Do you enjoy watching bartenders who are terrible at their jobs get reprimanded by a giant man who has worked in hospitality for years and has a very aggressive speaking voice? Do you take personal pride watching sleazy managers hitting on guests get what’s coming to them? Do you completely agree that bar stools with backs cut off the aspect of socialization at a bar and therefore result in guests spending more time and running higher tabs at said-bar? Then you must be an avid viewer of the hit Spike TV show Bar Rescue.
Bar Rescue recently celebrated its 100th episode, a true feat in the ever shifting landscape of the cable television market. Bar Rescue host and bar and nightlife expert John Taffer’s abrasive personality can scare the living daylights out of someone with a failing business, but generally is exactly the wake-up call most people need to re-adjust their business model.
On a recent episode of the Today show, Taffer discusses the success of Bar Recue with Today Show host Willie Geist, and how thrilled he is to celebrate the show’s 100th episode. He does show remorse that Bar Rescue’s success is based off of the failings of so many people trying to make a living by running a bar.
“These people are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and there are usually immense family pressures in the establishments that are family owned, which is often the most heartbreaking. At the end of the day I’m fixing people more than I’m fixing a bar. A lot of times the mistake people make is opening bars because they like bars, and envision themselves sitting at the end of that bar drinking a whiskey with their friends. Don’t open a bar because you like bars, open a bar because you like business. If you want to hang out with your buddies, do that in your basement. Bars are not as profitable as people think, and if you over pour the liquor, you aren’t managing your costs, and this is the most common error that leads to bar failure.”
This wildly fun celebration was held at the exact opposite of a failing establishment, STK Steakhouse in Midtown Manhattan. Taffer himself spoke to the audience, along with a few corporate managers who are directly tied to a network television show at this level. Celebrity chef and Bar Rescue guest star Chef Josh Capon was in attendance, and to up the ante even more, rap artist and MC Lil’ Jon was the resident DJ for the evening. This raucously fun event featured a craft cocktail list that seemed pilfered straight from a winning episode of Bar Rescue, and the passed hors d’oeuvres were an excellent addition to the fine level of organization and class with which this event was seamlessly choreographed.
Twisted Talk: Are you a fan of Bar Rescue? What was your favorite episode? Discuss below!
