What is Bottle Service?

Bottle service is a sales technique used in bars and nightclubs in which guests purchase a bottle of liquor and are also provided with reserved seating, a bottle server, and a variety of drink mixers. Although the transaction is called “bottle” service, the main draw is actually the reserved seating and the appearance of VIP status. Keeping up with bar trends like bottle service ensures that your business stays current and that you are operating at the same level as your competition.

How to Start Bottle Service

Offering bottle service at your lounge or nightclub is an easy way to increase your profits. Guests are willing to pay a large fee in order to secure a seating area, which can be hard to come by in a crowded club. You’ll require two things to get bottle service started, seating areas and a bottle service staff.

Seating Areas

Night club seating with red velvet upholstery and mood lighting

The more inviting your seating areas are, the more likely you are to sell your bottle service. The idea is to create a space where guests feel like they are receiving preferred treatment. Check out some of these techniques to make your space attractive yet private.

  • Luxurious upholstery - Use different upholstery in your private seating area than the rest of your club. Try bold, bright colors that attract attention and fabrics that are luxurious to touch.
  • Private cabanas - Cabanas are the perfect way to create an illusion of privacy at a crowded pool bar.
  • Ropes and stanchions - Sectioning off your space with ropes is an easy way to elevate its appeal and keep out nonpaying guests. Not only functional, ropes are iconic for representing exclusivity.
  • Install a dais platform - Raising the floor level with a dais gives your bottle service guests a great vantage point for checking out the action in the club. It also gives the rest of the club-goers a great view of your reserved seating so they may decide to reserve a table on their next visit.

Bottle Servers

Instead of pulling servers from your regular bar staff, take the time to train servers specifically for bottle service. Their primary task is to provide bottles of liquor, along with glasses and mixers, but they should also have a knack for hospitality. Experienced bottle servers know how to upsell throughout the evening and can increase your profits even more. It's also important to train your bottle servers to recognize the signs of intoxication so they can serve your guests responsibly.

Marketing for Bottle Service

Red velvet ropes and gold stanchions

Now that you have your bottle service in place, how do you get people to buy it? It's important to market your bottle service so that your guests know it's available. Highlighting your services on your website and flyers is essential, but there are also some other tricks to getting your bottle service noticed.

Bottle Service Packages

You can attract attention by offering special bottle service packages for large groups like bachelor parties, bachelorette parties, and birthdays. Guests like to splurge when they celebrate these events so it's a perfect time to introduce your bottle service.

Special Events

Make sure to mention your bottle service when you promote DJ nights or band nights. Guests are more likely to purchase the service on these nights so they have a reserved seat. By placing your seating area closer to the stage or DJ booth, you can make the service even more enticing.

Offer Comps

Show appreciation for your regular bottle service guests by offering comps, or free bottles, when they purchase a set number of bottles. The cost to you is outweighed by the high markup on each bottle and the gesture helps to build customer loyalty.

VIP Treatment

Treat your bottle service guests with a higher level of hospitality than your regular guests. Allow them to skip the line, escort them to their table, and make them feel important. Anytime a guest in your club purchases bottle service, ring a bell or have the DJ play a certain song to bring attention to the transaction.

Benefits of Bottle Service

For your customers, bottle service provides a reserved space where they can enjoy your nightclub without needing to fight the crowds or stand in line at the bar. But for club owners, there are other benefits.

High Markup

Depending on the location of your business, bottle service prices can be anywhere from $300 for a small club and up to $7500 for a well-known club in a big city. You set the standard price for each bottle of liquor and you can also require that a minimum number of bottles are purchased. The markup for each bottle is extremely high, over a hundred times the cost in some cases.

Guests Mix Their Own Drinks

Bottle service has an added bonus of freeing up your bartenders and cocktail servers because guests mix their own drinks. The bottle server provides the liquor, glassware, and mixers, but the guests serve themselves.

Bottle Service Considerations

Reserved seating sign

You can get bottle service started relatively quickly and easily, but there are a few things to take into account that will make the process more successful.

Reservations

Bottle service is typically booked in advance through a reservation management system. Installing a reservation system ensures that your reservations are organized and never double booked.

