Tab system for bars

Have you ever stopped to think that the bar tab is an essential partner, both for the business owner and for the customer? We have, and that is why today we are going to talk about the benefits of a bar tab system. Join us!

Every establishment in the food service sector, that is, any business that provides some kind of food and drink service, needs a tab system to make order control and service possible.

Betting on this automated tool is very useful when it comes to speed of service, opening the way for the staff to build a more organized, simple and efficient way of working.

For managers, a bar tab system helps manage customer consumption and length of stay in the establishment, and also contributes to balancing and closing the register at the end of the period.

When it comes to the consumer and their experience, the bar tab is a great ally: after all, orders are entered on the tab, and it is through the tab that the customer closes out and pays the bill at the end of the service.

What is a bar tab?

Today, traditional paper tabs have gained modern, automated versions. They reach customers as reusable plastic cards that ensure better sales control and system management.

What you may not know, and need to know, is this: the tab for bars and restaurants is a very important tool and, when well used, delivers positive results for managing your bar. Tabs are key pieces for the business to run smoothly: they are where the orders customers place during their visit are entered, and they allow you to control length of stay and sales flow.

In establishments with heavy foot traffic, the individual tab is the best option. With it, processes are optimized, service gets faster and the level of control goes up.

Keep in mind that, for as long as a customer is in your establishment consuming what you offer, such as fresh craft draft beer and a carefully put-together food menu, their experience should be the best possible.

For customers to come back and also recommend your bar to everyone they know, not only must the craft draft beer selection be respectable, but the food must also be of good quality.

Improve your service, together with the use of a bar tab

Welcoming guests: Remember: this is the first impression the customer will have when entering the establishment.

Type of service: An attentive, caring team is a differentiator in the loyalty process. This also applies to bars that bet on self-pour draft beer.

Speed: paying attention to how orders are delivered is more than relevant; a request that takes too long can leave the customer dissatisfied and create a negative view of your establishment.

Product quality: the quality of the product served must be the best possible. Pay attention to presentation too: in the case of craft draft beer, clean glasses are just as essential as the quality of the liquid!

Attention when closing the bar tab: make sure orders are entered correctly, avoiding discomfort in the final experience.

By automating your bar tab, all of these processes improve, since automation supports and standardizes how the service works as a whole.

5 reasons to implement a tab system in your establishment

Automating the tab system for bars and restaurants can bring benefits to your establishment, such as:

1. Fewer errors during operation - the bar tab system records everything ordered during the customer's experience at your bar, including the time each order is placed. So, in case of duplicate orders, orders that do not match the number of people at the table, or orders placed in a much shorter interval than usual, it is possible to spot and fix the mistake before the bill is closed, avoiding an unpleasant situation for the customer at payment time.
2. Faster processes while the bar is open - the order is sent directly to the right department; for example, orders for food menu items go straight to the kitchen, which makes the process faster and more practical for the staff and reduces customer wait time. A drink order goes straight to the bar counter. With self-pour draft beer, the consumption of every ml is recorded, which lets customers decide how much they will drink in the next round and also check their tab balance through the myTapp app.
3. Customer registration, together with building a consumption history - The automated tab system can create a profile for each customer, recording their consumption history and preferences. This contributes to loyalty, because managers can learn more about the profile and tastes of each customer who visits their bar, and it helps in choosing which products to buy, which new releases to put on the taps or which novelties to add to the menu. For example, if 75% of the customers at your bar drink IPA draft beer, there is no reason not to restock beers where hops are the stars.
4. Inventory and order management - with a record of everything sold, bar managers who use tabs have in the system an ally for inventory management. Once it records and makes available the outflow of each product over a given period, it becomes possible to better organize both restocking purchases and control of how much product is still available in inventory.
5. Cash control - When the sales flow is managed by the automated tab system, it records the products sold, quantities, how long the customer stayed in the establishment and the total sales value for each period. In other words, it ensures control and security, plus the possibility of analyzing the establishment's consumer profile through reports and recorded figures.

Did you notice how using the tab brings advantages?

By adopting a management system that goes beyond a simple tab to an automated one, you improve the quality of every process, making them smarter, more accurate, faster and more practical.

How does the myTapp tab system work?

We work with 2 types of bar tabs: prepaid tabs, in which customers load the amount they want and are then free to drink the draft beers they like, or the postpaid version, in which customers choose to pay at the end of their experience at the bar.

Tabs can be individual or by table, depending on the profile and choice of the establishment. For bars that have servers, the myTapp tab system also works: drinks must be listed on the menu according to their price and volume in ml, for example, Pilsen draft beer (300ml) for R$15.

Here is the step-by-step of the myTapp tab system for the customer:

1 - As soon as they arrive at your bar, customers need to register at the counter or at the register, depending on your bar's logistics. Then they receive a prepaid or postpaid card, as mentioned above;

2 - Once step one is done, they just walk up to the taps and pick the one they will taste. On the screen next to the tap, customers get all the information about their choice: producing brewery, style, ABV, price per ml;

3 - To pour, they just hold the card up to the screen and the system releases the tap and charges by the ml poured;

4 - After the toast, they just pick the next one;

5 - With prepaid tabs, it is possible to "top up" through the myTapp app.

6 - With postpaid tabs, the customer can take the tab with them at the end of the experience. And nothing is better for bringing back a customer who left your bar happy than knowing there is still a balance left on the bar card ;)

For the bar owner, the myTapp tab system is also nothing but joy:

Thanks to the equipment installed along the draft beer line, it is possible to account for every ml of drink served and track how much liquid is still left in the keg. This means that:

• At the end of the month, you can increase revenue through reduced waste, since the myTapp model cuts losses by up to 20%;
• It contributes to accurate inventory management, since all data is handled in a smart and efficient way;
• You can integrate drink orders with food menu orders, generating a single bill and allowing accurate control over the venue's revenue;
• The myTapp tab system for bars generates complete reports with details on the profiles and consumption habits of the customers who visit the establishment, so you can create specific promotions based on the data collected;
• Customer service is practical and innovative, leaving customers satisfied with the experience and coming back to your bar more often;
• You can develop personalized loyalty programs, according to the profile of your establishment and the audience that visits it.

If you made it this far, you have seen how important a tab system is, right? There is no reason not to implement it in your establishment, prepaid or postpaid, individual or by table. The important thing is to enjoy the best this tool has to offer and transform your business and your customers' experience!

Want to learn more about myTapp and how we can bring self-pour draft beer technology to your establishment?

I want it!