Bartender Diaries

THE GUIDE

An Educational and Entertaining Guide to Becoming a Better Bartender

By Joseph P Palmese

OVERVIEW

This guide has been created for only one purpose, to make a bartender better, based on a bartender’s perspective. Whether you are someone who wants to be a bartender, a bar manager that would like to manage their staff more effectively, or just someone who would like to do their job a little better, this guide can help. The Professional Bartenders that were consulted for this have several hundred years of bartending experience between them; they might not always be right… but they should never be ignored.

The Bar Experience should be exciting, fun and always exceed customer expectations; and a Professional Bartender combined with a competent, well trained staff, are necessary ingredients to accomplish this. The actual cocktail recipes can, and will change, based on the creativity of the person making the drink, the time of the year, (drinks get “warmer” in colder climates), and how bored a bartender is when he or she decides to “invent” a new drink. With the hundreds of thousands of bartenders on this planet, “inventing” a new drink for the very first time is pretty hard to prove. This guide is not about making a drink; it’s about working the bar more effectively and proficiently, and becoming what we consider to be a Professional Bartender.

Having the trepidation to initially become a bartender gives you the starting point, and the self-test that Bartender Advisory Group includes on our website will give you an idea of where you currently are and what you will need to focus on. We grade our participating bartenders much like critics grade a good bottle of wine, on a scale of 1 to 100; (known as our BAG Rating).

Anyone can be taught how to pour a drink, but only a true Professional Bartender knows how to pour a drink… when to pour a drink… and, if in fact, it should actually be poured at all.

The key elements included in this guide are essential for what we consider is a good, professional bartender. No one is perfect, and that includes bartenders; but they are asked to control costs, effectively manage the bar patrons and keep them entertained, while keeping the cash flow constant. Each of the following sections will involve the actual stories of our bartenders, as they work through their own situations. It is their life, and hopefully you can learn through their experiences.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ~ A PROFESSIONAL BARTENDER

CHAPTER 1 ~ PERSONALITY & STYLE

CHAPTER 2 ~ KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

CHAPTER 3 ~ CUSTOMER SERVICE & COMMON SENSE

CHAPTER 4 ~ INTEGRITY & ETHICS

CHAPTER 5 ~ BAR PRESENCE & SPEED

CHAPTER 6 ~ CREATIVITY

CHAPTER 7 ~ MANAGEMENT

CHAPTER 8 ~ BAR BACKS

EPILOGUE ~ SO YOU WHAT TO BE A BARTENDER

INTRODUCTION A PROFESSIONAL BARTENDER

Let’s start with what we consider to be a “Professional Bartender”. The person we enjoy going to visit to watch them work and deal with the ongoing madness that surrounds them. They are the confidant that we talk to, confess to, and eventually will come to know us. A good, professional bartender is a person that we all come to rely on, and eventually trust, with our most intimate secrets. On occasion, we have been known to fall in love with them; or at the very least, lust after them. These stories are about the real people who have chosen to be Professional Bartenders for their livelihood and family. These are not to be confused with the temporary employee who is either a full time student or is studying to be an actor.

There are many reasons to go to a bar; social interaction and meeting people, may be the most common. To be a part of the “scene”, talking to, and/or for some, just watching the customers around you. After that, there are only a few basic reasons to actually be sitting at the bar; first and to some, the only reason you are there to begin with, is that you need a drink… second, the bartender is attractive, and you enjoy the flirting sessions you are about to enter into. Next, you enjoy the bartender’s personality and fourth and most important in my mind, is the bartender’s abilities; (this includes experience, bar knowledge, professionalism, creativity, and their overall “bar presence”).

A Professional Bartender is all about customer service and being aware of his or her surroundings… what is actually going on around them. Experience comes with the time you spend behind the bar. Knowledge comes when you take the time to learn and remember. Professionalism is about pride, creativity is what you learn to do under pressure, and Bar Presence is basically common sense. Learn these and use them and you become successful, don’t, and eventually you move on to a new career or unemployment.

With a good Bar Presence, comes an Economy of Motion (Speed); with no wasted moves, or effort. Taking the time to do the job right the first time; from taking multiple drink orders instead of one at a time, to ringing up an order while passing the cash register… while you’re on your way to deliver another drink.

A bartender should look the part, be well groomed and be dressed appropriately, with a clean shirt or uniform. They should have pride in their bar and themselves.

Knowing the product is also essential for a professional bartender’s success. It is physically impossible to know the actual ingredients of literally tens of thousands of drinks, but a good bartender will know categories. “They will know that a tropical drink invented by that “special” bartender 2000 miles away, will at least have some type of rum and fruit juice, it’s a start”.

A professional bartender will know their limits, whether dealing with an obnoxious customer, diplomatically educating an arrogant manager, or “sampling” a cocktail while working behind the bar. Drinking while working is a questionable occurrence and one that can cause more trouble than it’s worth; it’s hard for a bartender that has had too much to drink, to recognize and cut off a customer that also has had too much to drink. Sampling newly made drinks or socially joining your customers will always be a choice a bartender must make, but knowing your limits will make it almost acceptable.

PERSONALITY & STYLE Is all about how a bartender interacts with the customers. Being pleasant and being able to talk to strangers, is a necessary requirement; after all, every customer is a stranger to you at least once. Some bartenders are comedians and love to tell jokes. Others are more concerned about their service level and will concentrate on the actual tasks at hand and only talk to customers when they have the time. A good bartender can do it all, while multi-tasking, and still have a good time while doing it… although telling a joke is considered an art; not everyone can pull it off. Some personality traits for you to consider:

 Fun, reserved, shy or outgoing?  A little Attitude – but not too much  Social – never ignoring a guest  Flirting, when its acceptable and when it’s not

Style can be taught; but is far better when you create your own. I little of this, a little of that, a slight flourish as the bartender pours a “straight up” martini from the just shaken mixing glass to a freshly chilled martini glass, adding the freshly prepared garnish, and looking into the customers eyes while gently placing the drink in front of the customer on a napkin that seemed to materialize out of nowhere, that’s style… and you should develop your own:  A little Flair – not the flipping bottle type  Shaken not stirred – should always be a good show and they each have their own purpose  Good Grooming (how you dress, your hair and clean finger nails)

COMMON SENSE Has your customer had too much to drink? A DUI conviction can cost your customer his driver’s license with possible jail time, and that’s if no one gets hurt. You may piss him off when you cut him off… but he’ll be back in a couple of days to apologize. Who is he at the bar with if not his wife? Do you really care? Or should you just offer good judgment and service and leave the moral issues to those better qualified to help.  Know your customers  Know your personal strengths and weaknesses

CUSTOMER SERVICE When it’s good it’s great… and should always exceed customer expectations. By “working” the bar, you keep your customers at the bar longer and the longer they stay the larger the bill and the bigger your tip. When customers decide to stay at your bar for dinner, primarily due to your bubbly personality and excellent service, their cost goes from a $30 bar tab to a dinner with a bottle of wine and may now approach $300.  Pay attention to their needs  Know your drinks and menu  Keep their area clean  Cater to their every need

INTEGRITY & ETHICS Either you have it or you don’t; being honest with your customers and your co-workers, will make for a more successful operation. It is also one of the toughest of the key ingredients of a bartender’s “makeup”. It’s not easy to convince a bartender that the ten drinks he didn’t charge for will eventually have an adverse effect on his earnings. Give away too many drinks, and your tips can actually be reduced, give away even more, than your tips can go away completely when you get caught by management. The customers become uncomfortable, the company loses revenue, and you eventual lose your job. Integrity, how do you rate?  Honesty  Respect for coworkers and customers 5

 Working under stress  Pouring what the customer “actually” ordered  Drink comps - No free drinks for tips

BAR PRESENCE Is all about the awareness of exactly what is going on around you. Listening to everything and everyone, and having the ability to take multi-tasking to a whole new level. A drink request, change, conversation, a question… do you really have to be looking directly at a customer before you realize they need something? Bar Presence is one of your most valuable assets.  Pay attention to your surroundings  Pay attention to your customers  Pay attention to your staff  Use common sense and yes… pay attention

Becoming a Professional Bartender is all about how you care for your customers, while you are taking care of business, and always keeping the essential bartending tips above in mind. When this is accomplished, you will enjoy the profession, it won’t be just a “job”. Your customers will become your friends; your employer will make more money, and more importantly, so will you.

SPEED Speed is what determines how effective a bartender is during those busy times. We have all seen “fast” bartenders, but how effective are they? Moving quickly is part of the job, moving quickly and efficiently is an art; no wasted moves, no wasted trips, and a lot of common sense. Good Economy of Motion will result in a faster more proficient bartender:  A clean Bar  A more attentive host, (that would be you)  Considerably better service - Resulting in better tips

KNOWLEDGE This can be taught. Books, recipes, on-site training are just some of the options available, if a bartender truly wants to learn more about their profession, the tools are readily available. Yes, it’s like going back to school, but in real life, one never really stops learning. Learning how to be consistent, using the right glass for the right cocktail, making sure the cocktail has the right balance of flavors, and making sure the correct size pour spouts are used on the correct bottles; these are just a few of the required elements of a bartender’s knowledge. Knowledge, take the time to listen and learn:  Know how to make a drink  Know the Wine – Beer – Mixed Drinks  Point of Sale and Inventory Controls  Pouring Cost (PC)  Know your customers

EXPERIENCE All about the time spent behind the bar and the job responsibilities you master; and only with the diversity of multiple responsibilities can you achieve an experience level that will teach a good bartender how to react to multiple situations. Knowing what your cocktail server’s responsibilities are, your bar back’s, your manager’s, the hostess, the expediter delivering a food order; everyone on staff is responsible for exceeding a customer’s expectations. The more a bartender is aware of his surroundings, the easier this becomes. Experience, only time and some common sense can help:

 Economy of Motion  Keeping a Clean Bar  Too much to drink – Dealing with drunks  Keeping the bar stocked – including garnish and mixes  How to handle the customers you don’t like  How to handle the customers that you do like  How to handle attitude and bar fights  How to handle the “non-tippers” and  Working under pressure

CREATIVITY This one isn’t as hard as some people make it out to be. If you know how to cook, you already have the basics. Substituting a protein or vegetable in a food recipe isn’t much different than substituting a different alcohol for a “special” martini, a different fruit garnish for a different taste, or a different wine that might go a little better with the type of food they ordered. Ask any bartender what their hangover remedy is or how they make their Bloody Mary mix, and see how many different answers you get. Creativity, develop your imagination and confidence.  Working with limited inventory  New drink recipes  Substitutions – replacing or correcting a drink order when the specific alcohol type, garnish or mix, isn’t available  Making a drink that you aren’t quite sure of  Using a new “boutique” flavored Vodka for a new cocktail and paired with food prepared with the same flavor (they will go well together)

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAR

A customer’s view from the author; as to what is considered important to a professional customer, what he or she is looking for when trying to decide where to hang out. Is it the attitude of the bartender or the quality of the food? Is there a pride of ownership? Is it clean? What are the bar’s personality and the personality of the staff? A customer becomes a “regular customer” based on a combination of these; but it usually starts with first impressions and the bartender’s personality.

I was new to the area and decided to find a nice quiet neighborhood bar to hang out in. I didn’t much care if it was a nice formal restaurant or a local “dive bar”, as long as it was clean and the bartender was cute. I was also looking for a little attitude, someone who knew the basics; and it would help if she could hold a conversation. I arrived in an area that was known as restaurant row, over thirty bars and restaurants within a short drive or walking distance of each other. I started with a local English Pub that I had noticed when I drove up.

A large image of Winston Churchill was facing the street and as I walked in, I was met with a large reception area filled with spare children stools and extra chairs; but no receptionist. To the left was a pool table with a small seating area, the right was a dining area, and the bar was in the middle of the room; one of the food servers went behind the bar to serve me.

My choice was made pretty simple; they only carried one kind of red wine. As the server placed my glass of cabernet in front of me, I noticed that the glass was extremely dirty, with grey water spots covering both the inside and outside of the glass. I took a better look around, and realized that my first stop was a mistake. The back bar was a dysfunctional array of beer taps and bottles of alcohol, with bottles collected on the floor, in front of the beer taps, that was the extent of the “back bar”. There was a large area set aside for dartboard players and I had an open view to the kitchen area from my bar stool, and, unfortunately, it looked almost as dirty as the bar itself. The two servers working the day shift were courteous and attentive, but they weren’t bartenders; so I paid for the drink, let a small tip and left.

I walked into another English Pub about a block from the first, and my first impression was that at least it was clean. I walked up to the bar, took one look at the tiny little Asian bartender, and gave him my apologies. I briefly explained to him that he wasn’t anywhere near pretty enough and he wasn’t what I was looking for. He totally understood and after a few minutes, I ordered a glass of wine, at least he was fun to talk to. Once again, I didn’t have much choice as to the type of wine; but the glass was clean and the bartender had a personality.

Al was good, he was entertaining, could hold a conversation, and he laid out the lay of the land for me. After all, I was still considered a tourist and he shared with me the bars in the area that might have had the bartenders that I was looking for. As he spoke, he cleaned… one of his bosses once told him that if he had time to lean… he had time to clean… so Al kept busy. He tried to make me feel better by telling me that Tuesday was the only day that he worked, and that there was usually a pretty day bartender the rest of the week. I enjoyed the bar, and the bartender, but I was on a mission; and as much as I enjoyed our conversation, Al still wasn’t pretty enough.

At the direction of my new best friend Al, I walked into several establishments that he had considered his competition. First was a restaurant with an older female bartender who couldn’t stop complaining that her feet hurt and that she needed to sit down. The room was small, the atmosphere was “old California”, and the bar’s personality didn’t quite work for me.

The next looked pretty good, a local brewery, but the day bartender was too busy waiting on the lunch tables in the dining room and he didn’t seem to have enough time to be a bartender… so I continued on my mission.

My next stop was a dilapidated country spot that was so dirty; I almost took a minute to take a few pictures for the health department. It advertised live music, and offered lunch and dinner, but as I entered the place, my first impression was to back out of the place… very slowly. The few customers at the bar and a bartender with more attitude than personality made it very clear that I was intruding, so I quickly left to continue my quest.

Al made mention of a place that might fit the bill because of its proximity to the local college. As I walked in, I noticed that the bar was filled, as it should be. The bartender was a cute blonde, who looked up as soon as I approached, but there was no place to sit. The main room was busy with action on all of the pool tables, and the server on the floor seemed to be as attentive as the bartender. It was a little loud for my personal taste and without anywhere to sit, I made my way out, but I would definitely be back.

As I continued my search, I found a large restaurant minutes from the lounge I just left. It was obvious that whoever designed and built the place had spent a lot of money, it was gorgeous. Off to the left of a very well appointed lobby was what I will call their “blue room”. The bar was immaculate and the bar stools and chairs in the intimate lounge area were all done in matching crushed blue velvet. It was beautiful, and I was getting ready to settle in for the rest of the afternoon, but as I made my way to a very empty bar, the manager approached me to let me know that a server would be with me shortly; apparently, they didn’t have a day bartender. A lovely woman came up and took my order, and I watched in amazement as she poured my glass of wine from a box, having trouble with the plastic lining.

Once again, I paid for my drink, left a small tip, and made my way to the door. When the manager asked me if everything was okay, all I could say was “even a bad bartender is better than no bartender”. I was amazed as to just how many places I had already been to and I still couldn’t find what I considered a nice, clean, comfortable room; with a professional bartender.

I was going to give it one last shot and went into a place that had been open only a few weeks. It advertised itself as an American experience and everything they served was American, no imports at all. The back bar had forty bar taps, with all the high tech toys that went with it; from automatic beer glass cleaners to a brand new POS system; but without imports of any kind, your choices were limited. Only two Vodkas, two gins, over a dozen Tennessee Whiskeys and no scotch; and with very few wine options, it was going to be a very short visit. I ordered a glass of red wine and watched as the “bartender” used the automated beer glass cleaner on my wine glass, then sat speechless as he poured the wine into a very wet glass.

As I sat there, I listened as the day bartender shared with his staff how the job was just a means to an end; he would be moving to Utah as soon as he could make enough money to pay for the move. The other two bartenders were complaining about the shifts they had had and started to argue as to who was going to pick up the more lucrative shifts when the day bartender left.

It had been a long day, seven hours and eight bars later, I made my way back to the English Pub for the start of their Happy Hour; at least Al had a personality. I went back to the pub a few days later and Al hadn’t lied, the usual day bartender was a tiny, cute little thing with a face to die for. She worked the room well, moving with grace and style; she was personable and very good at her job. As I sat at the bar to watch her work, the customers sitting next to me and those coming up to get their drinks were extremely friendly and were all having a great time. I have found that usually my first impressions serve me quite well, but I was very happy to have ignored them, taking the time to talk to Alfred. This was a nice, clean bar, with a good staff and customers; I’ll be spending more than a little bit of time here.

CONSISTENCY The lack of consistency can make or break the mood. A few weeks had passed and I found myself back in my new home away from home, but Al wasn’t working, and even worse, the usual day bartender wasn’t there either. I found myself in front of a new bartender, and I was willing to ignore the platinum blonde facade until she placed my drink in front of me and charged me four dollars, almost twice what the bar manager or Al had charged me. When I mentioned the inconsistency, her only response was that the other bartenders were obviously wrong, and I started to feel a little uncomfortable.

I finished my drink, went across the street to another local bar, and was greeted by a tall, attractive blonde wearing tight fitting shorts and a midriff revealing blouse. The obvious time the bartender spent staying in shape was only surpassed by the bright smile and pleasant attitude. I ordered my drink, paid the four dollars, and spent the entire afternoon watching a true professional “work” her bar.

CONFIDENCE Confidence is earned through knowledge, experience, and the guts to make a decision and stand by it; the more confidence that you exude, the less likely a customer will “question” what you are doing. There are thousands of different cocktail recipes created by thousands of different bartenders; and it is physically impossible to know them all; and you’re not expected to.

Your confidence level should be about your abilities, not someone else’s. Did you make the cocktail to the best of your ability? Did you give the customer the proper answer or advice when asked a question? Are you able to have the confidence in yourself and be honest, even if you don’t know the answer? Often a request for a drink that you have never heard of is a simple recipe if you know the ingredients, so ask the customer what’s in it. What do you like? How would you like it prepared? Some will try to “fake it”, but the smart ones will try to get it right or as close as possible to the original… but the customer’s satisfaction is the priority and your confidence in being able to make a drink far outweighs the actual recipe.

CLUB SECURITY If you get into a game of chance or skill with another person in the bar; pool, darts, golden tee, pinball etc… you should state and specify ALL the rules, and have a third party or designated table that holds the money for the match. That way, no one can cheat and it will help avoid fights and arguments. If you're in a bad mood and/or fighting with your girlfriend or boyfriend, do not go out and get drunk together, it isn't going to fix anything. It's just going to get worse (this should probably go without saying).

If the bouncer tells you it's time for you to leave... LEAVE! Ron White said it best, “I didn't know how many of them it was going to take to remove me from the club, but I knew how many they were gonna use, and that there’s some good information!" That story you heard your older brother tell about whooping security’s ass at a bar... was a lie. It almost never happens and you will be leaving one way or another. Much easier to just comply; better for your health too. Security guards in night clubs are paid to work out and take out the trash. If you’re drunk and acting like an asshole, you are the trash… no matter what walk of life you come from. Also, when they ask you to leave don't say, "Seriously? Really? Are you kidding me?" Because as you may have already surmised, they aren't kidding, they REALLY do want you to leave and they are most definitely serious about it.

OPPORTUNITIES Bartenders are fun, exciting people, who are usually extremely extroverted. People tend to be overly intrigued with us and as a result invite us to do awesome things with them, and even their families. We get

invited to holiday dinners and the special functions in their lives, as well as endless invites to attend events with them because we are fun by nature! This happens to us all the time and I happen to be one of the people who will absolutely attend an event, travel somewhere, go to a party, etc. with any of my bar regulars, my personal A-Team.

