About FastBar

Built by event organizers,
for event organizers

We started FastBar to fix the biggest problem at our own events: long lines at the bar. Today it's the complete point of sale we always wished we'd had.

12+ years powering events
Pioneers in RFID cashless payments
Every payment method
Based in Seattle, Washington

Our story

It started with a line at the bar

We were event organizers first. At our own events, one problem came up again and again: long lines at the bar. Attendees spent the event waiting instead of enjoying it, and every minute in line was a sale we didn't make. So we tried everything.

Cards, cash, tokens. None of it worked.

Payment cards
A non-starter
Back then, card readers needed a reliable internet connection, and most event sites didn't have one. No point of sale was built for events, so payment cards usually weren't an option. Even today, most point of sale systems aren't built for the realities of events.
Cash
Slow, and a real risk
Making change slowed every line. Worse, cash can be stolen or lost, and the staff handling it, or carrying it out late at night, can be put in harm's way. Keeping it safe meant extra security staff and extra insurance.

Tokens and drink tickets

The worst of both

For attendees

A different token for beer, wine and cocktails, and attendees have to guess which ones they'll need, and how many.
Nobody wants tokens left over, so attendees buy cautiously.
Thinking about another drink? That's a line for tokens, then another line at the bar. Most people just skip it.

For organizers

No price flexibility. One price per token means you can't charge $7.75 for one beer and $9.25 for another.
Make every token worth a dollar and you get some flexibility back, but nowhere near what payment cards or RFID give you, and attendees end up with pockets full of tokens.
Theft, loss and counterfeits, and leftover tokens that come back at your next event.
Far more tokens than people, just to keep enough in circulation.
All of them guarded during the event and counted after it.

Every option ended the same way: long lines, lost sales and hours of counting after the event. Nothing we could find was built for events, so we built it ourselves. That's how FastBar began.

How we grew

From RFID pioneer to complete point of sale

We've grown alongside our customers, and every event has made FastBar better.

The beginning
Pioneers in RFID cashless payments
We started with RFID. Attendees connect a payment card to a secure wristband once, then tap to pay in under a second. No cash, no tokens, no guessing.
Along the way
A complete point of sale
FastBar grew into a full point of sale that takes every way attendees pay: credit, debit and prepaid cards, mobile wallets, RFID and cash, at events across the US and internationally.
Today
Ready for any event or venue
From a single bar to dozens of vendors with complex menus, one-day events to year-round venues. Battle tested at events of every kind, year after year.

Our team

We know events.
And we know technology.

Our founding team blends years of running events with deep technology experience. That combination is why FastBar works the way events really do.

We're event organizers
We've planned, staffed and run events of our own. We know what's on the line when the doors open, because we've been there.
We're technologists
Deep experience building technology at scale, including many years at Microsoft. Not just an app, but a platform built to perform.
Rock solid reliability
There are no second chances on event day. FastBar keeps selling through the rush, at outdoor sites, and when your WiFi fails.
With you on event day
24/7 support is available, and our team can be on-site when you need us.