Today’s bar designs focus on both customer experience and bartender efficiency.

Bars come in all shapes and sizes and play a vital role in the success of the hospitality industry.

Typically reserved for the hours between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., when customer traffic tends to be slowest at restaurants and bars, happy hour helps bring in extra business with events, discounts and/or promotions. This moniker is rooted in the Prohibition era, when happy hour took place at speak-easies prior to people going out to dinner at restaurants where alcohol was prohibited.

“It’s not only comforting to see a beautiful bar on display before being escorted to a table, but it also puts having a cocktail in customers’ minds prior to eating,” says Brian Van Flandern, owner of Creative Cocktail Consultants, which has offices in Las Vegas and New York City.

Next-level mocktails continue to evolve as bartenders look for ways to elevate them.

Bar operators can choose from a variety of blenders. Food prep blenders work well with craft cocktails. These blenders break down fresh ingredients into flavorful offerings. Beverage blenders work well with standard drinks that require fewer food ingredients.