Ep 19. Beer and Loathing in Las Vegas

In Bar Rescue season 3 episode 19, titled "Beer and Loathing in Las Vegas," Jon Taffer, renowned bar and nightclub consultant, travels to Las Vegas to help a struggling bar owner who is struggling to keep his business afloat. The episode follows Taffer as he visits The Canyon Saloon, a bar that was once a favorite spot among locals and tourists alike, but has now lost its appeal due to poor management and a lack of focus on providing excellent service and great drinks.

As soon as Jon walks into the bar, he realizes there is a lot of work to be done. There are only a handful of customers sitting at the bar and the atmosphere is dead. Jon speaks with the owner, Chris, and asks him to share his story. Chris tells him that he had been a part-owner of the bar for more than a decade, and he bought out his partners six months ago. The business had already been in decline, and it's been a rough transition to ownership. Jon observes that there are several very obvious problems with the bar, including outdated decor, uncleanliness, and a serious lack of staff.

The Bar Rescue team starts the process of identifying the issues and potential solutions. Jon asks the staff of The Canyon Saloon to work with him and his team and has them organize a tasting of the bar's drinks and food. He's appalled to find that the cocktails are mostly watered-down, unappealing beverages and the food is overpriced and low in quality. Taffer meets with the bartender and discovers that he is not well-trained in making quality cocktails and most of the staff is not well-trained either.

Jon has his work cut out for him as he tries to motivate the staff and owner to work together. He brings in a drink expert who helps the bartenders create a new, more contemporary cocktail menu that is more aligned with the tastes of the locals. Jon also changes the menu, adding more affordable specialty items that are easy to make and more appealing to the customers. Jon spends a lot of time on the quality of the food and his team advises Chris on how to select high-quality ingredients that are a perfect match for the new menu. They also offer guidance on how to implement a new staff training program that will help to improve the quality of the service, resulting in satisfied customers who are more likely to return.

Once the new drinks and food are in place, Jon and his team work on updating the decor of The Canyon Saloon. The team changes the furniture and lighting and adds vibrant paint and artwork that gives the bar a modern, vibrant feel. Jon teaches Chris and his staff how to improve the cleanliness of the bar which will boost customer perception of a safe and overall welcoming experience. He also designs a great new point of sale system in order to help manage The Canyon Saloon's expenses more effectively.

As a final step, Jon brings in experts to do an anonymous "stress test" and examine what the staff has learned. The Bar Rescue team also invites former Canyon Saloon regulars to try the new menu and drinks. The results speak for themselves — the regulars are raving about the quality of the drinks, the food, and the customer service. The Canyon Saloon's revenue has grown, their new signature cocktail is a huge hit, and the business is set up for success.

Overall, Bar Rescue season 3 episode 19 is a powerful lesson on what can happen when a bar owner is unwilling to change with the times and a belief in an outdated establishment leads to failure. Through Jon's careful handling of the situation, The Canyon Saloon is given a new lease on life, thanks to new and better drinks, food, decor, and customer service. By the episode's end, the bar has finally regained its competitive edge and is set up for a bright future.