Chris Schneider & Brian Haan: How We Adapted Our Bar After the Smoking Ban

Last week, Brian Haan and I started telling the story of how we ended up running 86th Street Pub together. About 15 months into owning the bar, we hit the first major change that forced us to rethink what the business could become: the smoking ban. In this episode, I break down how Brian and I responded, not by fighting the change, but by using it as an opportunity to up our game. I get into how we cleaned up the bar, expanded the craft beer program, improved the food, built a faster lunch business, redesigned the kitchen for efficiency, tightened portion control, used steak night to drive traffic and drink sales, and eventually moved to seasonal menus when our regulars wanted something new. Because when the environment around your bar changes, holding onto the old version of the business isn’t always the safest move. Sometimes the smartest move is figuring out what the change makes possible—and building a better bar around it.  📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/