Las Vegas — The Nightclub & Bar Show returned to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the first time in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was packed with attendees, vendor booths, food samples and new product displays.
Attendees also had the chance to sample new beers, tequilas and mixed drinks during the show. The show was only open for those age 21 and above. Most of the attendees are bar or restaurant owners or managers.
It all began with a celebrity red carpet. Rock-and-roll stars Rick Springfield and Sammy Hagar walked on the red carpet and posed for photos. Later, actress and model Jenny McCarthy cut the ribbon to kick off the show.
BarPay introduced its new smartphone app that allows bar and restaurant guests to scan a QR code and place their orders inside establishments. The idea is to speed up the ordering process and lessen the wait for guests.
“BarPay is a mobile ordering and payments application,” said Dan Wagner, vice president of product at BarPay. “It’s specifically for in-venue so customer comes in, scan a QR code, order and it fires tickets to the bar or kitchen. We basically try to remove all of the hardware. All that’s needed for a venue is a few apps and a thermal receipt printer. The servers, the staff, they don’t have to interact with a point of sale system. They just pull tickets. It actually frees them up to spend more time with guests. We have a 60-day free trial so you can try it literally risk-free. If you do decide to keep the system, it’s $149 a month and then we have negotiated rates for processing.”
Check out this new dart technology called ICX darts which keeps track of your game on a digital screen nearby. It allows players to compete against one another just like with bowling.
“This dart is digitized,” said William Choung, CEO and founder of iCompete Ent. Corp. (iCX). “We created a traditional dart board and digitized to make it into eSport. You don’t have to keep your scores. It automatically keeps the score for you. Also, we’re able to run tournaments and leagues. Just how you do video games. It will generate $350,000 in total revenue. We charge $20-40 per hour. It holds up to six people. It’s normally $5,000 we have a show special of $3,750. Monthly fee is $800 so that’s only $27 per day.”
I also spotted this new ping pong table by TapGlo that changes colors throughout the game. It also keeps track of points for each opponent.
“This is a digital interactive ping pong table,” said Tom Stringham, CEO of TapGlo. “It’s sound reactive so when the ball hits the table, it knows where it is. The basic game is blackout, you just blackout all of your opponent squares before they black yours out. You can have up to 90 squares. At the show right now, it’s $14,900 retail is normally $18,900. It’s really a completely different game. You’re not trying to smash your opponent all of the time, it’s more finesse and accuracy trying to knock out your opponents squares. The kiosk is connected to the internet. We put new games out about once a quarter. There’s a bunch of different games you can play.”
More traditional companies such as White Claw Hard Seltzer and Heineken beer also had a presence at the show.
There were food samples offered from start-up companies looking to get their products into bars and restaurants. I spotted pizzas, tater tots, french fries, sausages and beef being passed out during the show.
Next year, the Nightclub & Bar Show is being renamed and will officially be known as the Bar & Restaurant Show. I’m sure it will be just as exciting as it was this year.
White Claw Hard Seltzer 
iCX Digitized Darts 
Rock-and-roll legends Rick Springfield and Sammy Hagar 
BarPay mobile ordering app 
AmericaJR’s Jason Rzucidlo tries out the new Fly’N Ducks from QUBICA AMF 
Jet Pong beer pong 
Tater Kegs offered free samples 
Sammy Hagar & Guy Fieri’s Santo Tequila 
Sammy Hagar & Rick Springfield’s Beach Bar Rum 
DMC DeLorean from “Back to the Future” and a man dressed as “Doc” Brown