Brewery POS Tools You Need To Throw The Best Oktoberfest Event
Oktoberfest is one of the most fun events breweries can throw, and if done strategically, can also be extremely profitable. Here’s a list of point of sale tools your craft business needs to throw your best Oktoberfest event yet.
Oktoberfest is one of the most fun events breweries can throw, and if done strategically, can also be extremely profitable. Here’s a list of point of sale tools your craft business needs to throw your best Oktoberfest event yet:
Email collection at checkout Branded website with integrated ecommerce Easy to customize menus Best seller reports Merch & beer to-go Mobile POS & transferrable tabs QR Code Ordering Tab splitting technology Card on file Support from industry veterans
See Arryved POS in action to learn how the system can support all of your event efforts!
Fill Your Taproom With Lederhosen: POS Tools That Drive Traffic
It’s not a party (or a profitable day) without lots of people in your taproom celebrating. These POS tools help you spread the word.
Email Collection At Checkout Engages Guests Long Term
Savvy brewery point of sales prompt paying guests to join your contact list at checkout. It can be as simple as an Opt-In checkbox when they’re emailing their receipt!
Utilize this contact list to invite guests in for your Oktoberfest event. If you don’t have an email collection system set up, it’s not too late! Collect the contacts that you can for now, and plan on getting a whole lot of additional emails during your actual event.
Email is an effective resource for all types of guest communication, especially to build hype around an event.
Feature Event Information Front & Center On Your Website
Guests looking for more information about your brewery will likely wind up on your website, and they should be met with prominent information about your upcoming Oktoberfest.
Brewery web solutions that are custom built to your brand, facilitate online ordering, and streamline guest communications are essential for growing breweries, especially ones that want to throw big ol’ Oktoberfest parties!
Prepare Your Brewery Menu For Big Oktoberfest Crowds
Service is going to be a little hectic at your Oktoberfest event. To not overwhelm your staff, consider these menu tips.
Customize (& Pare Down) Your Oktoberfest Menu
You know everything on your menu is delicious. But for the sake of efficiency, utilize your brewery POS’ customizable event-specific menu.
This tool saves your front of house (FOH) staff time taking orders—they have less menu items to sift through—and saves your back of house (BOH) staff preparation time—they’re only cooking or pouring a small number of things!
Plus, indecisive guests have an easier time choosing what to order first, and have the chance to try everything if they’d like.
Best Seller Data Determines Which Menu Items Make The Cut
How do you choose which menu items to serve? Let your POS reports choose!
A Best Seller Report ranks your most popular menu items based on historic sales. Narrowing down your menu to these items helps you maximize revenue too, because data confirms that guests love them.
Popular or not, here are some items to consider nixing from your offerings for Oktoberfest:
- Flights: No matter how useful your POS flight tools are for ordering, flights can be timely to assemble for bar staff, and tricky to carry with a bunch of other pints. Train your staff to push people towards your big boots of beer instead.
- Time-intensive food: Your shepherd’s pie might be a real crowd pleaser, but Oktoberfest guests don’t want to wait long for their grub. Stick with a food menu that gets hungry folks their carbs fast.
Prepare Merchandise & To-Go Goods To Maximize Tab Sizes
Your merchandise looks even better after a boot or two of beer. Lean into guests’ impulse purchases by offering Oktoberfest-specific merchandise or discount your existing schwag to boost tab sizes.
Growlers or 6-packs to-go make for great upsells as well!
Get Guests Their Next Beer Before They Can Say “Bratwurst”
Of course, your brewery POS is meant to streamline all things ordering and payments. These POS tools in particular come in handy during big events.
Mobile POS & Transferable Tabs Give Guests Freedom To Explore
Nobody goes to an Oktoberfest and stays seated at their original spot the whole time. You can expect guests to move around, so equip your staff with POS tools that make it easy to take their orders.
Mobile POS devices let your staff take orders and payments tableside—or on the dance floor, by the firepit, etc. Wherever guests are, your staff can meet them there with mobile POS handhelds.
If an inside table needs some fresh air, transferable tabs let guests pick up their tab with a new server outside so they don’t have to close out and start a new one.
QR Code Ordering Gives Guests Ordering Autonomy
Sometimes the floor is so busy with jolly Oktoberfest attendees that ordering autonomy makes the most sense for your guests and staff.
Implement your own best practice when it comes to QR code ordering. Validation Ale in Santa Barbara uses their brewery POS to start all new tabs at the bar, which gives the team a perfect opportunity to welcome guests and give them a rundown of event happenings. Then guests find a table, scan the QR code, claim their tab that was opened at the bar, and continue ordering as they please!
A custom setup like this combines precious facetime with your staff and speedy ordering for your eager guests.
End On A High With A Fast & Easy Checkout Process
The best way to inspire a table of your guests to come back? Ensure their time in your taproom ends smoothly with a seamless checkout process.
Split The Bill For Big Groups Efficiently
Big groups are bound to gather at your Oktoberfest. Make closing out a breeze for large tables of people using savvy tab splitting technology on your POS device. Split tabs evenly by seat or by order so your staff don’t waste time or a headache on a complicated dividing process.
Card On File Ensures No Belongings Gets Left Behind
Card On File securely stores a guest’s payment information and bills them for future purchases without needing to hold the physical card. That means guests can start a tab, party their Dirndls off, and hop in the Uber home without manually closing their tabs at the bar.
This saves your staff time on administrative tasks and saves your guests the trip back tomorrow morning!
POS Support For When Mustard Hits The Fan
It’s always good to be prepared should anything disrupt service during your big event, like an unforeseeable power outage. No internet means no ordering, unless your brewery POS has Offline Mode!
Offline Mode lets breweries continue business as usual, no matter your WiFi status. That way a storm can’t (literally) rain on your Oktoberfest parade, and the fun doesn’t need to stop.
Should any concerns arise day-of, the best brewery POS offers reliable support via phone or email. At Arryved, our Support Team has industry expertise on their side, too! Prost to that, huh?
Oktoberfest Success? Only Your Brewery POS Knows!
How can you determine if these brewery POS tools lead to a profitable Oktoberfest? Sales data will tell you! Learn how to measure your Oktoberfest event success.