ideas. The winner could get their drink featured on your menu for the summer, which drives excitement and increases engagement with your brand.
Make Your Bar More Appealing to Tourists and Visitors
Tourists are always looking for places to eat and drink that are unique to the local experience. Make your bar an appealing option for out-of-owners by offering the following:
Highlight Regional Drinks: Showcase local craft beers, spirits, or wines. Tourists love to try something that represents the region they’re visiting, so offering exclusive local options is a great way to pique their interest.
Offer Special Tourist Packages: Consider partnering with local hotels, travel agencies, or tour operators to offer discounts or drink specials for tourists. You can also provide tourists with insider information about local attractions and events, making your bar a local hub for information.
Create a Localized Menu: Incorporate flavors or ingredients that are unique to the area. For example, a coastal bar might focus on fresh seafood and tropical drinks, while a mountain bar could serve locally sourced meats and signature cocktails inspired by the region’s natural beauty.
Host Tourist-Friendly Events: The tourism business should schedule three unique visitor-focused events, including trivia sessions about regional history and cultural sampling events, along with welcome receptions that team up with nearby hotels.
Include Multilingual Menus: The hospitality towards international visitors improves when restaurants display menus in different languages and staff members with multilingual assistants to support popular foreign languages. The approach provides visitors with a special additional touch that makes their experience memorable and caring.
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Offer Branded Souvenirs: The establishment should provide small branded souvenirs, including drink coasters and mugs and t-shirts, and bottle openers for purchase or free distribution. Tourists like keeping mementos from their trips, and the souvenir functions as a positive memory trigger for their remarkable vacation.
Check out this guide on top bar trends for innovative drink presentations to immersive themes, and see what’s making waves in the industry right now.
Increasing summer traffic to your bar isn’t just about offering great drinks—it's about creating an unforgettable experience. From maximizing your outdoor space and rolling out irresistible specials to using social media to amplify your efforts, there are countless ways to draw in more customers. By focusing on comfort, atmosphere, and engagement, you can transform your bar into a summer hotspot that people will return to again and again. Remember, summer is a fleeting season, so the sooner you start implementing these strategies, the better. Now is the perfect time to get creative, make your bar stand out, and watch the foot traffic roll in!
Ready to make your summer nights unforgettable? Head over to BistroToRestro for an incredible blend of food, drinks, and fun vibes! Enhance your bar experience with top-notch accessories like wine decanters, bar spoons, drink rimmers, and chilling stones from top brands like True, Viski, Foster & Rye, and Host —the perfect additions to your summer celebrations!
FAQs
How to increase bar sales?
The trick is offering custom drinks, signature blends, and craft beer, or hiring bartenders with creativity up their sleeves.
How to make a bar busier?
Host themed nights, live music, or trivia events to create a fun atmosphere that draws in different crowds. Combine this with social media marketing and limited-time drink specials to boost visibility and foot traffic.
What is the busiest time for a bar?
Bars usually hit peak hours on Friday and Saturday nights, especially between 9 PM and 1 AM. This is when people are off work, looking to unwind, socialize, and enjoy a night out.
