The end of the year is undoubtedly the busiest time for bars and restaurants. From Thanksgiving Eve outings to corporate holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations, it’s a golden opportunity to boost revenue—but only if you’re well-prepared. 

A packed bar can lead to skyrocketing sales or complete chaos depending on how ready your bar team is for the influx of customers.

This guide will walk you through actionable steps to set your team up for success, ensuring you’re ready to handle the season’s demands while maximizing profitability.

Review Past Data to Forecast Holiday Demand

Prepping for the busy holiday season can feel overwhelming. One way to stay ahead of the chaos? Dive into last year’s sales data. By digging into your bar’s performance history, you can set yourself up for success and navigate the holiday rush with confidence.

Analyzing your bar’s trends gives you the insights needed to forecast demand, plan inventory, and schedule your team more effectively. 

Take a closer look at the numbers and ask:

• What were your busiest days and times? 
• Which menu items flew off the shelves, and were there any that sold out faster than you anticipated? 
• Were there patterns in customer preferences—like a spike in whiskey cocktails or an unexpected demand for a festive sangria?

With answers to these questions, you can build a strategic roadmap for the weeks ahead—keeping your shelves stocked, your staff confident, and your guests happy.

Stock Your Bar with the Right Inventory to Avoid Shortages

Once you’ve analyzed your sales data, it’s time to turn insights into action. Smart inventory management is the backbone of a smooth holiday season, helping you avoid the costly pitfalls of overstocking or running out of key ingredients during peak hours.

Focus on your high-demand items and stock up on the essentials you know will sell. For example, if last year’s star was spiked eggnog, make sure you’re well-stocked on cream-based liqueurs, nutmeg, and other staples. Ordering these items early or in bulk can also help you save on costs while avoiding last-minute shortages.

Planning a holiday-themed menu? Get ahead by coordinating with suppliers now to secure specialty ingredients and garnishes before the holiday rush begins.

With tools like MarketMan, you can automate inventory tracking and planning, giving you a clear roadmap for ordering exactly what you need—without overbuying. Stay one step ahead, and let your inventory strategy set the stage for a profitable and stress-free season.

Create a Festive Menu and Update Bartenders on Seasonal Specials

Crafting a festive drink menu is a great way to draw holiday crowds, but profitability shouldn’t take a back seat to creativity. The last thing you want is to pack the house only to find that some offerings didn’t contribute to your bottom line.

This season, focus on creating crowd-worthy, holiday-themed cocktails that not only attract customers but also maximize profits with menu engineering. 

Start by setting target pour costs for every drink—lower pour costs mean higher profitability. Use recipe-costing tools to calculate ideal prices based on ingredient costs and desired margins, ensuring every cocktail aligns with your financial goals.

Once your menu is dialed in, invest in your team. 

Host hands-on training sessions or tasting events to familiarize bartenders with the new seasonal specials, key ingredient and selling points. Preparing your team equips them to confidently recommend drinks and provide accommodations like mocktails.

Use these sessions to reinforce your pour policies, minimizing over-pours or waste that could eat into profits.

Master Classic and Holiday Cocktails Every Bartender Should Know

During the holiday season, patrons expect top-tier drinks, making bartender cocktail expertise essential. This is the perfect time to ensure your team is well-versed in both timeless classics and festive creations.

So, what are the most popular cocktails ordered at a bar? Which classic recipes should every bartender know? 

To familiarize your bar team with the most commonly ordered cocktail recipes, start by reviewing an official list of industry-standard recipes, such as those featured on the International Bartenders Association (IBA) website.

Here are a few essential classics every bartender should know:

1. Old Fashioned: bourbon or rye whiskey, sugar, Angostura bitters, orange twist, cherry
2. Margarita: tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice, salt, lime wheel
3. Negroni: gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, orange twist
4. Mojito: white rum, fresh lime juice, sugar, fresh mint leaves, soda water, mint sprig, lime wedge
5. Martini: gin or vodka, dry vermouth, lemon twist or olive

Looking to elevate your menu with festive options? Here are some holiday staples to inspire or adapt:

1. Spiked Eggnog: Eggnog spiked with rum, bourbon, or brandy, garnished with nutmeg
2. Cranberry Margarita: Tequila, triple sec, cranberry juice, lime juice
3. Mulled Wine: Red wine, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, orange slices, served warm
4. Irish Coffee: Hot coffee, Irish whiskey, sugar, topped with whipped cream.
5. Winter Sangria: Red wine, brandy, cranberry juice, orange slices, pomegranate seeds, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

Train and Organize Your Team for the Holiday Crowd

An efficient, well-prepared team is the backbone of success during the holiday rush. Focus on cross-training, portion control, and clear communication to keep operations running smoothly.

Last-minute callouts are inevitable during peak season, so cross-train your staff to step into multiple roles when needed. Train barbacks to efficiently restock, clean, and assist with basic tasks behind the bar, and encourage servers to help with bar-related tasks during high-traffic times to keep the flow steady.

Use jiggers or pour spouts to enforce the pour policy and help bartenders maintain accuracy and consistency. It’s always a good idea to have common conversions written down to have on hand for bartenders to reference. For example, 1.5 oz, which is a standard shot, is 44.36 ml.

Equip bartenders to confidently navigate customer interactions ensuring they can recommend menu items, upsell premium spirits, handle complaints professionally, and know how to customize easy cocktails to make for requests.

Conduct Inventory Counts Regularly During the Season

Preparation is only half the battle. During the holiday season, frequent inventory counts are critical for keeping up with heightened demand and preventing costly mistakes.

While monthly or weekly inventory tracking might work during slower periods, the holiday rush calls for increased frequency. Without daily bar inventory tracking during this peak time, issues like over-pouring, untracked spills, and over-purchasing can go unnoticed, cutting into profits.

Schedule inventory counts strategically around service times to stay ahead:

• Pre-Shift Counts: Verify that high-demand ingredients and key items are fully stocked before opening to avoid service disruptions.
• Post-Shift Counts: Track daily usage to identify discrepancies, trends, or signs of waste or theft early.

Use inventory management software to streamline the process. MarketMan offers real-time tracking to monitor inventory levels, set alerts for items that dip below par, and reorder before running out—all from any device. Conduct counts on the go, simplify stock management, and keep your team prepared to meet demand throughout the season. By making regular inventory counts a priority, you’ll maintain control, minimize waste, and ensure your bar operates smoothly during the busiest time of year. Book a demo to talk to one our experts today.