Karaoke Forums

what are some of the pros & cons with Karaoke in a Bar vs. Karaoke in a Restaurant

what are the other venues we're at?
Karaoke in a College spot (non-bar, non-restaurant), Karaoke in a Hotel

any input from a singer's perspective? Karaoke in a Bar vs. Restaurant?

I have tried for a few restaurant shows but never got chosen. But from what I could see from just looking at the set ups, there was a problem with consistent start times due to having to wait for the diners to leave before starting the show (at least at this one particular place where that is how they wanted it to happen). There was also a potential issue of hauling in equipment and setting up while people were trying to eat.

I went to a show at a pizza parlor and it seemed like a hard one to pull off as people were constantly coming and going as they finished eating. There was no real consistant crowd.

On the other hand, if the restaurant has a stand alone bar area then you don't have that conflict with the diners. Plus as a patron you have the option to make it a night with dinner or at least be able to order bar appetizers. That to me is the ideal situation.

Restaurant Cons:
1. You have to turn the sound down due to Diner's complaints.
2. You have to CENSOR songs.
3. Setting up is difficult... you have to try and maneuver around the Diner's tables and the path of the Waiters/Waitresses.
4. There is no real "Off to the Side" set-ups for you in a Restaurant. The tables are set up all over for the Customers, and there will be constant traffic all around your area.

Restaurant Pros:
1. You will (usually) have a steady Customer base at the place, so you don't have to depend/hope for your "Regulars" to carry the show.
2. With all the traffic of people that go out to Restaurants, there will always be a few who are willing to get up and sing (whether it be for the first time or not), and some will even stay for the duration of the show.

I have yet to see a successful (read: long-term) karaoke show in a restaurant in this area. Several have tried, but they've all tended to fizzle out after a month or two. Only two bars/pubs that I'm aware of have karaoke, and they seems to be doing well.

My venues are both service clubs... a Moose Lodge, and a Canadian-Belgian-Dutch club... and both allow unrestricted access... In other words, you don't have to be a member. We consistently attract an average of 45 to 50 singers at one, and 35 or so at the other... even though we serve a small population base.

There are so many factors that determine whether a show will be successful or not... not the least of which are:
- location of the venue
- available parking
- bar & food pricing
- friendliness of staff
- physical organization of the room
- acoustics
- dance floor
- quality of the karaoke show
- day(s) of the week
- hours of operation
- atmosphere of the venue (do they cater to a younger, older or all-ages crowd)

In summary, I'd think the prospects of long-running, successful shows are best at service clubs, followed by bars, with restaurants in last place...

As always, your mileage may vary.

_________________
Earl
(BS, PHD & Certified CurmuDJeon)

[font=Times New Roman]"Growing Old may be mandatory... but growing UP is still optional."[/font]

Restaurant Pros:

you deal with a lot more birthday parties
more spontaneous singers/diverse talent
as a KJ you learn flexibility, patience, & thinking on your toes
ample parking
odds are you'll be hit up often to do private parties, weddings, etc from restaurant goers



Restaurant Cons:

in my experience, there's no regular crowd/singers that you can count on. since it's a restaurant, regulars may NOT be there as often as you like. because they're sick of the food or a particular waitress, etc.

day(s) after certain holidays like thankgiving can be really slow. folks avoid the restaurant and stay eating holiday leftovers at home

I specialize in restaurant bar/lounges.

I agree with all of the pros, and add that these venues can usually afford to pay higher fees - which is why I like 'em. Disagree with one of the cons. I have regulars there just as I have in bars. The only difference is that many come for dinner before the show because I am there.

Much easier to bring in more income to this sort of venue, keeping them happy.

I fully agree that certain holidays and even sporting events can create problems on certain nights.

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I worked at a Benegins for about 6 months several years ago. They had deeper pockets than my bar gig, but I HATED that gig.

As someone else said, I was constantly having to control the volume down to very low energy levels due to the diners on the other side of the bar.

The BIG kicker, however, came when the management told me that I needed to average 40 people a show or else they were going to have to fire me. This was a big problem, considering the defined section they set up for me only fit about 25 (which I easily filled every show). These managers were not very good at math, so I quit before they inevitably fired me for their own ineptitude!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Good stuff here!

