Karaoke Forums

Ted, I hope you never own a bar.

I have no idea why you assume a bar automatically makes $400-1000 a night off good karaoke. I know plenty of places here in town that LOSE money on karaoke nights, and I would bet that there's not a single one in my city of 2.5 million people and 50-60+ karaoke venues that clears (profits) $1000.00 on a karaoke night. I run a very popular Saturday night show, and my owner is very happy to clear $400-500 off $5000+ in shift sales on a slammed Saturday night with 200 patrons in the bar all night. My owner's happy to clear $200 on a Wednesday karaoke show. And my bar's far from average, it's in the top 10% or so in town as far as patronage of the karaoke nights go. I promise you that if your average bar made $400 a night off karaoke, they'd have karaoke every night.

I think your average karaoke night in America squeaks by with a little profit, but the bar owner understands the larger effect having a quality event at their bar does for repeat business throughout the week.

I also have no idea why you think it's as simple as karaoke always makes more money than a jukebox. There are so many other factors involved, it's no where NEAR that black and white.

Again, jukeboxes make more sense than karaoke in some situations, karaoke makes more sense than a jukebox in some situations.

It's a numbers game. The jukebox has far less overhead, so if you have a small bar that gets consistently busy for it's size, but maybe the whole bar fits 20-25 people, it might not make much sense to spend $1200-1400 a month on a karaoke host twice a week, whereas the jukebox with profit sharing with the vendor and no or little overhead costs might be a surefire money maker.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

There's some truth to what your saying. But on the average. The Bar Blames everything but themselves for why they are not making money. Kaptian Kirks in Sarasota Packed whenever they have Karaoke! Why The host runs an excellent show! Always a HUGE crowd and The Bar is making money. The bars that aren't making money have one thing in common. REALLY POOR Customer Service! One bar here in Flint. Was starting to gain a good crowd. Then on a night when his bar was just starting to get a good following. over 20 singers that night. one of the best so far. The owner comes in Drunk. Starts yelling at his Karaoke host to "Get that Karaoke #^%@ off and play some music lets get some girls up there shaking their @#@" Needless to say He's lost his business for Karaoke. What do you think the people did. They left I've stopped by a few times and I don't see any of the people that were starting to come in. Another Place here in Flint It's the Largest Karaoke Bar in the area. 7 night a week Karaoke. It used to be busy Almost every night. And standing room only on the weekend. The owner started coming, and singing (after all it's his bar) His hosts were all singing (again who cares if there's 20 people waiting to sing and haven't) Service is terrible. You can go in on a busy night now for them About half full and never get served. He hires hosts at minimum wage who don't know how to adjust the board. Don't know the difference between MM and DK. Some don't even know how to change the key of the music when asked. The main groups of Karaoke people have quit going there. Karaoke with a good host can and does make ya good money. And if your not making making a profit on 20 to 40 singers in a night. It's not Karaoke's fault!

Thus I love Bar Rescue! I'm just sold on this Karaoke Juke Box. I will try it. Once I find a respectable enough Bar that has it. As I mentioned the ones in my area that have it. Are not the type of Bars I would go to. Long history of Fights and drugs and wrong type of crowds. Then in Flint you've got 50 hosts who have a stereo Amp and a laptop and have never bought a disc in their lives who sell their services to a bar running with home stereo speakers. Bar owners go cheap then wonder why they can't keep customers with Karaoke. Hiring Mr Microphone to Host Karaoke isn't what Karaoke singers are looking for. The way I see it. These bars that have Juke Box Karaoke and advertise they have Karaoke. Are really missing out. Try going to Google or Yelp and read the reviews of these bars that have Juke Box Karaoke and see what they are saying about the Bar. There are other issues.

Ah, Ted! Finally, we're speaking the same language! Trust me, I know what you are talking about.

My karaoke show is successful DESPITE the bar, bar owner, and staff. I get almost no support, and most of the staff badmouths my show and my singers to anyone who will listen, yet they literally fight over who gets to work on my shifts, because they are the busiest and only consistent nights. Any complaints to the owner falls on deaf ears.

Extreme example - for a while, one of the bartenders from the day shift literally went table to table telling the happy hour crowd that they better leave because it was almost karaoke time. I didn't know what she was doing at first, but figured it out after a few weeks. When I found out, I about lost it, but when I told the owner, he didn't particularly care. That was two years ago, and although she's not as blantant since I confronted her, I know she has the same attitude, and still complains to anyone that will listen.

In my 8.5 year tenure at my bar, they've gone through 4 poker companies, 6 Friday night DJs, several failed live band nights, and about 20 bartenders. They just started trivia on Tuesdays, but I don't expect it to last long.

The place is still a money maker, there are just so many completely obvious improvements that would turn it into a cash cow. 6-7 years ago, all the owner had to do was open the doors and he was profiting 6 figures as a part-time manager. Today, the bar hasn't changed one bit, but the profits are way down, and I seem to be the only one who knows why.

I'm secure in the fact that the only consistent producer in the bar is me. I figured out a long time ago that my suggestions for the bar fall on deaf ears, so I just worry about the quality of my product and ignore all of the bar's chronic problems. I just do my job, do it to MY standards, collect my pay, and go home. I wouldn't stay if this were my "job," but I do have a day job, so karaoke is spending money, and I am paid better than about 90% of KJs in my area. They'll miss me when I'm gone

Anyway, I'm sure there are a ton of you in the same boat. It seems to be the nature of the business for most.

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Of course Karaoke Hosts will blame the bar for poor sales but i really do think it's true, given the host is doing his part. The owner at the bar I worked liked to sing after he had a few but I never had any problem telling him he had to wait just like everyone else. He even had people request he sing; not because he was good because he was horrible, but because he was hilarious. Think Otis on a cow on a karaoke stage. Some of the bar tenders liked to sing but only got to when things were slow. I mean, come on! We have customers waiting at the bar for drinks and you want to sing? Bull... Even still they are horrible and you really had to pick who made you mixed drinks. My wife literally would text certain ones to make the drink before she went to pick it up. And I never understood why they didn't assign someone to wait the tables. The bar would crowd up, and everyone at tables had to fight through the bar crowd to order. They probably miss a ton of sales due to not waiting the tables. Then there is the tab issue. I spoke with all kinds of people that quit coming due to tab issues. I understand EVERYONE has a bar tab issue at one time or another (and usually it probably is the customer and not the bar tender) but these people had all kinds of issues.
It used to be much better. They had two awesome bartenders at one time for a few years and those were the best years the bar had, if I remember correctly.

makes me love my bartenders even more, sing while making drinks and never skip a beat.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

A friend of mine called me last night to tell me "I Was Right" He asked about going to a bar that advertised karaoke night on the sign out front. I warned him it was a waste of time. He got there. There where only 4 singers and it took over an hour to sing two songs.

I explained to him before he even went there the owner doesn't even like karaoke and considers having karaoke a favor to his customers. He would rather have bands 7 nights a week. My obvious observation if you run a bar and don't give a crap about the service or entertainment you provide it become apparent to the customer and the customer isn't going to care about that bar either. My friend asked the owner what the problem was there. The owner explained to him the same thing I had already warned him about. He asked just one simple question. Why do you bother to even advertise it on the sing out front you don't want to provide it. This is the type of Bar that would have a Karaoke Juke Box. Don' t really want to have it. But, figure if they throw that crappy system in they've provided it for those few.