Pricing

Pricing varies greatly depending on your location and the popularity of your club. To set your pricing, look at the bottle service offered by other clubs in your area so that you can stay competitive. You can list your pricing on your website, or you can choose to reveal pricing when your customers call to book the service so that you can make adjustments based on availability and popular dates.

Security Measures

Because bottle service guests are serving themselves, it's a smart choice to install security personnel to look for signs of intoxication and put a stop to any rowdy behavior. Security has the added benefit of making your bottle service guests feel safe and protected.


Providing bottle service has a relatively low cost for you and an extremely high markup, making it a great way to increase your sales. In addition to higher profits, bottle service can help make your club a more popular destination and help you to stay competitive with other clubs in your area.

Posted in: Bars & Breweries|By Michale LeRoy
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. Please refer to our Content Policy for more details.

Related Resources

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Date newly opened bottles of wine and liquor Clean menus and recycle old ones Label all of the fresh ingredient containers 5. Clean Everything Cleanliness is one of the prime indicators of a professional and well-managed bar space, and whether it's dust on the shelf, rings on the countertop, or a napkin that didn't make it to the trash, unclean appearances can speak volumes about your business, particularly to health inspectors. Cleaning is probably the most labor-intensive part of the closing checklist, but if your staff all works together, it can go quickly. 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This will allow you to adjust your orders, so you spend less money on alcohol that's less popular while keeping your bar filled with popular items. Essential Items Every Bar Needs Stocking your bar or nightclub is also more than just the liquor and beer itself. Here's a list of things that you should always have on hand in your bar: Bar napkins Straws and stirrers Glassware Mixing glasses Cocktail shakers and strainers Liquor pourers Cocktail mixes Garnishes 2. Measure Your Liquor to Reduce Overpouring<figure class="article-image"> </figure> While an extra-strong drink may not seem like an issue, consistently overpouring drinks can end up costing your bar thousands of dollars in the long run. Fortunately, there are ways that you can measure your pouring and prevent waste in your bar. Here are a few examples of how your bar can prevent overpouring and waste: Use measured pourers. Measured liquor pourers make it easy to approximate portions and help prevent spillage to eliminate the risk of wasted product. Teach bartenders to use jiggers when crafting cocktails. Using jiggers when crafting cocktails not only prevents overpouring, it also ensures that your customers get a consistent drink each time. Choose the right glassware. Using the right glassware can also help reduce your liquor costs. Heavy-base glasses have a thicker bottom, so you don't have to use as much liquid to fill them as standard glassware, which will result in savings over time. These bar managing tips can not only help you reduce waste in your bar, but they can also ensure consistency, which is key for keeping your customers happy and coming back to your bar. 3. Create Signature Cocktails <figure class="article-image"> </figure> While many customers may order popular drinks like rum and coke or a Tom Collins, creating drinks that are unique to your establishment gives you a competitive edge over other bars. Additionally, if you create your own craft cocktails, you can price them higher than traditional beverages, helping to increase your profit margin. When creating new recipes and cocktails, you want to consider your target demographic and their tastes. For example, if you're near a college campus and have a customer base in their mid-twenties, you'll want to design strong cocktails that use liquors like rum, vodka, or tequila. On the other hand, bars with older customers may want to use top-shelf liquors like fine whiskey or bourbon in their recipes. When managing a bar, it's also important to keep on top of current drink trends and offer customers something new, like spiced or fruity vodka infusions. You can also up your cocktail game by adding unique garnishes to your drinks, like fruit kabobs in daiquiris. 4. Host Happy Hour and Events Hosting a happy hour is a great way to draw customers in with low prices. You can then let your delicious cocktails and excellent service convince the customers to stay past happy hour and pay full price for your items. Your happy hour menu should feature discounts on items with a high-profit margin, group specials, snacks, and designated driver discounts to maximize your profits. Another option to bring customers into your business is to host events. Events can be a one-time thing or they can become a regular occurrence, which is a great way to build a regular customer base that can help your bar succeed. There are many different types of events that you can put on depending on your clientele and establishment's theme. Here are some popular options: Trivia Speed dating Karaoke Arcade or game nights Tailgating or sports parties Open mic nights Participating in a bar crawl Schedule your weekly events to target specific times and demographics, such as the post-work business crowd, weekend brunch-goers, or sports fans before, during, or after a big game. Additionally, be sure to advertise your happy hour specials on social media, outdoor signs, and posters in your front-of-house space. 