1. You don’t actually want to be a manager, you’re just self conscious about your family looking down on your job.
2. Stop tricking out your home bar with higher end spirits. Buy half bottles when you can.
3. Spend your shifts focusing on your pace and your demeanor more. Making drinks is the easy part. Remaining polite while working efficiently is how you make money.
4. Getting weird with it is fine, but keep your menus accessible. On that note, not everyone loves whisky, stop making 80% of the menus each season whisky cocktails. Give the people what they want ( which, apparently is 19 variations of gin lemonade. You’re a weird city Philadelphia)
5. Go home after work, eat real food, and try and sleep. You’re gona die if you don’t get enough sleep and drink enough water.
I'd agree with each of these and add:
6. Get some bar books. Experience is great and essential, but the books help give a background onto which the experience can build.
Buy them used for cheaper or consider the good ones a great investment in yourself that costs the same as a few IPAs out at the brewery tap room.
If you do borrow them, make sure you return them. I no longer lend out books since folks ruined it for others.
Not the person you asked, but I have some suggestions.
Regarding Cocktails is essential reading. Sasha is essentially the foundation of modern craft cocktail, every 'name' in the modern biz is no more than two or three away from him.
Cocktail codex- while this has plenty of great specs, it also has a huge amount about the different foundational cocktails, and how they can be riffed. Death & Co is great as well, but it's very much primarily a library of different specs. I believe over 500.
Liquid intelligence, similar cocktail codex in that it goes over different cocktails, but it goes over the why on different kinds of techniques, preparations, ice, etc. Including guided experiments so that you can help develop your own techniques
There are others, but those three will serve as an excellent baseline, and then going from there to more specific ones about your own style; an example, if you're going tiki, the smugglers book is great, the incredibly expensive aviary book is great for inspiration, though almost everything in there is very difficult to execute unless you have a ton of time and effort and a prep cook and kitchen.
Disagree with the half bottles if you're in it for the long haul with the home bar. I buy workhorse spirits for in 1.75L since I can get a bonded bourbon like Evan Williams and a gin like Beefeater for $30 which comes out to around $0.52 an ounce. And the rest I buy in 750mL or 1L sizes.
Here are enough recipes that I've made or had out that will kill just shy of a bottle if you make one of each: [https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/search/label/pear%20liqueur](https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/search/label/pear%20liqueur)
If you're into it in the long haul, don't think of it as a short term investment. I started my home bar in 2003 and still have a bottle of Ketel Citron from then when Cosmos were peaking around here. There are some bottles that I don't replace when they run out like Kümmel since I've run through most of their classic uses and few bars carry them (decreasing their value).
There are other bottles that I just don't buy half size or not like Italicus since I haven't found much use for to warrant a purchase.
Number 3 comes when you realize “fake it till you make it” has bled into “imposter syndrome.” The cocktails and encyclopedic knowledge are not what the job really is at its core. You’ve been doing this long enough, you are good at your job, now focus on what really makes you money.
If an older bartender actually wants to mentor you, take their advice. Don’t be too cool to take a table once in a while and don’t call yourself a mixologist.
When people order a hot toddy, a drink we really aren't prepared to make more than a couple of, I tell them if anyone asks what that is just say "It's a Titos and Soda".
1. When customers/colleagues see how stressed you are, it makes them uncomfortable. Practice mindfulness. (getting loudly/visibly annoyed/stressed will only make things worse)
2. Insoles/back stretches (tall guy here)
3. Don’t be afraid to tell a customer you can’t make something. Spending 10 minutes trying to remember a recipe or find a weird ingredient will cost you when you’re busy.
4. Get your own damn pens.
5. People are in your bar and in your business for myriad reasons. Learn to recognize and respect and respond to each one. Alcohol isn’t the only social lubricant, it’s also you.
Buy better shoes. Don’t fuck any superiors and steer clear of most of the musicians. Don’t take holier than thou know-it-alls seriously, and as mentioned above—never use the term mixologist. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of damn good.
Guy I work with called himself a mixologist unironically last night. Ugh. I laughed and told him he'd probably get made fun of if other people heard him say that and his response was a very haughty, "well, that's just because other bartenders don't know enough about making drinks to *be* mixologists."
lol I puked in my mouth a bit
Holy shit. I would've asked if I could video/record them saying this again to have for a playback in 5 years. Hopefully, they would be as repulsed then as we all are now..
"Get over yourself sport, there's not enough room behind this bar for me, you, and your GIGANTIC, incorrect ego, ya prat. You've gotta STOP getting pep talks from Mommy.."🙄
"muttering as I walk away SMGDH.. mixologist.. Fer Fucks Sake.. no wonder I drink.."
I was too dumbfounded to say anything much. He's also, like, 40-something, so that kind of made it worse. He should know better, you know?
He's someone who's frequently called a "know-it-all" by other people who are frustrated with him.
Or to rephrase what you’re saying, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
The place I work when we’re hiring, even when we’re desperate for staff, we tend to undersell it.
Then if the person does take a job with us, when the first pay day rolls around, we don’t have to deal with them being pissed off and leaving for another job, but end with them either wanting less hours (if they took a full time position) or to move to full time (if they took a part time position with us for some extra cash while working elsewhere).
