Well Drinks: What Are They and How Do They Make Your Bar More Profitable

If you’re a bar or restaurant owner, you’ve probably heard the term “well drinks” thrown around. But what are they and why are they on your bar menu? Well drinks (also known as house drinks) are lower-cost mixed drinks made with liquor from your bar’s well or speed rail. The well is the bartender’s go-to area, stocked with affordable, everyday spirits for quick mixing.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about well drinks, why they’re important, and how to use them to increase profits without sacrificing quality. Plus we’ll give you a list of popular well drinks to add to your bar menu.

What are well drinks?

Well drinks, also known as “rail drinks” are mixed drinks made with the cheapest liquor a bar carries. They’re called “well drinks” because they’re made with the bottles of liquor in the “well” – the area behind the bar where the bartender keeps everyday spirits. These drinks are usually simple, quick to make and lower priced than cocktails made with premium or call liquors.

Well liquors include:

• Vodka
• Gin
• Rum
• Whiskey
• Tequila

When a customer orders a vodka soda and doesn’t specify a brand, the bartender will use the well vodka. Well drinks are perfect for customers who want a simple drink without the extra cost of premium spirits.

Why are well drinks important for bars?

Well drinks aren’t just for happy hour specials—they’re a profit and customer satisfaction tool for your bar.

1. Higher margins

Well drinks actually have a better profit margin than any other beverage or dish on a restaurant's menu, with a food cost percentage of 5%. The profit margin increases as the food cost percentage decreases. While beer and wine have food cost percentages of 20% to 40% and 30% to 50%, respectively, the average food cost percentage of food at a restaurant is 25% to 40%. Well drinks are the menu items with the largest profit margins because they are created with basic, inexpensive ingredients.

2. Faster service

Well drinks are quick to make so they’re perfect for busy times. During peak hours bartenders don’t have time to make fancy cocktails. Well drinks let them serve customers fast and reduce wait times and increase turnover.

3. Appeals to a wider audience

Not all customers are looking for premium cocktails. Many just want a standard, affordable drink. Well drinks let you cater to price-conscious customers so there’s something for everyone on your menu.

4. Opportunity for creativity

Even though well drinks are simple they don’t have to be boring. Bartenders can add their own twist by using fresh ingredients or house made syrups to make a standard well drink special.

How to elevate your well drinks

Well drinks don’t have to be the bottom of the barrel. Here’s how to upgrade your well selection:

• Choose Good Spirits: Just because a spirit is cheap doesn’t mean it has to taste cheap. Pick well liquors that have a good balance of cost and flavor.
• Train Your Bartenders: Make sure your bartenders know how to make well drinks fast and consistent and give them the freedom to upsell.
• Use Seasonal Ingredients: Give your well drinks a boost by adding seasonal fruits or herbs. This can turn a basic vodka soda into a menu star.
• Offer Happy Hour Specials: Attract customers during off-peak times by offering discounted well drinks. This keeps your bar busy and gets customers to try other items on your menu.

10 well drinks for your menu

Here are 10 classic well drinks that are easy to make and everyone loves:

1. Vodka Soda: A light and refreshing drink for vodka fans.
2. Gin & Tonic: Crisp and bitter for gin lovers.
3. Rum & Coke: Sweet and simple for casual drinkers.
4. Tequila Sunrise: Tequila, orange juice and grenadine.
5. Whiskey Sour: Whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup.
6. Tom Collins: Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda.
7. Cape Codder: Vodka and cranberry juice over ice, often with a lime.
8. Amaretto Sour: Amaretto liqueur and lemon juice.
9. Paloma: Tequila, grapefruit soda and lime.
10. Margarita: Tequila, lime juice and triple sec.

Here’s a list of 20 popular well drinks and some fascinating history or trivia about each. Well drinks are usually simple cocktails made from a bar's more affordable liquor selection, but their stories can be quite rich.

1. Rum & Coke (Cuba Libre)

Recipe: Rum, Coca-Cola, Lime

Origin: The "Cuba Libre" ("Free Cuba") emerged during the Spanish-American War when American soldiers mixed Coca-Cola with rum and lime to toast Cuban independence.

2. Gin & Tonic

Recipe: Gin, Tonic Water, Lime

Origin: The British East India Company popularized this drink. Soldiers drank tonic water laced with quinine to prevent malaria, and added gin to make it more palatable.

3. Vodka Soda

Recipe: Vodka, Club Soda, Lime

Origin: While its exact history isn't clear, the Vodka Soda became popular in the 1980s as part of the low-calorie cocktail craze, thanks to its simplicity and refreshing taste.

4. Whiskey Sour

Recipe: Whiskey, Lemon Juice, Sugar

Origin: First printed in a Wisconsin newspaper in 1870, this drink was likely created by sailors who used citrus to prevent scurvy while consuming whiskey for courage.

5. Tequila Sunrise

Recipe: Tequila, Orange Juice, Grenadine

Origin: Created in Arizona in the 1930s, this drink became famous when it was embraced by The Rolling Stones on their 1972 tour, earning the nickname "Tequila Sunrise Tour."