I've been hosting at Applebee's for about a year and a half now with great success so far. I really like it there a lot. It does have it's challenges though. Gotta keep the volume down, make sure no one says any curse words on the mic, challenging to get set-up on time due to people eating, etc...

However, I have overcome all the challenges so I really enjoy hosting there. I have built up a great bunch of regulars who arrive before start time and stay all night. It was kind of rough when I first started, but I just kept showing up every week, putting on the best karaoke show possible, being friendly and polite to all guests and being consistent with the rules. Eventually it caught on and now it's one of, if not the busiest nights they have there.

As a singer, I prefer bars and bar/restaurants to restaurants. I lack the thing makes little kids singing seem cute, and I just generally prefer to be around people between 21 and 99. I don't mind skipping certain song types in that environment, but I'm in agony if I have to hear a cub scout troup get up in unison to warble through some current pop hit.

The only upside for me on a restaurant show is that it tends to start a little earlier, which means I get home a little earlier as I'm turning into a bit of an old fogey.

_________________
Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

The biggest difference between a restaurant and a bar is turn over. Restaurants by design are to get the diner in, feed them, get paid, and get them out so they can get to the next diner. Their profit is in volume. In a bar or lounge it is to have the patron to stay and buy more drinks as their profit is in the fluid side of things. It is somewhat like comparing apples and oranges.

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You can be strange but not a stranger

BUT, supposing the restaurant gets the table turnover, yet keeps the customer at the bar for a "second money shift ". Yes, I can bring in new folks for after service, but I can also double the spending of those who come to eat. THIS is what gets me paid the fees that I look for...

It's NOT apples and oranges. It's about the most profitable way to run the fruit stand.

_________________
"No Contests, No Divas, Just A Good Time!"

" Disc based and loving it..."

I do two restaurant shows a week; same chain, different locations. I've been at both for a number of years, while other restaurants in the chain have turned over their late-night entertainment options due to nothing sticking. I don't intend to go anywhere else because I feel like I'm doing something right, but there are notable differences between working something like that and working a privately-owned bar.

1. Censoring. It's an unpredictable thing, and you can do your best to incentivize keeping it clean - threaten singers with pulling the plug, simply keeping certain songs off the roster - but someone is gonna have one too many beers and blurt an f-bomb at some point. All it takes is one religious family with two cherubic kids in tow to tank you at that point, even though you've done your part.

2. Setup. As mentioned, there's no stage area, so you have to create one that's in view of patrons without obstructing walkways, and it can get tricky.

3. Sound. Of course, someone is going to sit directly in the path of your speaker - the speaker you set up an hour before this patron arrived - and complain about the volume because the world is constructed to please them. Concessions may have to be made that are not in the best interest of the karaoke experience.

4. Complaints. I try to remain firm yet friendly at my shows, and yet, as we all know, sometimes you have to be more firm with the stubborn and the self-entitled than you would a normal person. If people perceive your demeanor as in any way "rude", you're in a bit of hot water - one corporate complaint can put your job in the hot seat. Whereas most of us can, if need be, tell a belligerent jerk to suck it at a privately-owned bar and there's not a damn thing s/he can do about it.

5. High-schoolers. Were you a tolerable person in high school? I know I wasn't. I was a little jerk. Raging hormones make people unbearable and they can get into a family restaurant any time they want.

That being said, these gigs can be extremely rewarding. Corporate smiles on those who do well by the company, and my show has given me a great deal of repeat business within the franchise. High turnovers lead to more publicity, larger turnouts, and more long-term business.

Restaurant Pro:

Kids of any age can sing, and I think its an important part of the karaoke market because not only is it good for kids to get an early start at singing in front of strangers, but these will be your future customers years down the road. Personally, I love kids, and love to see when young kids have talent. Not everyone likes kids, but for those who do, I recommend having at least one restaurant gig a week to keep things in perspective.


Bar Pro:

People know they can get hammered, let loose, and perform like their life depended on it. You'll usually see some of your best performances in a bar setting, but unfortunately, some of the worst as well. Goes with the territory.


Every venue is different so you can't say one type is more easy to setup for than another. It really all boils down to the type of crowd you like.