Shelf space on back bars is seriously crowded these days. Bar and restaurant operators average 83 bottle facings (those bottles you can see the faces of) on their back bars, according to the latest OnTrac survey from The Beverage Information & Insights Group (the research unit of Cheers’ parent company).
Formal restaurants offer a vast selection, with an average of 88.2 bottle facings. Looking at specific spirit categories, vodka commands the most self space, with an overall average of 22.2 facings, plus an average of 12.7 flavored vodka facings. Rum selections are also robust; survey participants offer an average of 15.0 rum bottle facings.
OnTrac surveys more than 2,000 on-premise accounts annually, including fine dining restaurants, casual-themed eateries, hotels, bars and taverns in 30 major metropolitan markets. The full report is available in the 2014 On-Premise Barometer Handbook (visit BevInfoStore.com for more information.
| Channel | All Back Bar Facings | Vodka Facings | Flavored Vodka Facings | Rum Facings | Whisky Facings | Flavored Whisky Facings | Bourbon Facings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bars/Taverns | 81 | 21.8 | 13 | 14.9 | 13.7 | 6.8 | 10.5 |
| Informal/Family n | 81.9 | 22 | 12.6 | 15 | 12.8 | 5.9 | 10 |
| Formal Restaurants | 88.2 | 23.2 | 13.1 | 15.5 | 12.9 | 5.6 | 10.2 |
| Hotels/Clubs | 80.7 | 21.7 | 12 | 14.3 | 13.4 | 5.9 | 10.6 |
| All Outlets | 83 | 22.2 | 12.7 | 15 | 13.1 | 6 | 10.2 |
Photo courtesy of Flintridge Proper