As a result of the constant invitations, we experience many things that most people will never have the opportunity to partake in. I have been taken to court side basketball games, trips to LA, San Diego, and Vegas, been taken on cruises, attended many theatrical world renowned musicals and shows, dined at the nicest restaurant, toured distilleries around the world, and indulged in some of the world’s best food, wine, and spirits. Our jobs definitely have their up and downs, but I can't complain too much… the positive definitely outweighs the negative.

At this present moment I am typing this chapter from a Virgin Australia plane while in route to Bali, Indonesia with two of my coworkers. We were asked to join one our regular customers and his family for his birthday celebration on the other side of the world. The amazing generosity and the relationships that are formed across the bar top, as bartenders, and the guests that appreciate and respect our profession, is why most of us stay bartenders. I have wanted to go to Indonesia my entire life and I actually cannot believe this is really happening right now. Such a blessing… but that’s the sort of memory creating experiences we are presented with.

My job is literally like getting paid to entertain and network with hundreds of people… every day. There are no awkward moments, no ice breakers necessary, because part of my job as a bartender is to make conversation with the people on the bar. Good bartenders are great at eavesdropping and chiming in at the perfect moment, making the guest feel at home and that we can relate; or they know us, and are interested in chatting with us.

THE CONFESSIONAL It’s quiet… that time of the shift right after lunch and before Happy Hour; and it’s just you and one customer… The bartender’s confessional is now open for business. We are not Priest’s or Rabbi’s; we aren’t paid to listen to all of the things you have messed up in your life; and we really don’t want to get involved with a customer’s battles and demons, who knew?

TECHNIQUE Technique is so very important when trying to achieve consistency; whether you are working with other bartenders or working on your own. Every experienced bartender develops their own style and they know instinctively how much alcohol they pour for a specific drink. Not so for the bartender who is too new to have developed these skills and their own personal style. The technique they use and the use of a jigger until they learn what to do is extremely important.

TIP OF THE DAY: ASSIGNING A LEAD BARTENDER FOR TRAINING PURPOSES CAN ENSURE THAT ALL THE NEW BARTENDERS WILL DEVELOP THE SAME TECHNIQUE AND LEARN THE LEAD BARTENDER’S TRICKS FOR CONSISTENCY.

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAR… ON PREPARATION. Your bar should be prepared before your customers arrive. The beer needs to be stocked early enough to allow it to come to the proper temperature; and the fruit garnish needs to be prepared. It was three in the afternoon and I walked into a local establishment and ordered a non-alcoholic beer from a bartender that was just standing behind the bar with his arms crossed. A very wise bartender once told me… “If you have time to lean… you have time to clean”. It’s a shame my current bartender didn’t know this. I had several of these fake beers and watched as the bartender spent several hours with only one customer, me.

A change of shift occurred and a very seasoned bartender relieved the day bartender and he was followed an hour later by his new young protégé. She was extremely beautiful but very young, and the formal “bartending-school” she had attended a few months earlier was the extent of her experience. As the bar started to fill up with a happy hour crowd, they ran out of fresh cut limes.

As the protégé tried to keep up with the drink orders, the other grabbed a knife and cutting board and quickly cut up a few limes. He glanced up for only a second and sliced off a small piece of his thumb. It was only a small piece, but blood doesn’t look good in a cocktail, so he took the time to stop the bleeding and covered it with a couple of band aids.

He was out of action during a very busy time and there still wasn’t enough fruit cut. A few minutes later he reached for a beer from the cooler and realized that the beer cooler was empty and that he had to restock; and he got a few warm six-packs from the storage room. While he was gone, the bartender he was supposed to be training was quickly getting overwhelmed.

TIP OF THE DAY: IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE DAY BARTENDER ALMOST THIRTY MINUTES TO HAVE HIS BAR FULLY STOCKED AND PREPARED FOR THE NIGHT SHIFT; BUT HE CHOSE TO STAND BEHIND HIS BAR WITH HIS ARMS CROSSED, FEELING SORRY FOR HIMSELF BECAUSE HIS BAR WAS EMPTY, AND HE WAS BORED. THE INJURY TO THE NIGHT BARTENDER AND STARTING A SHIFT UNPREPARED WAS ALL THE RESULT OF A LAZY DAY BARTENDER WHO DIDN’T CARE ABOUT HIS OTHER BARTENDERS OR HIS PROFESSION.

DON’T TAKE IT PERSONAL Some of the abuse we take as bartenders has nothing to do with us or who we are as a person, it's our job and we have responsibilities and rules to follow. Our job is just like yours, but somehow people seem to forget this. We do not set the hours, decide what’s on the food menu, or most importantly set the prices! So many people complain and get crazy on us, as the bartender, about how much something costs, and even try to barter in some cases in regards to a price that they feel is too high.

Another thing… we are a business and in business to make money for the establishment we work for. If you're a regular or someone we know and it’s an establishment where management doesn't mind us "over pouring" for certain people, we will take care of you. We are supposed to serve a specific amount of alcohol in each variation of a drink, and if a guest asks us to pour a “stiff one,” depending on our mood, they will either receive less than they normally would have… just for being dumb, or we'll over pour them just to teach a lesson. Especially in an establishment that is considered a fine dining restaurant and bar, like the one I currently work in; people aren't coming in just to get shit faced, they're coming in for the entire social experience.

Also, it's very rare that a bartender who is working hourly and pouring drinks is also doing the ordering of the inventory. If we are currently out of something, please give us a break, use a little common sense, and just order something else. Our industry is very inconsistent and it’s hard to project exactly how busy we will be in an upcoming week. Obviously, for cash flow purposes we aren't going to always order way over our projected forecast. Although sometimes we do more sales than expected; and yes we do run out of things, that’s life. Complaining to a bartender about how you can't believe we're out of something, or don't carry your favorite beverage, is irrelevant to us and in a bar full of thirsty people waiting for drinks, you could end up wasting your opportunity to be satiated with meaningless venting to us. We are on your side and it makes our job easier if we could always have everything, but that’s not how the world works, so please try to empathize with us and try to have a little patience.

A FEW TIPS FOR OUR OWN Here are some tips and tricks if you're going out. First and foremost, be polite, be cordial and DO NOT assume that every staff member is, or wants to be your friend. Especially if it's your first night in the place; staff are paid to be nice to you, but the minute you cross the line, they reserve the right to kick you to the curb.

From time to time, things will get fucked up... a reservation, a drink was made wrong etc… don't yell and cuss at the manager or employee, nobody's perfect, not even you. Compose yourself and politely explain the problem. Unless you are in the upper ten percent of good-looking guys that frequent that bar; unless you have millions in the bank; the bartender or cocktail waitress does not want your number or a date. If they like you, you'll know it… they aren’t shy, demure, or otherwise just waiting for you sweep them off their feet.

If you don't have any money, be wise about what you buy, most bars have shot specials or discounted beers. Obviously if the service sucks, don't tip a lot; however, if your drink is the way you like it, and you're served in a timely manner by a polite staff member, then be gratuitous, it goes a long way; and it's how the people serving you eat and pay their rent. Always say please and thank you. What many people don’t realize is that servers spend about ninety percent of their night complaining about rude and demanding customers, and your face will be remembered the next time you come in.

Some of the abuse we take as bartenders has nothing to do with us or who we are as a person, it's our job and we have responsibilities and rules to follow at our jobs as everyone else does but somehow people seem to forget this. We do not set the hours, decide what’s on the food menu, or most importantly set the prices! So many people complain and get crazy on us as the bartender about how much something costs, and even try to barter in some cases in regards to a price that they feel is too high.

Another thing… we are a business and in business to make money for the establishment we work for. If you're a regular or someone we know and it’s an establishment where management doesn't mind us "over pouring" for certain people, we will take care of you. Legally we are supposed to only serve a specific amount of alcohol in each variation of a drink, and if a guest asks us to pour a “stiff one,” depending on our mood, they will either receive less than they normally would have… just for being dumb, or we'll over pour them just to teach a lesson. Especially in an establishment that is considered a fine dining restaurant and bar, and large, like the one I currently work in; people aren't coming in just to get shit faced, they're coming in for the entire social experience.

13 our projected forecast. Although sometimes we do more sales than expected; and yes we do run out of things, that’s life. Complaining to a bartender about how you can't believe we're out of something, or don't carry your favorite beverage, is irrelevant to us and in a bar full of thirsty people waiting for drinks, you could end up wasting your opportunity to be satiated with meaningless venting to us. We are on your side and it makes our job easier if we could always have everything, but that’s not how the world works, so please try to empathize with us and try to have a little patience.

TIP OF THE DAY: CHEERS! HAVE FUN! IT'S WHY WE ALL GO OUT ANYWAY. IF THERE’S ONE LESSON I’D LIKE TO IMPART, IT’S THAT LIFE COMES AT YOU FAST. WORKING IN BARS HAS INTRODUCED ME TO MORE CITIES AND FACES THAN MOST WILL SEE IN A LIFETIME. ENJOY YOUR LIFE, ENJOY EACH OTHER, AND MOST OF ALL: TIP YOUR SERVER.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

The multitude of alcohol, mixes and condiments that are currently available can be daunting, to say the least, with thousands of combinations and choices; once they are removed from the equation, there are very few tools that a bartender actually needs or requires for the performance of his duties.

THE INTERNET Probably the easiest and most valuable tool you have, whether using your cell phone or a tablet behind the bar, the days of whipping out the “Old Mr. Boston” to find out how to make specific recipes are long gone. Not only have the recipes changed from what are considered the original, they are now constantly changing with the addition of new creatively flavored alcohol; and diversity in regional tastes and attitude.

A quick flip to a “Google” site… type in the drink you need… and seconds later you have the actual cocktail recipe combined with regional variations and a simple history of the drink…. all within seconds.

TIP OF THE DAY: USE IT AND IF MANAGEMENT WON’T SUPPLY THE TABLET, THEN YOU SHOULD. IT WOULD TAKE YOU LONGER TO FIND THE “OLD MR. BOSTON” BOOK THEN IT WOULD TO POINT AND CLICK.

THE JIGGER The double jigger, do you hold it on the large end, the small end, or in the middle? Do you use the large end, the small end, or both? Do you start your pour, tilt the jigger, and end the pour with an over pour, or do you pour the shot to the brim, and then pour it in? It should start with what you consider the perfect pour, whether an ounce, or ounce and a half, and that can only occur with practice.

The most common sized double jigger will have a small one ounce side and either a two ounce or one and a half size on the larger end. Learn to hold the jigger in the middle so that you can easily flip it from one side to the other with confidence. Do not attempt to pour the alcohol exactly to the brim and then try to pour it in the glass… it usually doesn’t work and most bartenders aren’t able to stop their pour in time… over pouring will still be an issue. If the large size is a two ounce, use it for pouring two ounces; do not use the one ounce side twice. The more confident you are with both handling the jigger and your ability to pour an ounce with or without a jigger, the easier this becomes and that’s when you can start having some fun.

The jigger has several purposes, first and most important is pouring cost (PC) control. The ability to pour exactly what management has determined to be their interpretation of the perfect cocktail, consistently. Management has also determined that based on the cost of the drink, what the sales price of the drink should be. Once a bartender has practiced enough and learned what the amount of alcohol he/she is pouring, the jigger is more for consistency and the peace of mind of management.

Another use is training, to teach a new bartender pouring skills and to keep a seasoned bartender consistent. The third is customer control. There will be some of your customers that either feels that they are special, or just simply want what they haven’t paid for… a stronger drink. Every bartender will have their favorites, and with knowledge and experience, will know when a slight over pour is acceptable, but the use of a jigger allows you to use it as an excuse for not over-pouring. “Sorry sir, management forces me to use this damn thing”, (the jigger), “so that I won’t give away too much.”

TIP OF THE DAY: PRACTICE... TAKE AN EMPTY LIQUOR BOTTLE AND FILL IT WITH WATER; AND USING A FOUR COUNT POUR SPOUT, START POURING WHAT YOU THINK IS AN OUNCE IN AN EMPTY GLASS. THEN POUR THAT INTO A ONE OUNCE SHOT GLASS TO SEE HOW YOU’VE DONE. DO NOT STOP UNTIL THE BOTTLE IS EMPTY. DO THIS FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR YOU TO LEARN. THEN CHANGE THE POUR SPOUT TO A THREE COUNT, THEN THE TWO COUNT, AND CONTINUE THIS FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES FOR YOU TO LEARN HOW TO JUDGE THE CORRECT POUR. THEN PRACTICE ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS TO STAY CONSISTENT.

POUR SPOUTS Cork or plastic… plastic or metal, they have a benefit and/or a downside; and are supplied in many sizes and shapes, from a free pour metal variety to a large plastic one with a screen cover. The most popular are reflected in the speed at which the alcohol flows from the bottle with as one to four count. As long as you know what you are working with; keeping control of your pouring cost and your customers, starts with how much you pour them, and how long it takes to get them their drinks.

It gets to be pretty exciting, from a customer’s point of view, when management decides to change all of the pour spouts on all of the bottles, because they like the way they look; this can occur when management has never been a bartender. When it takes a bartender two to three times longer to pour drinks, upsetting bartenders, servers and customers… management might want to do their homework first.

TIP ON HOMEWORK: MANAGERS SHOULD TALK TO THE BARTENDERS FIRST BEFORE MAKING BACK BAR CHANGES. LEARN THE SPEED OF THE POUR SPOUTS YOU ARE BUYING. TALK TO YOUR BARTENDERS ABOUT WHAT SPEEDS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE TYPE OF ALCOHOL BEING OFFERED. WHEN MANAGEMENT FINISHES THEIR HOMEWORK, THEN THEY SHOULD TALK TO THE BARTENDERS AGAIN, JUST TO MAKE SURE.

TIP OF THE DAY: POUR SPOUT SPEEDS ARE USUALLY 1 TO 4 COUNT; 4 BEING THE SLOWEST AND 1 BEING THE FASTEST.

MIXING TINS There are many to choose from… from two metal tins to combining one metal with one glass. Short or tall… big or small; it is usually determined by what type of drinks you are asked to make and management will usually decide for you; but it really doesn’t matter which ones you choose as long as you are comfortable using them. Of the glass variety, insist on buying “tempered” glass, it is less likely to crack or break, saving you from potentially slicing open your hand and spending several weeks on workman’s comp while you are waiting for the stitches to be removed.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE TINS SHOULD BE RAISED TO AT LEAST TO SHOULDER HEIGHT AND SHAKEN A MINIMUM OF EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY TIMES. THIS CHILLS THE COCKTAIL ENOUGH FOR THE SMALL ICE CRYSTALS TO FORM WHEN YOU POUR THE DRINK INTO THE PROPER GLASS.

THE MUDDLER Leave it to a bartender to muddle things up just when you think it perfect. What is a muddler? Which end is the handle? Simply put, it's an essential tool that a bartender uses to mash ingredients before completing a creative cocktail. From an "Old Fashion to a "Mojito", it has become important and necessary. As far as which end is the handle? That's an argument that the makers of the tool have tried to answer with new 16

designs and materials but I'll start with using a little common sense. The newer models have one end that will be rounded and the other end may come flat or with a textured end, similar to the type you see on a meat tenderizer. In all of the newer designs, whether wood, metal or plastic, the rounded end is meant to hold on to; but here's the common sense approach.

An "old school" bartender, someone who is actually old, or was trained by one, used a little common sense. The flat end was used when the mixing can or glass that you were using to muddle the ingredients had a flat surface area on the bottom; and the round end was used if you were using a glass that had an oval surface area on the bottom; it was that simple. Both completely the task effectively, but the flat end did a better job of crushing the ingredients.

TIP OF THE DAY: DOES IT REALLY MATTER? NO. USE WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT. PERSONALLY, I LIKE THE OLD SCHOOL APPROACH.

GLASSWARE The right glass for the right drink, especially important when trying to create the perfect cocktail as well as pouring “shots”. The “perfect” cocktail is often created by bartenders who love the profession, are very creative, and are trying to impress. Whether it is making something special for a favorite customer or giving management a marketing tool to increase your customer base, a good bartender will be up for the task.

Pour an ounce, (the accepted shot); into anything other than a shot glass will make the shot look inadequate when poured into a much larger cocktail glass. You will usually try to compensate by pouring a larger “shot” into the larger glass, which will affect your pouring cost and profitability. A customer given just an ounce will usually complain and ask for more when it is served to him in a large glass, a shot served in a shot glass will rarely be questioned.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE PRICE CHARGED FOR A DRINK IS DECIDED BY MANY VARIABLES, BUT STARTS WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE COST OF OVERHEAD AND THE COST OF THE INGREDIENTS. WHEN USING GLASSWARE THAT IS TOO LARGE FOR THE APPROPRIATE DRINK, YOUR COST IS SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED, BUT THE PRICE CHARGED IS NOT.

GARNISH TRAYS A garnish tray has only one purpose, to make the fruit you use in your drinks easily accessible. There are many varieties to choose from and this is something that is rarely purchased by the bar. Many liquor companies will supply these for free as part of their service, and will usually be advertising the popular alcohol of the day. What is important is the size of the tray, is it adequate for the type of fruit you will be using and does it fit on your bar. A key component is if it has a cover and if it is sealed on the bottom.

TIP OF THE DAY: FRUIT FLIES, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, ARE DRAWN TO ALL FOOD REMNANTS, TRASH AREAS AND DRAINS, AS WELL AS RIPENING FRUIT. KEEP YOUR GARNISH TRAYS DRY AND COVERED AND ALWAYS KEEP YOUR BAR CLEAN AND DRY.

WINE KEY Unless you are graced with the ability to suck a cork out of a wine bottle, you’ll need a wine key. There are many options available but a simple corkscrew with a lever and small knife attachment seems to work the best. Wine distributors often give them away as an added benefit of being their customer, but you are under no obligation to use it. Try it and make sure you are comfortable using it, if not, buy one. The more comfortable you are with it, the less likely you will injure yourself when using it.

TIP OF THE DAY: WHEN YOU FINALLY SETTLE ON ONE, YOU WILL NEED TO BUY THREE (3). ONE WILL QUICKLY DISAPPEAR IN ONE OF YOUR ASSOCIATE’S POCKET, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN. THE SECOND ONE WOULD BE CONSIDERED YOUR “BACKUP”, BUT WILL OFTEN BE BORROWED BY AN ILL EQUIPPED SERVER, WHO WILL RARELY GET IT BACK TO YOU BEFORE YOU NEED IT; LEAVING YOU THE THIRD TO DO YOUR JOB.

BAR TOWELS VS POLISHING CLOTHS Each has a purpose and you should never swap them out or use them for a purpose they were not intended for. Bar towels are used to wipe down the bar and stainless, and anything else that needs cleaning. Polishing cloths are used to “polish” clean glassware… wine and specialty glassware.

TIP OF THE DAY: USING A BAR TOWEL TO WIPE DOWN A WINE GLASS WILL USUALLY LEAVE LITTLE WHITE STRANDS OF LINT ON THE GLASS… INSIDE AND OUT, AND THAT WILL TASTE AWFUL.

PROFESSIONAL PET PEEVES

A comprehensive look at a bartender’s pet peeves….

EMPLOYEES Impatient servers because they feel that their “check out” should be a bartender’s priority, that the customers waiting for service should wait for them.

Staff members that go behind the bar and get in the way; a bartender has a job to do, and most of the time, they are running back and forth taking and delivering drink orders. They shouldn’t have to take detours around other employees to get the job done.

Other staff members or customers in the server stations who need to stay out of the way. Servers also have a job to do and standing in the middle of a server’s station to order a drink is rude and extremely inconsiderate.

A messy, dirty bar, and picking up empty bottles because the previous bartender was too lazy to restock the bar at the end of their shift; probably the same bartender that didn’t bother to clean up after him or herself.

Arrogant, impatient customers who have no concept of their surroundings, acting as if they are far more important than everyone else; asking foolish questions or complaining because they have to “wait” to get their drinks because it’s too busy.

Sloppy, lazy bartenders, that have little or no personality and bartenders that don’t do their job, or who consistently show up late for their shift.

