It’s the moment every bartender or operator dreads. Your most popular craft beer has been pouring all night and suddenly the tap sputters and then…nothing. The keg is kicked, and it’s up to one brave soul to venture into the walk-in cooler to replace the beer keg. It will involve climbing, crawling, and somehow even sweating inside the frigid beer cooler. There must be an easier way, right?
Far too many bars and restaurants find their walk-in coolers in disarray after long periods of neglect. For some, it’s just the nature of the fast-paced industry. But with proper organization in your bar’s walk-in, your operation will be safer and more efficient than ever before. Here are a few benefits to a properly organized walk-in beverage cooler.
EMPLOYEE SAFETY
Safety is a top priority for every foodservice operator, so why risk you or your employee’s safety with a disorganized walk-in cooler? With the right setup of beer kegs and shelving, there will be a safe walking aisle for employees to move around and access any beer keg or product. Gone will be the unsafe practice of stacking kegs on top of each other, which can risk further injury.
BAR EFFICIENCY
The time spent by an employee in the walk-in cooler both searching for and maneuvering to the right keg to replace can be cut in half by organization. Beer deliveries will no longer be a hassle when your walk-in has designated spaces for each and every keg and case of beer.
LARGER INVENTORY
When your bar’s walk-in cooler can store more product, as an operator you can offer customers a wider variety of beverage options. With limited space, it would be more difficult to justify having a keg of a specialty beer. Not so with a cooler layout tuned to your operation’s needs.
REDUCE WASTED PRODUCTS
“First in, last out” is a good motto for employees, but it’s terrible for your beverage products. A lack of organization can lead to the newer items flowing out of your cooler first, leaving the older products sitting in your cooler for an eternity. Shelving that keeps all cases of beer towards the front at all times will reduce the need to throw away stale or expired product and in turn save your bar money.