Games To Keep Customers Coming Through Your Doors
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Board/Card Games
There are plenty of games you can buy and keep in a box somewhere in your establishment, allowing your customers to do the set up as they please when starting a game. Board games, card games, etc., require no set up and can be a great way to keep customers engaged and having a great time at your venue.
1. Monopoly
An American classic; a staple in every home; the game that everyone played at some point as a kid. The best thing about it is that it only gets better when you’re an adult. Monopoly is sure to be a blast for your patrons, especially over a few drinks. From a consumer marketing perspective, it’s also a great bet to have a widely known game because it’ll be the most likely to get your customers’ attention.
Monopoly is relatively inexpensive; here is the basic version for $21.99.
2. Clue
Nothing spices up a night out like a murder mystery! Anywhere from 3 to 6 players can enjoy this classic whodunnit, and it’s a great addition to your establishment’s games library. For customers who like a good story, this game is the perfect complement to delicious food and drinks.
You can get Clue for under $10 right here.
3. Cards Against Humanity
A pretty quintessential game to play with a group of friends, there’s certainly no harm in having a set for people to pick up at your brewery or taproom. If you’re not familiar with it, the idea is relatively simple. Each player is given a number of white cards, usually 5 to 7 at a time. Each white card has a weird/funny/usually inappropriate word or phrase on it. The game master for each round pulls a black card, which asks a question or has a statement with a blank for the players to fill. Each player submits one of their white cards to the pile, and the game master chooses their favorite one based on the black card that round. Whoever wins gets to take the black card as a way of keeping track of points.
While the game itself doesn’t force players to drink, we can guarantee the game gets a lot more fun the more people drink. But, keep in mind that this game isn’t exactly child-friendly.
Purchase here for $25!
4. Apples to Apples
Now, if Cards Against Humanity seems a bit too vulgar for your patrons, Apples to Apples is a great alternative. It’s effectively the same game, but the white and black cards, in this case, are tamer and colored green and red.
Even so, this game can produce just as many laughs due to the sheer random silliness that can arise from some of the question-answer combinations.
Apples to Apples is pretty widely available at retail stores, and here is a link for ordering it online.
5. Dominoes
This is a game of strategy and cunning, but best of all, it doesn’t even require a board. The rules are quite simple. Each player has a set of 7 dominoes in their initial set. One player places one in the center to begin the game. After that, each player places a domino down such that one side matches the one on the table in its number of pips. The first to place all theirs down wins. Simple!
This one is very easy and approachable for all your patrons. And hey, if they don’t feel like playing, they can stand them all up in a row and knock them all down. That’s probably just as fun.
You can get a classic 28-piece set at most retail stores for pretty cheap; here it is online.
6. UNO
This is a classic card game that customers will love. Before you begin, deal out 7 cards to each player. Place the remaining cards face down, in a deck, on the table. Flip one card face up, beginning a pile next to the deck. Players will then take turns matching either color or number with the top card in the face-up pile. If you cannot match either, you need to pull cards from the face-down pile until you can play. The objective of the game is to get rid of all your cards. When you have one card left, you announce to the table an exclamatory, UNO! Watch out for specialty cards that can force people to draw additional cards or even reverse the order!
Available for $10 here.
Easy to set up Drinking Games
7. Brewopoly
The beer version of Monopoly allows players to showcase their business strategies as professional beer sommeliers.
It is a lot like the Monopoly we all played as kids. However, Brewopoly changes the usual business entities into Brewery Pubs and Microbreweries.
Each roll of the dice gives the player some of the following tasks: last call, free pretzels, happy hour, and cheers. This is best played by individuals or couples in smaller groups. Add your own rules for drinking as you wish.
Available for only $14 right here.
8. Beeropoly
No, this isn’t a repeat of the previous game, it’s a slightly different game. Compared to Brewopoly, Beeropoly plays a bit more like a game of Truth or Dare.
Players move around the board with beer caps (some are included in the box) and roll the dice to determine their moves. Depending on where they land, they, or the group, may have to do various funny tasks. For example, one space forces all the guys to drink, and another forces the player to play a quick game of 2 Truths and a Lie with the rest of the group.
Buy it online here.
9. Beer Checkers
A super fun game with a very self-explanatory name. It’s played identically to regular checkers, with the same rules and everything. But instead of regular pieces, players use shot or sample glasses filled (sometimes just partially) with beer as their pieces. Then, when a piece is jumped by the opposing player, the owner of that piece drinks that glass. In addition to being a fun board game, this can be a great way for patrons to sample different beers in small amounts.
For set up, we don’t recommend going out and buying 24 shot glasses as that’s unnecessary. Instead, you can get a full pre-prepared set, including a board and special-sized glasses right here.
