Crab Racing Boosts Sales

A story about how a bar owner in Australia came up with an innovative way to increase drink sales through crab racing.

"I went to this bar and the bar owner was like, 'We need to come up with a way for people to buy more drinks.' He didn't have money for dancers or typical entertainment. We went back a month later and he had done the most genius thing.

He took a giant bowl filled with mini hermit crabs, and wrote numbers 1 through 50 on them with a sharpie. Then he announced 'It's time for the crab race - go buy a drink and pick a number.' Everyone who bought a drink got to pick a number. They put the crabs in a bowl in the middle of a circle with an outer ring. Whichever crab reached the outer ring first won.

The winning crab became the hero crab that came back next week to defend its championship. Anyone who bet on the winning crab got prizes like money or free shots for them and their friends. People started coming every week for this event. I don't think he invented it - other bars probably do this - but it was the first time I'd seen it. I've never seen an American bar do this, and I cannot tell you how much excitement this one simple thing drove."