5. Hire the Right Bartenders <figure class="article-image"> </figure> The bar industry has a very high turnover rate, which results in lots of money wasted on training new employees. Your bar can prevent this by implementing strict standards when hiring and creating a rigorous training regimen that weeds out any poor fits early in the process. One of the best ways that bar managers can retain good employees is with incentives, such as bonuses, favorable shifts, or pay raises. But, not all incentives have to be monetary. Some employees are instead motivated by the potential for promotions or learning new skills. For example, if you have a dishwasher who is dedicated to working hard but who also wants to learn bartending skills, reward them by offering some training and allowing them to bartend during slow periods of business at first. Another essential aspect of keeping your employees happy is ensuring that you're promoting a comfortable atmosphere where your staff feels welcome to share their ideas and concerns. If employees don't feel like their concerns are being heard by the general manager or the owner, they'll leave. Additionally, if you engage in dialogue with your staff, you can learn more about them and how you can keep them happy and working hard. 6. Train Your Bartenders and Wait Staff to Upsell <figure class="article-image"> </figure> A great way to boost profits in your bar is to train your staff to upsell customers. Upselling involves your bartenders or wait staff suggesting that customers try a specific high-value item or add it onto their order. Upselling is beneficial for both your business and your staff because bigger checks mean bigger tips. The key to upselling is to frame it as a personal suggestion. For example, instead of offering your customers an expensive alternative to their order, have your bartender tell them that the alternative is their favorite drink or it's a new special that's delicious. Framing the sale as a suggestion will make your customers more likely to try the more expensive option. Also, be sure to keep your food menu in clear sight of patrons. Patrons might approach your bar doors with just drinks in mind, but after a round or two, that appetizer menu strategically placed in front of them might start to look tempting. You can also boost sales by offering food and drink pairings based on common flavors or contrasts. Educate your staff on the best food and drink pairings. What beers go well with your appetizers? What wines pair best with your desserts? Offering knowledgeable suggestions will be viewed as helpful rather than a sales pitch. Lastly, train staff to detect undecided customers. If someone has glanced at their menu for an extended period of time, a simple "Can I suggest one of our specials?" can help sway them. 7. Invest in a POS System An essential for any successful bar, an electronic Point Of Sale (POS) system organizes orders and keeps track of transactions. These order and receipt systems ensure smooth communication between the waitress, bartender, and kitchen to help keep track of customer tabs on even the busiest of nights. It also allows bar managers and owners to see the breakdown of sales by employee. POS stations run from $2,000 to $5,000, so research the best POS system for your business before purchasing one. 8. Take Liability Seriously <figure class="article-image"> </figure> Alcohol service is a risky business. When managing a bar, you should train staff to handle alcohol-related safety issues, not just for the safety of customers who have consumed too much alcohol, but to protect your bar from fines, imprisonment, loss of liquor license, increased insurance costs, and even losing your business. If your establishment serves alcohol to a minor or visibly intoxicated patron, not only will you face criminal fines, but you can be sued in civil court for damages that person causes after leaving your bar. Many new and smaller establishments skip liquor liability coverage to cut down on premiums or are simply unaware of coverage, so know the specifications of your insurance. Look to trusted, established alcohol training resources to effectively teach your staff. The National Restaurant Association offers ServSafe Alcohol training to prepare bartenders, servers, hosts, bussers, valets, bouncers, and all front-of-house staff in the event of safety and liability issues. State Liquor Control Boards also offer initiatives that teach bar staff how to recognize signs of intoxication and detect fake IDs. The bar industry is very competitive, and it can be difficult to run a bar successfully due to the razor-thin profit margins. But, by taking a more active role in your business, ensuring that your bar is stocked with everything it needs, and training your employees for success, you can help your bar become profitable and succeed.

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