Customers are flocking to an increasing number of self-pour taprooms and enjoying the novel concept. Might customers, though, start souring on the experience after an initial visit or two, viewing the self-serve process as a gimmick that lacks personal interaction with a bartender or a server?
That question was posed to Sakarin Seedasome, the CEO of Hop & Vine Taproom. The 5,500-square-foot establishment, which can accommodate 280 customers, opened in Stamford, Connecticut in January — the state’s first self-pour pub.
“So far, it’s actually quite the opposite,” Seedasome says. “We create a warm, open, interactive setting with endless possibilities of rotating beers, comfortable enough where guests usually mingle and chat with each other about what they’re drinking and more. It feels like a casual party in your living room.”
Staff is always nearby, delivering food, clearing tables and answering customer questions, he says.
There are advantages for a customer at a self-pour taproom, Seedasome says.
“Self-service is everywhere — from banking ATMs to Amazon’s scan-and-go supermarkets,” he says. “Why wait for your waiter to return to the table to pay or sit at the bar with an outstretched $20 to grab a bartender’s attention? Picture a taproom where guests get served what they want and when they want it without the middleman.”
Before January’s opening, Hop & Vine Taproom officials visited other self-pour establishments throughout the country and decided to use PourMyBeer’s draft system and GoTab for point-of-sale purchases.
“When guests walk in, they’re greeted by a staff member who hands them an official Hop & Vine RFID card connected to their credit card via the GoTab software,” Seedasome says. “Then, guests simply grab a glass and tap the card to the designated area above the tap system of their chosen beer to pour the amount they’d like. They repeat to their liking and then cash out with a staff member or by dropping the card in a tip box on the way out.”
The taproom’s entire system, the Hop & Vine CEO adds, “is designed to be quick and convenient, creating the vibe our customers look for. Hop & Vine is an easy, laid-back atmosphere where guests can try any of our 69 beers, fine wines, kombucha or other beverage offerings without having to wait around to order, re-order and pay.”