10. Battle Shots
Do you remember Battleship from when you were a kid? Well, this is pretty similar, except it’s only for adults. There are a couple of different companies that create boards for this, but the idea is the same.
Each player has a few “ships,” each one made of small cups attached. Each ship is placed on their side of the board in whichever orientation they wish, and each side is a grid lined with letters on one side and numbers on the other. Each player takes turns calling out positions on the other’s grid, representing firing a torpedo. Whenever a player is “hit,” they must drink the cup at that position. The first player to drink all their cups loses, and the other wins. Just as with Beer Checkers, the cups would need to be washed after each game.
Simple, fun, and gets your patrons cheerful. Check out this version for an idea of how it looks.
11. Beer Pong
Well, you know how this one works. Given that it requires a rather large table, this one would likely be one of the few or the only larger games you have at your establishment.
Keep in mind that there would also be some additional logistics associated with this as well. You would need to regularly buy ping pong balls and account for potential loss. Additionally, you’d want to stock up on cheap plastic cups for patrons to use.
Depending on how much people would use it, you might consider adding a small buy-in to play at the table. Also, a queue for people to sign up would be a good idea. Regardless of how you do it, you could expect to see plenty of engagement with almost any clientele, as beer pong is quite universal.
Ping pong tables can run anywhere from $100 to over $300, so this would be more of an investment than a smaller game. For a successful brewery or taproom, this likely wouldn’t be too much of a financial burden.
12. Flip Cup
With the same setup as beer pong (minus the ping pong balls), you could set up Flip Cup games for your patrons. For this game, players have to drink a plastic cup of beer, then flip it such that it lands perfectly upside down. Like beer pong, it’s a team-based game, so you could even start an ongoing tournament for your patrons to participate. That’s sure to attract some attention to your establishment!
Bar Games
13. Darts
This is a true classic for the bar vibe, and nothing goes together like beer and sharp objects flying through the air. Set up is quite easy since all you need is a wall that’s clear of traffic and can safely hold up a dartboard, whether stuck against or nailed to it.
You can readily buy full sets with the board and darts included. Prices do vary a bit, but these are going to be relatively cheap overall. This one is available for less than $45.
14. Drunk Jenga
There are a couple of ways to do this one. Some people like to get some drinks in them and then just play some Jenga. In that case, you wouldn’t need anything more than a normal commercial Jenga box. In some cases, each player who successfully pulls a block from the stack without it toppling over must nominate another player from the group to take a sip of their drink.
With all this said, other companies create versions of Jenga specifically for a drinking game. These versions will have a bit of text on every single block, such that the player who successfully pulls one reads it out loud and the group must follow what it says (i.e. “You and two others take a drink,” “Everyone else drinks,” etc.). Check one version like that here.
If you’ve got a bit more room at your venue, you could keep a set of Giant Jenga as well! Patrons are sure to have a blast with this one, and the stakes will certainly feel higher.
15. Shuffleboard
This is a classic for many bars and breweries around the world. It requires a good amount of space, so this is likely to be one of the very few games of its size at your place.
Shuffleboard will likely cost you more than a ping pong table. These tables can run from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the quality. You’ll want to do some research on this and possibly visit some furniture stores in person to see what might best suit your establishment for the price.
The upside to that larger initial investment is that maintenance is quite easy. Shuffleboard requires pucks, which will usually come with the board and are reusable and rarely replaced. The board itself needs to be maintained now and then to ensure the pucks slide well. Depending on what type of board you get, this will be done with either sand or glossy polyurethane. Sand may need to be added and adjusted more often, but can usually be done by the players themselves as they go. Polyurethane may need to be re-applied by staff but won’t need to be done very often.
16. Pool Table
This is another classic for a typical bar. Adding a pool table to your brewery, taproom, or eatery can immediately elevate from a casual drinking establishment to a place where people regularly like to test their skills at the pool table. Aside from the fact that it will attract people to try a game or two with their friends, it can also give your establishment a distinctive tone and personality.
Unsurprisingly, this is a significant investment. Prices can vary significantly for pool tables, with basic, low-end tables being anywhere from under $1000 to the $2000 range. Mid-range tables can go up from there, and the best of the best can easily go over the $10,000 mark. You’ll definitely have to do some research for this one and see what fits your place best and which quality is going to be the most practical for your establishment. But when implemented well, a pool table can be the perfect complement to your taproom or bar’s drink offerings.
17. Ring toss
This one will require a bit of open space at your venue, but compared to other larger games, it will cost you next to nothing. If you’ve got the space to spare, you might even choose to organize an official competition. This is something a couple of our customers have done in the past. The winner gets a free drink, or at self-pour establishments, a preloaded PourMyBeer card with some value on it. Again, this is a great way to get more engagement from customers and have some fun on the staff side as well!
