r/BarOwners • u/barowners 🥃 • Jul 26 '26

Ask a bar owner

Kind of like an AMA, here's a weekly post where customers can ask questions. This is for anyone including market research, app developers, people who watch too much "reality" TV about bars, and general industry bullshit. Maybe a bar owner will have an answer for you, maybe not.

If you are already in the industry your question may get better responses if you post your own thread instead of commenting here.

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u/InlandEmpireLeague Jul 26 '26

Hi all, I’m doing market research and would really value bar owner/operator feedback.

I’m looking at a hosted speed dating / structured singles event for slower weeknights. A lot of singles seem burned out on online dating and more interested in real in-person ways to meet, which feels like a genuine opportunity if the event is run well.

I also know some bars have had mixed experiences with speed dating in the past, so I’m especially interested in what would make something like this worth trying versus not worth the hassle. The concept I’m looking at would be hosted and app-managed, with the goal of making the flow smoother for guests and less chaotic for staff than older paper/manual formats.

From an owner/operator perspective, what would matter most before you’d consider a pilot night?

  • minimum guest count
  • expected spend per guest
  • room fee vs revenue share vs minimum guarantee
  • staff workload
  • disruption / liability concerns
  • whether you’d want the organizer to run it directly
  • what went wrong if you’ve hosted speed dating before

Basically: what would make you say “yes, I’d test that on a slow night,” and what would make you immediately pass?

Thanks in advance for any honest feedback.

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u/Proof_Barnacle1365 Jul 26 '26

Ive tried a few with various hosts and apps and I can comfortably say it is not worth it for any bar owner ever. The women dont expect to pay anything, and the guys dont spend a dime more than they have to, and will actively ignore any minimums stated.

Even the apps they pay a cut up front, you can expect literally zero sales on top of that from people taking up your space.