+ by Mike Kirner

Introduction: This Blog is Not Dead

Even though RFID tech brand Barmaxx has closed its doors over a decade ago, I still update this blog, now and then. Most of the data in this story is still valid in 2026. The Google Ads on the right of this story still pay dividends, however small.

"Well, that's odd Mike?" you ask.

I don't think it's odd at all. If you put tons of hard work into writing and researching stories and promoting them online, why simply abandon the platform? I write for at least five platforms every day. It keeps me in the groove!

+ Presently, I manage all Communications for my Alma Mater, The Florida Pikes.

I frequently tell the 150 young Pikes and several hundred alumni whom I mentor or advise at University of Florida: " Just because 1,000 people have seen your communications 100 times, that does not mean that the other 8 billion people in the world have seen it. "

"Repeat and Rinse. Rinse and Repeat!

Cool Austrian Technology

I always found the technology applied to the Barmaxx system was over the top and wonderfully brilliant. Don't believe me? Well, you tell me after you + view this video:

Barmaxx was also a fun, lean and mean b2b tech brand where I gained valuable tech experience.

I'm still occasionaly in Facebook touch with the main engineer of Barmaxx, + Christian Einfalt, a prominent Senior Technology Manager Digital Services who now resides back in Vienna, Austria with his wife and young child. I miss seeing Chris now and then, we used to have a beer or two after work.

Zero Promotion
An interesting side note is that this blog portal has generated over 160,000 + views over the past ten years and that's without any promotional or social boost whatsoever - except in the beginning of course. Driven principally by a Google Search, many of the stories have been read over 5,000 times. This is not a large number when you compare it to the Google or Amazon world of data and conversions. However, with no promotion at all - it is a remarkable statistic.

You've Got Shrinkage

We're not talking George Costanza Shrinkage as in Seinfeld.

The most visited story in this blog is titled: " You've Got Shrinkage."

It was written by a devilishly smart and handsome young salesman named + John Anthony, and it just keeps on getting hits. Mainly because it's easy to digest, written plainly and without too much complex theory. It gives the basics of how your bar loses money every hour of every day of the year!

I also figured, if a writer like myself spends quality time putting together great data and facts on RFID technology, hospitality, business solutions and bar shrinkage, why not keep the blog alive for new bars, entrepreneurs and owners to learn from?

About Barmaxx

Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL, Barmaxx was a complete liquor inventory management system that enabled precise tracking of every drop of liquor from the stockroom, top shelf and speed rail, through integration with point-of-sale (POS) stations.

The company's European HQ was located in Vienna, Austria.

One of BarMaxx' numerous benefits was that it not only minimized the time managers spent on doing inventory, but it dramatically improved your liquor profit - within a few short months! Check out the BarMaxx video.

At Barmaxx, the Director of Technology was Christian Einfalt. He was a great work colleague and fellow European soccer enthusiast and we even teamed up to start a small, shortlived coed soccer club named Eintracht Boca Raton.

Today's Hospitality Story:
The "Great Bartender"

There's nothing like a seasoned, professional bartender to help your bar or restaurant produce revenue, keep customers happy and positively influence your bottom line.

There are some customers who will only drink at one bar because they just love the bartender. The truth is, a great bartender is generally great for your business......no question about it.

One of the principal keys to being a good bar tender is their attitude. How many times have you ordered a drink and the bartender does not greet you with a smile or simply ignores you afterwards to focus on the friends that are visiting him or her?

Bartenders should treat everyone like a friend or at least an acquaintance. No need to overdo it, just be pleasant and attentive.

The "Not So Great Bartender"

On the flip side, in 2025 there are still thousands of bartenders who will be using every trick in the book to line their own pockets with more cash.

Ever wonder why some bartenders go on and on about how they earned $500 in one night or more? No question that some of them simply work hard and are really good at what they do. Some provide great service; some hustle all night long and some just look good to the ladies - if they're male that is. Whatever...you get the picture.