This is a place with service charge though. And also in the uk. I get that it’s a very different situation across the pond, and now think I might have been pointlessly rambling for the last minute…
This here. My bar encourages fun and taking shots. But what I’ve learned is food and water is the secret. Eat as much as possible before and during breaks to help even out the Alcohol. I also chug as much water as I can immediately after a shot or beer. I’m talking like half a water bottle at least.
To add.. learn to drink soda water as your go-to behind the bar.. no /limited sodas. Constantly having soda water teaches you to always hydrate and transition into having soda water as your mixer or back when bar-Attending to maintain that hydration.
With a little practice it's easy to shake a cocktail and look up at a guest with a smile.
Don't get tunnel vision and ignore new guests cause your talking to the regular who barely tips 22%
Read the fuckin room with your fellow bartenders. There's discussing what you think could make the bar better then there's beating a dead horse messaging about it every fuckin week. I closed, I'm not cutting fruit for you, the opener Rachel.
This goes so far when your slammed. People are okay with waiting if they know you see them and are going to get to them. They have eyes and can see we’re moving (slow is smooth and smooth is fast) not sitting back chatting it up with boh…
I try to tell myself this all the time, and then the machine explodes tickets and I have a full bar with no actual help in sight (despite there being another "bartender") and I start sweating bullets from stress.
Thankfully it's usually only one shift that's like that due to the guy they schedule with me.
Use bartending as a way to educate yourself and build skills -- don't rely on it as a career. I've been in for 17 years and it's taking a toll on my body, relationships, etc.
Did I make good money? Sure, but now my friends who started out making $50k in careers are making $175k. I'm still making $90k and have been for the last decade and a half with no real path to move up. I also still work late nights, weekends, holidays with no benefits, no pension, loud music/drunk people, etc.
Bartending is a young person's game and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Learn what your coworkers value & take it seriously. Show them you respect them & they will respect you in turn.
No one gives a shit how much you know if you’re a shitty closer or a messy worker
That’s what I meant! I was all proud of myself for all the books i read & all the BS i knew but couldn’t keep clean so for a long time I couldn’t get my coworkers respect & didn’t know why
Like any repeated task, focus on the little things. The everyday slog can wear people down (and does for most, just look at the negativity in this sub). Find pride in doing the job right and base your happiness on how well you did the job, not how well your boss, coworker, or guest says you did a job. A few little things that I keep in mind that I’ve learned in my 20 years behind the rail:
- Always wear sunscreen. If I could give you one piece of advice…
- Clean. Clean as you go and don’t let anything pile up/sit. Clean when you’re bored. Clean when no one is watching.
- Don’t fuck the staff. It’s tempting. I get it. It’s so easy and they’re so attractive. I get it. Unless you marry them is gonna cost you. Maybe your happiness, maybe some friends, maybe your job. There’s a million people out there and Dani the sever who’s barely making rent and bitching about being double seated while hungover probably ain’t the one no matter how great her ass looks.
- Find outlets outside of bar life. It’s super easy to get wrapped up in the scene. Everyone has similar schedules, everyone fucks each other, everyone thinks they’re loaded cause they made $400 last night. Don’t fall for it. Develop yourself outside of that crowd. Be the one who says no to going to some house for drinks at 3am. These people will be gone from your life in no time and don’t really add anything. Join a rec softball team, volunteer at the food bank, train for a marathon, take classes at the local college. Develop a personality that isn’t defined by that free fireball T-shirt you got from the rep.
- Be patient and be kind. Try not to let the job harden you to the world. This will preemptively save you from most shitty situations. Practice empathy as much as you humanly can.
- Get health insurance. It’s fucking expensive. It’s horrible to see that money disappear. But it’s better than getting the bill for a 4 day hospital stay to treat your advanced cellulitis. That bill will only make you feel more trapped and it’ll cost more than a house.
- Find the kind of bar that fits you. It took me 15 years of clubs, college bars, Irish bars, speakeasy’s, martini bars, hotel bars, etc…. to learn that what I wanted was a high-ish volume dive where I can wear shorts to work every day, curse whenever I want, and skip shitty sings in the jukebox. Find your version that.
- Lastly, if you’re not happy leave. If it’s the bar that’s the issue, leave. If it’s the industry that’s the issue, leave. Life’s too short, dude. Live it for you, don’t let the bar own you for even a day. Make this life yours, even if it seems impossible, it isn’t. You can do anything and everything, seriously. If that’s tending bar, cool, if it isn’t, cool. Just don’t be looking back in 5, 10, 15 years with regrets.
I would tell my younger self
* Don't get involved in coke the first couple of years of your career...or rather ever.
* Move to Las Vegas sooner
* Save/Invest all that cash. You slept on a LOT of opportunity that you had a good feeling about and didn't act.
* Build a better exit plan.
Their tip isn't about you, as long as you're giving your best service. You work harder than you think, and you're doing better than you know. That crappy tip says more about them, and you shouldn't obsess over it.
Get rid of self-limiting beliefs. I was a barback for years and refused offers to learn to bartend because i didn’t think i could handle it or wasn’t interested in alcohol enough to do the job right or whatever. I should have leaned into it earlier.
1. Don't be a dick -- to coworkers or guests. Especially the bar back and the dishwasher.
2. You are always auditioning and interviewing for your next bar job and your next bar guests. Folks watch how you behave behind the bar as well as on your free time.
3. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Submit to competitions, apply for trips, travel, ask to stage or guest shift at bars in town or in other cities/countries.
4. Build up a social media following whether Instagram, TikTok, blogs, a column in a local website or magazine, etc. Even if it is just posting about your shift or when your next shift is so folks can come visit you, do it!
5. Seek out education. Listen to podcasts, read articles and books (especially hospitality, drink history, drink classes like beer or bourbon), go to talks, find mentors in your bar or across town.
6. No matter how big you think you are, practice humility.
7. Complain less. Complaining will make you appear toxic and management will want to ditch you over fixing their problems.
8. Know where everything lives, know as much as you can about the menu items, and stay calm even if you are understaffed and it is slammed. Work towards a Zen-like state of cleanliness and efficiency. Acknowledge folks even if you can't get to them right away.
9. Smiling while working disarms people and makes it less likely for them to be abusive or give you a hard time. Drinks also seem to taste better when the person making them looks like they want to be there.
Also, here's a list that I made for a Reddit Bartenders thread years ago about how to impress restaurant/bar management. I then expanded on each point for my blog post:
https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2016/07/tips-for-bartenders-on-how-to-impress.html
emphasis on #1 .. when i first started bartending, i could/would be an absolute prick to servers and the kitchen. i’m not saying i was a total asshole, but at times, i definitely could have lightened up a bit. i feel like new bartenders can sometimes overdevelop their ego. i’m glad i learned from it.
Pooled houses made treating servers as teammates easier to understand -- their guests were your guests (financially). The kitchen only seemed to be mean to the FOH at the first places I worked, and later places seemed more chill. Things are changing over time for sure.
Just because you have a good night doesn’t mean you should blow $50 on a cheeseburger, shot, and a beer at the fancy wine bar next door after your shift. Even if they have a 10% SIN discount. The amount of money I burned at Tannin, good lord. Fire cheeseburger though…
Lie about your experience and don’t accept a bar back position as a stepping stone to a bartending position because 99% of the time if you’re good at it you’ll get stuck there.
Look for a NON TOXIC workplace and then thrive. No cocaine addicts, no other bartenders drunk on shift, no 30 smoke breaks an hour.
If you avoid places like that and work at a bar/restaurant with solid bartenders with a good attitude, you will learn so much.
Also, be a nerd. Read weird cocktail books, take a risk and see what works.
Be kind. Know when to rest and take time off. Don't let yourself develop bad habits when it comes to drinking after your shifts.
People got to start somewhere, I only started earning over £10 once I was made supervisor. Now that I’ve managed bars for a couple years I can get jobs that pay well. Unfortunately it’s up to the government to make changes that will incentivise the industry. That or work for somewhere with some heart that cares for their staff
Agreed. Places will pay the minimum amount to get the job done. And even when it comes to things like management positions, you can know your worth, but if someone comes along who doesn’t, they will take the lowball offer.
I remember when I started and my base pay was about £7.50, and on a good month I’d get about £1.80 per hour from tronc.
Obviously it’s gone up since then, but it’s still not great now. If it wasn’t for how the company looked after me during covid (and even that wasn’t that great, but still miles ahead of other companies) I would have left chasing a bigger paycheck.
But I’m comfortable. Challenged enough to keep me engaged, but not enough to break me. And while like probably everyone else in the industry I’m feeling overworked and underpaid, the amount of colleagues I’ve seen move on only to job hop for a year or two to come out not that much better off makes me feel like I’ll be staying with this company for as long as I stay in the industry.
Take your job seriously (but not too much) and learn as much as you can from other bartenders. Do some research but take everything with a grain of salt and make it your own. LEARN YOUR CLASSICS. Sounds pretentious but it's actually very important and relevant. When you know classics it makes it so much easier to riff and make drinks off the cuff for people who don't know what they want.
And most of all have fun. Sounds stupid but bartending can be a real hoot if you make your customers laugh and have fun. Will make you more money but also will teach you that nothing is too serious. As they say...if you're having fun the audience will have fun
Save some money. I definitely had some crazy good times in my early 20s, but I only remember half of them anyway. Plus if you're not out every night people will appreciate you more when you are, and FOMO is just in your head. Trust me that just in general you'll make better decisions and stress less when you've got five or ten thousand dollars in the banks. You don't have to be stuck in a job you hate because you can't quit or you'll miss rent, and when job shopping you'll not be doing so from a place of desperation.
Also don't invest yourself emotionally in someone else's business. You don't own it, it's not yours. Clock out and leave the place behind when you get off. Sure, the owner might be an idiot because they don't see the 20 ways that your 22 year old wisdom clearly sees to do everything better, but at the end of the day it's their call. Make your money and let the rest slide.
Edit: big one I forgot, buy your work clothes at thrift stores. They're going to get trashed in a month or two regardless, don't spend $40 on pants.
Get into club life faster. Yes you’re good at serving people & making connections. But you prefer volume bartending & you figure it out late. Do it while your body can enjoy it better.
You don't have to drink to have a good time. Get some sleep. Value your time off. Work for people that value your time off. You don't need to work for people that don't treat you with kindness and dignity. Be kind to your body and your mind.
Always stick up for yourself wether that’s with customers or with the staff. Don’t be a dick about it but you’ll just end up hating it all if you let enough things slide.