A Bar Back getting in the way. A bar back is hired to assist the bartender in the normal course of their shift. He/she is an integral part of the system that helps insure that the bartender stays on his “game”, to keep the bar clean, wash the dirty glasses, keep the ice bins full, get the beer and alcohol from the storage room as needed. A bar back is usually someone that wants to grow up to be a bartender and learning the basics first is far more important than getting in the way.

CUSTOMERS A customer ordering a drink while they are on their cell phone, without taking the time or give you the consideration to stop what they are doing long enough to place an order. It takes what, 8 seconds? Is there conversation really that important that they can’t interrupt it for 8 seconds?

When younger clientele orders a drink whose sole purpose is to get them drunk, as quick as possible, it could be a red flag. Are they of legal age? Their lack of knowledge and experience may prompt a bartender to ask them for their identification to prove they are old enough to drink… why would they get so upset about this?

Customer requests for an extra “strong” drink or going overboard in trying to impress their guests; a “strong” drink… Really? Let’s give him a double for the price of a single so that he can get drunker, faster, and every bar loves to double the pouring cost and reduce their profits.

Having bad manners or customers who are rude, boring, indecisive and inconsiderate. Bad tippers in general, and customers that try to tell a bartender how to do their job. Customers who make it their

business to make everybody else’s business their own, and working with other bartenders who are not professionals.

Wasting time and having conversations that don’t seem to go anywhere; and never, ever discuss or threaten with a proposed gratuity.

When a customer demands immediate service before being ready to order;  How often do you have someone demanding your attention, only to have you stand in front of them while they try to figure out what they are in the mood for?  How many times do they get upset when you leave them to actually pour a drink for a customer that actually knows what they want?

MANAGEMENT Management trust and having management assume that all bartenders are thieves. A bartender knows their bar and their customers better then management, so why complain when a bartender gives away a cup of coffee to a very regular customer after he closes his $300 tab?

Managers going into your register, this should never happen if the bartender is responsible for the contents of that register. If a bartender is held accountable, if they are the ones that are required to make up any shortages from their tips at the end of their shift, then they should be the only ones in that register.

When management buys cheap glassware in an effort to save a few bucks and isn’t thinking about the safety issues. Eventually a mixing glass that isn’t tempered glass will crack or break; and is often a cause for a hospital visit and workman’s compensation claims.

Management not keeping the bar in good repair affects customers and employees alike.

BARTENDER BOOT CAMP It’s always a challenge to stay in shape, mentally and physically. When you keep the hours of a bartender that works and plays hard, these simple behind the bar moves can help. Using isometrics and stretching moves before you start your shift will help keep your body limber and flexible, ready for those quick moves and picking up heavy objects.

Arms - Shaking the mixing tins above your head will work your triceps - Shaking the mixing tins in front of you, chest high, will work your biceps - Shaking the mixing tins a little lower? You’re just showing off. Hands By using just three fingers and picking up and pouring using the neck of the liquor bottle, will develop and strengthen your hands. Do not use two hands to pick up and pour one bottle, if you are able to use two hands, pick up two bottles. Calf Muscles While standing behind the bar, focus on putting your weight on the balls of your feet and slowly raise and lower your body weight.

CHAPTER 1 PERSONALITY & STYLE

A subtle smile… a light grazing touch as she runs past… and you feel special. She has no time for conversation but you know she is happy to have you on her bar. This is just one way a bartender interacts with the customers. Being pleasant and being able to talk to strangers, is a necessary requirement; after all, every customer is a stranger to you at least once. Some bartenders are comedians and love to tell jokes. Others are more concerned about their service level and will concentrate on the actual tasks at hand and only talk to customers when they have the time. A good bartender can do it all, while multi-tasking, and still have a good time while doing it. Though telling a joke is considered an art; not everyone can pull it off.

When a brand new bartender steps behind the bar after their initial training, most are a little overwhelmed. Then after a few minutes they settle down and then the real fear sets in; between the drink recipes, the computer, interacting with customers, cocktail servers and managers watching your every move, its normal. The good ones will have a personality, and will show a little self-confidence, in spite of their lack of knowledge and experience. Their personality will get them through the rough patches and their confidence won’t let them fail. It will only be a matter of time for them to accumulate the knowledge and experience to get them to the next level.

A good personality will offset the lack of knowledge almost every time. A customer that likes your attitude and enjoys your company will get past the fact that you didn’t know the exact recipe of his favorite cocktail. After a few minutes, you will soon make him his next favorite cocktail.

THE CORNER OF MY BAR This was a special place, the corner of the bar where all of my regular customers and friends congregated, every day. Before laptops… before cell phones… there was the “neighborhood bar”. All of my regular customers were successful, judging from the amount of time and money they spent with me; but they never seemed to go to an office for any length of time. The key was finding the right place, with the right group of professional customers that got along and the right group of professionals working the bar.

There are two wells behind the bar, one set up at the far end to service the main dining rooms; the other located at the other end to service the corner of the bar and the bar servers, that corner was my home. Many of our guests would use the brass railings on each side of the server station to hang on to; and there was the added benefit of keeping them steady. We had the prettiest and most professional cocktail servers in the area, they were the best; and just one more reason that our core group of regular customers were so loyal. The customers at this corner, on the same stools, everyday that I worked, for years; and whom I considered my friends, my family, and my guests were at the “Corner of My Bar”.

TIP OF THE DAY: THIS BARTENDER OWNED IT… WORKED IT… AND HER CUSTOMERS NEVER LEFT HER; EVEN AFTER SHE LEFT AND FOUND A NEW PLACE TO WORK, HER CUSTOMERS FOLLOWED.

SWITCHING PARTNERS It was only the third time that the other bartender and I were working together on another busy happy hour. My side of the bar was in great shape, my regulars were drinking and having fun, but her side of the bar seemed a little off. She was uncomfortable and her work was suffering; there were no jokes or stories, no smiles on the faces of her regulars, and she was starting to fall behind. There was a group of three sitting next to her well, giving her a hard time about “taking better care of them”. They were strangers to me and judging by the sexual undertones they were handing out to my partner, strangers to her as well.

It was the perfect opportunity to pull a switch, and I quickly took her place in her well and she started working my side of the bar. It didn’t take long for her to be back to the amazing bartender that we loved, and the rude group quickly paid their tab and left; apparently my tight little ass wasn’t something they were in the mood for. A few minutes later we gracefully switched back; as if nothing had happened, we made a good team.

TIP OF THE DAY: THERE WILL BE TIMES AT THE BAR THAT A PERSONALITY “SWITCH” WILL MAKE FOR A BETTER WORKING ENVIRONMENT WHEN DEALING WITH NEW CUSTOMERS. THIS ISN’T ABOUT YOU… IT’S ABOUT WHAT WILL MAKE YOUR CUSTOMER MORE COMFORTABLE.

TOO MUCH TO DRINK Treat your guests like family and learn to take care of them. In all the years behind the bar, I never really cut anyone off because they were getting too drunk; but I knew my bar, my family, extremely well. As family, I would never embarrass them, but they all knew that when I place a bowl of soup and some bread in front of them, that it was time to stop drinking and start eating, and I usually would serve them water after that. I’m not exactly sure why they always did what I told them to do, but I like to think that they just knew that I cared enough about them to take care of them.

Every once in a while, I would ease up on their alcohol intake without them ever realizing that they were being treated differently; I loved “Hank,” but every so often he would start to “power drink”, drinking faster than I could almost pour them. On those rare occasions, I would cut the amount of alcohol I would pour in half, and float just a little bit on the tip of the straw or the top of the drink; that way he would get the first sip of the drink as pure alcohol and never realize I “short poured” him; then I would do the next drink the same way. He would get two drinks, with the same amount of alcohol as one, but the second drink I would gracefully “comp”.

"Hank" not only stayed sober, he stayed longer, he thought he was getting a free drink, which made him feel even more “special”, and he stayed out of trouble. I kept one of my regular customers safe and happy; the bar didn’t lose any money because I only charged him for what I poured… I just divided it into two drinks instead of one.

TIP OF THE DAY: KEEP YOUR GUESTS SAFE AND THEY’LL KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE. EXPERIENCE KEPT “HANK” SAFE, ALIVE AND OUT OF JAIL. A SIMPLE DUI CAN KEEP A CUSTOMER OUT OF YOUR BAR FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS.

INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS Comments made to any woman about oral fixation while on the bar is a common occurrence, especially if the female bartender is attractive; but it still amazes me just how often the term is used in an attempt to get a sexual response from the bartender. That being said…

I was on my way to the bar to start my shift, when I looked over to see a woman in the car next to me smoking a cigarette; and from the way she was handling it, you would think that it was the most intense sensual experience of her life… so I started thinking, (always an issue), and by the time I made it to work, I had a plan. I asked my manager, Kathleen if she wouldn’t mind if I took a poll of our female bar patrons; and after briefly explaining what I had in mind… she said it was no problem, as long as I politely asked the questions, with a little respect... it would be a great way to jump start my shift.

I was very polite, and asked only two questions of the women in the bar; “Do you smoke, yes or no? Do you enjoy giving oral sex, yes or no?” Of the one hundred women that I questioned, only eight women did not smoke, and of those eight, only two enjoyed giving oral sex… even with my simple math skills, that meant that if a woman doesn’t smoke I would have only a twenty-five percent chance of receiving the benefit. Of the ninety-two women that did smoke… ninety enjoyed giving oral sex; that works out to a 97.7% opportunity. Obviously, there are huge benefits to spending some time with women that smoke.

A few days later, on one of my rare days off, I was sitting next to one of the regular customers at the bar. He couldn’t stop complaining that the woman next to him smelled like smoke. It was obviously bothering him... a lot, both physically and mentally. So being the gracious, caring person that I am… I offered to swap places with him. A few hours and a couple of drinks later, only Kathleen understood… as she watched me escorting the woman out to her car.

TIP OF THE DAY: PERSONALITY AND STYLE WITH A LITTLE BAR PRESENCE AND AWARENESS THROWN IN. I’D LOVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING INSIGHTFUL FOR WHAT THIS HAS TAUGHT ME, SO THAT IT MAY HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER BARTENDER, BUT HELL, WHAT I DID SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN TOLERATED, I JUST GOT LUCKY. BAR PRESENCE… ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS OPEN, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH FUN IT COULD BE.

BAR TALK Bar talk, the usually conversations you hear and sometimes participate in when going to a bar. It doesn’t have to be intelligent banter and it sure doesn’t have to make sense. Whether the discussion is about sports, politics and religion, or if you think it’s going to rain tomorrow, the subject is irrelevant; and all a bartender has to do is show up. Most customers just need a starting point, than they will do most of the talking.

If you are dealing in one those situations that your customer happens to be someone you don’t like…. it happens… get over it, start a conversation, and then introduce him to anyone sitting near him. He’ll keep talking and you no longer have to worry about entertaining him. If you’re really lucky, you’ll be able to introduce him to another customer sitting at your bar that you also don’t like, or doesn’t like you… it happens, then they can both entertain themselves and you can go back to enjoying your job.

TIP OF THE DAY: WHETHER YOU CONSIDER IT A PERSONALITY TRAIT BECAUSE YOU CAN START A CONVERSATION WITH ALMOST ANYONE; A CREATIVE MOMENT BECAUSE YOU GET YOUR BAR INVOLVED WITH EACH OTHER; OR IT’S JUST YOUR PERSONAL STYLE: IT’S AN EXCELLENT TOOL THAT WILL KEEP YOUR BAR ENTERTAINED WHILE YOU GET BUSY POURING DRINKS.

FOUL MOUTH BITCH FROM HELL One of my regular customers, Libby, was a strong willed, intimidating woman, in charge of the emergency room of the local hospital. As the head nurse, she spent her mornings involved with some of the most

traumatic life and death situations imaginable; but at the end of her shift, she would make a beeline for my bar.

The pianist had just arrived and the lounge was starting to fill up with our normal Happy Hour crowd when Libby found her usually place next to the servers station. It must have been tough in the emergency room that day because Libby was in a real foul mood. On a good day she was hard to handle, on a bad day, she could put a foul mouth, truck driving ex-marine to shame… and this was obviously one of those bad days.

The place was rocking, the piano player was “on fire” and the entire crowd was loving it. I looked up from my well and noticed that half my bar was lined up three deep to get a drink, the other half had only one patron, Libby. She was cutting loose on anyone within earshot, and just about every customer in the room moved as far away from her as they could get. Now, in my past life, I survived four years in the Marine Corps with thirty-three months of combat in Vietnam. I considered myself relatively fearless, but when Libby was on a roll, I was scared to death, (and I had no doubt that physically, she could kick my ass).

As the bartender, I had to make a quick decision, talk Libby into a calmer state or ask her to leave the bar. I had determined that I would take the forceful approach, (there were a couple of dozen regular customers at the bar that would have loved to jump her if she came after me… I was feeling almost safe).

“Libby”, I commanded, “Sit Down and Shut Up. You paid $2.20 for your drink…. that bought you twenty-two inches of space. Now. Sit. Down. I don’t want you looking left… I don’t want you looking right. You sit there, drink your drink, leave the other customers alone, and keep your damn mouth shut…. and I expect a better tip when you leave… any questions?”

I still have no idea why, but she did exactly what I told her to do. When the stool at the far end of the bar opened up, I moved Libby over so that she would have a little more room and she would be a little farther from the rest of the crowd, but she was behaving. She did seem to physically calm down, and I was amazed when she politely requested another drink. When she finished it, she stood up, left a $5 tip, and disappeared into the night. (Up to this point of our relationship, she had never left more than a couple of bucks).

TIP OF THE DAY: SHE WAS A FRUSTRATING MEAN BITCH; AND WHEN YOU GOT TO KNOW HER, SHE WAS STILL A FRUSTRATING MEAN BITCH; BUT WITH EXPERIENCE AND A LITTLE STYLE AND COMMON SENSE, IT ALL WORKED OUT FOR THE BEST.

MA AND PA KETTLE It was a Saturday afternoon and my bar was empty, the only customer entertaining me was Libby. The back door opened and in walked an elderly couple that looked as if they walked right out of the American Gothic “Ma and Pa Kettle on the farm” picture. The only thing missing were the bales of hay in the background and Pa’s pitch fork. Naturally, they had to sit next to Libby, (there were only twenty-one additional, empty bar stools, but the two next to Libby were obviously the better choice). “Pa Kettle” had just ordered a beer for himself and a margarita for his wife when Libby opened her mouth with a few choice adjectives. I immediately leaned over to remind her of our past conversations and to keep her fucking mouth shut. Well, I guess “Ma Kettle” took huge offense with both my tone of voice and my attitude.

“How dare you speak to a woman in that tone of voice, that’s disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself. A real man would never use that kind of language when talking to a lady” and just at that exact moment, Libby spun around, looked at the formidable “Ma Kettle” and exclaimed… “Shut the fuck up bitch, he knows what he’s doing.”

Well, “Pa Kettle” lost it, he was laughing so hard that he spilled his drink. “Ma Kettle” was speechless, and was either too embarrassed or too mad, but she just got up and left the bar. They must have been kindred spirits, because after “Pa Kettle” composed himself, he and Libby spent the rest of the afternoon drinking and telling dirty jokes… as “Ma Kettle” sat diligently in their car waiting for Pa.

TIP OF THE DAY: I HAD CARED. I CARED ENOUGH TO SAY SOMETHING WHEN SHE WAS OUT OF LINE, AND SHE WAS THANKFUL. MOST WOULD HAVE THROWN HER OUT BUT I ENJOYED THE INTERACTION; AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE DELIVERY….

“DANCING DIAMOND JOE” ON AN ISLAND The bar was shaped like the bow of a boat, with the cash register located at the front part of the back bar. When standing in front of the register, I could spin in a circle, delivering drinks, while picking up the money from the customers, and ringing the order up on the register, often, without leaving my spot. I became so good at “spinning” in circles that before every shift, I would pour salt on to the wood slats behind the bar to make it easier to perform. On my first Christmas on Catalina, a few of my regular customers bought me a ballerina’s “tutu”, for a Christmas present; they felt that with all the spinning I was doing behind the bar, that I was a natural. The tutu was never worn, but it looking fantastic hanging on the wall in front of the pool table.

First impressions are so important, and so hard to repair. I had arrived on the island a little early to get accustomed to my new surroundings. I was about to start my first shift at a Club on Catalina Island and I thought I had dressed appropriately, clean white shirt, black bartending vest, and diamonds, everywhere. I had a diamond necklace with a matching diamond pinky ring on one hand, and a ring, with the initials J P, in diamonds, on the other. It took only fifteen minutes for me to realize my huge mistake. The next day I deposited all of my jewelry in a safe deposit box at the local bank, but I spent the next two years with the label “Diamond Joe” thrown at me every time a local customer thought I was making more money than he was. “Why tip? He doesn’t need the money… did you see those Diamonds?”

A customer will join you at the bar for a drink, they will stay at the bar for another, and then another, when they are comfortable with the bar and you. If they are uncomfortable, for any reason, they leave, there is always another bar, and bartender, close.

TIP OF THE DAY: EXPERIENCE GAINED, BUT AT WHAT COST; SHOULD HAVE LEFT MY EGO IN MY APARTMENT AND USED A LITTLE COMMON SENSE. ON A SIDE NOTE, DON’T BE TOO CONCERNED WITH YOUR EGO. BEING THE BRUNT OF THE JOKE CAN OFTEN LEAD TO GREAT FINANCIAL REWARD AND KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS COMING BACK.

"FLAIR" CAN COST YOU When it comes to Flair, before the movie, before the popularity, bartenders were flipping and sometimes, actually catching bottles of liquor. Dilman’s on the Balboa Peninsula was an excellent vehicle for showing off, and working a circular bar places the bartender “on stage”, from the moment he steps behind the bar. Flipping bottles, picking them up two at a time, spinning the mixing tins, throwing ice and catching it in the just flipped glass, all came natural to me. It’s not until you break something that you realize the repercussions.

It was my fourth Wild Game Night, and we were all pumped up and ready to go. It was also the only night of the month that we needed two bartenders. George, was a frail, sixty year old man, but he had spent enough years behind the bar that I found him to be extremely competent and useful. What he lacked in speed, he

more than made up for with his knowledge and experience; he knew instinctively what had to be done, what I needed for backup, and he easily managed the bar behind me, keeping our customers entertained so that I could stay focused on all of the servers’ drink orders, and the bar section directly in front of me… As I was finishing my prep work I looked around… it was getting very busy.

I had just walked behind the bar, when I saw George collapse in front of his station, and about five minutes later, the paramedics were wheeling George to the ambulance, (thank God the fire station was just a few minutes away). I looked around and felt like throwing up; the busiest night of the month was about to start and I was one bartender short. I immediately converted my work station into a service bar and asked my boss Max to remove the bar stools in front of me. I then set up my well with as many extra glasses and ice buckets as I could find. Once it started, I was going to have my head in the ice for about four solid hours and I couldn’t leave anything to chance. Max took up a position next to my impromptu service bar and started to power down his Vodka rocks. He would sit for hours, watching his customers and keeping an eye on his bartenders, but I knew that it was the number of times that we would put money into his cash register that really turned him on.

We were getting busier, it was already two deep on the bar and my servers were ordering drinks, two trays at a time. I was in “the zone”, moving quickly, smoothly, and keeping up with the demand. The busier I got, the better the service seemed to be, servers and customers alike were having a good time watching me work the bar… later, I was told that “It was a thing of beauty”, but I was way too busy to notice…. or care. I was in the process of making four margaritas and had a bottle of tequila and a bottle of triple sec, two bottles in each hand, when it happened. One of the bottles in my left hand slipped and it hit a couple of the glasses that I had set up. My hand came down on one of the pieces and it sliced open my hand while the rest of the shattered glass fell into the ice bin… I immediately started to use one of my back up ice buckets and was pouring drinks with one hand, as the blood was pouring out of the other. As the drink orders were starting to pile up…. I looked over at a very bleary eyed Max and almost died when he reminded me of his two basic rules… the only two reasons for not working your shift. “Are you drunk? Are you getting a blow job back there? No? Then I expect you to finish your shift and do your job”.