If you sit at a bar on a busy Friday night, look out for some of the techniques that are being utilized to steal profits from the restaurant owner. Industry estimates state that well over $7 Billion is lost annually due to internal shrinkage and other variables.

Below are 20 of the more popular and sometimes creative methods that bartenders will use next year to steal right from under your nose. Take notes!

- Claiming a fictitious walk-out of a customer.
- The Phantom Bottle - Bartender brings in his own bottle of high end vokda and uses it throughout the night. The money from drinks goes into the tip jar and is never recorded.
- Bartender uses one shot on two glasses.
- Short Ring - Under-ring the correct price of item and put the rest in your pocket.
- Phantom Register - Extra register put in bar and items not rung in on main register.
- Using lower priced liquor and charging for call brands.
- Serve and collect while register is reading between shift changes.
- Recording incorrect overrings and voids.
- Short Pour - Pour less than shot to cover "give away" liquor costs.
- Cocktail server, waitress and bartender work together to steal money.
- Claim a returned drink - Extra drink is sold and cash is pocketed.
- Undercharging customers or giving out free liquor in an attempt to get a handsome tip.
- Re-Using register drink receipts.
- Bartender exchanges drinks to cooks for dinners.
- Diluting drinks with water to get more shots out of it.
- Receiving kickbacks from liquor distributors or salesmen.
- Charging customer regular prices, ringing happy hour prices.
- Complimentary cocktail or wine coupons from hotel rooms sold by maids to bartender which can use in place of cash.
- Short-Changing Customers.
- Ringing food items on liquor key in order to cover high liquor cost percentage.

Causes of Theft by Bartenders - There are many reasons why your bartenders or servers may steal. Even though you have surely hired great employees, they may begin to think about how they can make more money each night.

Some will inevitably justify stealing for numerous reasons. Below are other factors that may lead to internal shrinkage caused by your bar and restaurant staff.

My Fellow Workers Are Doing It – If everybody in your bar or restaurant is stealing, it can have tragic consequences. This can be a real issue because your employees are less likely to feel that their actions are wrong if others are also doing it.

Averice/ Greed – Greed can be a motivator for some people.

After seeing the ease of stealing and the amount of money that can be pocketed each night, greed sets in and the bartender cannot stop from stealing. Many bartenders who steal come into a shift with the mindset of, “I need to make $100 cash tonight and I'll do what it takes to reach that number."

Dire Financial Need – Life has many twists and turns.

Sometimes your car breaks down or you need new tires. It seems so easy to just take that extra cash if there is no fear of being detected. They may think that they need it much more than your bar does.

Disgruntled or Resentful – Inevitably, there are those out there who get sick of their job or just don't get along with the management.

If this is the case, the employee will start to care less about the bar they work in and care more about how he or she can benefit from working there.

Also, experienced employees will tend to pass on their stealing techniques so it would be tough to stop the cycle.

Though you may not be able to fix the rationales that cause theft, you can take the necessary steps to help prevent it from occurring.

The Answer to Your Problem:

While BarMaxx no longer exists, I was always fascinated by the technology created by Chris Einfalt and other Austrian engineers. Take a look at the BarMaxx video on youtube.

It was the answer to your prayers when it comes to monitoring your inventory, managing shrinkage and preventing your bartenders from ruining your business.

In case you're wondering why Barmaxx closed? The owner was an elderly Austrian investor. He grew ill in 2007 and sadly decided to stop funding the company. Nearly overnight, the doors shut and there were no plans to sell the infrastructure and equipment. It was a dramatic occurrence and could not be prevented. This blog still keeps the name alive.

+ BarMaxx Video

+ Q & A With Director of Barmaxx Technology Chris Einfalt

📢 Shout Out to The Peeps That Mattered

Data, Research and Text: John Anthony

Director of Technology: Christian Einfalt

CEO: John Zevgolis

CFO: John Dong

Senior Integration Architect: Gerald Luger

Marketing Director, Editor & Press Outreach: Mike Kirner

Bring On the Funk!

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