A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving RFID coverage using an antenna array having an adaptive antenna beam. The apparatus includes an RFID reader including an antenna array having a plurality of antenna elements. Subsets of the plurality of antenna elements are selectively activating in order to direct an antenna beam to communicate with at least one RFID tag. The method includes transmitting an interrogation signal from an antenna array by activating one or more subsets of a plurality of antenna elements forming the antenna array. In this way, the interrogation signal is directed thereby improving antenna coverage.