I was fighting a losing battle trying to keep up with the drink orders when I took a step back and asked one of my waitresses to wrap my hand to stop the bleeding. While this was going on, one of my regular customers jumped behind the bar and started to clean out the ice bin to get ready for some clean ice, they both finished about the same time and I was back in business, granted, with only one hand, but I was still able to pour. Even one handed I was still faster than most.

It has been said that a bartender’s “flair” can actually result in a customer order on average one more drink per stay, and that makes sense because most of our guests are at the bar for the social interaction and the “show”. Unfortunately, too much flair can result in broken glass, whether in the ice, or when it results in cuts and bleeding, it has the opposite effect. The drinks stop, the ice needs to be replaced, the cuts need to be bandaged, and the bartender will be a little slower.

TIP OF THE DAY: BAR PRESENCE, ECONOMY OF MOTION AND EXPERIENCE WERE KEY, BUT I WOULD NEVER FLIP A BOTTLE AGAIN. LEARNING TO DO THE JOB WITH JUST A LITTLE FLAIR IS LESS DANGEROUS, ALMOST AS ENTERTAINING AND FAR MORE REWARDING, FINANCIALLY. IT’S HARD TO MAKE MONEY IF YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO GET STITCHES… AND THE DOCTOR TELLS YOU THAT WON’T BE ABLE TO WORK FOR THREE WEEKS.

CHAPTER 2 KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Knowledge is always a good thing, knowing what to do and how to do it is always a plus, it is also something that can be taught. Books, recipes, on-site training are just some of the options available, if a bartender truly wants to learn more about their profession, the tools are readily available. Yes, it’s like going back to school, but in real life, one never really stops learning. Learning how to be consistent, using the right glass for the right cocktail, making sure the cocktail has the right balance of flavors, and making sure the correct size pour spouts are used on the correct bottles; these are just a few of the required elements of a bartender’s knowledge. Knowledge… take the time to listen and learn:

 Know the basics of how to make a drink  Know the different Wine – Beer – Mixed Drinks that are offered  Point of Sale and Inventory Controls  Pouring Cost (PC)  Know your customers

Experience is definitely important, but experience that hasn’t been used to better your skills and performance, and to achieve more with what you have available, is irrelevant… basically a waste of time and energy. Experience should be considered as what you have actually accomplished with your accumulated knowledge, not in the number of years it took you to get there.

Experience is all about the time spent behind the bar and the job responsibilities you master; and only with the diversity of multiple responsibilities can you achieve an experience level that will teach a good bartender how to react to multiple situations. Knowing what your cocktail server’s responsibilities are, your bar back’s, your manager’s, the hostess, the expediter delivering a food order; everyone on staff is responsible for exceeding a customer’s expectations. The more a bartender is aware of his surroundings, the easier this becomes. Experience… only time and some common sense can help:  Economy of Motion  Keeping a Clean Bar  Too much to drink – Dealing with drunks  Keeping the bar stocked – including garnish and mixes  How to handle the customers you don’t like  How to handle the customers that you do like  How to handle attitude and bar fights  How to handle the “non-tippers” and  Working under pressure

TIP OF THE DAY: IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN EVERY DRINK, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SAME DRINK IS MADE DIFFERENTLY BY EVERY BARTENDER, AND OFTEN IT’S DIFFERENT IN EVERY CITY. IT IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE DRINK FOR YOUR CUSTOMER, THE WAY THEY LIKE IT, AND THE WAY MANAGEMENT WOULD EXPECT YOU TO POUR IT.

KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS Kathleen, the owner of the bar, had no interest in teaching me how to make drinks… as she pointed out to me on several occasions; I already proved that I knew how to “fake” making drinks, as was evidenced during my initial interview. She was more interested in teaching me about the customers in her club. She had them broken down into four categories.

The regulars, whom she allowed to enjoy special considerations, the tourists, that could be used for interaction with everyone in the bar; the ladies, found usually in small groups, looking to have some fun; and hopefully “score” some of those special considerations, and the men trying to “score” the ladies.

Kathleen spent a lot of time teaching me about her customers. She was a firm believer in “working” the bar, and she informed me that I had been hired more for my personality, not for my limited bartending skills. Kathleen taught me how to mix and match the different groups of people to keep them all entertained… and coming back for more. She also taught me how important it was to keep the core group of regular customers and the ladies happy. The regulars would keep the tourist trade entertained, and the ladies… well the men will always follow the ladies.

TIP OF THE DAY: EXPERIENCE, IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT, LISTEN AND LEARN FROM THOSE THAT DO. ON THE RARE OCCASION THAT SOMEONE WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IS WILLING AND ABLE TO TEACH YOU…PAY ATTENTION.

A MENTOR AND TRUE PROFESSIONAL From my first day behind the bar, my favorite server at the bar was Beth. She immediately took me under her wing and started to share with me everything she thought I would need to know. From the correct order that drinks should be called out to the bartender and the way I picked up the liquor bottles, to the correct way of using an ice scoop to put ice in the glasses; (never, ever dip a glass into the ice bin, it’s glass and will eventually chip, leaving glass chards in the ice that could potentially find their way into someone’s drink).

During the slow periods in the bar, my training became more intense, and I was soaking it all in. After Beth decided that my basic skills were “adequate”, we started to work on my memory, slowly at first, just a few drinks at a time. Beth would pick a table and ask me to make the drinks, and after a while, she would just call out the table number; “table 14”, and I would make the drinks… or it would be “table 8 no scotch”, or “table 19 no vodka”, or just “tables 8, 10 and 12”.

During each one of my shifts, she would also give me hints on how to handle the difficult customers and how to better serve the good ones. She even bought me several joke books to study, so that I would be able to come up with some quick one-liners to help keep the customers entertained without spending too much time in the attempt. She was slow and methodical with my training, and it wasn’t long before all the servers were ordering their drinks the same way. By the time she decided that I had “graduated”, I was able to remember every drink, at all twenty-four tables, while keeping track of the customers that left and the customers that took their place. To keep me on my toes, once a night, I was asked to recite every drink, for every customer, at the bar and all of the tables… and Beth would tolerate no mistakes.

There are only four basic reasons to sit at a bar; first and to some, the most important, you’re thirsty and need a drink… second, the bartender is good looking… third, is the bartender’s personality… and fourth would be the bartender’s abilities; this included bar knowledge and bar presence. Not necessarily in that order, but a great personality often allow a customer to overlook other inadequacies.

I have never considered myself “good looking” and I have no control of the customers that just wanted a drink, so I needed to focus on the areas that I could actually control… personality and my abilities.

Before every shift, I would spend an hour “studying” the Old Mr. Boston bar book, (the bartender’s bible). When I first started, it was my constant companion, not that it was such an interesting read, because it wasn’t, but I thought it would be important to remember the different nuances of some of the more popular drinks. I felt that the more I knew, the easier it would be to get a little creative and keep the customers a little excited about their choices. Hard core beer drinkers rarely drank anything but beer; they may get a little adventurous with the IPA flavor of the month, but it was still beer. Alcoholics have a tendency to stay with what they know, but everyone else, especially the ladies, look forward to a little variety.

When reading “Old Mr. Boston” got a little too much for me, I would review the joke books that Beth had purchased, and read them from cover to cover, then back again, to help me memorize the quick one liners. With the constant assistance and supervision of Beth, I was able to work on my memory skills, drink knowledge, the timing of the quick one line jokes, and overall, gave the “perception” of being a good bartender.

Trish, a waitress from a restaurant down the street, would stop by before every shift, for a quick shot of tequila. She was tiny, but could out drink any sailor I had ever met. She once talked me into trying a “Mexican Flag” before starting my own shift..... Green Chartreuse, 151 Rum and Grenadine, layered in a pony glass. Talk about being fast, two of those and my hands were flying, and so were the drinks. I got into the habit of having a couple of these cocktails before I would start my shift, (just to get my heart pumping). That is, until all of my waitresses convinced me to stop drinking them… yes I was fast, very fast, but apparently, I was also, very, very sloppy, and the girls got tired of cleaning up my mess.

TIP OF THE DAY: PAY ATTENTION. KNOWLEDGE IS INVALUABLE, KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT, ABSORB IT, AND YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH.

POURING COST, (PC) A bartender’s dilemma, over pour to keep a customer happy…. under pour, (also known as a “short” pour), to keep the owner happy. A pouring cost of between eighteen and twenty four will normally keep the owner satisfied, anything over that, and they’ll think that the bartender is either giving away too much alcohol, or they’re stealing. Anything less than that and the customers are being cheated.

Pouring Cost is a science, using the right glass, with the right amount of alcohol; and is all about the profitability of the operation, but should never be used to rip off a customer or the bar. There are several key components that help a bartender maintain a consistent “pour”.

Using the right glass for the right cocktail is extremely important. A large pint size goblet is used primarily for a pint of beer, not a scotch and water. A bartender would have to pour two to three ounces of alcohol before a customer would be able to taste it in a larger glass; pouring a “double” for the price of a “single”… really?

Some common mistakes also include using a twelve ounce bucket glass instead of an eight ounce "rocks" glass, or a pint glass for a margarita instead of a margarita glass, or pouring a “shot” in a rocks glass instead of a shot glass. Consistently using the wrong glass size will consistently cause over pouring and drastically cut into the company’s profitability.

Another misuse of a bartender’s tools is the common pour spout. There is a tendency to think that all pour spouts were created equal, but they are not. They usually come in four sizes and a bartender using a four

“count” would have a different result for each size. The use of the plastic pour spouts has made it difficult but not impossible to discern them. The smaller size is usually appropriate and allows a bartender to stay consistent and give a “show” of over pouring. (The larger size pour spouts should only be used for mixes and on the rare occasion, with an extremely busy “service bar” that pours three times the normal volume).

The larger pour spouts will almost always result in over pouring, and getting creative with different size pour spouts for different liquors will destroy any hope of consistency between the different bartenders. Although most establishments rely on a bar back to pull all of the pour spouts to clean them, hopefully at least once a week, it would be extremely helpful if they put the pour spouts back on the right bottles when they are done.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE ACTUAL COUNT IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONATE AND OPPOSITE TO THE SIZE OF THE POUR SPOUT. A FOUR COUNT IS USED WITH THE SMALLEST SIZE AND A ONE COUNT IS USED WITH THE LARGEST; AND YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR RHYTHM AND COUNT CONSISTENT. THIS KNOWLEDGE KEEPS THE BAR PROFITABLE… AND YOU EMPLOYED. A SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO USE JUST ONE SIZE TO STAY CONSISTENT.

PAY ATTENTION The Stadium was a nice bar and restaurant across the street from Angel Stadium. It had just been sold to an investment firm and I was asked to give my “professional” opinion about the qualifications of the current management team. I was starting to establish a reputation for having more to offer than just being a “good looking face” behind the bar, and not being shy; apparently I had no filter and spoke what I felt.

The lounge area was dominated by a large rectangular bar, in the middle of the room. It had three bartender stations and ample liquor storage, both on the center island behind the bar and in the overhead shelves above each well. After meeting with both the general manager and his bar manager, I had only three questions. How much liquor is stocked behind the bar? What is your pouring cost? And are there any inventory controls in place? Reasonable questions that every bar manager should know, and every general manager should check; at least monthly if not more often.

After the general manager voiced his opinion on how ridiculous that was, the bar manager jumped in to say something derogatory about my family background and that no one has the ability to have that information available at a moment’s notice. They are going to need to take a complete inventory to get my answers… maybe I should check back in a couple of days?

I needed to make a point, so, with the new owner’s permission, I spent five minutes behind the bar mentally taking note of how many liquor bottles there were; and then another five minutes walking around the bar, taking note of how many bottles were stored on the open shelves overhead. I then mentally calculated the number of bottles, times the average cost of one bottle of liquor, (a number I received from the liquor salesman on the account), and came up with 232 bottles at a total cost of $2,860.

I also took note of the different pour spouts being utilized, a combination of metal and plastic, with some of the open liquor bottles with none; making it physically impossible to consistently pour the same amount of alcohol each time you pick up a bottle. The fruit flies gracefully floating above the open, stale, garnish trays were also a nice touch.

I wasn’t there to be nice, and after they took note of my initial observations and realized that after only ten minutes, my inventory count was only off by two bottles, the “bar manager” took his leave; and I agreed to help out the general manager until he found a replacement. It only took a weekend to clean the place; and a clean and dry bar will usually cure the fruit fly issue. I replaced the garnish with fresh ingredients, and

explained to the bartenders how important the correct pour spouts were to maintain a consistent pouring cost. A couple of weeks later, the day bartender was put in charge of maintaining the PAR inventory behind the bar, and the general manager took on additional staffing responsibilities… and he never had to replace the “bar manager”.

Consistency behind the bar is a result of everyone being on the “same page”. With just a little training and a common sense approach, the end result was an improvement in pouring cost, reduced labor cost, and increased profitability.

TIP OF THE DAY: TAKE PRIDE IN YOURSELF AND YOUR ABILITY TO DO THE JOB. THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE COST THE BAR MANAGER HIS JOB. IT HAD BECOME OBVIOUS THAT HE DIDN’T CARE ABOUT HIMSELF… HIS CUSTOMERS… OR THE BAR.

KNOW YOUR BAR AND YOUR OTHER BARTENDER The actual bar was set up with two bartending stations and chairs for ten; it was small, but very functional. We had a good experienced staff of servers on the floor with Joe P behind the bar at night, while I was primarily working the day shift. We made a great team, and would often swap shifts to keep from getting bored. Joe P was left handed and his “well” setup was exactly the opposite of mine, as my “well” was set up for my right handed pour. At the end of my day shift, I would quickly change the “well” to suit Joe P and informed my bar patrons that it was time to “rape” the bar. It was our way of closing out all open bar tabs so that the night bartender didn’t reap the benefits of the day bartenders work, (we were friends, but our tips were our livelihood).

TIP OF THE DAY: IN TODAY'S WORLD, SHARING TIPS IS NOT ONLY ACCEPTABLE, BUT PREFERRED. THE AVERAGE SERVICE LEVELS WILL BE BETTER AND ALTHOUGH YOU MAY THINK THAT YOU HAVE THAT SPECIAL CUSTOMER THAT TIPS YOU WELL... THE OTHER BARTENDERS YOU WORK WITH HAVE THEM TO.

As I mentioned Joe P and I worked well together, our personalities, skills and work ethic were similar, and after all, he had been my mentor. We were both fast… I was very fast and young enough to think that speed was important… while Joe P was “only as fast as he had to be”… obviously, I still had a lot to learn.

Joe was about to escalate my training, he had a very good understanding of the skills I had been able to learn while at my last job, but now I needed to learn his way. As the day bartender, I was now responsible for the bar’s cleanliness, the cutting of all the fruit required for the garnish of each drink, and the preparation for all bar mixes; we made all of them using formulas that Joe P had created. The Bloody Mary Mix, Margarita Mix, custom bitters and special garnishes, were all pre-made before I started my shift.

At the end of my shift, I was also responsible for restocking the bar and making sure Joe’s “well” was set up and ready to go the moment he stepped behind the bar… as I mentioned… I was right handed, he was a lefty, and all of the bottles of liquor in the well had to be in the right place for each of us. At first I thought it a bit much, but then I realized that Joe P did the same restocking and set up for me when he ended his shift. When I came in, in the morning, my bar was fully stocked and ready to go.

A part of my escalated training with Joe was our pride in the bar, keeping it neat and clean. Once a week, every Saturday morning, Joe and I would ask one of our busboys to come in and help clean the bar, on our dime. Management was too cheap, so Joe and I paid them out of our own pocket; and it was worth every penny. When we started the week, our bar was spotless, every liquor bottle was wiped down and lined up, with the labels facing front; all the glasses sitting on the back bar were cleaned and polished, the stainless

31 steel sinks and refrigeration were scrubbed cleaned and everything was in its right place. Even the wooden slats that we worked on were taken outside and steam cleaned.

It was Joe’s wish, as well as my own; that I become a “Professional Bartender”, not just someone going to school or killing time until they figured out what their real career was going to be. Joe, and his peer group, the “Professional Bartenders” in the area, needed me to step it up a notch, quickly… so that I would fit in.

TIP OF THE DAY: KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: BEING AWARE OF OUR SURROUNDINGS, STAYING FOCUSED, AND KNOWING EACH OTHER’S PERSONALITY AND STRENGTHS HELPED, AND ALLOWED US TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE AND PROFICIENT. BUT THE PRIMARY FOCUS WAS HAVING THE BAR CLEAN AND READY. KEEP YOUR BAR FULLY STOCKED AND THE SPACE CLEAN AND READY FOR WORK.

THE TEN PERCENT THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO TALK TO As good as you are, and as good as your regular customers are, there will always be about 10% of your customers that you may find a little annoying, or a down-right pain in the ass. Not liking a customer is not a good enough reason to ignore them; and face it; they probably don’t like you either.

The real problem is when your entire bar is filled with that 10%. None of your regulars came in, your bar is filled, and you are probably hating life; so what, you get paid to be the bartender, so suck it up. Of course, you could also have some fun by just being nice.

You look over at Johnny, and with a smile on your face, you tell him that he is a real pain in your ass; but that he’s in luck, because Pete, sitting to his right, is also a pain in the ass. You two should get along famously, Johnny meet Pete, Pete meet Johnny, now you can both talk about what an asshole I really am… but you keep smiling. As Johnny and Pete become close personal friends, you add a couple more of those to the mix, and keep smiling.

Before you know it, your entire bar is talking to each other and having a good time, so what if it’s at your expense. They will stay longer, tip better, and because they are all leaving you alone and you’ve been honest with them all, you’ll feel better. The fact that you kept smiling is the key, it really doesn’t matter what you tell your customers if you keep smiling.

What do you do when you have a customer on your bar that you really don’t like? It’s really quite simple, just be honest… and smile. Tell him what you really think of him, and smile. Tell him that deep know, even he knows that he’s a real asshole, and smile. Tell him how inconsiderate he is… and smile. You can tell him almost anything, just smile when you tell him. The customer will only have a few options at that point; regardless of how he feels about what you said. He can take offense and leave, or he can look at your smiling face and decide that you are only kidding. Even if he is very sure that you aren’t, if he wants to stay at the bar, he’ll convince himself that you really didn’t mean it.

TIP OF THE DAY: INTRODUCE EVERYONE ON YOUR BAR TO EVERYONE ON YOUR BAR, FRIENDS AND ENEMIES ALIKE; IT WILL KEEP THE BAR INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINED… AND ALWAYS SMILE.

THE JUNGLE One of the main bartenders was a guy called Jungle, he was amazing at his craft, very fast and one of the top ringers on the club side every night. Jungle was also a lady’s man. He had a harem of women that always wanted him, and most of them got their chance. Jungle had sandy blonde curly hair and he was a very familiar face at the local gym. Being well-built and having movie star looks, most of the girls coming into the bar wanted to get to know him better.

Jungle was tending bar on a Thursday, with two bar-backs, when a couple started acting strange in front of Jungle’s well. The guy was about six-four, two hundred fifty pounds, and was pretty buff; and was clearly on steroids. Apparently Jungle had fucked his girlfriend, and the guy had found out. The customer reached across the bar with both hands; he grabbed Jungle’s shirt and tried to pull Jungle over the bar so he could administer a serious ass-whooping. BIG MISTAKE! Jungle grabbed the guy’s arms at the wrists, and put his foot on the edge of the cooler to brace himself. The two bar backs noticed the commotion and reacted immediately; instantly, all three of them were pulling the guy over the bar top and on to their side of the bar.

His girl started screaming, "Stop! What are you doing, Josh? Nothing happened! We only had lunch!" Or some other sort of lame lie to cover up the fact that she had sex with Jungle… like the two-dollar-cheating- whore she was. Once he was pulled across the bar, all three of them threw Josh to the ground; and he hit the floor with a very loud thud. Liquor bottles were spilled out of the speed racks and breaking on the floor as they hit. Glass, fruit, napkins and ashtrays went flying everywhere.

