Creating a great ambiance in your sports bar or restaurant is a good way to attract new customers. People who regularly go to sports bars and restaurants want the best technology available to watch the big game. This includes televisions, audio systems, lighting, and even security. Upgrading your establishment with the latest tech can help bring in customers and keep your regulars coming back. Throughout my years of installing A/V systems in restaurants and bars with Automated Environments these are the areas I suggest you focus on when upgrading your tech systems.

Audio system

The audio system in the restaurant is critical when showing football games or the big fight. It is easy to fail with these systems if they aren’t designed and engineered the right way.

For commercial audio installations, the first thing you want to look at is the infrastructure of the building and see what will work from an audio standpoint. You also want to see the best locations to install the speakers because this will affect the visual aspect of the space.

For example, if your bar or restaurant has pendant lighting throughout, then you want to install pendant speakers to continue with the overall style of the space. You do not want to fill your bar or restaurant up with large subwoofers if they do not fit with the overall design of the establishment.

Bar owners want customers to understand the theme of the space when they first walk in. Having the correct audio system installed helps do this.

Never skimp on the audio system in a sports bar or restaurant. If you install the wrong system, it may be too loud causing people to have to yell across the table at one another creating extra noise that gets annoying rather fast. Install the best system you can afford that fits the space, so it helps improve the ambiance and not just create a bunch of noise.

Visual system

The other key area sports bar and restaurant owners need to pay attention to is the video system. You can upgrade your visual systems in many ways. The number of televisions, video walls, and the way the video and audio system work in tandem are all important areas you want to consider when choosing a system for your establishment.

Before purchasing a video system, you must understand your clientele. Are they more into watching football games on Sundays, or is your customer base more diverse where you need other content playing while the games are on to provide entertainment for everyone? Understanding this will help you when deciding where to place televisions, how many you need and what quality to install. 

Recently, video walls have become popular because they offer a great visual experience for entertainment, and they can help advertise drink and food specials at the bar or restaurant. During a game, instead of having the standard commercials come up you can show the specials you have for the night or promote a DJ coming in a couple of weeks. These walls are programmable so you can show practically anything you like to not only provide entertainment but promote your events.

Lighting

The lighting in your bar or restaurant is equally as important as the audio/visual system. The lighting system not only creates ambiance, but it can be useful if there is an emergency.

Lighting systems have come a long way with new technology on the market. Instead of using switches and dimmers you can install an application on your phone to control the lighting system. Adjust the lighting throughout the day and into the evening by simply opening the app and adjusting the settings. If an emergency does occur, you can quickly turn the lights on full so people can see where someone needs help and get to the exits. A variety of smart lighting applications exist so consult with your system installer to find the best one for you.

Security

Protecting your employees and customers must always be the number one priority of bar and restaurant owners. Having the right security system in place will help keep everyone safe and help you save money.

Many bars serve high-end alcohol and keep the bottles locked in secure rooms. You want to keep these places secure with key card access and code pads which provide the best security to protect your inventory.

Using a device like an iPad or smartphone, you can receive a notification each time someone enters a high security area. This allows you to track all traffic entering and exiting these areas, especially when they shouldn’t be.

Placing cameras around the bar and behind the counter will help you keep an eye on the establishment even if you aren’t there. Modern camera systems connect to computers allowing you to either view the feed or recordings on a computer or on a handheld device. These cameras not only help with security of the customers but help prevent employee theft.

Tabletop devices

Even with the high-quality televisions and audio systems not all your customers are going to be into sports. Having a tabletop device with games and other features can provide entertainment for these customers.

For example, a husband may want to go out with his friends then they decide to do a couple’s night. Some of the group may not have any interest in the big UFC fight taking place, so you can cater to these customers by installing small iPad like devices on each table offering gaming apps. This allows the people who aren’t into sports to still have an entertaining experience with friends at your bar or restaurant.

When deciding to upgrade your systems, focus on the ambiance first. If you do that, then all the other aspects will come together.

Hiring a quality smart tech installation company makes sure you receive the best in devices and service. They can also help in determining the best layout for your space. Upgrading your entire system will not be cheap but your customers will love it and it will help drive in more business.

Jason Fischbeck is the owner of Automated Environments in Mesa, Arizona. Automated Environments has been installing commercial/residential audio, visual, and security systems in central Arizona for over 25 years.