The DIY drinks trend has taken off, as self-serve taps are now installed in hundreds of venues across the country
August 22, 2024
Social entertainment concepts are everywhere these days, as restaurants and game venues increasingly merge into single entities, giving customers opportunities to hit golf balls, throw axes, and otherwise stay active as they eat and drink. Throw Social, which offers a variety of games including ping pong, darts, and cornhole, is taking that hands-on approach one step farther with a new self-serve tap wall that just debuted at its Delray Beach, Fla., location.
The self-pour wall is stocked with 20 taps: Seven cocktails, including a Margarita and Watermelon Mojito, seven beers, five wines and one hard seltzer. It also features a variety of social media-friendly garnishes, including flamingo straws, umbrellas, and pineapple picks.
The wall uses RFID (radio frequency identification) technology and display screens by Pour My Beer, a company specializing in self-pour beverage options. A “tap wall card” links to the guest’s credit card and is charged according to how much volume is poured. An attendant is onsite to assist guests, monitor pours, and ensure that self-pouring participants are aged 21 or older.
The self-serve wall features 20 taps, including seven tropical cocktails. Photo Credit: Throw Social
“Our self-serve beverage wall is a fantastic way to engage our guests and offer them a unique and interactive experience,” said Ginger Flesher-Sonnier, the owner and CEO of The Ginger Brands Hospitality Group, which includes Throw Social. “By providing a variety of beverage options, we can cater to different tastes and preferences, allowing guests to customize their drinks to their liking. This enhances customer satisfaction and creates a memorable experience that sets our establishment apart from others.”
The technology is not currently installed in Throw Social’s Washington, D.C., location, but the company says they are considering adding one. Throw Social is slated to open a new Miami location in the first quarter of 2025, which will feature the self-serve tap wall. Additional outposts will follow in Orlando, Fla., and Nashville in subsequent years.
Throw Social isn’t the only venue to enlist this technology. Pour My Beer has a location finder on its website showing hundreds of self-pour restaurants and bars on both coasts and nearly everywhere in between.
Thirsty in San Diego? Try Hidden Craft for a burger and your choice of 30 beer taps. Stanley Beer Hall in Aurora, Colo., installed a tap wall with 50 self-serve options including beer, wine, cocktails, cider, non-alcoholic beer, and soft drinks. If you find yourself in Bismarck, N.D., hit the CraftCade for pizza, retro arcade games and 20 DIY taps. You can also use tap walls in select Dave & Buster’s locations across the country, plus beer bars, wine bars, growler-fill shops, and plenty more concepts.
Pouring beer is just one of the self-led initiatives taking over the industry, as we see more restaurants enlisting kiosks for guests to input their food orders. In the case of kiosks, however, customers still have to wait for someone to prepare and then hand over their food. But self-serve drink stations give customers an interactive means of starting their night or refilling their glass without the wait. And regardless of the industry, it’s hard to beat immediate gratification.
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