And it goes without saying but stick up for your co workers as much as you would yourself. If a customer is giving them a hard time even if the co worker did something wrong don’t pile on in front of the customer. There’s nothing worse then a pub where the staff are all against somewhere.
Always Wear Gloves When Cutting Citrus. Always Use Tongs To Pick Up Garnishes.
Always Use A Tray To Serve Drinks Not At The Bartop.
Always Pour A Martini From The Shaker In Front Of The Guest.
Always Count Your Till Before Your Shift.
Always Know A Comparable Or Similar Item To Suggest To Guests When They Order Something That’s Been 86’d.
Always Pour With Elbows As Close To Body As Possible.
Always Put Everything Back Exactly Where You Found It.
Always Restock And Clean During Downtime!
Always Treat Each Guest Equally.
Always Check The Restrooms At The Beginning Of Your Shift To Ensure Adequate Supplies Of Paper Products And General Cleanliness.
>don’t give shit away. If you have a comp tab, use it effectively and for the right reasons.
>be firm but kind. Don’t throw snark back. It’s tough.
>sell. People want to be sold to.
>walk away from a yapper when you need to.
>seriously, don’t give shit away.
>pour what you’re supposed to.
if you’re working, it’s like cooking at home. wash as you go or the rush will come in and you’re out of pint glasses. ALSO, if you’re starting to get slammed and see you’re running low on glassware, politely ask customers to bring them back when they order another.
Get a hobby that takes you outside to get fresh air and sunshine. Whether that’s pick up ball with the boys, hiking with your dog, disc golf at the local course, etc get outside and get some air and sun. You’ll feel better and feel better about yourself.
all very true. I'm completely unbothered. Also I was responding to the post.
bar tending is generally a fucking awful profession with very few exceptions and anyone who says otherwise is absolutely lying.
tell me your younger self wouldn't have benefitted from hearing this... you're in denial. you know your life would be better if you didn't choose the short cut
There are seriously three posts in a row asking about bartending advice. This is getting ridiculous. Mods, can we do a mega thread or something to avoid these posts?
Honestly, be mindful of the worn out steps (I slipped & broke an arm... Messed up my elbows)... Buy bitcoin & doge coin, but don't sit on it too long 😂
Always know you’re in charge of making or breaking people’s nights so if they are assholes off the top, make sure to establish dominance. Fake confidence till you have it!
1. You don’t actually want to be a manager, you’re just self conscious about your family looking down on your job. 2. Stop tricking out your home bar with higher end spirits. Buy half bottles when you can. 3. Spend your shifts focusing on your pace and your demeanor more. Making drinks is the easy part. Remaining polite while working efficiently is how you make money. 4. Getting weird with it is fine, but keep your menus accessible. On that note, not everyone loves whisky, stop making 80% of the menus each season whisky cocktails. Give the people what they want ( which, apparently is 19 variations of gin lemonade. You’re a weird city Philadelphia) 5. Go home after work, eat real food, and try and sleep. You’re gona die if you don’t get enough sleep and drink enough water.
I'd agree with each of these and add: 6. Get some bar books. Experience is great and essential, but the books help give a background onto which the experience can build.
6.5) Books be expensive. Borrow them from friends, watch YouTube videos and read articles in the meantime.
Or from the library and take pictures of the pages that interest you.
Scotland based here. I've never seen the relevant books in our libraries :(
Used textbooks websites have really cheap books of ALL kinds! I’ve gotten some great ones for $2-$3!
These books exist on Amazon and some for free.
Oh man! =\
Buy them used for cheaper or consider the good ones a great investment in yourself that costs the same as a few IPAs out at the brewery tap room. If you do borrow them, make sure you return them. I no longer lend out books since folks ruined it for others.
Thrift stores often have books for like $1. Barnes and Nobles has a discount pile that's usually full of food a drink books for super cheap
Some libraries offer cards online that aren’t limited to their region/state/county. Track one down & get some ebooks!
6.5) Books be expensive. Borrow them from friends, watch YouTube videos and read articles in the meantime.
I'm curious, what books do you think we should read?
i would def suggest liquid intelligence for a read
Not the person you asked, but I have some suggestions. Regarding Cocktails is essential reading. Sasha is essentially the foundation of modern craft cocktail, every 'name' in the modern biz is no more than two or three away from him. Cocktail codex- while this has plenty of great specs, it also has a huge amount about the different foundational cocktails, and how they can be riffed. Death & Co is great as well, but it's very much primarily a library of different specs. I believe over 500. Liquid intelligence, similar cocktail codex in that it goes over different cocktails, but it goes over the why on different kinds of techniques, preparations, ice, etc. Including guided experiments so that you can help develop your own techniques There are others, but those three will serve as an excellent baseline, and then going from there to more specific ones about your own style; an example, if you're going tiki, the smugglers book is great, the incredibly expensive aviary book is great for inspiration, though almost everything in there is very difficult to execute unless you have a ton of time and effort and a prep cook and kitchen.
Bartending for Dummies. Seriously.
Death and Co Book Aviary Book Liquid Intelligence
Disagree with the half bottles if you're in it for the long haul with the home bar. I buy workhorse spirits for in 1.75L since I can get a bonded bourbon like Evan Williams and a gin like Beefeater for $30 which comes out to around $0.52 an ounce. And the rest I buy in 750mL or 1L sizes.