Josh was on the ground covering up like a UFC fighter that had just had his bell rung and was about to have the fight stopped because he was being beaten so badly and unable to defend himself; except, there's no referee in this fight to save his ass. While he was lying on the floor, all three employees started kicking the living shit out of him. He was beat to a pulp and laid there unconscious behind the bar. They finally stopped the onslaught of punches and kicks when they noticed that the guy wasn't moving. When security showed up, they lifted the guy up and dragged him out from behind the bar. They tried to wake him up but he was unresponsive so they took him outside and deposited him on the top steps; I was both shocked and compelled by the event; and I wanted to see if they killed the poor bastard.

The Police Officers that showed up called the paramedics and they arrived within minutes. The officers’ first question was, "What happened?" The head of security, without flinching or even missing a beat, said, "Reports from inside security and our bar manager claim this guy tried robbing the back bar. He put up a pretty good fight too. Our bartender got punched in the jaw;" a misguided punch from one of the bar-backs, no doubt. He was treated for a concussion, four broken bones in his face, a broken arm, a contusion and several lacerations on his back and sides from landing on all the broken glass from the liquor bottles. His medical bills totaled around a hundred thousand, and he went to trial for damages which the bar sued for, for product loss and disruption of business… another five thousand.

TIP OF THE DAY: AN EXPERIENCED BARTENDER SHOULD NEVER HAVE ALLOWED THE SITUATION TO GET THAT OUT OF CONTROL. THE CUSTOMER SPENT THE NEXT TWO YEARS IN JAIL FOR TRYING TO ROB THE BAR AND FOR THE COUPLE OF GRAMS OF COKE IN HIS POSSESSION, A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. HE APPARENTLY HAD BEEN A LITTLE “COKED” UP, WHICH LED TO HIS BAD DECISION MAKING OVER THE JUNGLE HOPPING HIS GIRLFRIEND; BUT JUNGLE WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT HE DIDN’T WIND UP JOINING HIM IN JAIL, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, LOSING HIS JOB.

ON FIRE!!! Working at Soma there were opportunities, like in all bars, to woo the crowd, often doing something off the wall and crazy. One Saturday night, I decided to start pushing hot peach pie shots. It was really cold out and this shot will warm you through-and-through. The recipe I liked to pour at the time included a float of 151 Rum, and then I’d light it on fire. I’d let it burn until the flame went out, and suck the contents out of the shot glass with a straw.

I had served five or six rounds of these and I had actually drunk a few, which probably didn't help my judgment. I had a large group of ladies in front of my bar, dressed in very nice clothes and adornments that

resembled that of a bachelorette party. I was trying to ring the most money in booze sales, have the most fun, and get paid quite handsomely to do it all. Business as usual! There were five girls in the group, I remember because of the way I lined the shots up; three in front and two in the back. I lit all five and spread them out. One of the girls was drunk and not thinking at all, obviously, and stirred the whole group into blowing out the flames on the shots! Normally I’d be fleeing for my life but, nope, been drinking. "Yeah!” I said, “Why not?!" Four of the five ladies blew out their shots and burning booze from the fifth landed on my shirt and the bar top.

I grabbed a couple of wet towels and was splashing water everywhere, extinguishing the fire on the bar, but my shirt was still on fire, so I grabbed the towel off my hip, plunged it into plain water and doused the flame. What was left of my shirt had three significant holes burned in it. That's how I bartended the rest of the night, but no one seemed to notice. Two very important lessons came from this, one, don't ever serve another flamed drink, and two, always carry a back-up shirt when bartending.

Another “hot” moment… while working the bar called Memorabilia, I was enamored by this blonde with huge tits. She was wearing this white top that had little fuzzy strings that stuck out all over it. She was a smoker and about to light up so I pulled the Tom Cruise cocktail trick of lighting a match and throwing the whole matchbook down on the bar with the lit match sticking up, sliding it toward her so she could pick it up and light her cigarette. It went terribly wrong! She leaned in just as the matchbook reached her and her shirt caught on fire! I was less than two feet away so I ran over to her and started patting the flames out on her chest! It looked as though I was just openly groping her. She liked it, and never noticed that I had set her on fire.

The following weekend she came in, saying her favorite shirt had been ruined somehow by the dryer. I told her the truth about how it went down and that she was pretty drunk and didn't notice. She said she just thought I liked her tits a lot. We both laughed, and I bought her a couple drinks to apologize...

TIP OF THE DAY: KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WOULD TEACH WHAT NOT TO DO BEHIND THE BAR, BUT USING A LITTLE COMMON SENSE HELPS… THESE INSTANCES WERE JUST STUPID AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR DISASTER.

CHAPTER 3 CUSTOMER SERVICE & COMMON SENSE

CUSTOMER SERVICE Contact is always a nice touch. Greeting a customer with a handshake and a smile is a great start to your shift, and your introduction to someone new who just joined you at the bar is the start of hopefully exceeding their expectations. It’s also a great way to start a conversation with a stranger who just might become your next great customer. By “working” the bar, you keep your customers at the bar longer; and the longer they stay the larger the bill and the bigger your tip. When customers decide to stay at your bar for dinner, primarily due to your bubbly personality and excellent service, their cost goes from a $30 bar tab to a dinner with a bottle of wine and now approaches $300.  Pay attention to their needs  Know your drinks and menu  Keep their area clean  Cater to their every need

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The couple sat at her bar waiting for their dinner reservations, they were a little early because they wanted to get an early start on their tenth wedding anniversary celebration. The bartender delivered him a martini and poured her a glass of chardonnay, “John” asked if she had any “special” cocktail, so that he could give the celebration a quick start. She asked him if he liked Green Chartreuse and the smile on his face gave her the answer. She placed in front of him Green Chartreuse with several dashes of Tabasco, shaken, not stirred; and after downing it, he asked for another. It wasn’t often that the bartender could share her love of Green Chartreuse with a customer and it helped develop an instant rapport.

As they started to get to know each other, she found out that their names were John and Susan, and that they have tried to celebrate every anniversary in this restaurant. When they asked about dinner specials and how certain items were prepared, they were thankful of the bartender's extensive knowledge of the menu. As the bartender got busier with the normal Happy Hour rush, she was still able to give them attention while John received another “special” cocktail. When the hostess came up to collect them for their reservation they told her to cancel it, and that they decided to stay at the bar. The bartender went to the other side of the bar to set up their place settings and spend a little quality time with them, not much, but enough to keep them happy. The dinner with an expensive bottle of wine was $500; dessert, after dinner cordials, good company and great customer service… priceless.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS WERE FAR EXCEEDED AND THE TIP ON THE FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR TAB FAR EXCEEDED THE TIP SHE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IF THEY HAD KEPT THEIR ORIGINAL DINNER RESERVATION; AND A NEW REGULAR CUSTOMER IS BORN.

TO DIE FOR I had just finished my shift and found a seat at the bar for my “after shift cocktail’. Krista was bartending and had just started her shift when someone she had an interest in walked into the place; he was tall, very

good looking and it was obvious that she wanted him really badly; and no one at her bar was going to get anything resembling good service, including me.

One of our mutual regular customers, Joe, must have had a bad day at the office because he didn’t take too kindly to the attention she was giving to the next love of her life. Joe was a character and was usually fun to have as a guest, but he was right and I totally understood when he took huge offense to being ignored. He stormed out of the restaurant and started a disagreement with Krista that eventually lasted weeks. I was more interested in watching Krista working her magic with her next want-to-be boyfriend that I may have ignored my personal thirsty needs, but a very impatient Joe was less than impressed and maybe a little jealous.

Over the next couple of weeks, Joe would leave the bar every time Krista started shift, and that was costing us all a little bit of money. With the encouragement of management, Krista agreed to apologize; I’m pretty sure she didn’t feel like she did anything wrong, but I thought it was a smart move… after all, he was a good tipper.

The club’s owner, Christian, bought Joe a Black Label and water, and as I finished my shift, Krista walked behind the bar. Before Joe had a chance to move, she placed in front of Joe a “blow job”, Baileys, Kaluha and whipped cream, in a shot glass; something I’ve never seen Joe order, but he looked at me, then back at Krista, and drank it. It was her way of saying “I’m sorry”, and after another five minutes, she placed another one in front of him; and without missing a beat, he downed it. He finished off another one ten minutes later, but when he tried to get up to go to the bathroom; he immediately collapsed to the floor. After more than just a few minutes of panic, Christian, a few of our customers and staff, and I ran to help. I was told to drive him home, and after we pulled up to his house, he literally fell out of my car and crawled on his hands and knees to his front door; it was one hell of a way to find out that he was hypoglycemic… those “blow jobs” are pure sugar.

Years later, Joe still tells the story: “I’m a very married man… but after the first ten or so years, sex is pretty much nonexistent. There I was, my favorite bar, feeling great, a beautiful bartender apologizing to me, who knew? Granted, it had been a while, but when Krista gave me three blow jobs in twenty minutes… I damn near died!”

TIP OF THE DAY: KNOW YOUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS AND PAY ATTENTION. MORE IMPORTANTLY, PAY ATTENTION TO WHY YOU ARE BEHIND THE BAR TO BEGIN WITH. KRISTA’S LACK OF ATTENTION CAUSED A REGULAR CUSTOMER TO STAY AWAY FROM THE BAR FOR WEEKS, A LOSS OF INCOME FOR THE BAR AND THE BARTENDER… AND POURING SEVERAL SHOTS OF A SWEET COCKTAIL FILLED WITH SUGAR TO A CUSTOMER SUFFERING FROM DIABETES OR IS HYPOGLYCEMIC, IS JUST STUPID. THE WAY JOE TELLS IT, IT MAKES FOR A GREAT STORY, BUT HE COULD HAVE DIED.

PAYING ATTENTION - YET AGAIN Even when a bartender is new, a good bar presence is critical to success, for both the bartender, and the bar; and there will never be a good excuse for poor service. Candy was in the middle of her shift. She was always a joy to watch… from a purely physical point of view; but she needed more than just a little work on her bartending skills. It wasn’t busy, but steady, and she was caught up in a conversation on the other side of a very large rectangular bar and never once looked up to see what was going on around her. I had been sitting in front of an empty glass of wine for quite a while, but as I mentioned, she was a joy to watch and I wasn’t in any hurry.

The couple that just sat at the end of the bar apparently didn’t share my appreciation for a perfectly formed ass in extremely tight orange shorts; and they were getting mad. As Candy finally made her way around the bar she walked right past them on her way to the register; without so much of a smile. A few minutes later, she walked past them again with no acknowledgement or greeting. It wasn’t until after a few more flirtatious minutes with the guys on the other side of the bar that she finally made it to the couple to take their order. They ordered a couple of beers but it was obvious that they weren’t happy.

Another guest came up and sat between the couple and myself, and waited, and waited, and waited, but Candy was in “short-timers” mode and was counting the minutes until she finished her shift. About ten minutes later the shift change started and the woman next to me still hadn’t been greeted and I had just finished polishing my still empty wine glass for the third time. Candy was finally hailed by the customer, but made no excuse for taking so long; and I took the opportunity to order my wine and pay my tab.

The woman turned to me to vent about how she was the wrong sex to expect any type of good service… the bartender had spent all of her time flirting with male customers. She told me that she had read some reviews on line about how bad the service was and she wanted to find out herself, and she did. Before leaving, she informed me that she was going home to log onto her computer so that she could place her own nasty review. From Twitter to Yelp, it’s just too easy. The customer left after paying and I noticed that she left the exact amount of her check.

At about the same time, the couple sitting in the corner walked out after looking at the menu, but without ordering food or finishing their beers, they also didn’t leave a tip. After paying my bill, my tip was half of what I normally would leave, and Candy was still clueless.

TIP OF THE DAY: A SIMPLE SMILE AND A SHORT GREETING WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE BARTENDER TO MAKE HER ROUNDS, TAKING NEW ORDERS, KEEPING ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS HAPPY, AND STILL BE ABLE TO FLIRT. IF CUSTOMERS ARE SITTING AT THE BAR WITH THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF FLIRTING WITH THE PRETTY BARTENDER… THEY WILL NEVER LEAVE; AND THE LESS TIME THE BARTENDER SPENDS WITH THEM, THE LONGER THEY WILL STAY AND THE MORE MONEY SHE WILL MAKE.

AND AGAIN The restaurant was fast becoming one of my favorite “go-to” day stops. I could always count on good looking, friendly and knowledgeable bartenders, regardless of the time of day. I walked in and found two female bartenders behind the bar with only two customers sitting at it, and I would make it three. As I approached, one of them greeted me and asked if I would be joining them at the bar for a drink and some lunch. I smiled and said yes as she placed a drink menu, a wine menu, and a lunch menu in front of me.

I quickly chose an excellent glass of red wine and looked over the menu. My wine was placed in front of me as I put the menus down and that was the last time the bartender gave me any attention. A second bartender who remembered me from a previous visit came by to say hi and spent a few minutes in delightful banter and then left. For the entire time it took me to drink my glass of wine, neither of the bartenders made an effort to ask if I was ready to order any food.

I am a quiet person and relaxed as I gently swirled the wine. I made several attempts to flag one down or to make eye contact with either of the bartenders so that I could order; but it wasn’t until I placed money on the bar to pay for my drink before the second bartender finally came back… the menus were still in front of me. As I got up to leave, the bar had a few more customers, but nothing that two bartenders wouldn’t have been able to handle.

TIP OF THE DAY: I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE STAYED FOR TWO DRINKS WHILE HAVING LUNCH. MY BILL WITH TIP CAME TO $17.00, BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO $50.00, IF EITHER OF THEM HAD PAID ATTENTION.

COMMON SENSE Common sense can make your job so much more enjoyable and profitable. Use it to stop a friend from drinking too much, or combine it with a little personality and create your own style when dealing with your off-the-wall customers. Has your customer had too much to drink? A DUI conviction can cost your customer his driver’s license with possible jail time, and that’s if no one gets hurt. You may piss him off when you cut him off… but he’ll be back in a couple of days to apologize. Who is he at the bar with if not his wife? Do you really care? Or should you just offer good judgment and service and leave the moral issues to those better qualified to help.  Know your customers  Know your personal strengths and weaknesses

COMMON SENSE AND MANNER’S Listen up, we don’t usually own the place, and we don't set the prices, so complaining to us isn't going to do anything for you or your check. A point of fact, our jobs are worth a lot more than the extra couple bucks you might throw our way in that moment when you’re to get something for less than retail.

If you don't have any money, be wise about what you buy. Most bars have shot specials or discounted beers. If you only have twenty dollars to spend, you may want to just stay home with a pack of your favorite beer, rather than spend half that for one at a bar. If you have some money, TIP! It's how the people serving you eat and pay their rent. If you don't have any money, be wise about what you buy. Most bars have shot specials or discounted beer, so if you only have a twenty in your pocket, spend it wisely. Obviously if the service sucks, don't tip a lot; however, if your drink is the way you like it, and you're served in a timely manner by a polite staff member, then be gratuitous, it goes a long way. Regardless of how much or how little money you have.

Always say please and thank you. It's just good manners. What many people may not know, is that servers spend about ninety percent of their night complaining about rude and demanding customers, and your face will be remembered the next time you come in.

TIP OF THE DAY: BEING A CUSTOMER DOESN’T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO CONSIDER YOURSELF “ENTITLED”. TIP BAD AND BE RUDE THE FIRST TIME OUT, AND YOU MAY NEVER GET GOOD SERVICE AGAIN; TIP WELL AND BE POLITE, AND YOU’LL BE TREATED LIKE A KING OR QUEEN FOR LIFE BY THE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT.

IT’S A SMALL WORLD Lori was a statuesque woman, forty-two years old, and was probably one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. If someone had told me that she had just flown in from Paris to make a movie, I would have believed it, she was that beautiful. I could not put into words just how happy I was to learn that she only lived a block away from the restaurant and that she was considered one of our best, regular customers. Her favorite spot in the lounge was at the bar, sitting next to the waitress station… I was in heaven.

As we got to know each other better, I would take a few moments before the start of my shift, to kneel next to her, so that she could massage my back and neck, (she had great hands). I had thought that I was pretty

good at giving a woman a massage, but Lori made me look like a rank amateur; she would drive her fingers very deep into the soft areas and muscles around my shoulders and when she was done, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders. It might not have been considered professional, but, it was a great way to start my shift. I had been thinking about changing apartments to move closer to work when Lori offered one of her bedrooms to me. She lived in a large, five bedroom house with her two daughters, and the maid’s quarters were attached to the kitchen; the good news was that they had no maid. It included a bedroom with small sitting area, a master bathroom, and full access to the kitchen. It sounded perfect but before I could make a decision, Lori felt that I would need to know a few things about her family.

Lori was one of my best customers, a very good tipper, and our conversations had always been light and fun, but she had kept her personal life very private. She wasn’t interested in giving me all the details, but she decided to start a modeling career and to be more specific… nude modeling. She had become so successful at it, that she was able to pay off the mortgage on her home and live quite comfortably. When her daughters saw what mom was up to, they decided to share in the fun and profit as well. As Lori finished telling me her story, she was concerned that I wouldn’t be able to handle the fact that mom and her two daughters were nude models, and that they were in the habit of sunbathing in their backyard… nude. Who was I to argue with the photographers that insisted that they have no tan lines?

It took about a minute and a half to compose myself and tell Lori, with a straight face, that I appreciated her honesty and I was sure, that as long as my bedroom and bath were isolated, that they would probably never see me; it would absolutely be no problem at all. The next step would be for her to bring in her daughters to meet me and if they all agreed, I would be able to move in that weekend.

Three nude models, and I’m going to be living with them… all I would have to do was give a really good first impression to Lori’s daughters. The three of them came into my bar the next day, Lori took up her usual position next to the waitress station and started to introduce her daughters, but when daughter number one, Shelly, looked up, she smiled and said hi Joe, nice to see you again; and daughter number two, Sally, chimed in and said, so this is where you work asshole.

I was pretty well screwed. I had met Shelly last week at a friend’s bar and I spent a weekend with Sally about a month earlier. It didn’t take long for Lori to realize that I had already “hooked up” with both of her daughters and it became very obvious, very quickly, that not only was I not going to be moving in this weekend, I would very probably lose a very good customer.

TIP OF THE DAY: IT IS A VERY SMALL WORLD OUT THERE, AND ONE SHOULD ALWAYS TRY TO KEEP BUSINESS AND PERSONAL LIVES SEPARATE. DEFINITELY A LACK OF COMMON SENSE, AND WHEN TO FLIRT AND NOT TO FLIRT IS ALSO AN ISSUE; BUT I DEFINITELY NEEDED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT PAYING ATTENTION.

COMMON SENSE AND RELATIONSHIPS She was my fiancée, after a quick two week courtship, I was head over heels in love with her, and asked her to marry me. Being the intelligent woman that she was, her acceptance came with a long list of conditions; I only had two. First, she wasn’t allowed in my bar, and second, I would stay out of her church if she would stay out of Las Vegas; both seemed very reasonable to me at the time.

My future wife had gotten into the habit of sitting at the end of my bar to watch me work, and flirt, but I could have up to six women on my bar at any given time. These women were on my bar for many different reasons, but flirting with the bartender would always be at the top of the list. The longer these women stayed, the bigger their checks would be, and the bigger my tips would be. Most of these women were

available to any opportunistic bartender, and would often stay at the bar for long hours hoping to get “lucky” with the bartender. None of these women would stay for more than a few minutes and one drink if they knew that the bartender’s soon to be wife was watching his every move. I explained to my future bride that flirting and building the regular customer base was how I made my living. I also made it plain that she needed to trust me; and that when she woke up in the morning, I would be there, watching her put on her makeup. It made sense and is something that she never had a reason to question.

TIP OF THE DAY: A BARTENDER PAYS THEIR BILLS WITH THE MONEY THEY EARN FROM TIPS, NOT THE MINIMUM WAGE SALARY THEY GET PAID BY MANAGEMENT. IT IS CRITICAL THAT A BARTENDER BE ALLOWED TO WORK THE BAR AS HE OR SHE SEES FIT; TO GENERATE THE PROFITABILITY FOR THEIR EMPLOYER AS WELL AS THEMSELVES.

