Giant teddy bear or massive tool, this booze boss doesn't care what you think! From balls-to-the-wall self-help to busting his beef shanks at Costco, Jon Taffer's hustling for a whole lot more than a little hit show on TV!
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00:00Giant teddy bear or massive tool? This booze boss doesn't care what you think.
00:05From balls-to-the-wall self-help to busting his beef shanks at Costco,
00:09John Taffer's hustling for a whole lot more than a little hit show on TV.
00:14I love cocktails."
00:15It makes total sense for a professional mixologist to launch a drink line for the home bartender.
00:20And after Bar Rescue became a hit,
00:22Taffer launched a collection of streamlined craft cocktail mixers. Dubbed Taffer's Mixologist,
00:27the line features the favorites, from a strawberry margarita mix to a spicy Bloody Mary,
00:32a minty mojito, and a classic Cosmopolitan.
00:35In 2019, he expanded the operation with hard seltzers in punchy flavors like strawberry
00:41basil, pineapple coconut, and cucumber jalapeno. By 2021, there were even cherry lime, grapefruit,
00:48and elderflower options. Plus, at 100 calories a can, it's a guilt-free happy hour anyone can enjoy.
00:56Not only is Taffer clearly an accomplished businessman, he's also a best-selling author
01:00of several books. And he easily tapped into the self-help realm with business tips and tricks
01:05from the trenches of the food and drink service industry. He published his first book a couple
01:09of years after the show hit the air, calling it Raise the Bar, an action-based method for maximum
01:15customer reactions. It was his take on the perfect strategy behind a successful bar or restaurant.
01:21In 2018, Taffer published the bluntly titled Don't F----- It Yourself,
01:26Crush the Excuses That Are Holding You Back. Compared to his previous effort,
01:30it focused more on the intertwining of business and personal responsibility.
01:33Finally, his 2022 book The Power of Conflict, Speak Your Mind and Get the Results You Want,
01:39sums up Taffer in a nutshell. Not only does it discuss the benefits of effective arguing,
01:44it also teaches conflict is a leadership tool. Sound familiar?
01:48Taffer has tenaciously relaunched and revamped hundreds of bars on the show,
01:52so it only makes sense that he would one day open a place of his own.
01:56And as it turns out, it's a true pilgrimage for bar rescue fanatics. In 2020, Forbes noted that
02:02Taffer planned to launch his Taffer's Tavern chain across the country. In partnership with
02:07the masterminds behind Five Guys, the neighborhood eatery emphasizes sous vide cooking that doesn't
02:12sacrifice quality for friendly vibes.
02:14I am so proud of Taffer's Tavern. It's the best work I've ever done.
02:18In addition to a location in Georgia, Outpost in Massachusetts and Washington,
02:22D.C. opened in 2022, and even more spots in Florida, Nevada, and Georgia are set to open next.
02:29Still, the question remains, will even a guy like John Taffer be able to stay alive in a
02:33notoriously volatile industry? The Washingtonian described the tavern's ambiance as moody and
02:39man-cavey, but the reviewer wasn't on board with the mixologist-prepared cocktails that
02:43apparently resembled frothy-tasting Gatorade. One person called it a, quote,
02:48elevated TGI Fridays. But the good thing about Taffer? He doesn't seem to care too
02:52much about people's opinions. Along with his restaurant chain, Taffer hoped to offer people
02:58around the country the same sous vide taste from the comfort of their homes. And for the first time,
03:03hungry fans could pick up one of his seven-pound heat-and-serve beef shanks at a Costco near them.
03:08It's tender, it's juicy, it's one of my favorite things."
03:12In just under two hours in the oven, you can create your own Taffer's Tavern vibe
03:17right in front of your TV. But while some Redditors love the versatility and low-stress prep,
03:22others just couldn't endorse a product from someone they described as,
03:25"...a tool."
03:26Still, something tells us Taffer would go up against the best of those keyboard warriors
03:30any day of the week.
03:32Let's be real for a minute, Bar Rescue often devolves into a wild train wreck that we can't
03:37stop watching. And as brutal as his methods may be, Taffer does have some pretty decent
03:42strategies for winning at business. You know, like not getting drunk on the job. But despite
03:46his attempts at replicating his success, no other show has taken off quite as well.
03:51"...you're up against serious competition."
03:52He first co-hosted Hungry Investors, signing on for a collaboration that landed somewhere
03:57between Shark Tank and Kitchen Nightmares, but was slightly less screaming. Taffer and
04:02two celebrity chefs would visit two restaurants and determine which one was worth investing in.
04:07But the show quickly fizzled after the first season.
04:09"...that makes no sense!"
04:11Then comes Taffer's real career curveball, Marriage Rescue, where he treats every couple
04:16on the brink of divorce like the jaded managers and owners from Bar Rescue. It earned five out
04:21of ten stars on IMDb. Then, his most recent show, Restaurant Rivals, Irvine vs. Taffer,
04:27pin celebrity chef Robert Irvine against Taffer to see who can best revive a failing restaurant.
04:33If there has to be a Bar Rescue spinoff, this is probably it.
04:37Stirring up a little controversy is nothing new to Taffer or his Bar Rescue team.