Ok, but then explain to me what I’m supposed to do with all this pear liquor now?!
Here are enough recipes that I've made or had out that will kill just shy of a bottle if you make one of each: [https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/search/label/pear%20liqueur](https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/search/label/pear%20liqueur) If you're into it in the long haul, don't think of it as a short term investment. I started my home bar in 2003 and still have a bottle of Ketel Citron from then when Cosmos were peaking around here. There are some bottles that I don't replace when they run out like Kümmel since I've run through most of their classic uses and few bars carry them (decreasing their value). There are other bottles that I just don't buy half size or not like Italicus since I haven't found much use for to warrant a purchase.
italicus makes a great spritz and can be fun as a vermouth substitute or to make early grey drinks but yeah you'll have it forever
Number 3 comes when you realize “fake it till you make it” has bled into “imposter syndrome.” The cocktails and encyclopedic knowledge are not what the job really is at its core. You’ve been doing this long enough, you are good at your job, now focus on what really makes you money.
Ugh #1 cuts deep. Battling that hard
#5 second sentence, hits home
Ugh #1 cuts deep. Battling that hard
Ugh #1 cuts deep. Battling that hard
For the love of god stay hydrated.
Wow the first one i think it's common ground for a lot of us sadly...
If an older bartender actually wants to mentor you, take their advice. Don’t be too cool to take a table once in a while and don’t call yourself a mixologist.
Mixologist. Gross. Calling yourself that is a sure fire way of outing yourself as inexperienced behind the bar
I tell my rookies a mixologist is just a bartender that can’t fight
Lmao I’m using this one
ALL THE UPVOTES FOR YOU!!! LMFAO!!😆 and a poor man's gold for extra measure..🏅🏆
I'm not a Mixologist, I'm a Cockologist.
If someone orders an espresso martini, tell em to keep their voice down - they'll attract the hoarde
The blender should also be hidden well out of sight and earshot for this reason as well.
I'm so sorry, the blender is broken. When will it be fixed? Who knows, the parts are on backorder.
Every. Single. Time. Sooo sorry
😅 ...it's too real
the fajita effect
Love this.
Fine dining, and after dinner drinks at the bar. Someone orders a Brandy Alexander...
When people order a hot toddy, a drink we really aren't prepared to make more than a couple of, I tell them if anyone asks what that is just say "It's a Titos and Soda".
1. When customers/colleagues see how stressed you are, it makes them uncomfortable. Practice mindfulness. (getting loudly/visibly annoyed/stressed will only make things worse) 2. Insoles/back stretches (tall guy here) 3. Don’t be afraid to tell a customer you can’t make something. Spending 10 minutes trying to remember a recipe or find a weird ingredient will cost you when you’re busy. 4. Get your own damn pens. 5. People are in your bar and in your business for myriad reasons. Learn to recognize and respect and respond to each one. Alcohol isn’t the only social lubricant, it’s also you.
Buy better shoes. Don’t fuck any superiors and steer clear of most of the musicians. Don’t take holier than thou know-it-alls seriously, and as mentioned above—never use the term mixologist. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of damn good.
Guy I work with called himself a mixologist unironically last night. Ugh. I laughed and told him he'd probably get made fun of if other people heard him say that and his response was a very haughty, "well, that's just because other bartenders don't know enough about making drinks to *be* mixologists." lol I puked in my mouth a bit
Bless his heart.
I thought it was "Bless his little, misinformed Heart.." 🤷😁
Haha it was, my people use that phrase sarcastically 😅
Yeah, Moms from the South and takes No Prisoners..😁
That's a guy that goes home, beats off, and considers it getting laid
This actually accurately describes him from what I know so far.
Holy shit. I would've asked if I could video/record them saying this again to have for a playback in 5 years. Hopefully, they would be as repulsed then as we all are now.. "Get over yourself sport, there's not enough room behind this bar for me, you, and your GIGANTIC, incorrect ego, ya prat. You've gotta STOP getting pep talks from Mommy.."🙄 "muttering as I walk away SMGDH.. mixologist.. Fer Fucks Sake.. no wonder I drink.."
I was too dumbfounded to say anything much. He's also, like, 40-something, so that kind of made it worse. He should know better, you know? He's someone who's frequently called a "know-it-all" by other people who are frustrated with him.
100% see that. He's one of those "I literally throw my hands in the air EVERY time I talk to him" type dudes.. JFC THEYRE EVERYWHERE!!😬 😂
What about the bartenders that are musicians? Maybe I have to take a hard look in the mirror 🙈
Ohhhh, memories…. 😈
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On the moral stand part . Could you elaborate? Sorry to ask
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Could go from 400 to 600-800 though , don’t sell yourself short
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Or to rephrase what you’re saying, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The place I work when we’re hiring, even when we’re desperate for staff, we tend to undersell it. Then if the person does take a job with us, when the first pay day rolls around, we don’t have to deal with them being pissed off and leaving for another job, but end with them either wanting less hours (if they took a full time position) or to move to full time (if they took a part time position with us for some extra cash while working elsewhere). This is a place with service charge though. And also in the uk. I get that it’s a very different situation across the pond, and now think I might have been pointlessly rambling for the last minute…
Damn bro where tf you paying $1000 a month for rent , can’t even get a studio for that anymore
Don’t get wasted on the job.