18. Axe Throwing
Show off your Medieval skills! In this sport, similarly to archery, you are aiming at a target and trying to hit a bullseye. However, in this sport, you are throwing an axe over your head. This is a fun new, niche bar concept that patrons are sure to enjoy. This is not a sport you can just throw up in your establishment. You need to be cautious and put forth the proper safety measures before opening your own axe-throwing venue.
Arcade Games
19. Foosball
This is a great fast-paced option for your patrons. The tables usually aren’t particularly large either, so it won’t take up too much space at your establishment. The best thing about Foosball is that it’s extremely easy for patrons to jump in and out of games and play for as long or as short a time as they want. This makes it approachable and likely to be played by many people passing by.
Foosball tables also tend to run a bit cheaper than something like a pool table, with most ranging from $100 to $600 or so. You can check them out at some major retail stores. Here’s one on Amazon.
20. Air Hockey
This is another more fast-paced but very approachable option comparable to Foosball. Customers can test their speed and dexterity (which should be extra fun after a few drinks) with their friends on an air hockey table.
With prices anywhere from $50 all the way to about $500, prices for tables vary dramatically depending on what quality you are looking to get. Considering the high traffic and strenuous usage the table is likely to get, we’d recommend going for one that’s a bit more durable even if it costs you a little more.
21. Pinball
Whether you are a Pinball Wizard or only a novice, pinball machines have been a staple of American culture and arcades for decades now. It is a classic, easy-to-understand game that patrons can enjoy. Different designs typically depicting movies, bands, cartoons, etc. can help you give character and personality to your barroom setting.
Pinball machines can be expensive. To find new machines, look here, but many people look to buy used off of eBay or similar online marketplaces.
22. Pop-a-shot (Arcade Basketball)
Customers drinking in your establishment are sure to breed a little competition. Pop a Shot is a great way to settle the score! This miniature basketball game is a fun game to have in your bar. Go head to head with your friends and see who can score the most points!
23. Skee Ball
Another classic arcade game. Skee ball is like miniature bowling. Roll the balls down the alley and try to ramp them into target holes of different sizes and score values.
They can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a couple of thousand. Check out options on Amazon here.
Games for Self-Pour Establishments
There are also a few game ideas that are perfect for self-pour bars, restaurants, and taprooms. It can be a lot of fun for customers to take advantage of all the unique benefits of self-pour, and making a couple of games out of it can be even more fun.
24. Flavor Identification Game
This is a fun one that can be a bit more casual for your customers. A group of patrons can have small amounts of the same beer poured for them by someone else via self-pour (so they don’t see what it is), and they can all taste a bit (blindfolded if you want to get really into it).
Using a pen and paper, each player writes down a few adjectives to describe the beers (hoppy, malty, fruity, etc.) and tries to guess what type or even what exact beer it is. After that, they can all compare their notes and see how they did.
To make it a bit more competitive, you can award points for the adjectives people have in common. So, if two people say the same adjective, they would each get 2 points. If three people say the same one, they each get 3 points, and so on.
25. Bonus Game for Beer Nerds
If you want to raise the difficulty of this one a bit, you can switch things around to have tasters guess specific metrics for each beer they taste (primarily IBU and ABV). In this case, a point is awarded to the player or players who are closest to the real values for each metric. Your serious beer connoisseurs will certainly love this one!
26. Beer Ranking Game
This one is also pretty simple and can be done in a few ways. Basically, each player samples a set of the same beers and then ranks them in order of a certain metric. That metric can be several different things based on the flavor profile: hoppiness, IBU (bitterness), darkness, etc. Each correct ranking based on the actual values nets a point for each player. If you host the event in a more official capacity, you can also offer some rewards for the winner of each round (most likely a free drink).
27. Brewery Overtake
This is pretty similar to the Flavor Identification Game but is separated by breweries. This one would definitely work better for bars or taprooms with several beers from one brewery. Players can take some time to look at the various beers from the given brewery and what types they are, and then do a blind taste test for all of them, guessing which one each is as they go. Each correct answer gets them a point. It’s a great way to promote your local breweries while getting your customers excited and engaged as well.
28. Perfect Pour Competition
Ok, we have to admit we kind of came up with this one on our own, but we think it could be pretty fun. You likely need a staff member to moderate this. Essentially, all participating patrons use an identical glass to pour a given beer at the self-pour tap. A staff member then rates or ranks each pour based on how good they are (clean, correct volume for the glass, perfect amount of foam).
The winner for the best pour could get some additional cash for their PourMyBeer card. This would get your customers excited about self-pour and your taproom as well.
