1. Replace your pour spouts.  Leakage from pour spouts can be up to 0.25 ounce per pour.  On a 1 oz. pour, your loss is 25%.  On a 1.5 oz. pour, your loss is 17%.  A properly fitting pour spout will maximize your revenues.
2. Update your glassware.  If you have only one or two glass sizes for cocktails, you are encouraging your bartenders to overpour.  This not only usurps your profits, it increases liability for drunken patrons.  Use the right glassware for each drink, and be sure your staff is well trained on what glass should be used for each drink on the menu.  You’ll see immediate changes in your bottom line when the over pouring is curbed.
3. Check your weekly invoices for liquor, mixers and garnishes.  Prices can change drastically.  Identify any cost increases in your ingredients that will require price increases on your drink menu, or places you can substitute a lower priced ingredient.
4. Audit your POS system.  If you do not have all of the product codes or up-to-date pricing, you not only base your management decisions on inaccurate data and reports, you give your staff the opportunity to ring sales low and pocket the difference.
5. Start recording spillage and wasted alcohol product.  These sources of product loss add up.  Learn what your loss rate is and uncover the source.  Knowledge that bartenders are being monitored is a deterrent and training can address performance issues and mistakes.
6. Create and enforce garnish standards.  Garnishing is necessary for top quality bar drinks.  However, over garnishing, or letting customers eat the garnishes like bar snacks, can impact your bottom line.  In some cases, the garnish cost exceeds the cost of the mixers or alcohol itself.
7. Proper staffing.  You don’t want to be understaffed so customers can’t quickly obtain drinks.  Slower sales mean less sales.  Unsatisfied customers may not come back a second time.

Good management practices will insure the best chance of success for your bar business.