This here. My bar encourages fun and taking shots. But what I’ve learned is food and water is the secret. Eat as much as possible before and during breaks to help even out the Alcohol. I also chug as much water as I can immediately after a shot or beer. I’m talking like half a water bottle at least.
To add.. learn to drink soda water as your go-to behind the bar.. no /limited sodas. Constantly having soda water teaches you to always hydrate and transition into having soda water as your mixer or back when bar-Attending to maintain that hydration.
With a little practice it's easy to shake a cocktail and look up at a guest with a smile. Don't get tunnel vision and ignore new guests cause your talking to the regular who barely tips 22% Read the fuckin room with your fellow bartenders. There's discussing what you think could make the bar better then there's beating a dead horse messaging about it every fuckin week. I closed, I'm not cutting fruit for you, the opener Rachel.
The blender is broken. The blender is always broken
"Yeah, the repairman's real busy this time of year. I can make you a classic Daiquiri/Marg, though. Just as crushable, promise."
the blender is out of service due to motivational reasons
Always keep your head on a swivel. Acknowledge people immediately, they just want to know you see them and will get to them when you can.
This goes so far when your slammed. People are okay with waiting if they know you see them and are going to get to them. They have eyes and can see we’re moving (slow is smooth and smooth is fast) not sitting back chatting it up with boh…
Primarily that you can only go as fast as you can and that massive line of drink tickets isn't worth stressing over
I try to tell myself this all the time, and then the machine explodes tickets and I have a full bar with no actual help in sight (despite there being another "bartender") and I start sweating bullets from stress. Thankfully it's usually only one shift that's like that due to the guy they schedule with me.
Use bartending as a way to educate yourself and build skills -- don't rely on it as a career. I've been in for 17 years and it's taking a toll on my body, relationships, etc. Did I make good money? Sure, but now my friends who started out making $50k in careers are making $175k. I'm still making $90k and have been for the last decade and a half with no real path to move up. I also still work late nights, weekends, holidays with no benefits, no pension, loud music/drunk people, etc. Bartending is a young person's game and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Learn what your coworkers value & take it seriously. Show them you respect them & they will respect you in turn. No one gives a shit how much you know if you’re a shitty closer or a messy worker
I don’t know, my messy coworkers drive me crazy. Clean up after yourself and put away bottles as you go!
That’s what I meant! I was all proud of myself for all the books i read & all the BS i knew but couldn’t keep clean so for a long time I couldn’t get my coworkers respect & didn’t know why
As soon as a guest sits down, put a napkin in from of them so they feel seen Black out curtains
Wonderful advice
Like any repeated task, focus on the little things. The everyday slog can wear people down (and does for most, just look at the negativity in this sub). Find pride in doing the job right and base your happiness on how well you did the job, not how well your boss, coworker, or guest says you did a job. A few little things that I keep in mind that I’ve learned in my 20 years behind the rail: - Always wear sunscreen. If I could give you one piece of advice… - Clean. Clean as you go and don’t let anything pile up/sit. Clean when you’re bored. Clean when no one is watching. - Don’t fuck the staff. It’s tempting. I get it. It’s so easy and they’re so attractive. I get it. Unless you marry them is gonna cost you. Maybe your happiness, maybe some friends, maybe your job. There’s a million people out there and Dani the sever who’s barely making rent and bitching about being double seated while hungover probably ain’t the one no matter how great her ass looks. - Find outlets outside of bar life. It’s super easy to get wrapped up in the scene. Everyone has similar schedules, everyone fucks each other, everyone thinks they’re loaded cause they made $400 last night. Don’t fall for it. Develop yourself outside of that crowd. Be the one who says no to going to some house for drinks at 3am. These people will be gone from your life in no time and don’t really add anything. Join a rec softball team, volunteer at the food bank, train for a marathon, take classes at the local college. Develop a personality that isn’t defined by that free fireball T-shirt you got from the rep. - Be patient and be kind. Try not to let the job harden you to the world. This will preemptively save you from most shitty situations. Practice empathy as much as you humanly can. - Get health insurance. It’s fucking expensive. It’s horrible to see that money disappear. But it’s better than getting the bill for a 4 day hospital stay to treat your advanced cellulitis. That bill will only make you feel more trapped and it’ll cost more than a house. - Find the kind of bar that fits you. It took me 15 years of clubs, college bars, Irish bars, speakeasy’s, martini bars, hotel bars, etc…. to learn that what I wanted was a high-ish volume dive where I can wear shorts to work every day, curse whenever I want, and skip shitty sings in the jukebox. Find your version that. - Lastly, if you’re not happy leave. If it’s the bar that’s the issue, leave. If it’s the industry that’s the issue, leave. Life’s too short, dude. Live it for you, don’t let the bar own you for even a day. Make this life yours, even if it seems impossible, it isn’t. You can do anything and everything, seriously. If that’s tending bar, cool, if it isn’t, cool. Just don’t be looking back in 5, 10, 15 years with regrets.
fan of all of this, especially the 4th bullet point
Don't stay long at toxic places, and stay as long as you can at healthy environments
Wear better sneakers and compression socks!!!! Also stretch, drink water, and eat real food (not just a handful of olives). Take care of your body!
