Is Beer needed for a BBQ restaurant?

browe · Posted: Feb 24 2009 Post subject: Is Beer needed for a BBQ restaurant?

For those of you who already own a BBQ restaurant, do you serve beer? If you didn't serve it, do you think you would you see a drop in business?

SoEzzy · Posted: Feb 24 2009 Post subject:

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23903

http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24398

Here are a couple of recent thread to hold you over till the restaurant crowd come in... please treat them as appetizers! Wink

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browe · Posted: Feb 24 2009 Post subject:

Pit Boss · Posted: Feb 24 2009 Post subject:

I'm from eastern North Carolina. Until moving to Charleston, SC I had never been to a bbq restaurant that served beer. Since being in Charleston I have only seen two places that serve beer.

So MUST you serve beer? No.

Could it help your sales depending on your area? Yes.

I think this decision will depend on what type of restaurant you plan on having.

I'm from the bbq "joint" mindset and personally have no use for beer when eating bbq. I understand some people enjoy the combination. I prefer a tall cup of very sweet tea. To me...THAT'S bbq.
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Joe Bryant · BBQ Fan Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 183

This is one I've given quite a bit of thought to.

From what I've been able to observe, the really successful places like Louie Mueller's in Taylor have been able to offer beer but not make it a focus.

The phrase I liked was one owner that told me, "We want to be a BBQ place that serves some beer. Not a Bar that serves some BBQ".

That's a pretty big distinction.

J

browe · Posted: Feb 24 2009 Post subject:

pafisher · BBQ Pro Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 535 Location: Pa.

yes,,, beer is needed, i.m.o.
i have a full bar ,its very important to my bbq .even on a slow day it brings in a couple hundred dollars ..a couple hundred dollars ALWAYS helps... sometimes it brings lots-o-hundreds. we started having blues open stage nights on tue. nights. it caught on well ,now what used to be our slowest night of the week ,is a busy one .. all thanks to selling beer .bbq and blues .
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browe · Posted: Mar 05 2009 Post subject:

OKBBQEA · Posted: Mar 05 2009 Post subject:

I've eaten in a lot of different BBQ restaurants...... I have had a beer in exactly zero of them.

I really don't see that it can hurt but I don't think it's a necessity either.
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pafisher · BBQ Pro Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 535 Location: Pa.

favre1 · Posted: Mar 13 2009 Post subject:

We serve beer in our place. We don't have a bar, but we sell the popular brands by the bottle. People seem to like to have the option of a beer. We don't have people just coming in to drink, but have 1-2 with their meal. With the cost of the license it makes us a little extra cash at the end of the year. In my opinion for the cost it is worth it for people that enjoy a beer with their meal.

Wild West BBQ · Posted: Mar 16 2009 Post subject:

I'm with you I would like to give people the option of having a beer with their meal but I 'm located in a dry county. The fact that I can't sell beer dosent hurt my business. But the xtra income that beer sales brings in would be nice. Plus people tend to stay a little bit longer and buy more food.. but I don't want to have a bar

Bryce Crane · Posted: Mar 16 2009 Post subject:

yes
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pitbossjb · Joined: 09 Dec 2008 Posts: 9 Location: Albuquerque

I don't think you have to brew beer, but you should have beer from other local brewers on tap. Not just the standard commercial crap on tap. pb
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4LittlePigs · Posted: Mar 24 2009 Post subject:

Im gonna have to say no! My wife and I decided not to serve alcohol in our place and it has not hurt a bit. I have had 2 customers ask if we served beer and when I told them no they said it was no big deal. They said the food was terrific and they could walk across the street on their way home and get one. I am sure I could have more money coming in but I also have moral boundries I am not going to cross. Not trying to judge anyone on here that serves spirits at their place, just mentioning our personal decisions and the fact that we have a peace of mind about what we are doing. Actually we have had a lot of families come in and be pleasantly suprised that we don't serve alcohol. Very Happy

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Herman · Posted: Mar 24 2009 Post subject:

I believe the answer to your question totally depends on your location

In my area mixed drinks are not legal and beer would actually hurt my sales-so I do not serve alcohol in my restaurant and it was strickly a business decision-I personally enjoy my mixed drinks in private

Herman