Learn how to build attractive habits that motivate your taproom staff and boost profitability. Discover key strategies for making tasks easier, more worthwhile, and profitable while improving staff engagement and guest experiences.
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Some aspects of the taproom experience are obvious: great beer, a welcoming vibe, friendly staff, and a clean space. These all matter to your guests. But sometimes, it’s the little things that make a visit even more valuable, both for them and for you. A well-timed recommendation for another pint, a simple mention of beer to go. Small touches can have a big impact. But what else can elevate your taproom experience and turn good visits into great ones?
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According to a February 2025 Craft Beer Professionals poll, 26% of breweries operate their own kitchen. Coming in close behind, 22% rely on food trucks, while another 22% offer guests a menu of basic snacks (i.e. “would you like a bag of chips?”). No matter the approach, one thing is clear—offering food at your brewery takes effort, but it leads to higher tabs, longer visits, and more reasons for guests to return.
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Guests come to your taproom for connection. While service is important, true hospitality goes beyond handing someone a pint. QR codes don’t replace staff engagement—in fact, when used alongside strong service, they increase sales. Meet your guests where they are. Give them options. And always, always ask the question.
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As we move into 2025, the taproom experience is being shaped by an ever-evolving landscape of guest preferences, expectations, and behaviors. Craft beer alone won’t keep guests coming back—today's successful taprooms are those that create a seamless fusion of exceptional beverages, a welcoming atmosphere, and an engaging staff. To stay ahead of the curve, it's critical to understand how the taproom audience is changing and what they truly desire from their visits. This session will provide insights into emerging trends, actionable strategies, and new approaches to creating memorable and profitable experiences that keep guests coming through the door.
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Discover how taproom managers can draw inspiration from punk rock musician Frank Turner's global collaborations to expand their audience. Learn how creative partnerships, community events, and cross-promotion can help your taproom reach new customers and build lasting connections. This article explores unconventional strategies for attracting diverse crowds and fostering a unique experience that encourages repeat visits.
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Maximize your taproom's revenue by focusing on existing customers! Learn strategies to increase check averages, foster loyalty, boost repeat visits, and upsell effectively. Hear proven tips from taproom experts to create super fans and drive higher revenue per guest. Transform your guest experience and grow your bottom line today!
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An active mailing list, app, or loyalty program is essential for driving revenue and loyalty. Without them, you're leaving money on the table. Success depends on staff engagement—when your team encourages sign-ups and downloads, it leads to higher tabs, better tips, and repeat visits. Secret Hopper helps measure staff performance to turn first-time visitors into loyal fans.
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Whether you’re a bartender, manager, or owner, the start of the new year is the perfect time to strive for personal and professional growth. Bartenders! Let’s find ways for you to see higher tabs and make more tips. Managers and owners! The industry is going through challenging times, let’s use data and a actionable strategies to make your taproom experience more profitable.
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Guest engagement can make or break the taproom experience, and recent data reveals fascinating trends in how staff interactions vary throughout the week and on weekends. Across all days, engagement peaks during lunchtime, with staff delivering consistently high levels of service to early-day visitors. However, as the day progresses, patterns begin to shift—weekday evenings see engagement drop slightly, while weekends maintain a higher baseline but lean more toward moderate interactions during busy periods. These findings not only highlight when taprooms are excelling but also uncover opportunities to fine-tune strategies, ensuring guests feel valued no matter when they walk through the door.
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Learn how leading breweries are using Secret Hopper taproom data to see greater success.
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Reasons to return. That’s what it’s all about you. You don’t just want a guest to visit your taproom, then spend the next year visiting the others in your area. The ultimate goal is to get them in, wow them, and have them already craving their next visit. Despite the growing importance of events for taprooms, there is still room for improvement in how businesses promote them.
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ConsumerPulse and Secret Hopper provide you with the opportunity to more effectively access and assess how your taproom is performing. By adding data to your toolkit, you can maximize unique aspects of the experience, continually monitor the quality of your taproom, and better understand your guests to keep them coming back and spending more.
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The initial greeting and the final goodbye are two of the most impactful moments of any taproom visit. If a guest isn’t acknowledged promptly or made to feel appreciated upon leaving, their likelihood of returning greatly decreases. In a recent study, we analyzed the importance of the greeting. Now, let’s examine the data and strategies for ensuring a successful closing interaction between guests and staff.
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In today’s craft beverage landscape, success isn’t just about expanding your audience; it's also about maximizing the value of your current customers. By encouraging higher tabs, generating bigger tips, and increasing visit frequency, your staff are your greatest assets. They have the ability to elevate a taproom visit from average to exceptional. One of the first steps your staff can take to create a memorable experience is by greeting guests.
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Does the solo guest or larger party spend more money in your taproom? Is your staff offering each group the same level of engagement? How can you use this data to create more memorable and profitable experiences for all?
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By understanding your taproom processes and identifying areas where you can make them more efficient.
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There's really not much need to elaborate on the above graphic. Michael Varda, from Craft Beer Advisory Services, nails it. CBAS help breweries understand their customers in every way possible – why they visit, what they want, how to attract new customers, and how to use data to create experiences that keep them coming back.
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Over the years, Secret Hopper has explored taproom data extensively, examining everything from the significance of the initial greeting to how age impacts spending habits. Two consistent themes have emerged in nearly all our studies: the importance of education and engagement. We understand you’re busy and don’t have time to continually review hundreds of data points, share them with your team, and implement training to maximize them. Don’t worry—if you only have time to monitor two metrics, focus on tip percentage and average tab size.
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How does the speed at which a beer is served impact a guest’s taproom experience? Faster isn’t always better. The right level of engagement with guests doesn’t necessarily correspond directly with speed—other factors should also be considered. When a guest chooses to visit your taproom, they do so with intention. Understanding that intention and their goals can help you provide the experience they seek.
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