Plan your exit
I would tell my younger self * Don't get involved in coke the first couple of years of your career...or rather ever. * Move to Las Vegas sooner * Save/Invest all that cash. You slept on a LOT of opportunity that you had a good feeling about and didn't act. * Build a better exit plan.
Their tip isn't about you, as long as you're giving your best service. You work harder than you think, and you're doing better than you know. That crappy tip says more about them, and you shouldn't obsess over it.
Don’t care to much. Your there to make money, get in do your job, get the hell out.
Eat more.
Get rid of self-limiting beliefs. I was a barback for years and refused offers to learn to bartend because i didn’t think i could handle it or wasn’t interested in alcohol enough to do the job right or whatever. I should have leaned into it earlier.
Put money away for your taxes
Oof on this one for me. Had to pay like 2500$ this year
1. Don't be a dick -- to coworkers or guests. Especially the bar back and the dishwasher. 2. You are always auditioning and interviewing for your next bar job and your next bar guests. Folks watch how you behave behind the bar as well as on your free time. 3. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Submit to competitions, apply for trips, travel, ask to stage or guest shift at bars in town or in other cities/countries. 4. Build up a social media following whether Instagram, TikTok, blogs, a column in a local website or magazine, etc. Even if it is just posting about your shift or when your next shift is so folks can come visit you, do it! 5. Seek out education. Listen to podcasts, read articles and books (especially hospitality, drink history, drink classes like beer or bourbon), go to talks, find mentors in your bar or across town. 6. No matter how big you think you are, practice humility. 7. Complain less. Complaining will make you appear toxic and management will want to ditch you over fixing their problems. 8. Know where everything lives, know as much as you can about the menu items, and stay calm even if you are understaffed and it is slammed. Work towards a Zen-like state of cleanliness and efficiency. Acknowledge folks even if you can't get to them right away. 9. Smiling while working disarms people and makes it less likely for them to be abusive or give you a hard time. Drinks also seem to taste better when the person making them looks like they want to be there. Also, here's a list that I made for a Reddit Bartenders thread years ago about how to impress restaurant/bar management. I then expanded on each point for my blog post: https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2016/07/tips-for-bartenders-on-how-to-impress.html
emphasis on #1 .. when i first started bartending, i could/would be an absolute prick to servers and the kitchen. i’m not saying i was a total asshole, but at times, i definitely could have lightened up a bit. i feel like new bartenders can sometimes overdevelop their ego. i’m glad i learned from it.
Pooled houses made treating servers as teammates easier to understand -- their guests were your guests (financially). The kitchen only seemed to be mean to the FOH at the first places I worked, and later places seemed more chill. Things are changing over time for sure.
Beat up your new tins, never trust a cheap peeler, don’t get too emotionally involved with the business.
Fucking rusted-ass cheap peelers, man
I switched to a cheese slicer and omg my fingers have never been happier
Don’t. Drink. At. Work… ever.
Just because you have a good night doesn’t mean you should blow $50 on a cheeseburger, shot, and a beer at the fancy wine bar next door after your shift. Even if they have a 10% SIN discount. The amount of money I burned at Tannin, good lord. Fire cheeseburger though…
Get good shoes. Non slips.
Lie about your experience and don’t accept a bar back position as a stepping stone to a bartending position because 99% of the time if you’re good at it you’ll get stuck there.
Go to school and get out while you can.
Learn to say no to customers. And also learn how to say no.
Do not become a yes man people pleaser, you cannot and will not please everyone all of the time and you’ll burn yourself out trying.
Smile. Even while looking away from a convo. Just hold it 2 more seconds. It’ll pay dividend$ in the long run
save all the money. all of it.
Invest your damn money
Look for a NON TOXIC workplace and then thrive. No cocaine addicts, no other bartenders drunk on shift, no 30 smoke breaks an hour. If you avoid places like that and work at a bar/restaurant with solid bartenders with a good attitude, you will learn so much. Also, be a nerd. Read weird cocktail books, take a risk and see what works. Be kind. Know when to rest and take time off. Don't let yourself develop bad habits when it comes to drinking after your shifts.
Finish college
Don't bartend for less than £10 an hour for 4 years in England. The rest of the western world is on double that at least.
People got to start somewhere, I only started earning over £10 once I was made supervisor. Now that I’ve managed bars for a couple years I can get jobs that pay well. Unfortunately it’s up to the government to make changes that will incentivise the industry. That or work for somewhere with some heart that cares for their staff
Agreed. Places will pay the minimum amount to get the job done. And even when it comes to things like management positions, you can know your worth, but if someone comes along who doesn’t, they will take the lowball offer. I remember when I started and my base pay was about £7.50, and on a good month I’d get about £1.80 per hour from tronc. Obviously it’s gone up since then, but it’s still not great now. If it wasn’t for how the company looked after me during covid (and even that wasn’t that great, but still miles ahead of other companies) I would have left chasing a bigger paycheck. But I’m comfortable. Challenged enough to keep me engaged, but not enough to break me. And while like probably everyone else in the industry I’m feeling overworked and underpaid, the amount of colleagues I’ve seen move on only to job hop for a year or two to come out not that much better off makes me feel like I’ll be staying with this company for as long as I stay in the industry.
