bar inventory | The Double Strainer

A professional bar station showing common sources of wastage: a spilled cocktail on a metal drip tray, an overfilled jigger, a container of wilted citrus garnishes, and broken glassware in a nearby trash bin.

How to Track Bar Wastage and Cut Inventory Losses

Bar wastage is rarely one big disaster. It is the daily drip: a splash here, a remake there, a “just this once” comp, citrus that dies in the fridge, a bottle that empties faster than sales suggest. None of it looks dramatic in the moment. Put together, it quietly rewrites the margin.

A professional male bartender with a beard, wearing a white shirt and a leather-strapped apron, stands behind a dark wooden bar counter. He is focused on a laptop screen placed in the center of the bar, surrounded by a large and organized variety of polished glassware, including wine glasses, coupes, and tumblers.

Bar Glassware Inventory: Choose, Count, and Reorder Without Stockouts

The right glass is not decoration. It is part of bar execution. Glassware affects temperature, aroma, carbonation, portion perception, and speed at the pass. When the correct glass is missing at 9pm, the bar improvises, specs drift, and guests notice. A simple inventory system prevents that.