Traditional bar staffing models were built for a different era. Layered teams of bartenders, barbacks, and runners once kept service flowing smoothly. Today, that approach is harder and more expensive than ever to sustain.
The labor market hasn’t recovered since COVID. Many hospitality workers left the industry for more stable, less grueling jobs. Operators are facing smaller talent pools, rising wages, and high turnover. The traditional model wasn’t designed for this reality. To keep doors open, operators need a smarter way to staff.
Most bars rely on 3–5 bartenders plus barbacks and runners to meet demand. This structure drives labor costs to 30–35% of revenue and requires constant recruiting and training.
Margins shrink, while pressure on teams grows.
Staffing bars the traditional way is expensive and unpredictable. Relying on multiple bartenders for every transaction leads to high labor costs, scheduling headaches, and service bottlenecks.
Self-pour beverage technology solves this by shifting ordering, pouring, and payment to the guest.
Self-pour systems like PourMyBeer allow customers to open a tab with an RFID card or wristband, QR code, or credit card and pour directly from the taps. Every ounce is tracked in real time, creating a faster, leaner, more efficient service model.
When you switch to a self-pour beverage model:
When you look at the two models side by side, the differences in staffing, costs, and guest experience becomes clear:
Beyond labor savings, self-pour improves both operations and guest experience. Venues can serve more guests with lean teams, reduce reliance on star bartenders, and schedule more predictably.
Guests enjoy shorter wait times and more variety, while staff experience less burnout and more engaging roles, boosting retention and tips.
At The Prairie Dog Taphouse, three check-in stations and a self-pour wall allowed the team to process 165 guests in 37 minutes during a live show. With only five team members working, guests had drinks in hand within minutes, a task that would’ve required double the staff at a traditional bar.
“The future is here. No lines. No waits. Social communing. Cultural impact...With folks pouring their own beverages, you can spend more time creating and implementing an exceptional guest experience.” - Michael Chidiac, Owner of The Prairie Dog Taphouse
At The Market at Malcolm Yards in Minneapolis, 60% of alcohol revenue and 75% of pours come from the self-pour wall, which runs with just one staff member compared to four at the traditional bar, driving higher margins with less labor.
At The Village Well, a taproom in Reno, Nevada, guests can enjoy a self-pour experience. With a 30-tap beverage wall serving draft beers, ciders, sours, wines, and even exclusive cocktails, the rotating lineup keeps guests engaged and encourages repeat visits.
By combining PourMyBeer and TipHaus, The Village Well operates with a leaner team, shifting staff focus from pouring drinks to creating great guest experiences. Self-pour eliminates peak-hour bottlenecks, while TipHaus automates tip pooling and payouts, solving both staffing and compensation challenges in one streamlined system.
The traditional bar model relies on staffing levels that are increasingly difficult to maintain. Self-pour offers a leaner, more efficient alternative that boosts profitability without sacrificing hospitality.
At PourMyBeer, we help operators design smarter staffing models through self-pour technology that reduces costs, increases throughput, and creates better guest experiences
Ready to see how self-pour could work in your space? Schedule a consultation to discuss your venue's specific staffing challenges and explore whether self-pour is the right fit.