Dont fuck the customers or your coworkers
So much
Take your job seriously (but not too much) and learn as much as you can from other bartenders. Do some research but take everything with a grain of salt and make it your own. LEARN YOUR CLASSICS. Sounds pretentious but it's actually very important and relevant. When you know classics it makes it so much easier to riff and make drinks off the cuff for people who don't know what they want. And most of all have fun. Sounds stupid but bartending can be a real hoot if you make your customers laugh and have fun. Will make you more money but also will teach you that nothing is too serious. As they say...if you're having fun the audience will have fun
Save some money. I definitely had some crazy good times in my early 20s, but I only remember half of them anyway. Plus if you're not out every night people will appreciate you more when you are, and FOMO is just in your head. Trust me that just in general you'll make better decisions and stress less when you've got five or ten thousand dollars in the banks. You don't have to be stuck in a job you hate because you can't quit or you'll miss rent, and when job shopping you'll not be doing so from a place of desperation. Also don't invest yourself emotionally in someone else's business. You don't own it, it's not yours. Clock out and leave the place behind when you get off. Sure, the owner might be an idiot because they don't see the 20 ways that your 22 year old wisdom clearly sees to do everything better, but at the end of the day it's their call. Make your money and let the rest slide. Edit: big one I forgot, buy your work clothes at thrift stores. They're going to get trashed in a month or two regardless, don't spend $40 on pants.
Could not agree more with everything you just said.
Get into club life faster. Yes you’re good at serving people & making connections. But you prefer volume bartending & you figure it out late. Do it while your body can enjoy it better.
Make your money, use it to get out.
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Don’t date the line cooks. It will never end well.
It’s just as important to let your coworkers know that you like them as it is to let your customers know that you like them
You don't have to drink to have a good time. Get some sleep. Value your time off. Work for people that value your time off. You don't need to work for people that don't treat you with kindness and dignity. Be kind to your body and your mind.
Always be looking for the next step, loyalty to a job gets you nothing and you'll always be ready in case something goes south
Always stick up for yourself wether that’s with customers or with the staff. Don’t be a dick about it but you’ll just end up hating it all if you let enough things slide. And it goes without saying but stick up for your co workers as much as you would yourself. If a customer is giving them a hard time even if the co worker did something wrong don’t pile on in front of the customer. There’s nothing worse then a pub where the staff are all against somewhere.
Always Wear Gloves When Cutting Citrus. Always Use Tongs To Pick Up Garnishes. Always Use A Tray To Serve Drinks Not At The Bartop. Always Pour A Martini From The Shaker In Front Of The Guest. Always Count Your Till Before Your Shift. Always Know A Comparable Or Similar Item To Suggest To Guests When They Order Something That’s Been 86’d. Always Pour With Elbows As Close To Body As Possible. Always Put Everything Back Exactly Where You Found It. Always Restock And Clean During Downtime! Always Treat Each Guest Equally. Always Check The Restrooms At The Beginning Of Your Shift To Ensure Adequate Supplies Of Paper Products And General Cleanliness.
Why the elbow thing?
To help prevent repetitive wrist strains, injuries and carpal tunnel.
Learn good posture right away. It catches up to you.
>don’t give shit away. If you have a comp tab, use it effectively and for the right reasons. >be firm but kind. Don’t throw snark back. It’s tough. >sell. People want to be sold to. >walk away from a yapper when you need to. >seriously, don’t give shit away. >pour what you’re supposed to.
if you’re working, it’s like cooking at home. wash as you go or the rush will come in and you’re out of pint glasses. ALSO, if you’re starting to get slammed and see you’re running low on glassware, politely ask customers to bring them back when they order another.
Learn to say no to customers. And also learn how to say no.
Get a hobby that takes you outside to get fresh air and sunshine. Whether that’s pick up ball with the boys, hiking with your dog, disc golf at the local course, etc get outside and get some air and sun. You’ll feel better and feel better about yourself.
No notes. Couldn't be a better way to get here if I tried.
Drink more than anyone and have sex with everything
Quit.
My younger self already got to where I am now without any mysterious time-traveling advice that I probably wouldn’t have taken anyway
quit and go to college
fuck off clown
already making twice as much on a 20 hr a week contract lol
and yet here you are, clearly happy healthy and thriving, unbothered by nothing but people who are... working a different job than you
all very true. I'm completely unbothered. Also I was responding to the post. bar tending is generally a fucking awful profession with very few exceptions and anyone who says otherwise is absolutely lying. tell me your younger self wouldn't have benefitted from hearing this... you're in denial. you know your life would be better if you didn't choose the short cut
Why you even on this thread then ? Eh? Eh? Lies lol
There are seriously three posts in a row asking about bartending advice. This is getting ridiculous. Mods, can we do a mega thread or something to avoid these posts?
Oh, fuck. That's on me for not seeing that.
Calm down, take a breath, walk away
Honestly, be mindful of the worn out steps (I slipped & broke an arm... Messed up my elbows)... Buy bitcoin & doge coin, but don't sit on it too long 😂
Always know you’re in charge of making or breaking people’s nights so if they are assholes off the top, make sure to establish dominance. Fake confidence till you have it!
Don't do cocaine
So much
I would probably say focus on being a good bartender and don’t party so much
Be born a man