Posted by Over the holidays, I subscribed to Paramount+ and started watching Bar Rescue (nearly addictive, mind you).
Basically, an expert named Jon Taffer goes into bars that are failing, as in on their last legs, and “rescues” them.
Some follow through with his plans and methods and see results, short and long-term.
Others not so much.
What I did pick up is that he repeats over and over again (not the ‘you’re a blank blank’ or ‘an idiot’ catchphrases), rather the lack of training.
Constantly training.
I never really thought about training bartenders in a bar setting.
I had assumed, wrongly, that there are seasoned bartenders who do not know how to make common drinks, let alone seasonal/upcoming drinks, or even a whisky sour.
Bartender, the word seems to be passe, whereas there are folks who are mixologists – connoisseurs that can train folks on a variety of drinks, along with interacting with the customer, proper safety techniques too.
When you look at the bars, they lose money by overpouring, not charging (what a surprise), and just by indifference.
The owners, for the most part, lack experience owning and running a business profitably and successfully, even with roadblocks such as competition or maintaining the business.
Leadership is a non-starter. Training? Forget about it.
These folks never thought to themselves, perhaps I should take a course on leadership, basic business skills, or owning a business.
They never considered going to the SBA, which offers on-site seminars, e-learning, exercises, tools and very valuable insights.
Instead, the owners winged it (I won’t discuss their kitchen conditions, but now I always check health reports).
Taking a dive (no pun intended), I found many online courses covering bartending skills, how to make X drinks, certifications, and more.
Not one, though, took into consideration or accounted for the ineffectiveness of applying these learning skills/training techniques in a real-world, real-life experience.
If I can’t make a certain drink and I overpour during a stress test (something the show does), I may take an online bartending course—often video-based, like YouTube.
But how can I retain those skills in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment?
Besides the need to train on a bi-monthly basis, any of these locations, independent or franchise, could leverage immersive learning in a box.
That’s right, everything you need comes in a box. The headsets, the content, take it out, and off you go.
The kit provides constant updates to pre-set content tailored to specific training needs and tasks.
I’ve seen what something like this can do and deliver actionable results.
A company called Kilo, owned by a good friend of mine (transparency here), focuses only on maritime.
That’s it.
Immersive learning in a kit.
The product? VASCO.
The U.S. Navy uses it. Ditto on the British Navy. Ditto on various cruise ships. And the list goes on.
If a company like Kilo can deliver a turnkey, immersive solution for ongoing training and learning—not just safety standards—why can’t another provider create a similar solution targeted to a specific niche?
Too many companies that jump into immersive learning try to cast a wide net across different verticals, which requires higher customization costs and limits the exposure and success of programs at scale.
This, to me, has always been a huge problem.
I’m not referring to immersive learning authoring tools – because it still limits to the area at hand, and I have never seen one that you look at and scream, “OMG”.
Plus, there is this issue with the headsets and who is paying for them, how to get them, and so forth.
Sure, you can purchase an immersive learning platform – but immersive isn’t about having or using it on a mobile device (as an option) – it’s about those headsets – and someday, better and lower cost headsets.
I’ve seen immersive learning for safety subjects, such as how to use a forklift, but does it deliver it in an ongoing experience, or is it static, and again, tailored to the company that wants it, increasing costs for the company seeking it?
The best ones I’ve seen are not cheap.
They are not turnkey, ready to go, or equipped with ongoing updates delivered in various ways—even when, as with Kilo, you are out at sea.
This swings me back to bars, and yes, it can easily be other forms of retail or hospitality—but specifically for that niche, out-of-the-box and ready to go.
We all want to help our people learn.
For ongoing development, immersive learning tools tailored to each niche—such as bartending, retail, or quick-service restaurants—could equip owners and staff with the skills needed for their unique environments.
Leadership in a bar, for example, differs considerably from managing an office, and immersive solutions can address these differences effectively.
Bottom Line
Watching those episodes made it clear: immersive learning solutions, especially those delivered out of the box with all necessary equipment, have the potential to address many persistent problems in the bar and hospitality industry.
Watching someone showing you how to make a Margarita, and then you are practicing it – right at the bar – and the owner watching his beverage being tossed, until the person gets it correct – is fine.
But to achieve synthesis, comprehension, and retention, the combination isn’t going to happen from watching a video in these settings.
Immersive is meant to offer a real-time, real-world learning environment—one that includes everything from rude customers and loud, dirty places to the challenges of being not just a bartender or server, but potentially a mixologist, manager, or even an owner.
And owners can work in a virtual, immersive setting without having to watch a video or read text, and miss out on what is needed in 2026, not in 2025.
The world continues to change.
Businesses are failing.
Costs are rising, and the skills we taught are missing because their combination—video, static text, and AI-based role-plays—only takes someone so far.
Can this be achieved: that role-playing angle and the real-time, real-life immersive learning capability?
I argue yes.
And the best way to kick it off is to follow a Kilo-like approach.
Out of the box, ready to go.
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