29. Mix Your Own Brew
Ok, this one might sound rather odd and a bit controversial. However, many of our customers have noticed that quite a few of their patrons enjoy mixing a couple of beers to create a new taste. We know that many beer lovers out there are cringing at this idea, but hey, self-pour means that every customer gets the full freedom to pour whatever they want!
For the interested people, you can make a game out of this by having each patron mix two or more beers and then having either them or others blindly taste them, ranking each out of 10 for how much they like them. The winner could get a free drink or some extra cash on their PourMyBeer card. We know it’s a little out there, but it could be fun!
Check out one of our PourMyBeer family members, Craft Food Hall, having fun mixing their own brews!
Outdoor Brewery Games
30. Corn Hole
Adding Corn Hole to your establishment can be a great way to keep people coming back. If you have a nice open outdoor area, set up your boards and toss some bags! You can have this as a casual game during the day to entertain guests, and then try hosting Corn Hole tournaments in the evenings when you are less busy. It will bring in a solid set of regulars on your slow nights.
31. Giant Connect Four
It’s Connect Four, but bigger! This is a great lawn/beach/parking lot game that is simple and fun for everyone! The rules are simple. Get 4 of your pieces in a row, and you win. It is a very social and easy-going game and makes for a light activity while you drink.
32. Horseshoes
A regulation pitch for Horseshoes has the posts 40 feet apart from each other, so needless to say, you need to have a significant amount of outdoor space for this one. The game itself is fun if you have space. Put two posts, placed in the center of 3 ft x 4 ft sand-filled areas, 40 ft away from each other. Then guests can try to throw horseshoes as close to that post as possible. The closest to the post wins 2 points. If you manage to wrap it around the post itself, you’ll gain 3 points.
33. Bocce Ball
The old saying goes, “Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” When in fact, this is not true. Close also counts in Bocce! Bocce is a game that is as old as time itself. Some records have the earliest recordings of it as far back as 5200 BCE. It is a simple, yet entertaining and exciting game. How do you play? Well, like horseshoes, you need a lot of room, so as large of a rectangle as you have room for will do.
There is one smaller white ball, called the Pallino, and each team has 4 “team color” balls. Throw the Pallino first. Then, each team tries to bowl their balls as close to the Pallino as possible.
Suggestions for Responsible Drinking Game Play
No matter what kind of games you offer, you want your customers to enjoy themselves. Part of achieving this goal is maintaining a safe environment for everyone involved. Consider the following strategies for responsible drinking.
Serve Zero-Alcohol Specialty Drinks
A night out with friends and games is often less about consuming drinks and more about the conversations you have and the memories you make. More and more people are hopping onto this way of thinking, especially with the rise of initiatives like Dry January.
By serving drinks with no alcohol, you allow customers to enjoy the benefits of your restaurant or bar without getting carried away. Rather than only serving soda, you can provide people with the same delicious tastes they know and love with alcohol-free drinks. Virgin piña colada, nojito, and Moscow mule mocktails are often popular options. Brands like Heineken have also created non-alcoholic versions of their drinks.
Adding alcohol-free drinks to your PourMyBeer self-pour technology will help you meet the needs of sober drinkers and allow everyone to enjoy the games you provide, whether beer pong or Monopoly. With tasty non-alcoholic options, you can also manage drinking and help your bar or restaurant maintain a more relaxed and wholesome environment.
Offer Food and Prizes
One of the most common reasons individuals become intoxicated is not eating enough before or during drinking. Alcohol enters the bloodstream through the stomach, and food can slow this process down.
Of course, you want everyone to have fun. Alcohol loosens people up and helps them have a good time. But, if you want to decrease the risk of customers becoming excessively drunk at your venue, try offering food and other fun items as prizes. Pizza, nachos, french fries, and chicken tenders are among the most popular options patrons will reach for while drinking. No worries if your restaurant has a theme or specialty — any food will work great!
Limit the Alcohol During Game Time
Drinking games are great fun for everyone involved, but a degree of risk comes with participating in them. The more people drink, the more likely uncomfortable or hazardous situations can occur.
Since it’s often easy for customers to forget how much they drink while battling against their friends, it might be best if you did it for them. PourMyBeer allows you to limit the amount of beer each patron can pour themselves to prevent them from drinking too much. Once they hit their limit, they can ask you to reauthorize their RFID card, and this gives you the opportunity to assess them and confirm that they are okay to continue drinking.
Happy Gaming!
Don’t forget to share these 33 Games with your friends!
If you have any questions about some of our suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Thinking you want to go a bit bigger? A lot of bars, breweries, restaurants, and taprooms often decide to host larger events and games in a more organized and official capacity. We definitely encourage that as well! Here is an article for you with events ideas to boost your traffic and beverage sales.
