Why Travis Tober Says to Toss the QR Codes and Entertain Like You Mean It
by David Klemt
This was a fun AI-generated image to create.
If you ever get the chance to hear Travis Tober speak, do it. You’ll leave with a notebook full of quotables, and strategic clarity.
You’ll get a much-needed reminder that the hospitality industry isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence.
[Side note: If you ever get to hear Tober speak on a panel with Nectaly Mendoza and/or Eric Castro, do whatever it takes to not miss that golden opportunity.]
Tober, the force behind 13 bars and restaurants across Texas (and now expanding into Chicago, Hawaii, and Florida), stood on stage and did what few multi-unit operators can do: He told the truth about scale, struggle, and how to actually make money in this business, while hopefully avoiding burnout.
He opened his first venue in 2017. Eight years and more than a dozen properties later, 2025 is the first year he’s been able to take off for a weekend. That alone tells you plenty.
The real insights, however, came from how he views operations, branding, and the guest experience. That is to say, not as a checklist, but as a form of entertainment.
“Guys, we’re in the entertainment business, not the bar business,” noted Tober after asking how many people in the room thought they were in the drinks business.
So, let’s start there.
Bartender at Heart, Operator by Design
Tober doesn’t pretend to be the best bartender in the room. In fact, he said half the people attending were probably better bartenders than he.
But, as he made clear, “I can tend bar better than you.”
What he meant was simple: he knows how to read the guest in front of him. Guest-facing hospitality pros, that’s the job. It’s not just pouring the drink, dropping food, and touching tables; it’s knowing when to be the party, and when to shut it down.
Tober trains his teams not just to serve, but to entertain.
I’ve enjoyed the privilege of attending several sessions and panels hosted by Tober. One point he made years ago has stood out to me ever since: He views recruitment and hiring, at least in part, like casting a film or TV show.
He wants the super-dialed-in bartender who’s almost too serious about their job. He wants the young gun who thinks they can tend bar better than anyone else, neophyte or world-traveled veteran. Tober himself often steps into the role of old-school bartender who can put that young gun in their place in a single shift.
The smartass, the surly lifer, everyone’s best friend, the bubbly and energetic one…he wants a full cast capable of entertaining the guests at any one of his bars.
That full cast, by the way, also means there’s a personality that appeals to (just about) any guest. This bartender and that guest aren’t connecting? Let another bartender step in, see if they can recover the guest experience, and turn around that guest’s visit.
Consistency, Not Complexity
At his Nickel City locations, a bartender in Fort Worth can walk into the Houston bar and get to work immediately; the bar stations are identical. That’s not just convenience, that’s operational intelligence and strategic clarity in action.
The same goes for the drinks: Tober tracks what sells across the portfolio. Every LTO gets tested. If a cocktail moves, it stays. If not, it goes. There are 250 drinks in the system, and the data tells him what hits.
“McDonald’s tastes like shit here [Las Vegas], and it tastes like shit in every other city. There’s a reason they’re the most-successful restaurant brand in the world.”
Consistency wins. Period.
And yet, consistency isn’t boring. His menus are a design language. He works with a designer who gets his colors, paper stock preferences, layout…everything. Every menu is a training tool for guests, and a brand story rolled into one. The goal is clarity, not clutter.
That’s why you won’t find a bloated 30-drink cocktail list at his spots. Eight to 12 is the sweet spot now, and it has been for several years. Give guests a clear path. Include some quality alcohol-free options (otherwise, you’re leaving money on the table).
When met with a guest uncertain about stepping outside of their beverage comfort zone, train your staff to redirect: “You might not like that, but you might like this.”
Paper Menus, With a Twist
Speaking of menus, Tober doesn’t mince words, nor would I ever expect him to pull his punch: “Fuck QR codes.”
He wants guests to feel something. Literally.
Tober wants guests to hold the menu in their hands. And why is that? Because he wants to hold the menu in his hands. And if he wants something specific from the bar experience, why wouldn’t he deliver it to his own guests?
However, Tober’s not a purist. In fact, he acknowledges that a paper menu with a QR code for large wine or spirits inventories could be the right blend of physical and digital. The key? Use tech to complement, not replace, the tactile experience.
Further, not everything has to be on the menu. Discovery is part of the magic of any guest experience. So, you and your team need be in the habit of asking the right questions, offering the right off-menu item that will resonate with a guest and convert them to a regular.
Let the guest feel like they just unlocked something special. Do that, and they’ll want friends and family to experience the same thing.
Make Money, Not Passion Projects
This might’ve been one of his most grounded takes of the day: “I want to make money. I want to make sure my people are making money, I’m making money, my investors are making money.”
There’s room for passion, but it better be profitable. Tober recounted a conversation with a bar owner who’d never taken inventory. Eight years of running a bar…and no inventory or costing system in place.
That’s not just risky—that’s irresponsible. And let’s be clear: That irresponsible approach to operations, if it can be deemed an approach, affects more than just the bottom line. People’s jobs are at risk when an operator doesn’t put in the work to learn and nail the fundamentals. The community will be worse off if a third place with the potential to bring people together has to close due to incompetence.
If you don’t know what your drinks cost, you don’t know what you’re making. And if your team doesn’t know how to negotiate with suppliers or ask for items that are perfect for traffic-boosting, revenue-generating LTOs, like closeout wines, you’re leaving thousands on the table.
Your Menu Is Your Mission
Tober said it best, so I won’t even try to paraphrase him: “That menu is your whole journey.”
He wants a diverse menu for a diverse crowd. The business professional, the ironworker, the sorority girl, the guest with just $20 in their pocket, all should feel comfortable, respected, and relevant when gathering at and enjoying the same bar.
While that’s building a brand and vibe, it’s also smart business: curated chaos, energy, memorable stories, and, yes, entertainment.
Final Pour
Tober didn’t get here by accident. He got here by obsessing over the stuff that many owners ignore: station layout, menu flow, vendor strategy, staff training, drink tracking, and yes, whether or not the paper stock feels right.
Further, one of the things I admire about Tober the most is his dedication to knowing his numbers. He’ll readily admit that he’s loud, and can come across as a bar owner who’s just in it for a fun time. Honestly, I think just about anyone would want to have a beer and a shot with Tober.
And while, yes, Tober knows how to have fun, and sometimes he’ll share his opinions loudly, he’ll also probably run circles around the average bartender. Most importantly, he doesn’t just know his business intimately, he knows the business inside and out.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again now: If I didn’t believe Tober’s approach to operations was one to emulate, or that it didn’t align with ours at KRG Hospitality, I wouldn’t share what I learned after attending one of his education sessions. In fact, I wouldn’t even attend in the first place.
If there’s one takeaway from his session, it’s this: Run your bar like a business. Even better, run it like an entertainment business.
Make your bar look like a fully realized brand, and make it feel like a show. You’re not just serving drinks, you’re entertaining and producing experiences.
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll attain a goal we at KRG Hospitality aim for all of our clients to achieve: taking an entire week off work.
Image: Canva
