In this episode of Taproom Success, we dive into the recipe for a profitable food program.

You'll learn 3 financial best practices to drive margins and 3 operational strategies to simplify your kitchen, highlight your top menu performers, and deliver food guests crave, without overwhelming your team or your bottom line.

Key Takeaways:

• Financial Best Practices:

  • Know your food cost % and contribution margin as dollars matter more than percentages.

  • Use menu engineering to spotlight and sell your most profitable items.

  • Track and control waste with simple systems that boost your bottom line.

• Operational Best Practices:

  • Design a focused menu with crossover ingredients to simplify prep and reduce inventory.

  • Streamline BOH operations with clear SOPs and prep guides.

  • Offer customizable options that give guests choice without adding complexity.

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In this episode, we explore how small, thoughtful actions can create powerful emotional connections with your guests.

From remembering names to celebrating life moments and offering surprise tokens of appreciation, these seemingly tiny gestures are the secret ingredients to long-term loyalty and raving fans.

• Personal Touches Build Loyalty: Remembering a guest’s name or favorite beer shows they matter and they’ll keep coming back.

• Celebrate Special Moments: A handwritten note for a birthday or anniversary turns an ordinary visit into something unforgettable.

• Surprise and Delight: A free sticker, coaster, or small branded item can spark joy and start conversations beyond your walls.

• Consistency Creates Culture: Empower your team to make these moments happen daily. The little things done consistently become your brand.

  
  

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Are your customers tipping less? If so, what can be done about it?

You have questions, we have answers.

In today's podcast, Andrew dives into taproom data from 1300 unique taproom visits and reveals the results.

Want to increase tips (and sales) in your taproom? Listen to today's episode and get the tips...on tips!

We want YOU to join the conversation at TaproomSuccess.com. Visit to learn more about our monthly masterminds, taproom expert sessions, and on-demand taproom success blueprint.

In today's episode we share 5 book recommendations that will help taproom managers boost profits.

5 Books to Boost Taproom Profits

1. The Great Game of Business. Key takeaway: High involvement planning (inclusion)
2. Open Book Experience. Key takeaway: Weekly huddles (execution)
3. Workshopper Playbook. Key takeaway: Workshop (creativity)
4. The Decision Book. Key takeaway: 50 Strategic models (decisions)
5. Book of Beautiful Questions. Key takeaway: Ask better questions (better answers)

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In this episode, we explore the hidden costs of inaction in your brewery’s taproom.

From neglecting staff training to ignoring menu optimization, we’ll dive into how not making necessary changes can lead to missed opportunities, reduced profits, and long-term stagnation.

If you’ve been putting off improvements, this episode will make you rethink the price of doing nothing.

Bullet Point Summary:

• The Consequences of Inaction: What happens when you don’t implement changes in key areas like staff training, events, or food program optimization?

• Missed Revenue Opportunities: How failing to take action can result in lost revenue streams, lower guest engagement, and missed chances to increase profitability.

• Staff Training & Development: The cost of not investing in staff education, especially in areas like suggestive selling techniques, and the impact on customer experience and sales.

• Event Strategy & Guest Engagement: Why a lack of events and programming can lead to stagnation and reduced guest loyalty.

• Food Program Optimization: The financial risks of not improving food quality, pricing, and profitability in your taproom.

• Urgency to Act: The importance of taking immediate action and how consistent, incremental improvements can lead to long-term success.

This episode is a wake-up call to brewery owners who might be waiting for the “perfect time” to make improvements. It’s time to take action and stop letting opportunity slip away.

Join the conversation: Learn more at www.TaproomSuccess.com!

In this episode, we explore the key drivers of a profitable food program for brewery taprooms.

From menu engineering and using the "platform strategy" to understanding food costs and margins, we’ll discuss how to optimize your food offerings and track profitability in real-time.

Key Takeaways:

• Menu Engineering: How to design a menu that drives profitability by focusing on high-margin items and customer preferences.

• Platform Strategy: Menu design that focuses on a small, core set of ingredients to make a wide variety of offerings (think wraps, burgers, small plates, and bowls!)

• Understanding Food Costs: How to track and control food costs, ensuring your menu remains profitable.

• Using MarginEdge: Real-time financial insights to evaluate profitability and adjust your food program on the fly.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: How tapping into financial tools allows brewery taprooms to make smarter, more informed decisions for sustainable growth.

Want to join the community of Taproom owners and managers working together to drive profitability? Learn more at www.TaproomSuccess.com!

Today on the podcast we share tools, tips, and real-world examples to identify and grow your most lucrative revenue streams to increase taproom profits.

Key Points

• A simple system you can use to find out where you actually make money in your business
• Quick tips to analyze profits by business area: taproom, wholesale, self-distribution
• A fancy spreadsheet to track your cost of goods sold for each beer you sell

We'd love to have you join the conversation at www.TaproomSuccess.com!

Today on the podcast we talk about how a small change in staff behavior can lead to big financial returns.

It's the power of the 'ask'.

Training your staff to ask the customer if they want beer to go can have a powerful impact on your bottom line.

Key Points

• Guest are 480% more likely to buy to go beer when asked...is your staff asking?
• How asking about to-go beer can mean an extra $364 a month in tips per staff member
• If you want to build your brand and make more money in your taproom, this is one simple way to do it

We'd love to have you join the conversation at TaproomSuccess.com!

Today on the podcast we tackle the CONTROVERSIAL topic of kids in the taproom.

Whether you love or hate the idea, today we talk about how to maximize the children's experience in the taproom.

• Why it's important to create welcoming spaces for all types of guests, even kids
• 3 ways we can maximize a kid's experience in a taproom
• The BIG benefit to the taproom...

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Mister Rogers, known for teaching us how to be a good neighbor, understand our feelings, and become our best selves, poses a great question: "How do we make goodness attractive?"

In today's podcast we explore this question as it relates to your taproom: "How do you make ______ attractive?"

Examples:

1. "How do you make greeting your guests when they arrive more attractive?"
2. "How do you make suggesting a flight of beer more attractive?"
3. And our personal favorite: "How do you make offering to-go beer more attractive?"

And how do you make these habits stick? Make them easy, worthwhile, and profitable!

For more taproom tips, best practices, and training courses, join the conversation at TaproomSuccess.com.