FLIRTING As I watched Sandy start her shift, I felt good about hiring her. She had only limited experience in the basics of bartending, but she knew how to handle the customers, and I could teach her the rest; with just a little “tweaking”, she was going to be good. To start with, whether you are a male or female bartender, do not spend all of your time flirting with any one customer; here she was on only her second day behind the bar, and she already found the next true love of her life, or so he thought… and she was working it. As she leaned low to give the absolute best view of her ample cleavage, she gazed into his eyes and looked at him as if he was the only man in the room, softly offering sexy small talk; and completely ignoring the rest of the bar and the server staff trying to get their drinks for a very full dining room. Sandy actually thought that the more she offered this one customer, the more gratuities she would “earn”.

Lesson number one, the customer isn’t going anywhere. The more time you spend doing something else, like actually being a bartender, the more time the customer is going to stay. The servers that are getting drinks for their dining room customers are a large part of a bartender’s tips. The better their service to their customers, the better tips they will receive, and at the end of their shift, most servers tip their bartender a percentage of what they earn. And, the more customers on the bar that you wait on, the more money you will earn from each of them… the next love of your life will still be there waiting for more of your attention.

Lesson number two, the customer waiting for your attention will continue to wait, and usually will come back for more. He is on a mission to go out with you and he will become one of your most loyal regular customers. He will hangout on your bar, often for days or weeks, and flirt with you until he accomplishes his mission. If you work the entire bar and allow him to sit and wait, he will stay longer and drink more, and the larger tab will equate to a larger tip. A good professional bartender has been known to keep the customer hanging for years… and the customer still comes back for more.

Lesson number three, if and when you decide to allow a customer the pleasure of your company on a personal level, away from the bar, you just lost a regular customer and the tips he was giving you. As a current boyfriend or girlfriend, they no longer feel like they have to tip you; and as an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, they never will. Learn to keep your personal relationships apart from your ability to make a living. There will always be the exceptions, and with a little luck you may find the true love of your life while tending bar, but until then, think of all the tips you could lose.

TIP OF THE DAY: KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE WILL ALWAYS HELP, BUT BARTENDING IS A PROFESSION, NOT A DATING SERVICE. WHEN YOU START TO DATE ONE OF YOUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS, IT’S USUALLY FOR A SHORT TERM, AND AFTER THE BREAKUP, YOU LOSE THE CUSTOMER AND HIS/HER TIP.

HITTING ON THE BARTENDER Most people think that female bartenders get hit on all the time and this is relatively true, however male bartenders get hit on just as much. Most of the time getting hit on as a bartender has a lot to do with the fact that we are seen as the center of attention and people know that if they can make themselves memorable it will probably result in getting our attention quicker when it’s time for their next drink and maybe they'll also get a little extra splash of booze.

Alcohol also tends to make people say things they maybe wouldn't or shouldn't when sober. A bartender has heard it all a million times. I never even think twice when someone hits on me at the bar it has really became as common in my mind as, "hi how are you?" or even "can I get a vodka soda?". Some people are more persistent than others and of course the people that really like to play the chase game of getting a females attention tend to put in much more effort than most which can result in jewelry, flowers, candy, and other elaborate gifts being delivered to our work, in an attempt to get our attention. In the beginning I felt very weird accepting gifts from people trying to get my attention like that and would often return them to the giver, then I realized that I was probably considered rude accepting a gift from a person I had no intentions of ever dating. Here in Orange County, so many of the people do things more for the "show" and attention knowing that it will help how they look in other people’s eyes... seems to be important to some.

Keep your significant other out of your place of business. They will usually have ulterior motives for coming into your bar, and it’s not usually just to say hi. Your significant other has ownership rights and an attachment, and they really don’t care about anything except marking their territory.

TIP OF THE DAY: THIS WILL HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOUR ABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB AND MAKE A LIVING. TRUST AND INTEGRITY ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS TO YOUR SUCCESS AND WELLBEING; AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF ANY RELATIONSHIP, BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL.

AWKWARD MOMENTS AND RELATIONSHIPS Awkward moments should be avoided at any cost. Most regular customers love to go where “everyone knows their name”; but when regular customers walk into your bar, and they are with someone who you don't recognize; do not be so quick to acknowledge them. Who really knows what your regular customer has told his friends about how much time they spend in your bar? When in doubt… wait… and be patient, your regular customer will be the first one to let you know how he would like you to proceed.

What if… Your regular customer brings in their new or existing boss, and that person doesn’t realize just how much time his employee, your customer, spends with you? Your customer maybe trying to impress his boss, his staff, a new business relationship? He brings his wife instead of his girlfriend… or vice versa? The woman or man on your customer’s arm could be anyone… wife or husband… existing or new girlfriend… or a soon to be ex… when in doubt, let your customer guide you.

You are dating more than one person, and they both show up at your bar, (and nine times out of ten, they will wind up sitting next to each other). You have a regular customer, who is always coming in to see you… flirt with you, and “tip” you, and then you decide to start dating them. On the rare occasion that it turns into true love and marriage… congratulations, but if not, you just lost a “tipping”, regular customer… permanently. Existing girlfriends and boyfriends do not tip their significant others; and if and when you break up, they will not be back in will no longer be a regular customer.

Danny had been coming into my bar for a few months during happy hour, at least twice a week, and always with his girlfriend. It was the start of a busy Friday afternoon when he showed up alone. It didn’t take long for him to spill his guts about how they were no longer a couple, he had been dumped, and I was more than happy to help get him through it. I had always considered him sexy, and someone that I wanted to get to know a little better.

The following weekend I “managed” to squeeze Danny into my social life, twice on Saturday and all Sunday afternoon; and it was even better than I had imagined it would be. Over the next few weeks, we spent a lot of my spare time in my bed… on my couch… in my bathroom… just about anytime and anywhere the mood hit us, and it hit often.

I was very satisfied with our very intense, physical relationship, until he came into my bar with a different woman on his arm. They were with a group of friends, most of whom I recognized, but Danny seemed very uncomfortable, and eventually he realized that he couldn’t ignore me anymore. He brought his “date” up to the bar, and introduced me to his wife of six years, Julia. It had never occurred to me that after his last break up, that he might also have a wife hanging around… who knew?

I had so much that I wanted to say, but my smarter, better side took over and as Julia reached for my hand, my “softer, little voice was thinking, “Hi, I’m Pam… I’ve been sucking your husband’s dick”... payback will be a bitch.

James and Tito… Tito and James, sometimes I get so confused. I started dating both of them about the same time, and I really did have trouble keeping them separate. Tito was my little brown boy from Costa Rica, and James was my little brown man from Santa Ana; they were both so much alike and I had a great time, regardless of which one I was with.

Tito had gone home to Costa Rica for about a month, so it was only natural for me to spend a little more time with James. We were having an intimate cocktail in the bar area, the music was soft and sensuous, and my hand was having a very good time in James’s lap; when I looked up to see the little brown face of Tito. James knew about Tito, but Tito knew nothing about James; so I was so appreciative when James whispered that he would see me at home and I spent the next couple of hours trying to console Tito.

I walked into my apartment to find a dozen red roses on my dining room table, with a trail of red rose petals leading to the bedroom. James knew what turned me on. I truly loved that man, but, eventually, he broke my heart and I haven’t seen him since. Years later, Tito and I are still friends.

TIP OF THE DAY: BOTTOM LINE, SIGNIFICANT OTHERS DO NOT BELONG IN YOUR BAR. REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU THINK, IF YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER IS SITTING ON YOUR BAR, YOU WILL TREAT YOUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS DIFFERENTLY, AND IT WILL AFFECT THE WAY YOU WORK YOUR BAR. DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF CONFUSING SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME; YOU CAN HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER… AND BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU START DATING ONE OF YOUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS… YOU WILL USUALLY LOSE A REGULAR CUSTOMER, AND THEIR TIPS, FOR A VERY SHORT ROMANTIC EXPERIENCE.

“BREAD & WATER” In all the years behind the bar, I never really cut anyone off because they were getting too drunk; but I knew my bar, my family, extremely well. As family, I would never embarrass them, but they all knew that when I place a bowl of soup and some bread in front of them, that it was time to stop drinking and start

eating, and I usually would serve them water after that. I’m not exactly sure why they always did what I told them to do, but I like to think that they just knew that I cared enough about them to take care of them. Every once in a while, I would ease up on their alcohol intake without them every realizing that they were being treated differently; I loved Hank, but every so often he would start to “power drink”, drinking faster than I could almost pour them. On those rare occasions, I would cut the amount of alcohol I would pour in half, and float just a little bit on the tip of the straw or the top of the drink; that way he would get the first sip of the drink as pure alcohol and never realize I “short “poured him; then I would do the next drink the same way. He would get two drinks, with the same amount of alcohol as one, but the second drink I would gracefully “comp”. Hank not only stayed sober, he stayed longer, he thought he was getting a free drink, which made him feel even more “special”, and he stayed out of trouble. I kept one of my regular customer’s safe and happy, the bar didn’t lose any money because I only charged him for what I poured; I just divided it into two drinks instead of one.

TIP OF THE DAY: A CUSTOMER WHO HAS HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK WILL QUICKLY TRANSFORM, AND THEIR PERSONALITY WILL CHANGE, USUALLY TO RUDE OR INCONSIDERATE; AND THEY WILL EITHER GET VERY LOUD OR VERY QUIET... PAY ATTENTION. THIS WAS ADDRESSED IN CHAPTER ONE BUT IS WORTH REPEATING... JUST IN CASE YOU SKIPPED AHEAD. NO ONE WAS HURT, NO ONE WAS CHEATED… AND WE ALL LIVED TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN ON ANOTHER DAY.

IT WAS IN THE “STARS” I had known Nick for about a year, a regular customer whom everyone loved, especially the topless dancers in the clubs that he frequented. He preferred to be called “wheels”, and has been in a wheel chair for most of his adult life. It was not uncommon to see Nick wheel into the topless bar and have several dancers fighting for the opportunity to jump onto his lap and have him take them for a ride.

He usually had no problem talking to people about his accident, but usually would end every conversation by blaming the stars. One night, after feeding him many cocktails, he finally decided to tell me the truth. He was coming back from a very drunk weekend at what we called “the river”, several bars and casinos on the bank of the Colorado River; and in his infinite wisdom, he thought he could actually make the six hour drive home without problem. There was a full moon, clear skies, and not another car could be seen.

He found himself, flat on his back, lying in a ditch next to the side of the road. He could see out of the corner of his eye that his beautiful pickup truck didn’t look quite so beautiful lying on its side, and there were heavenly stars everywhere, sparkling in the moon light. As the sun started to come up, he realized that what he thought were sparkling stars, were in fact dozens of empty beer cans surrounding the truck. Didn’t take a rocket scientist or the cops on the scene, to realize that it was the contents of these “stars” that Nick could thank for his “wheels”.

TIP OF THE DAY: NICK WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE LIVED, BUT A LITTLE COMMON SENSE AS TO DRINKING AND DRIVING WOULD HAVE SAVED HIS LEGS.

CHAPTER 4 INTEGRITY & ETHICS

Either you have it or you don’t; being honest with your customers and your co-workers, will make for a more successful operation. It is also one of the toughest of the key ingredients of a bartender’s “makeup”. It’s not easy to convince a bartender that the ten drinks he didn’t charge for will eventually have an adverse effect on his earnings. Give away too many drinks, and your tips can actually be reduced, give away even more, than your tips can go away completely when you get caught by management. The customers become uncomfortable, the company loses revenue, and you eventual lose your job. Integrity, how do you rate?

 Honesty  Respect for coworkers and customers  Pouring what the customer “actually” ordered and is paying for  Drink comps - No free drinks for tips

The following thoughts and short stories are examples of a few ways a bartender has been caught stealing. Whether giving away a drink, eating food that you didn’t pay for, taking beer or bottles of alcohol home for a private party, or simply just taking the money… it’s all considered stealing… and it will never be condoned. With customized computers, I-Phones, security cameras and advanced Point of Sale systems now available, it’s too easy to get caught; so don’t even try. Your boss can be 3000 miles away and still check on you using the security app on his I-Phone; and even if you think that you are the smartest person in the room and would never get caught, look around, there’s always going to be someone a little smarter.

“PARTNERS” Bar owner Joe was trying to find a bartender to work the night shift of his club. He needed someone he could count on and trust, because he didn’t want to spend eighteen hours a day working; he loved his place, but not that much.

After the initial thirty minute interview, he showed his “new” bartender John, around the place, and went over the cash register located on the back bar. After watching him work for a few minutes, Joe excused himself and went upstairs to his office. The office was small, but it was Joe’s escape from what goes on downstairs and it was located on the second level, directly above the cash register that was behind the bar. A small hole in the floor gave John an excellent view of the bartender’s actions while standing in front of the register… this was the second half of John’s “interview” process.

As Joe watched, John moved behind the bar well and was friendly and professional with all of the customers that came in. He greeted them warmly, made their drinks and took their money to ring up the sale. Joe was feeling pretty good about his bartender selection. About an hour into his shift, Joe noticed that John was receiving a tip for his good service with almost every sale. For every four drinks he would ring up, he would place a tip into the “tip” jar next to the register three times, not too bad.

An hour later, Joe watched as John seemed to have forgotten to ring up a drink, and then again. It seemed like John was now only ringing up three of four drinks on the register, but he was still depositing the same amount in tips. Over the course of the next few hours, John was putting the money for one drink into the

register, and the money for the next drink would go directly into his tip jar. One into the register… one into the tip jar… one into the register… one into the tip jar.

As John got closer to the end of his shift, he started putting all of the money directly into his tip jar, bypassing the cash register completely; Joe was troubled and more than a little pissed. He went running down the stairs to confront John, just as John was putting even more money into his jar. Joe proclaimed… “What, we’re not partners anymore?”

That was a long time ago, when Joe was considered “old school”, and was fine with John skimming a little off the top, but only as long as Joe could maintain a profit. It was before computers and inventory controls, when a hand shake was your bond. Today the “skimming” is approached as a “comp” check, and it will always be important for the club to be profitable to stay open.

TIP OF THE DAY: SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING AND BOTH YOU AND THE OWNER OF THE BAR ARE SUPPOSED TO MAKE MONEY.

MISPLACED TECHNOLOGY Many years ago, I was invited to preview a new concept, liquor in a gun, the new and improved way to pour faster and easier, and completely stop theft. A company contracted with a popular restaurant in the area for a demonstration and to install a system that would dispense alcohol from a gun while simultaneously ringing the drink on the register. A fool proof system that they guaranteed would stop theft. There were a dozen of us invited to watch the show, and all of us were either managers or owners of local bars and restaurants.

Everything was pre-set, from the price of the drinks to the amount of alcohol being dispensed; and the alcohol being dispensed from the gun was set up in the liquor room. Push the button to pour a drink and it automatically rings up the total on the register, one drink or five, the correct sale would appear on the cash register. Added benefits were a reduced liquor cost, because the bottles used for the dispenser were cheaper half-gallon bottles, not quart or fifth size; and the alcohol poured was always an ounce, giving us complete inventory control.

We all watched in amazement as drink after drink was ordered and poured, with every cocktail appearing on the cash register. We were all mesmerized as to how simple our lives were about to become, until my friend Chuck became curious; he asked for, and received permission to try it himself.

Chuck walked behind the bar, inspected both the gun apparatus and the cash register, and then reached behind the register and unplugged it. He then picked up the gun and started to pour drinks, slowly at first, then a barrage of twenty. The well in front of the bartender station quickly filled with drinks, while the cash register remained silent. By simply unplugging one part of their new fool proof system, Chuck was able to pour as many drinks as he wanted with no record of a sale being registered.

That gave a few of us the motivation to look deeper, and my forte had always been inventory control, so I ventured into the liquor room to inspect the alcohol dispenser. Anyone with access to the liquor room could manipulate the bottles, either substituting different, less expensive brand names; or simply refilling the existing half-bottles with cheaper well brands; a tactic that would also lower the bar’s Pouring Cost, while deceiving the unknowing customer into thinking he was drinking, and paying for, a premium alcohol.

TIP OF THE DAY: THERE IS NO FOOL PROOF TECHNOLOGY TO STOP THEFT; IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS THE LACK OF INTEGRITY TO THINK STEALING IS ACCEPTABLE, YOU CAN’T STOP HIM. WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT, IT WILL BE MANAGEMENT’S CHOICE TO EITHER, TEACH THEM A BETTER WAY, REMOVE THEM, OR LEGALLY PROSECUTE THEM; BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS GET CAUGHT.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS No one can see me, no one will ever catch me, no one is watching. I can work my shift while keeping the cash register draw open. I can leave money left on the bar to pay for a drink, on the bar for a short while, and then put it into my tip jar instead of the register, no one will notice. I’ll only charge the customer for one or two drinks, give him many more than that, and I’m sure no one will notice how much he tips me.

I was the new night bartender and had been training behind the bar for almost an hour when Kurt, the “lead” bartender, decided to make it his personal business to show me how to rip off the new owner. He actually enjoyed showing me how easy it was, while she was sitting on the bar, in front of the cash register. A quick calculation told me that he was stealing one out of every five dollars that should have found its way into the cash register. This seemed to be a part of my original bartending “101” training that my mentor, had apparently overlooked.

Kurt was all about Kurt… the bar would be full, and he decides to set up drinks for the whole bar… on the “house”. He would do this several times a night and never charge a customer a dime. At the end of the night, Kurt gets tipped very well for giving away drinks, but in reality, it’s only temporary. If a bar isn’t making money, eventually it will close, the owner goes broke, and the entire staff will be looking for work…. who’s wins?

My two cocktail servers saw how troubled I was at the end of our shift and offered to take me out to breakfast and I jumped at the chance. Of course it didn’t hurt that they were both gorgeous, but I also needed to vent a little. I didn’t want to lose my job, but I had some very real concerns about working with Kurt. The girls took me to a local diner and over coffee, they told me to relax, that Kurt was on borrowed time, and that he probably wouldn’t last the week.

My second day behind the bar with Kurt was an even more impressive disregard for his employer and my chosen profession. Kurt started his shift by taking a drink order for a couple of regular guests, two scotch rocks, at a cost of six dollars, and after putting the drinks in front of them, he took the twenty dollar bill handed to him and went to the cash register to ring it up. He then opened the register, took out the fourteen dollars in change and gave it to the customers and never touched the keys. He then left the cash register draw open as he continued to pour drinks and collect the money, but never ringing up a drink.

This went on for about thirty minutes before he closed the draw and started to conduct himself appropriately. I was the conscientious “bar back” still in training. At the end of our shift I was cleaning up the back bar and stainless area when Kurt stopped me from throwing away discarded fruit from the sink area. He explained that the cherries represented five dollars and the limes were ten dollars. Three limes and five cherries meant that he had ripped off another fifty-five dollars from the bar, and all he had to do was take it out of the register before closing out his shift.

A true professional realizes that it is a “partnership” and that everyone needs to win. If the owner is making money, the increased business means the staff is treated better, with more benefits, and they will have job stability and will be making more money. Fortunately, Kurt didn’t last past my second day. As I finished up the day by cleaning the bar, my manager informed me that Kurt was no longer with us and he was sure that I wouldn’t have any trouble on my own.

TIP OF THE DAY: YOU’RE AN EMPLOYEE UNTIL YOU START SIGNING THE CHECKS. IT’S NOT YOUR BAR OR MONEY, BUT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TREAT IT LIKE IT IS. NOTHING GOES UN-NOTICED AND SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING.

DÉJÀ VU I was managing a nightclub in Santa Ana and running out of time. I am one bartender short for our grand opening and had only one interview left. His name was Kurt and when he handed me his resume, all I could do was stare. He was selling me hard on how good he was and his resume was impressive, but I just couldn’t stop staring… at the man that took a lot of pride in teaching me how to steal five years earlier, I just sat there and let him finish selling himself. When done, a looked at him and asked, “Kurt, you don’t remember me do you?” He looked at me a little harder, but I had changed, I was no longer the young and inexperienced ex-marine reporting for his first bartending job. My hair was longer and straighter, and I had a full mustache; a much different look than the short, curly haired, clean shaven kid that he had “trained”..

