Bartending Pro Tips Part 2: This article is a continuation of Bartending Pro Tips Part 1:How to Make Money and Have Fun With a Career In Bartending
8. If there is trouble or violence try, at all costs, to avoidcoming out from behind the bar. Raise your voice and attempt totake control verbally, while you are dialing 911. Many bars donot provide security. A personal friend of mine came out frombehind the bar and hit an assailant with a full bar bottle sincethe assault was against a woman. That bartender (who owned thebar) is still in prison not because the bad guy died days later,but because the bartender "came out from behind the bar."
9. Tip jars are sort of an optional thing, depending on thetype of bar. If you follow the sort of relationship-buildingtechniques I have suggested, then when your customer is cashingout it should be a face-to-face, handshake-to-handshakeexperience They are a lot more likely to deal with you fairly(maybe show off a little bit too) than if they can sneak a fewquarters and a dime into a tip jar when you are busy. If youhave waiter and waitress staff, one surly server can easily costyou a considerable amount, and that is only if you ever even seetheir tips. Tip and bar/service accounts should, in my opinion,be kept separate and are in many establishments.
10. That naturally brings me to keeping the other staff happy!Their ability to make money has to do with how well the drinksare made and how quickly they can deliver them, so there is adelicate balance between your bar customers and the tablecustomers. Keep an eye on your own customers, and try toanticipate when they might need another drink. Take care of it,in advance, and if you you are filling table orders (veryimportant) always acknowledge your bar customers and let themknow that you noticed. Assure them that their drink is comingright up!
11. Even if it is not within your job description, help thetable staff clean up and flip the chairs. Support them any wayyou can. The only time I would ever advise coming out frombehind the bar would be in defense of the staff, and, even then,yell loudly, several times (to staff mostly), for someone tocall 911. They will need to know that they have your support(even in if your place of employment has bouncers), so justalways do what you can to protect their sense of having a goodplace to work because, in spite of all your efforts to provide afun atmosphere for your customers, unhappy staff can detractfrom that.
12. When you have time, spend time talking with your
customers.Don't sit on a stool sipping a coke and obviously trying to findsome time alone, even if you are "on break." You can be on breakat home. Talk news, talk about local folks and interestingplaces, but more importantly try and get them talking about whatis important to them. They aren't in a library, they are in abar, and maybe they want to talk, a lot more than be talked to.It's easy to walk away when you get busy; they can wait and, ifthey can't, start gauging their intoxication level.
13. Thank every customer for having spent their time there withyou and, if possible, shake their hand. That sort of thing meansa lot to people and will keep them coming back. Look them in theeye, particularly when they are cashing out. (Tip Time)
14. If that moment isn't available, because you are otherwiseinvolved, when you see them rise to leave (and you are sure thebill is cleared), just yell over your shoulder "Hey (name)thanks! Be careful and come back, OK?"
15. Study any bartender's book on mixed libations carefully, butit's just as important to watch your co-workers mix drinks. Itis a craft that can be learned from experience. If anyonerequests a drink that might be from their local area, or by aname you are not familiar with, don't be ashamed to say "Hey, Idon't know it but I'll make it right now. Teach me!" They willusually be proud to.
Some bars are just crazy some nights, or are just always thatway, and you might be one of four or five bartenders with verylittle time to employ some of these techniques, especially withloud music or live bands. I know, I have worked in them as wellbut, even so, you will have brief moments when you can utilizethese suggestions and, believe me, they will pay off. Even withmultiple and busy bartending situations, customers will seek youout, try to sit near where you are working and, when you aren'tworking, they will ask when you are going to be working next.
By the way, once you have a "following," changing jobs is easy!
Bartending is a fun, interesting and lively job! I have made upto $50,000 a year bartending as a second job!
Find a place you enjoy living, a bar you like and ENJOY work fora change!
About the author:
Steve Landen has over 5 years of
bartending experienceunder his belt. He is a contributing writer forBartending-World.com, a bartending schoolresource site for current and aspiring bartenders.
