How to make your guests stay longer and return to your venue? Make sure they have an awesome experience at your place!
Customers typically visit bars for high-quality entertainment, food and drinks and to spend time with their friends. The better the experience, the higher the chance of them returning.
Bar games are one of the easiest ways to engage your customers and offer them a social experience. After all, that’s why we spend time in bars and pubs - to have fun! Right? 🙂
The best part is that there are a huge variety of bar games you can make money with: board games, arcade games, classic bar games or competitive socializing games.
Dartsee is a popular interactive dartboard perfect for bars, pubs, entertainment centers and more!
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Why do you need bar games at your place?
It’s not just about drinks!
Games are a low maintenance investment and a great way to stretch the dwell time at your venue.
Customers are seeking fun and meaningful activities, to socialize with their friends and spend quality and fun time together. You want to give them wow-moments, “shareable” experiences and unforgettable memories.
Hosting game nights or having bar games at your place can make for a great customer experience. And what does a great experience mean? People will stay longer and spend more time (and money).
Did you know that on an average night-out Brits spend £68 according to the Deltic Night Index?
Some bar games (like darts or pool) need a bigger investment, but can increase your profit. However, even if you choose to experiment with cheaper games (board games, jenga, drinking games), you can easily boost your sales during downtime by giving an extra experience for your customer.
Dartsee is an interactive dartboard your guests will love!
How to choose the best bar games for your place?
Adding a game room to your place might seem a big investment, but thankfully there are easier ways to increase footfall without having to redesign everything. Before choosing the best bar game, make sure you research the available options. A pool table might be a good idea - but do you have enough space? Arcade games are a cool option - but would your customers enjoy it?
The rule of thumb before choosing competitive socializing games is to know your customers. What experiences are they seeking? Are they open to new activities? What type of customers would they like to attract?
There are a few things to consider when choosing the right bar games. The most important thing is to choose a game that people will actually want to play and spend money on.
You'll also want to think about how easy each game is for players: does it take a long time for someone new to learn? Or does it require an expert level of skill? You don't want something too complicated or easy - it should be somewhere in between so that anyone can get started quickly enough but still keep them entertained (and spending).
If you have small sized tables, board games are not the best idea to invest in. If you don’t have enough space to mount classic bar games, try hosting trivia or karaoke nights!
A good thing to also keep in mind is the automation of games: can you automate the gaming experience, or you’ll need more staff to set up the games?
There are a number of factors you'll want to consider when choosing the best games for your bar:
The type of games you offer should be appropriate for your target audience. If you're catering to a younger crowd, you'll want to offer games that are more exciting and fast-paced. If you're catering to a more mature crowd, you'll want to offer games that are more laid back and easy to play.
You'll also want to consider the price of the games you offer. If you're looking to generate a lot of income from your games, you'll want to offer games that are more expensive. If you're looking to offer a cheaper option for your customers, you can offer games that are less expensive (dice games, board games, etc.)
You'll also want to consider the space you have available for your games. If you have a large space, you can offer a variety of games (pool, shuffleboard). If you have a smaller space, you'll want to focus on offering fewer games that are easy to set up and take down (board games, card games)
Which bar games are the most popular?
The latest trend in the hospitality industry is definitely competitive socializing. Socializing games have been around forever. Like reeeeaaaaally forever. Even the ancient Greeks played a drinking game called Kottabos.
There's nothing quite like kicking back with a cold beer and some friends, and getting lost in a good bar game. But with so many different games to choose from, how do you know which ones are worth the investment?
Here's a quick rundown of some of the most popular bar games out there, so you can pick the perfect one for your venue:
Darts
Pool
Foosball
Shuffleboard
Arcade Games
Board games
Trivia nights and events
A list of bar games to make money with
We've all seen the classic pool tables, dart boards and shuffleboards at bars, clubs and pubs across the country. But what many people don't realize is that these traditional ways of making money aren't the only way you can attract customers into your venue. There are plenty of other bar games out there that have been proven time and time again as being extremely effective at increasing engagement in your venue while giving people something fun to do during their visit - and they're easy enough for anyone to set up themselves!
1. Shuffleboard
Shuffleboard is a popular pub game which requires players to push pucks along a narrow path to score points. It’s a competitive and fun game for your guests, which is gaining popularity due to the fact that it’s easy to play and easy to learn.
2. Darts
Darts is a game that's been around for centuries, probably because it's a simple game that can be played anywhere. You don't need a lot of equipment or space to play, and you can play with friends or alone. Darts is a fun, fast-paced game that's great for parties and bars. It originated in the United Kingdom and has since spread to other countries, including the United States
Looking for a new, exciting way to play darts? Look no further than Dartsee! Our interactive steel tip dart board uses cutting-edge computer vision technology to bring darts to a whole new level.