When he still had no clue, I offered “Hof’s Hut, five years ago”… he just glared at me, picked up his resume and left… no goodbyes, no thank you for the opportunity, no “great to see you” comments, nothing… how rude.

TIP OF THE DAY: IT’S AMAZING HOW LONG A BAD REPUTATION CAN STAY WITH YOU. NO ONE IS PERFECT, BUT YOU SHOULD TRY TO LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.

SECRET SHOPPER We’ll call him “Dan”, someone who made it into the restaurant exactly once every two weeks, for the entire two years that I worked there; and he was definitely considered a regular. It wasn’t until much later that I found out that Dan, was referred to as a “spotter”, someone employed to come into the bar and act as a customer; in an effort to “spot” anything the boss considered bad, from stealing money to bad service, his job was to catch us in the act and write us up for management review.

It was obvious that Dan didn’t like me at all, but he could never catch me doing anything wrong. His only beef was when he would sit at my bar for hours, (along with every other regular customer), but never once saw me write down a drink order or close out a tab; and until he did, he wouldn’t be able to accuse me of giving away a drink or stealing. His job was to watch what I was ringing up on the register; but he normally would have to leave before I did and the only tab I would have closed would have been his. My Hof’s Hut training really paid off in spades for this one, I had been able to remember 100 drinks at a time, this bar only had twenty-two bar stools, piece of cake.

Of note, my boss, the owner of the bar, was the recipient of the worst bar write-up of the restaurant’s history; he always gave away drinks when he was behind the bar, and had been known to take money out of the register for no apparent reason. It’s a good thing the “spotter” was on his payroll and not the other way around.

TIP OF THE DAY: WHETHER IT’S THE STAFF, CUSTOMERS, FRIENDS, OR THE EYE-IN-THE-SKY, SOMEONE IS ALWAYS WATCHING.

EGO’S AND THE RESULTS (CUSTOMERS LOVE TO BRAG) One of my very good regulars, Mark, would come in often to socialize with the rest of the core group of regulars; a friendly man who usually showed up with his girlfriend, never his wife. A few cocktails, a little conversation, and they would be off to their car or a local hotel room. No one in the bar could ever remember meeting his wife, so it never seemed quite as bad as it really was.

It is usually not about the money, but most regular customers expect a “free” drink; and Mark was no exception, regardless of how much they had to drink. I was pretty good at making sure that no one noticed, especially my managers; what I hadn’t counted on was Mark. I never realized how much customers liked to brag.

Standing in his usually corner, one of my other customers, Greg, noticed that Mark wasn’t charged for one out of every three drinks. Mark was first to point out that he was the best customer at the bar, so it’s only natural that he should receive a free drink or two. Greg said nothing at the time, but Mark hadn’t realized that Greg also considered himself the best customer at the bar.

Greg was pissed because he rarely received a free drink; he might have been a regular, but no one really liked him. Greg told a manager, that manager told the general manager, and he told me to knock it off; or I’m gone. I’m very sure Mark had no clue what he was starting, but the only two people it really affected were Mark and me. He no longer received anything free, and he eventually went from five days a week on my bar to one; and I lost the tips on the other four days.

TIP OF THE DAY: IF A BARTENDER DOES THEIR JOB RIGHT, ALL OF YOUR REGULAR CUSTOMERS WILL CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE YOUR BEST CUSTOMER. A “FREE” DRINK IS CONSIDERED STEALING IF IT’S NOT RECORDED AS A “COMP”; AND IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE YOU’RE CAUGHT; EITHER BY MANAGEMENT, BY STAFF, OR BY THE CUSTOMERS. REALITY CHECK… YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ANY OF IT.

INVENTORY AND COMP’S Keeping track of your inventory isn’t hard, and there are now many systems in place to make it even easier. From weighing bottles to Point of Sales systems that can tell you exactly how much you sold and how much inventory you should have left. Inventory should always be conducted consistently, daily, weekly, or monthly; and management and staff should always be held accountable. Comp tabs are always an object of contention between management and bartenders. Who should receive them? Food? Cocktails? Both? Regular customers love to go where everyone knows their name, not necessarily where they get free drinks. I have seen customers leave because they got too much for free and they felt uncomfortable.

Giving a customer a “free” appetizer serves several purposes, but the most important is that they feel special. Giving away food will still allow the customer to buy a drink; giving away a drink, and the customer may only have one and probably won’t buy food. Another thought is to give a bartender a dollar amount to work with, every month, in addition to the usual comp tab. This dollar amount could be paid to the bartender on his paycheck, he has the choice to use it to “comp” a drink for one of his regular customers, or not. If he doesn’t use it, he is rewarded with a slightly larger paycheck.

TIP OF THE DAY: GIVING AWAY A DRINK WITHOUT RECORDING IT IS WRONG, AND NEVER GIVE AWAY ALL THE DRINKS. A CUSTOMER WILL NOT USUALLY TIP YOU ALL OF THE MONEY HE SHOULD HAVE PAID FOR ALL OF THE DRINKS AND MOST WOULD LIKE AT LEAST A STARTING POINT SO THAT A PERCENTAGE OF A SALE CAN BE USED.

ETHICS If you work at an establishment where employees are not reprimanded for bad behavior, aren’t given consideration for good behavior, but even worse, not paid any attention to at all; all it will take is one dishonest person to lower the standard for us all. From giving away a few drinks, to not charging a “good” customer for anything at all; one dishonest person can set the “bar” so low that it will leave employees who care about their job, between a rock and hard place. If the dishonest employee has been around for a long time, skimming a few extra dollars on every drink can become common place; the lack of supervision, in a sense, becomes there acknowledgement that they aren’t doing anything wrong. New employees often look to them for guidance, and how they handle things, and will follow that same standard, without ever asking if that was a decision made from the top down or just one decided solely by that employee who believes that they are “entitled” to make a few extra dollars.

In the long run, this adds up to a lot of money lost by the company, and more than likely some good employees along the way; employees who put their integrity and ethics on a different level. Personally, I have worked for this corporation for over ten years, and I cannot put a price on my integrity, work ethic, or morals; and really… my job is not worth losing for an extra couple of dollars; not to mention compromising my industry reputation.

We are granted the right to use a comp check each night (within reason), to buy drinks for regulars, friends, family, special occasions, and so on. This privilege, in my opinion, leaves no reason to skim anything; unfortunately for some, that simply is not enough. The owner and management of the establishment I work for shares my view, and greatly values and appreciates our regular customers. They realize that during slow times, they are the reason that we can keep things going. Management has voiced their collective opinion to allow us to take extra care of those people; which means a more generous pour than others, a mid-course sent out by the chefs, a complimentary dessert etc… this does not, however, allow for an hourly employee to serve a twenty dollar beverage to a guest and ring in one of lesser value.

One evening while I was doing last call, I had a bar regular and someone I view as a friend even outside of work; confront me about a twenty dollar beverage that I had served to him two nights previously. He was drunk, so at first, I kept my cool and just explained my side of the story to him; but he couldn't seem to see it thru my eyes. This man is young, but an extremely successful businessman, in a very tough, competitive industry. As we continued to “disagree”, our voices started to get louder, and louder; as we both tried to get our point across, but to no avail, and ultimately, we got nowhere.

He has always been very generous in the gratuity department, and never has a problem buying drinks for old friends, new friends, ladies, and really, just about anyone in general, on most nights he is out. He is definitely one of my “A-Team” regulars because he is fun, polite, and generous. Sometimes, however, people that spend a lot of money in an establishment, and have been taken good care by the employees, can often fail to realize how we are reciprocating. They tend to develop a sense of entitlement and of course, even more so when they have had a few drinks. They lose track of how many times they receive a more generous pour, and more timely service, and that our way of saying thank you was to make sure that we put their service ahead of everyone else.

The end result of our argument was basically that he thought that because he comes in all the time, I should've poured him his expensive beverage and rang in a less expensive one. My rebuttal was that he called for that beverage by name, while looking at a menu that reflected the price, while sober. This was never an issue until one of our staff took it upon himself to start skimming. We work in a high class establishment and are instructed never to disclaim to a guest that a beverage is "expensive"; because everything is relative and could be viewed as offensive to the guest; and of course, because I know this gentleman has no problem buying expensive beverages, he’s the last person I would try to warn about the

cost of something. He has had some very expensive nights, where his check has been nearly $1,000, but with that being said, I still do not have the ability, nor would I charge a bar regular less money for a glass of wine that has a specific cost. It wasn’t about the money, his check was almost a hundred dollars and as he's arguing with me, he's filling in a two hundred dollar tip.

Reminding me that he has money, while telling me to remember this two hundred dollar tip the next time he comes in. I tried to explain to him that his tip wasn’t necessary, and that this wasn’t worth me losing my job, or compromising my ethics and morals for. The cocktails, and the argument, just puffed up his ego; he replied that he could put a million dollars cash in my bank account tomorrow, (which he actually could), and that if I got fired for giving him an expensive beverage at a difference price that I would still be able to find another job.

There are a lot of employees that would be willing to rollover on this one and take the gratuity, but my morals are far more important to me. Dealing with this situation purely based on principle wasn’t a choice for me; I had to stand my ground. I did not adjust the credit card balance to reflect the tip because I wasn't comfortable being put in a place where I felt like I owed this guy something, or allowing him to dangle that as the reason why I should do certain things for him in the future… I’m sure that someday things might change and I might have a price, but not today.

Whenever I am put in a compromising position at work I always try to handle it in a way that will allow me to have a clear conscience; and allow me to sleep at night. This altercation with a bar regular and friend of mine had me so shook up, that after I had closed and let everyone out, I burst into tears and spent the next thirty minutes in the bathroom; but I could hold my head high returning to work for my next shift. I hadn’t over stepped my boundaries as an hourly employee, and I did do the right thing in that given situation.

Remember, if you cannot afford to go out and pay full price at the bar you almost always get a deal from, simply do not go out, because there are no guarantees. Just because one bar or bartender charges you less whenever they see you, it doesn't mean it will be that way across the board. I am sure that I am not alone, that there are still company employees in this world that are ethical, and value their integrity.

TIP OF THE DAY: NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS AT OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS; IT’S ALWAYS SITUATIONAL, AND YOU SHOULD NEVER EXPECT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO GO OUT AND PAY FULL PRICE AT THE BAR YOU ALMOST ALWAYS GET A DEAL FROM; THEN SIMPLY DO NOT GO OUT. YEARS LATER, THIS BARTENDER’S ETHICS ARE STILL INTACT AND SHE STILL LOVES AND RESPECTS THE PROFESSION.

CHAPTER 5 BAR PRESENCE & SPEED

A good Bar Presence is all about your awareness of exactly what is going on around you; listening to everything and everyone, and having the ability to take multi-tasking to a whole new level. A drink request, giving a borrower change, a conversation with three different customers at the same time, a question… do you really have to be looking directly at a customer before you realize they need something? Bar Presence is one of your most valuable assets.  Pay attention to your surroundings  Pay attention to your customers  Pay attention to your staff  Use common sense and yes… pay attention

Becoming a Professional Bartender is all about how you service your customers, while you are taking care of business, and always keeping the essential bartending tips in mind. When this is accomplished, you will enjoy the profession, it won’t be just a “job”. Your customers will become your friends; your employer will make more money, and more importantly, so will you.

ON STAGE Being a bartender absolutely has its upsides, we get to sleep in, network, our job is to have fun with people and make sure they have fun, we are entertainers, of the stage that is our bar, and while we are usually up there, for the most part, we are actually “acting”. One of the most priceless traits a great bartender must learn how to use to their advantage is reading people. When someone walks into my workplace and toward the bar I have seconds to read this person’s demeanor, overall energy, and physical appearance to decide the best approach to take with this guest. To some I may be a very proper soft spoken bar maid who is purely there to pamper my guests and serve while being seen but rarely heard, while to the person two stools down I could be a wild, crude, hilarious party girl who is bringing the fun and the noise. Each guest is looking for a different experience and it’s my job to seamlessly provide each guest with that, and always combining it with good service. It can be exhausting, especially since I am doing this with no break for over an eight hour shift; meaning I am probably hungry, thirsty, need to use the restroom, and wish I could sit down, but no one on the other side of the rail will ever know that because it’s my job to be the center of a perfect bar and dining experience.

TIP OF THE DAY: TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT WHOM YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE AND WHAT THEIR LIKES AND DISLIKES ARE…AND MAKE IT FUN.

ANOTHER PAIRING I had just started what was shaping up to be a night from hell; it was only the start of the happy hour, but we were already three deep at the bar. It takes two bartenders to work this shift and my partner in crime was new; it was only her third day and I had no idea what to expect, but I was preparing myself for the worst. I had my head buried in the well from the minute I started and when my partner finally showed up I was not happy, the fact that she was actually ten minutes early never crossed my mind.

She instinctively knew what to do, first acting as my very qualified bar back to help get me caught up; and then moving to the second well to help keep that side of the bar happy. Without outright staring, I watched as she moved, gracefully and with no wasted motion. Of course it didn’t hurt that she was wearing a tight fitting black lace top that enhanced her obvious features, but what started to be fun was the way she treated everyone on the bar, while keeping the drinks flowing.

After only three days behind our bar, it was obvious to all that she was very good. She had the knowledge and experience to handle the customers and drink orders, but more importantly, she had a personality. She had the customers on her side of the bar in “stitches” as she worked, usually by making fun of herself. My customers on my side of the bar seemed to be getting a little jealous, because a few of them started to move in her direction.

As the bar customers watched us work, my partner's personality became infectious, and we all started to have fun. She kept me involved with her stories on the bar as we both took care of business. What started out to be a night from hell, turned out to be the most fun I’ve had behind the bar in years.

Management are usually concerned about covering a shift and rarely think about making sure that the personalities and abilities behind the bar are compatible. Instead of working independently, my partner and I worked together; resulting in a better attitude and stronger sales as the result of our customers having more fun and staying longer.

TIP OF THE DAY: IF TWO BARTENDERS LIKE EACH OTHER, HAVE THE SAME PERSONALITIES AND SKILL SET, IT TAKES THE “BAR EXPERIENCE” TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL. IT ALSO HELPS IF THEY ACTUALLY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER.

LISTEN UP The bartender is standing in the “well”, listening to his cocktail and food servers while they are ordering their drinks. Using his peripheral vision, he notices from the corner of his eye; that a customer is standing patiently, waiting to ask him for some change. The bar is full, with every customer engaged in conversation. If you listen…… really listen… you won’t necessarily pick out any one conversation, but you can pick out when a customer whispers or raises his/her voice over the “din” of the crowd. Normally, when a customer is trying to order a drink in a busy room, they have a tendency to raise their voice.

A good bartender, that has the presence of mind to be aware of his entire surroundings, whether looking at you, or if his back is towards you… has good Bar Presence. The servers ordering drinks… the customer impatiently waiting for change… the customer at the far end of the bar trying to order another round of drinks… being involved in four conversations at the same time… that is good bar presence. It is a skill that will make a bartender faster and considerably more proficient.

TIP OF THE DAY: FOR A SPLIT SECOND, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND LISTEN TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND YOU. IT WILL ALLOW FOR BETTER SERVICE TO YOUR GUESTS, WHICH USUALLY RESULTS IN MORE MONEY BEING SPENT.

THE “A” TEAM The two bartenders working are an amazing pair… literally. They work well together, and have fun doing it. The concept of working with other staff behind the bar is all about working together as a team, not about who is a better bartender. This is where “Bar Awareness” and using some common sense are so very important. What is going on around you, recognizing and understanding what the customers on your bar are in need of, and a reliance on what your co-worker is accomplishing, is critical to your success. Is 52

everyone pulling their fair share, is the bar back keeping up with the bartender’s needs and are they doing their job behind the bartender… not in front of them; and are the customers taken care of.

In regards to our amazing pair, they know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. One works quickly, moves with grace, and has no wasted moves. And the other is just a touch quicker but has a tendency to waste her moves. They both talk and handle their customers extremely well and even when one of them gets caught up talking to a customer, the other one covers. One has regulars that are usually considered an “older crowd”, but she gets along famously with them and they tip her very well. The other’s group is younger and more aggressive. They don’t tip as well as the older group, but make it up in volume and turnover. At the end of the shift, they both pull in about the same. From the other side of the bar, they are always a pleasure to watch and admire.

TIP OF THE DAY: BAR AWARENESS AND COMMON SENSE. PAY ATTENTION AND WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM, AND CATER TO YOUR INDIVIDUAL STRENGTHS… IT’S NOT A CONTEST. AS A TEAM, YOU WILL POUR FASTER, GIVE BETTER SERVICE, AND MAKE MORE MONEY.

TEAMWORK Working as a team starts with the team members, a simple statement, but one that starts with whoever is responsible for assigning the shifts. So often a manager is more concerned about putting bodies in place without any regard for their personalities and style. Bartenders that work as a team, and are capable and competent, often have common personalities and styles; but different skill sets. They will always be a pleasure to watch and will move behind the bar as if they are dancing, always aware of their surroundings, the needs of the customers and of each other.

My two favorites work in a higher-end restaurant and lounge and both have great “Bar Presence” and “Economy of Motion”. It helps determine how effective they are during those busy times. We have all seen “fast” bartenders, but how effective are they? Moving quickly is part of the job, moving quickly and efficiently is an art; no wasted moves, no wasted trips, and a lot of common sense. It’s an art form when the “team” behind the bar has equal skill sets and enjoys working together.

Fast… Faster... Fastest… A good Bar Presence coupled with an Economy of Motion is the key but preparation before a shift starts is also essential… everything stocked, in its right place, and ready to go. Garnish cut and prepared, ice bins full with backup ready, and no missing bottle of liquor. It didn’t matter who was scheduled first, both were competent and knew what had to be done. Their ego’s were never an issue, whether cutting fruit, filling the ice bin or stocking the liquor, they worked together to take care of business.

TIP OF THE DAY: IT WILL ALWAYS BE MORE FUN AND PROFITABLE WHEN WORKING AS A “TEAM” AND EVEN BETTER WHEN EVERYTHING IS SET AND READY FOR WORK.

NO WASTED MOVES Make one trip down the length of the bar, paying attention as you go, and multi-task. Taking a drink order after delivering drinks and picking up dirty glasses as you go; is a far better approach then doing each little task individually. While cruising down the length of your bar, touch everyone sitting there that is watching you, while replacing a dirty napkin with a clean one… a quick one-liner to a bored patron… and introduce your guests to each other. The pretty little thing flirting with you can be introduced to the guy next to her,

this will keep them both busy while you work the bar, and don’t worry… she’ll still be waiting for you to finish your shift.

Going from point (A) to point (B), and back, while taking care of (C) and (D). You leave the well, (A), to get a drink order from a couple that just sat down at the far end of the bar, (B). On your way to the couple you pick up a couple of dirty glasses and drop them off at the sink; and you pick up a credit card from another guest, (D), who would like to pay his tab and is sitting next to the couple who just sat down.

After taking the new drink order from (B), you stop at the register to quickly print the receipt and run the credit card for approval for (D). You then spin around to prepare the drink order for the new couple; and with the drinks and credit card in hand, you head back to point (B). As you drop off the drinks and ask if there is anything else you can help with, you hand the bill and the credit card back to the guest that is leaving and on your way back to point (A), you take another drink order from a couple, (C), who just sat down in the section that you had just cleared away the dirty glasses. Delivering the new drinks makes for five happy customers with two round trips from point (A) to point (B).

Leaving point (A) to go to point (B) to get the new drink order, and then back to point (A) to make the drinks, then return to point (B) to deliver them. Then taking the credit card from the guest (D) next to point (B), and going to the register to print the receipt and run the credit card and then back to deliver it. From point (B) to new customers at point (C) who just sat down in front of dirty glasses. After cleaning that section of the bar and taking the new drink order, you return to point (A) to make the drinks and take them back to point (C), then back to point (B) to pick up the signed credit card receipt, and then back to the register.

