Bar & Restaurant Expo 2025

In this advanced workshop, bar and restaurant owners will learn how to elevate their operations by fostering a true hospitality mindset within their teams. Going beyond basic customer service, this session focuses on creating a guest-first culture that drives loyalty, satisfaction, and long-term business success. Learn how to instill a sense of purpose in every interaction, empowering your staff to exceed guest expectations and deliver memorable experiences. This workshop will provide actionable strategies to build a culture that prioritizes genuine hospitality at every touchpoint.
• Develop and communicate core values that emphasize hospitality in every aspect of your business.
• Train staff to anticipate guest needs and personalize service accordingly.
• Implement regular feedback loops to ensure continuous improvement in guest interactions.
• Foster a culture of empathy and empowerment, enabling your team to handle challenging situations gracefully.
• Create recognition programs that reward employees for embodying the hospitality mindset and going above and beyond for guests.

In today’s competitive and fast-changing restaurant landscape, businesses may need a pivot for various reasons—whether it’s due to shifts in the marketplace, increasing competition, outdated menus, or even the need for a cosmetic refresh. Successfully navigating these changes requires a clear and strategic approach. Whether the issue is culinary direction, customer engagement, or operational inefficiencies, this session will help restaurant owners and managers create a clear path to revitalization.

• Identify Core Challenges: Participants will articulate the specific challenges their restaurant faces, whether it’s menu fatigue, market pressures, or operational inefficiencies, setting the foundation for revitalization
• Asses how your restaurant’s brand, audience, and market position stack up against competitors, using this information to guide the revitalization process.
• Learn how to incorporate the correct key partners, to assess or design recommendations for solutions
• Evaluate your financial resources, define operational processes, and implement testing strategies to ensure the successful execution of your new concept.
• Develop a clear, actionable plan to re-create the process with your team and revitalize your restaurants.

In this workshop, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of key strategies for managing beverage operations. From mastering cocktail pricing and controlling labor costs to navigating the complexities of single-unit versus multi-location bars, this session will provide the tools needed to streamline operations and drive growth. Participants will also learn how to create effective Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), analyze market trends, and build strategic partnerships to strengthen their brand.
What participants can expect to learn:

• Pricing cocktails and managing labor costs effectively
• Handling operations for single versus multi-location bars
• Developing SOPs to streamline processes
• Understanding market demands and customer preferences
• Forming smart partnerships for business growth

You’ve done the hard work, opened your business, and successfully promoted it and the sales are coming in.  But how do you make it profitable?  This seminar will take a deep dive into basic and advanced restaurant accounting helping to ensure you run a profitable business.  Participants will learn the art of calculating, controlling, recording, and profiting from the numbers that every successful operation needs to know.  The purpose of this seminar will be to familiarize operators not only with the three most important costs affecting an operation (the Prime Numbers: Food Cost, Labor Cost, and Beverage Cost) but also with the entire P & L statement, balance sheets, and budgeting.  All operators know (or should know) the importance of these numbers, yet few understand how to derive them accurately, let alone interpret them and put them to use.  With this knowledge, participants will unlock the profit potential within their operations.  This will be an intensive, hands-on, in-depth seminar in which participants will learn to:

• Budget the Prime numbers, both for start-ups and established operations, as well as techniques for easily adhering to these budgets
• Accurately calculate food, beverage, and labor costs (including advance formulae for detecting, budgeting, and pricing for waste)
• Create, analyze, and interpret a P&L and Balance Sheet
• Create annual and declining budgets
• How to define controllable figures
• Deliver consistent profitability through properly budgeted and managed Prime Numbers

There will be numerous hand-outs from which the attendees can follow along. Interactive Q&A throughout the seminar will be encouraged. Participants will engage in real-time problem-solving and be guided through a step-by-step process in which they will learn the topic easily.
Seminar participants will be fully prepared to utilize the information learned upon leaving the seminar, being able to action their knowledge at their own establishments immediately.

Unlock the power of digital marketing with actionable insights and strategies tailored to the hospitality industry. This seminar covers the latest trends in branding, social media, and content creation, giving you the tools to elevate your online presence and drive customer engagement.

• Analyze the current digital marketing landscape and its impact on customer loyalty.
• Explore influencer partnerships, storytelling, and targeted advertising on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Google Ads.
• Learn how to craft a compelling brand identity that resonates with your target audience.
• Create high-quality content and develop a content calendar aligned with your marketing goals.
• Develop and refine social media strategies through interactive workshops and real-life case studies.