3. Pool
The game of pool originated in 15th century France. It was originally called billiards (or "billard"), and it became popular with aristocrats who played it indoors using wooden balls on wooden tables. By the mid-18th century, billiards had spread throughout Europe and beyond; by the 19th century it was known by its modern name: pool.
Pool tables are often found at bars because they're an easy way to attract customers who want to have fun while they drink—and maybe make some money off them too!
4. Foosball
Foosball is a game that involves two teams of players, often with five players on either side. The object of foosball is to score the most goals in the time allotted, usually three minutes.
It's a great game to play at bars because it keeps people entertained while they're waiting for their drinks or food to arrive. It also helps bring people together—you can see people playing foosball and start up conversations with them!
5. Skeeball
Skeeball is a game that's been around since the 19th century and has been played by Americans of all ages ever since. It involves rolling a ball down an alley and knocking down as many pins as possible with each throw. You can play by yourself or with up to four other people. The winner is determined by who gets the highest score after all the balls have been rolled down the alley.
Skeeball makes a bar more fun because it challenges players' reflexes and coordination skills while giving them an opportunity to interact with others.
6. Axe throwing
Axe throwing is a sport that's been around since the Iron Age, and it's not just for lumberjacks anymore. It’s a fun activity that's great for parties, company events, or just hanging out with your friends. And what better place to throw axes than a bar?
7. Dice games
If you want to create an exciting environment for your customers, you need to have some great entertainment options available. Dice games are a great way to do this—they're cheap and easy to use, but they can still be exciting and engaging enough that your customers will love them.
Dice games are also good for bars because they allow you to create a fun atmosphere without spending too much money on equipment.
8. Air hockey
Air hockey is a fast-paced game that requires quick reflexes and hand-eye coordination. The object of the game is to hit your opponent's puck into their goal before they hit yours into yours.
Air hockey tables are great additions to bars because they give people something to do while they wait for their drinks or food—and it gives them something fun to do with their friends while they're there too!
9. Pinball machines
The game itself is super simple: you use a flipper to try to get a ball into one of the holes on the machine. Pinball machines have come back into style recently because they're fun and nostalgic but also because they're a great way to keep people engaged.
10. Board games
When you're trying to build a bar that's known for its fun, welcoming atmosphere, you need to think about what will draw people in. Board games are a great way to do that!
People love playing board games, and they love it even more when they get to play with others. Organize board game nights to create an atmosphere that feels more like hanging out with friends than being at a bar.
11. Jenga
Jenga is a game where players take turns pulling out blocks from a tower and placing them on top. The object is to be the last person standing, but you can't pull out any block that would cause the tower to fall.
It's great for bars because it's easy to set up, everyone can play (even if they've been drinking), and there are no winners or losers - it's just fun!
12. Trivia night
A trivia night can be a good way to bring people into a bar, especially on weeknights when business is typically slower. It can also be a fun way to socialize and compete with friends. Make sure to choose a popular trivia topic that will appeal to a wide range of people!
13. Card games
Card games can increase revenue in a bar by drawing in more customers, as well as keeping them entertained and spending more money while they are there. Card games can be played for money or simply for fun, which makes them appealing to a wide range of people. If you have a good selection of card games available, it can encourage people to stay longer and spend more money on drinks and food.
14. Arcade games
They often have simple, easy-to-learn controls and are usually designed to be easy to pick up and play for a short period of time. Arcade games can be a good way to attract customers to a bar, as well as keep them entertained while they are there.
15. Beer pong
Beer pong is a popular drinking game in which players throw Ping-Pong balls into cups of beer. The game is typically played in teams of two, and the goal is to eliminate all of the other team's balls by sinking them into their cups. Hosting a beer pong tournament can also be a great way to bring in some extra revenue, as people will often pay to participate.
16. Dominoes
Dominoes is a popular game that can be played with two or more people. The goal of the game is to collect the most points by matching dominoes with the same number of dots. It's a popular game that can help attract customers because it's a relatively easy game to learn how to play.
In conclusion, bar games are an excellent way to increase footfall and make more money in your establishment. By providing a variety of games that appeal to a wide range of customers, you can create an atmosphere that encourages people to stay longer and spend more.
Darts is a particularly popular game that is easy to learn and can be enjoyed by people of all skill levels. With the Dartsee interactive dartboard, you can take your darts experience to the next level and offer your customers an innovative and engaging way to play. The real-time scoring, interactive games, and customizable themes of Dartsee are sure to impress your customers and keep them coming back for more. So, if you're looking to boost your bar's revenue and create a fun and welcoming environment, consider investing in Dartsee today.