04:42From being sued multiple times to his berserk behavior,
04:45Taffer isn't immune to taking a little heat from the press. But in 2021,
04:50he made a comment so personal and off-colored that nearly everyone was up in arms.
04:55How much money did you make last night?
04:56Eight dollars.
04:57How much did you make last night?
04:58Nothing.
04:59Got any kids at home?
05:00Yes.
05:01It all started when Taffer appeared with Fox News anchor Laura Ingram to chat about service
05:05workers getting unemployment benefits during the pandemic. When Ingram mentioned just cutting off
05:10unemployment altogether, Taffer essentially compared service workers to dogs.
05:14It's a hungry dog. It's an obedient dog.
05:16Maybe that's true of actual dogs, but Twitter users were outraged by the tone-deaf response.
05:22Some pointed out the classist disconnect, and others claimed they lost respect for Taffer
05:26completely. One comment even alleged that the host company, John Taffer LLC, received two PPP
05:32loans totaling around $60,000 during the pandemic. The next day, Taffer apologized on Twitter,
05:38explaining that his analogy was misconstrued, and saying he hoped to see the service industry
05:43come back stronger than ever. But that wasn't the first time he inserted his foot into his mouth.
05:48You would think that a show about bartenders would be widely praised by the hospitality industry,
05:53but there was definitely an outcry from the community over an interview Taffer did in 2016.
05:58You take one drink, I'll fire you in front of f----- everyone!
06:02Chatting with The Huffington Post, Taffer detailed the workings of a successful bar,
06:06not to mention the do's and don'ts of drinking at a bar. But shortly after,
06:10Vice clapped back at all the ways the interview enraged bartenders everywhere.
06:14They specifically noted a Twitter thread about how Taffer incorrectly explained the origin of
06:18tequila. Even the now-defunct Facebook group, Bartenders Against John Taffer,
06:22was formed in response to the comment. Bartenders also criticized Taffer for
06:26calling the old-fashioned underrated, as well as his thoughts on tipping.
06:30Thrillist did a follow-up interview with Taffer, noting that he had great respect for bartenders,
06:35but was looking at the position through the lens of an owner. As Taffer put it,
06:39"...I think the bartending community actually really likes and respects me. There's about
06:4320 or 30 snobby bartenders in America, and it doesn't really bother me if they felt otherwise."
06:49It seems that everyone from celebrities to your best friend's aunt out there has a podcast,
06:53and Taffer is no exception, having launched his self-titled show,
06:57The John Taffer Podcast, in 2018.
07:00Hello, I'm John Taffer, and welcome to The John Taffer Podcast."
07:03When it comes to his content, Taffer not only features a few famous faces,
07:07but doctors and self-help gurus as well, to offer their best advice for makers and
07:12creators in business. He spills his industry secrets and how-tos, and also doles out his
07:16opinions and advice about hotbed political topics. Some of Taffer's big-ticket guests
07:21include Caratop, Dr. Phil, Shark Tank's Damon John, and Robert Irvine.
07:26Taffer even featured then-President Donald Trump in 2020 to discuss the upcoming election,
07:31Taffer's potential political aspirations at the time, and COVID's impact on the hospitality
07:36industry. But if you don't have time to shut it down and listen to an entire podcast episode,
07:41you can always hunt Taffer down on Cameo. Snag a personalized message from the bar savior to you,
07:46for a cool $350. You know you kinda want to.
07:52You get to see Taffer in action on his show, but for some, just seeing isn't believing.
07:57Regardless of whether you're Team Taffer or not, he has certainly seen it all over his years on
08:02the show, and he's offering his signature education for the rest of us. Now, fans can
08:06take courses with Taffer himself to find out everything he knows from his time in the service
08:11industry. In 2020, during the lockdown, Taffer offered a free Resetting America series that
08:17featured classes for business owners on how to deal with the post-pandemic restaurant industry.
08:21On his website, he posted virtual workshops and e-books for the convenient price of $99.95.
08:28I'm talking, you're gonna listen.
08:30The lessons feature tips on promoting, opening, sourcing, and designing your own Taffer-approved
08:35bar or restaurant. But if you really want to go all in, you can even hire Taffer and his team for
08:40one-on-one help with concept development, remodeling, and even resort operations.
08:45Now, if only you could book him for kids' birthday parties.
08:48We can only assume that Taffer has banked quite the cozy nest egg by now,
08:52and that's thanks not only to Bar Rescue and the successful ventures that resulted from the show,
08:57but also the billion-dollar company he launched back in 1994,
09:01NFL Sunday Ticket. At the time, Taffer was serving three years on the NFL Enterprises board.
09:06Still, most fans know him from his show, and his net worth is surprisingly high for a reality TV host.
09:13If your chest is more important to you than your wallet, you're an idiot.
09:18According to reports, Taffer's worth a cool $14 million. And while it was a massive hit,
09:23we're guessing all those funds aren't coming from Bar Rescue alone.
09:27A little deep dive from What's Their Net Worth? estimated that Taffer and the Bar Rescue crew
09:31earned around $100,000 an episode. It also estimates that along with the show and his
09:36other ventures, Taffer takes home around $450,000 a year. Sounds like a pretty sweet gig to us.
09:43However he does it, he definitely brings home enough bacon to deck out his
09:47own swanky home bar, kick back, and stir up his next big idea.