Not all promotions lead to profit—some can cost you more than they bring in. Using real-life examples like Red Lobster’s “Endless Shrimp” promotion, this session will help you design food and cocktail events that resonate with guests while avoiding financial pitfalls.
In this session:

• Identify the common pitfalls in promotions that cost time and money.
• Use case studies to understand the risks of poorly planned events.
• Learn how to create effective promotions that connect with your audience.
• Project and manage budgets for events and promotions.
• Engage with brands for sponsorship opportunities and boost your marketing efforts.

In an ever-changing economic landscape, it's crucial to balance cutting costs with delivering a premium guest experience. Join me as I share strategies that not only meet but exceed guest expectations while driving profitability.

• Create perceived value through memorable guest experiences.
• Define and strengthen your brand identity.
• Assess and manage risks to optimize menu offerings.
• Implement cost-saving strategies without compromising quality.

In today's hospitality industry, the old ways of recruiting and leading teams aren't enough. This session will equip you with strategies to attract top talent, foster loyalty, and become the kind of leader people want to work for. Learn how to move beyond outdated practices and create a culture that retains the best of the best.
Participants will: 

• Discover nearly free methods that have kept teams fully staffed for over a decade.
• Learn how to inspire team members to stay long-term and build a lasting bond with your brand.
• Identify personal triggers and learn techniques to prevent small issues from disrupting your leadership.
• Uncover the key traits that will make you a leader employees want to follow, driving success and engagement.

Let’s be real—tech is supposed to help, not slow you down. One technology expert went behind the stick to better understand exactly how bar tech impacts the day-to-day operation. The result? It’s clear that the right tech partner understands what it’s like to work a busy shift and what it takes to help you run a smoother operation.

In this session, you’ll hear from the owners and operators on how working with a tech partner who truly gets the day-to-day grind can help you run a smoother operation. Learn how cutting down on clicks and speeding up order times can make a world of difference for your team and your guests. We’ll walk you through real ways technology can solve the everyday challenges your bar faces, so you can get back to what matters most: boosting your bottom line while building community.

Limited capacity & transportation is provided! Additional registration add-on item and fees apply to attend. Add to any registration pass.

Add this exclusive behind-the-scenes tour to your Bar & Restaurant Expo experience for an insider look at Tao's four venues: Tao Restaurant, Tao Lounge, Tao Nightclub, and Tao Beach Dayclub. Explore the unique ambiance of each space and learn how they deliver exceptional guest experiences—from fine dining and training processes to high-energy nightlife and dayclub operations. Roundtrip transportation is included.

Bus Schedule:
12:30pm - Bus departs from South Hall Las Vegas Convention Center to Tao
1:00pm-3:00pm Tao Tour
3:15pm - Bus returns to South Hall Las Vegas Convention Center

Limited capacity & transportation is provided! Additional registration add-on item and fees apply to attend. Add to any registration pass.

Details coming soon!

Bus Schedule:
12:30pm - Bus departs from Las Vegas Convention Center to Wynn
1:00pm-3:00pm –Wynn Restaurant Tour
3:15pm - Bus arrives back at Las Vegas Convention Center

Join industry experts to explore the challenges and best practices of running a successful beverage program while managing your bar staff efficiently.

• Balance beverage costs and quality to maximize profits.
• Discover staff management techniques to improve performance.
• Ensure your beverage program aligns with guest expectations.
• Reduce waste and streamline inventory management.
• Keep your team engaged while maintaining operational efficiency.

Trends without data are just noise, but data-backed insights drive real results. In this session, Adam Teeter, CEO of VinePair, will share proprietary trend data that reveals what’s hot in the drinks world. Learn which cocktails to feature, where to focus in wine and beer, and how to stand out from the competition.

• Identify the key drink trends that actually matter.
• Discover high-impact drinks and categories to add to your menu now.
• Plan for seasonal spikes in drink preferences.
• Understand data-driven insights for optimizing your beverage offerings.
• Gain a competitive edge with exclusive trend insights from the industry’s top publication.

Successfully manage and motivate a diverse workforce by understanding different generations' communication and training needs. This session will help you create harmony and high performance across your team.
Session participants will learn how to:

• Tailor communication styles to suit different generations.
• Implement training programs that engage all age groups.
• Foster collaboration and reduce generational tension.
• Motivate and energize employees across the board.
• Develop leadership skills that bridge generational gaps.