6. Tom Collins

Recipe: Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Soda Water

Origin: The drink became popular in the 1870s in New York due to a viral hoax called the “Tom Collins Hoax” where people were told a man named Tom Collins was spreading rumors about them.

7. Moscow Mule

Recipe: Vodka, Ginger Beer, Lime Juice

Origin: Created in 1941 at a Los Angeles bar, the Moscow Mule was an attempt to sell both vodka and ginger beer. Its famous copper mug helped launch its popularity.

8. Bloody Mary

Recipe: Vodka, Tomato Juice, Lemon Juice, Worcestershire Sauce, Hot Sauce

Origin: The drink dates back to Paris in the 1920s, named after either Queen Mary I of England or a girl from a Chicago bar, depending on which legend you prefer.

9. Cape Codder

Recipe: Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Lime

Origin: This drink was invented in the 1940s to promote cranberry juice consumption in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, hence its name.

10. Screwdriver

Recipe: Vodka, Orange Juice

Origin: Oil workers in the Persian Gulf mixed vodka with orange juice using a screwdriver as a stirring tool, giving this simple cocktail its unique name.

11. Black Russian

Recipe: Vodka, Coffee Liqueur

Origin: Created in Belgium in 1949, this drink was named for its dark appearance and the use of Russian vodka during the Cold War era.

12. White Russian

Recipe: Vodka, Coffee Liqueur, Cream

Origin: A variation of the Black Russian, the White Russian became iconic in pop culture after “The Big Lebowski” featured it as the drink of choice for the main character.

13. 7 & 7

Recipe: Seagram's 7 Whiskey, 7-Up

Origin: A classic of the 1970s, this drink gained popularity as Seagram's pushed its blended whiskey in the American market, paired with the equally well-known 7-Up.

14. Fuzzy Navel

Recipe: Peach Schnapps, Orange Juice

Origin: A popular cocktail of the 1980s, the name refers to the "fuzzy" flavor of peaches and the "navel" of navel oranges, making it fun to order and drink.

15. Jack & Coke

Recipe: Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, Coca-Cola

Origin: Combining America's favorite whiskey with its favorite soda, this simple drink has been a staple of bars since the early 1900s.

16. Paloma

Recipe: Tequila, Grapefruit Soda

Origin: A favorite in Mexico, the Paloma's name means "dove" in Spanish. It’s more popular in Mexico than the Margarita, thanks to its refreshing citrus flavor.

17. Gin Fizz

Recipe: Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Soda Water

Origin: Dating back to the late 1800s, this drink was immensely popular in New Orleans, where it was often consumed as a morning "pick-me-up."

18. Highball

Recipe: Whiskey, Ginger Ale or Club Soda

Origin: One of the earliest well drinks, the Highball was first crafted in the 1890s and gets its name from the term used for signaling a train to move quickly (“highball” the train).

19. Greyhound

Recipe: Vodka, Grapefruit Juice

Origin: This drink became popular in the 1940s when it was served to travelers at Greyhound bus stations across the U.S.

20. Madras

Recipe: Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice

Origin: Named after the Madras plaid pattern popular in the 1960s, this colorful drink was embraced during the cocktail party culture of that era.

Each of these well drinks offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of cocktails—whether through their cultural impact, quirky origins, or simple but lasting appeal.

Promote well drinks to boost sales

Now that you have a well drink menu, let’s talk about how to market it.

1. Social media

Feature your well drinks on your social media pages. Show your bartenders making drinks and use high-quality photos to entice customers. You could also post behind-the-scenes shots of seasonal ingredients being prepped to show that drinks can be fresh and fun.

2. Specials and combos

Pair well drinks with bar snacks or apps and offer them as a combo. This gets customers to stay longer and spend more and helps increase sales during off-peak times.

3. Use happy hour as a hook

Promote well drinks during happy hour but don’t limit it to just the usual times. Think about offering late-night happy hour to attract after-dinner crowds or post-event goers.

Conclusion

Well drinks are a key part of any bar’s playbook. They have high margins, fast service and appeal to everyone. By offering a good well-drink selection and marketing it right, you’ll keep your bar full of happy repeat customers. And remember, well drinks may be cheap but with a little creativity they can be just as memorable as the premium stuff.

FAQs

Are well drinks good? 

Well drinks are a solid option if you're looking for something affordable and simple. They're typically made with house liquors, which might not be premium brands but still get the job done. These drinks are great for a casual night out when you’re not too picky about high-end flavors or fancy cocktails. Just keep in mind that the quality of the drink depends on the bar’s selection of well liquors, so some may taste better than others.

What is considered a well drink?

Well drinks, sometimes referred to as "rail drinks," are mixed beverages consisting of a mixture of soft drinks and one or more alcoholic beverages. One well-liked beverage is rum and coke. The fact that well drinks are produced with the bar's least expensive liquor sets them apart from other cocktails.

What does well drinks mean?

A well drink is one where the customer specifies the brand of liquor they would like used in their drink, such as Jameson and ginger or Hendricks and tonic. A well drink, also referred to as a house drink, is a basic mixed drink that incorporates lower-tier liquors whose brand is not specified by the patron—e.g., a vodka soda or a rum and coke. A premium cocktail made with top-notch spirits like Grey Goose or Casamigos would be the next step up.