TIP OF THE DAY: THIS SCENARIO RESULTED IN FOUR ROUND TRIPS INSTEAD OF TWO, FOR THE SAME FIVE CUSTOMERS. SAME AMOUNT OF WORK BUT TWICE THE TRAVEL DISTANCE… NOW MULTIPLY THAT BY A FULL FIFTEEN STOOL BAR.

FUNCTIONALITY A bar designed by architects for the egos of the owners rarely helps a bartender in the daily operation of his job responsibilities. Most bars are never designed with the bartender in mind. There is usually not enough storage space for the necessary inventory of the liquor, beer or wine; and not enough back bar refrigeration for the wine, beer and mixes. This will result in less availability of what the bartender is trying to sell, if the beer and wine used to restock the bar occurs during the shift, it will not be properly chilled.

Putting television screens in a location that would be better served for liquor and glass storage; having small ice bins in the well that would require constant refilling; the doors on the back bar refrigeration opening in the wrong direction, and no thought given to the availability of clean glasses; all are design elements that effect how a bartender performs his or her duties while behind the bar.

If management went to the expense of installing two bartender stations, they should both be used, even if by only one bartender. The little extra work in breaking down the second station at the end of the night is more than justified during the normal operation of serving your guests in a prompt fashion.

TIP OF THE DAY: POOR BAR DESIGN RESULTS IN A WASTE OF TIME AND ENERGY. THE MORE TIME SPENT WITH THE GUESTS SITTING AT THE BAR, WILL USUALLY RESULT IN BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXCEEDING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS WILL BE THE EVENTUAL END RESULT... AND ISN’T THAT OUR GOAL?

TEAM WORK – FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAR It’s hard to sit still and keep my mouth shut, when there are three bartenders working the shift and no one is getting along. Bartender one is fast and capable, but feels like the other two aren’t carrying their weight and can’t stop complaining… about everything. Bartender two is extremely attractive, but would rather socialize with a good looking customer and watch a game on one of the many TV’s in the room, then pour drinks. Bartender three is keeping her mouth shut and is taking care of business, servicing most of the bar without bitching. She is the best of the three, is extremely capable, and the only reason I stayed as long as I did.

None of them were working together and no one was having any fun, which made them all work harder. Watching from the other side of the bar was like watching a bad “B” movie. All three bartenders, taken on their own, had great personalities, but they didn’t get along with each other. The customers who usually sat to enjoy the games and flirt with the bartenders where uncomfortable and were forced to just watch the games… and the bartenders were not in a flirting mood.

After almost an hour, bartender one was still bitching and complaining about everything. Bartender two ignored everyone except the two boy-toys she was flirting with that were sitting at the corner of the bar, and she hadn’t picked up a bottle or poured a beer in the last thirty minutes; and bartender three, who was usually the most personable, was showing the effects with a lack of personality, as she ran behind the bar trying to take care of her customers while staying out of the way of the other two.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE “TEAM” CONCEPT WAS THROWN RIGHT OUT THE WINDOW ON THIS ONE. THEY HAD EIGHT BARTENDERS TO CHOOSE FROM… MANAGEMENT COULD HAVE HELPED BY BEING MORE SELECTIVE WHEN CHOOSING PERSONALITIES AND SKILL SET WHEN CHOOSING WHO WOULD WORK TOGETHER.

CHAPTER 6 CREATIVITY

Creativity is not essential, and you may never be asked to make a special cocktail, using a unique ingredient, with a brand new type of alcohol… but it can’t hurt. That cocktail that a customer’s personal bartender invented for them in New York but they now live in California, gives you the perfect opportunity to become their next personal bartender. If you are fortunate enough to know how to cook, then you already know how to mix ingredients for a new cocktail experience… a little of this, a dash of that, and just a touch of imagination.

TIP OF THE DAY: THINK ABOUT IT… IT’S ALCOHOL, NOT ROCKET SCIENCE; IT’S HARD TO MAKE A BAD DRINK FOR A THIRSTY CUSTOMER WHEN YOU USE A LITTLE COMMON SENSE. IT ALSO HELPS IF YOU START BY ASKING YOUR CUSTOMER “WHAT DO YOU LIKE?”

But don’t stop there, you can also be creative with your surroundings, your attitude and your personality… there are very few limitations when you start your shift. How you handle certain situations, or when to throw an impromptu party will have as much to do with your creativity as it does your personality. When you start your bartending shift, take a look around and do a quick analysis of your customers and your bar… in less than a minute, you’ll know who or what needs your immediate attention… just open your eyes and mind.

TIP OF THE DAY: START YOUR SHIFT BY GREETING EVERYONE SITTING AT YOUR BAR… PERSONALLY, AND THEN INTRODUCE THEM TO THEIR NEIGHBORS IF THEY ARE NEW TO YOUR BAR. YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE CONVERSATIONS WILL LEAD; BUT IT WILL BE A FRIENDLIER PLACE AND HAPPIER START OF YOUR SHIFT.

LIMITATIONS There are none… there are no limits to what you can create when you open your mind and ask a few questions. In the “A Bar Story” section below, you will realize that creativity has no boundaries; just pay attention to what your guest would like and use a little common sense. If a woman sits at your bar wearing a bright pink hat and scarf with matching pink shoes, do you really need to ask if pink is one of her favorite colors? Don’t be too surprised if a Cosmopolitan is her first choice.

A couple just joined you at your bar and asks for a menu; but before they order a drink, they order half a roasted chicken for one entrée and a small steak for the other. Be creative and suggest a bottle of a light Pinot Noir that would go with both. A bottle of a good red wine on the lunch tab is always better than two smaller, less expensive glasses. Another option, if they aren’t wine drinkers, would be to offer specialty cocktails that could pair with their entrée selections. A Rosemary or Orange flavored Vodka with the chicken and an Rye or craft bourbon Manhattan with the steak.

TIP OF THE DAY: A LITTLE IMAGINATION CAN GO A LONG WAY WHEN TRYING TO EXCEED YOUR CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS, AND THERE ARE NO BAD SUGGESTIONS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO PLEASE AND SERVE.

IRON MAN CREATIVITY Matt was my bar-mate and work-husband, and more than a little crazy, but you would never know it until you spent some personal time together. I have worked with him for almost nine years and he has worked for this restaurant for over twenty. A broken thumb would have kept most bartenders from going to work, but not Matt. He had a wife to support, bills to pay, and after working at the same place for over two decades, he considered himself a true professional.

After the doctor inspected the break at the local hospital, a young nurse was asked to apply the cast to Matt’s right hand. She didn’t give it a second thought when Matt offered her a liquor bottle asked her to set the cast while he was holding the bottle. It only took a few moments and Matt was out of the hospital and on his way to work before the doctor came back to inspect the work.

Matt now had a cast in a shape that he could quickly drop down over the neck of a liquor bottle, lift it up and pour a drink; with no pain or loss of dexterity. Now that’s a true professional, a little crazy, but a professional.

TIP OF THE DAY: WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY. MATT COULDN’T AFFORD TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK AND THE CAST ON HIS HAND MADE IT IMPERVIOUS TO PAIN. HE ACTUALLY THINKS THAT HE MADE MORE MONEY BECAUSE OF THE SYMPATHY FACTOR.

TRIPLE SEC It was the start of an average night, with the entertainment starting at six-thirty, and the happy hour crowd just starting to make their entrance. I had just finished making one of our more popular custom martini’s and was looking for a bottle of Triple Sec to replace the one I had just emptied… and there was none to be found… anywhere. I called management to check our liquor room and I went to the side bar at the other side of the room, but still nothing. I was just about to send one of our managers out to buy a couple of bottles, when I thought, why not create one?

One of my regular customers grabbed the empty bottle on the bar and read the ingredients as I started to ask the other two bartenders working about their thoughts. Mix up some simple syrup (a water and sugar blend with just a touch more water for this experiment), add some orange zest to the mix, a touch of Cointreau, and a little salt and viola. I’m sure the makers of the original version would argue, but it did the job.

TIP OF THE DAY: IT WASN’T PERFECT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS, AND NOT ONE COCKTAIL WAS RETURNED; AND AT THE END OF MY SHIFT I COULD SPEND A FEW EXTRA MOMENTS PERFECTING THE RECIPE IF I EVER NEEDED TO IMPROVISE AGAIN.

A WINE CONNOISSEUR One of our new guests sitting at the bar was keeping his group entertained with stories from his latest rip to Napa Valley, a Mecca for those who love good wine. He had been fortunate to have spent some time with a wine maker and decided to share his new found knowledge with us all.

A good red wine, properly aged and stored, should be enjoyed, with almost a reverence. The soft delicate flavors that have developed over the years should be handled with respect, but the newer wines, less than a couple of years old, should be beat up, manhandled if you will. To prove his point, he asked me to put the bottle of cabernet he had just purchased in the blender so that he could demonstrate. I was intrigued to say

the least, but my sommelier training wouldn’t let me. It took the coaxing of several of my bar regulars to convince me.

I poured a sample of the wine into several of the glasses on the bar and then put the rest into the blender and let it rip, for no less than sixty seconds. I then poured the just aerated wine into a few more glasses and sampled… damn if he wasn’t right. I wasn’t impressed with the finish, but the aerated version was considerably smoother and had a fruitier, “softer” taste. It’s not something I was inclined to share at my next sommelier class, but it is definitely something I could keep for future use.

TIP OF THE DAY: TAKING A VERY YOUNG, INEXPENSIVE RED WINE AND ZAPPING IT A BLENDER FOR ABOUT TWENTY SECONDS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO ALLOW THE WINE TO BREATHE AND MAYBE TASTE JUST A LITTLE MORE PALATABLE. IT IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD DO AT MY BAR, BUT IT IS A DEFINITE CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE TIMES A GUEST OF MINE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRICE AND NOT THE QUALITY.

A few days later my friend, the bar manager on duty when the wine connoisseur told us to blend his bottle of wine, shared the letter he just received. The customer wanted his money back for the $100 bottle of wine that he told us to put in a blender; claiming that we should have known better and that a wine that expensive should not have been blended.

TIP OF THE YEAR: THAT’S ONE WAY TO NOT PAY YOUR BILL… NOW THE BARTENDERS HAVE BEEN DIRECTED TO TELL THE NEXT CUSTOMER THAT WANTS HIS WINE BLENDED… SORRY BUT THAT IT WAS NOT COMPANY POLICY.

A PARTY A bar patron always seemed happiest, when given an opportunity to celebrate something. A round of shots, a toast, and a race to see who can finish it first, would always put people in a better mood. Matt created his “special shot”, a little sweet and sour mix, with a float of vodka, for sixty cents.

It was a Tuesday night…. it was early and the bar was full, but boring, when the bartender decided to shake things up. He placed one of his “special shots” in front of everyone on the bar, about twenty people, and proclaimed… the first one is on me, but after this, the shots will cost you sixty cents. Everyone lifted their shot glasses and a simple toast of “To Tuesday,” and the race was on to see who could finish the shot and slam the glass to the bar, first. Not a minute later, one of the patrons ordered another round of “specials”, (about $12), then another race… and that’s how it started. They would literally pour thousands of these every night.

TIP OF THE DAY: THEY WERE PRICED RIGHT, EVERYONE LOVED THE CELEBRATION, AND NO ONE EVER GOT DRUNK. THE BARTENDER HAD CALCULATED THAT ONE BOTTLE OF VODKA COULD MAKE AS MANY AS ONE HUNDRED OF HIS “SPECIAL SHOTS”. TODAY, WITH THE MULTITUDE OF FLAVORED VODKAS, HOW CREATIVE CAN YOU GET?

A BAR STORY The bar is called “Bar Stories” and is located in the center of the financial district of Singapore. There are no drink menus, and in fact, no menus at all, cocktails or food, but I have yet to meet anyone who has left disappointed.

It’s all about knowing your customer, their likes and dislikes, and more importantly, their personality. Every bartender and server spends a few minutes asking questions and getting to know their guest. “Do you like fruit juice? How do you like your drinks? Over ice, blended or straight up? Do you like the taste of alcohol? What is your favorite fruit? What is your favorite food? Do you like it spicy?” Are you allergic to anything?

It only takes a few minutes, but a person trained to actually listen, will be able to create a drink that the customer will truly love. The customer leaves, usually after a few more custom made cocktails, satisfied and bragging to all their friends.

Grace, a flight attendant who was just getting back from a long trip, stepped into Bar Stories for just one drink before meeting her friends for dinner. After the bartender’s ten minute conversation, he knew that she was a sushi fan, and loved the softer, more subtle styles of fresh ingredients. When the bartender placed a slightly chilled Mojito in front of her, shaken, then strained into a martini glass, with just a touch more emphasis of mint, her smile lit up the room. Her friends joined her at the bar for a few cocktails invented just for them, and they spent the rest of the evening in the company of a very creative bartender.

TIP OF THE DAY: A BARTENDER THAT LISTENS AND LEARNS FROM THEIR CUSTOMER, WILL HAVE A VERY SATISFIED, AND HOPEFULLY NEW REGULAR CUSTOMER FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THEY WILL SPEND MORE MONEY AND TIP, AND ISN’T THAT ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE BECAME BARTENDERS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAR Four simple questions that will take almost two minutes of your valuable time, and you now have a basic knowledge of what your customer would probably enjoy having. With a little creativity and a little imagination, everyone wins. If your customer comes in knowing what they want, then that part of your job is relatively simple, but if they are not sure and looking for a little direction, talk to them, a couple of questions can go a long way:

Do you like the taste of hard alcohol or do you prefer a fruitier taste? Do you prefer it chilled, blended or over ice? Do you like fresh ingredients like herbs, or fruit? Do you have a preference for the type of alcohol? (Vodka, Gin, Rum, Bourbon, Scotch?)

DISCRIMINATING TASTES AND THE UNUSUAL There are dozens of new flavored Vodkas and unique new blends that allow a customer to be as creative as the makers of the spirits; and the use of fresh unique fruit like blueberries and raspberries makes it fun. The internet and the makers of distilled spirits are coming up with new and exciting recipes on a daily basis; and keeping up with the imagination of the bartenders asked to create the new drinks using new ingredients is impossible…. but here are a few samples:

From a new customer at the bar, a Cosmopolitan, a simple drink really…. until… Please use Chopin Vodka and Cointreau, and I would like it light and very cold. The bartender delivered it perfectly… she was about to add a plump red raspberry but chose instead a touch of dry ice that created the very cold, chilled, smoke effect… very cool.

In a tall cocktail glass… just a splash of red wine, and cream soda, with a couple of slices of peaches… an old Italian’s version of a Sangria. (It helps if the wine used is a good Merlot, the Cream soda is not diet, and you like the flavor of vanilla.)

A shot of Green Chartreuse with a few dashes of Tabasco Sauce; served shaken, not stirred. This can also be served as a shot or martini… whatever your guest deems appropriate… with your guidance of course.

Triple Sec uses a foundation of orange flavors from oranges found only on the Island of Curacao. Gran Marnier, Cointreau and Blue Curacao are also considered triple sec. Use of Blue Curacao to replace Triple Sec in a recipe would allow for a blue version of the original but with almost the same taste.

A unique Bloody Mary, replacing well Vodka with a flavored variety and adding horseradish and ginger to the tomato juice mix; replacing the dash of Tabasco and celery salt. Adding a spear of pickled asparagus to replace the celery stick that no one seems to like anyway is a nice touch.

An “Old Fashion” cocktail… replacing bourbon with a good Rye Whisky, and muddling blueberries with an orange flavored sugar and a dash of flavored bitters. This should be served in a traditional rocks glass; but shaken and poured into a chilled martini glass is a nice twist. You can also use the orange flavored sugar to rim one side of the glass… just one more option to enhance your creativity.

CHAPTER 7 MANAGEMENT

Experienced managers know what’s going on around them at all times. Their gift is that they pay attention and are like conductors on stage, moving people around based on their strengths and weaknesses… and are always available to solve problems. They are there early to take care of ordering, setup and scheduling and they stay late containing or correcting the issues that occur during normal operating hours. It is a relatively thankless job that often pays less than what your serving staff is making, but it does come with a little more security... and everyone has an ego. A bar manager who has never been a bartender is at a disadvantage, but nothing that couldn’t be corrected with some common sense and the pursuit of knowledge. Now that you are in this enviable position, do us all a favor; don’t let your ego get in the way of common sense. Don’t make huge shift changes until you understand your staff and their qualifications; and don’t redesign the back bar or move bottles around before checking with your bartenders.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE PROFITABILITY OF YOUR BAR IS TIED DIRECTLY TO YOUR STAFF. LEARN WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ARE BEFORE YOU START CHANGING THINGS.

When it comes to the bottom line, profit, huge restaurant chains are at an advantage. The economies of scale allow for senior management on a corporate level to work essentially behind the scenes to support the bar manager on site. The net profitability could be as low as 10 to 12%, but they make it up in volume.

A smaller operation that has gross annual revenues in the one million dollar range will have a slightly higher net profitability, around 12 to 15%.; and the bar manager will usually be supported by a general manager and the owner.

A smaller bar, where the owner is also the manager, bookkeeper, janitor, and chief cook and bottle washer, may achieve net profitability in the 15 to 20% range, but he or she is definitely working for it.

The primary reason for the profitability ranges stems from the necessity of employing more than one manager and additional staff to handle the increased volume of business.

TIP OF THE DAY: IF NET PROFITABILITY FALLS BELOW 10%, YOU MAY HAVE A PROBLEM. YOU ARE EITHER GETTING RIPPED OFF AND NEED ENHANCED INVENTORY CONTROLS, OR YOUR EGO NEEDS ADJUSTMENT AND YOU NEED TO GET EDUCATED ON YOUR IMMEDIATE DEMOGRAPHICS OR SOCIAL MEDIA CONNECTIONS.

MANAGEMENT MISCONCEPTIONS I’m sitting at the bar of one of my favorite places, and sitting next to me is the manager of the sports bar across the street. I only go in there to see one of my favorite bartenders on Monday through Saturday, three to five days a week and this manager doesn’t even know my name.

She’s sitting with one of her liquor salesman bitching about the owners of the bar she works for; and everything wrong about the place is their fault; from the poor service to the attitude of the employees. Good customer service starts with knowing your customers, and good management starts with knowing your employees; she didn’t take the time to know either. I have watched her sitting at her bar, too drunk to stand, or offer help, as her bartender is trying to service over a hundred customers… and that’s the owner’s fault?

TIP OF THE DAY: THE ONLY REASON IT BECOMES THE OWNER’S FAULT IS THAT THEY HIRED THE WRONG PERSON TO MANAGE THEIR BAR. HER WEAKNESSES WERE ONLY OVERSHADOWED BY HER EGO AND HER NEED TO BLAME ANYONE BUT HERSELF.

SACRIFICING DOLLARS TO SAVE PENNIES Every bar stool was filled, forty of them, and another thirty customers walked in; and the bartender was still smiling. A quick shot of Tequila and she was running even faster. Another eight walked in the front door and she ran to the kitchen to get a food order and ran back to get the new drink orders. The bar continued to fill up in anticipation of watching the playoffs’, it was after all a sports bar. Now numbering over a hundred, the bartender was still on her own; but moving well and anticipating most of the orders. She smiled, was cordial to everyone and no one felt neglected, but there was no time for conversation. Another bartender wasn’t due in for another hour, there were no cocktail servers scheduled to come in early, and the manager was in party mode sitting on the other side of the bar.

As another fifty came in to watch the games, I left enough money to impress, but she was too busy to notice. I walked across the street to another local favorite of mine and it was just as busy, and still only one bartender. Having sufficient staff to handle the expected business rush is also a great start to a shift and what hopefully will be good customer service. The price of an extra employee is only about $15.00 an hour; and if it results in better customer service and more drinks being served, it doesn’t take long to recoup the hourly wage.

TIP OF THE DAY: WHAT IS IT ABOUT MANAGEMENT TRYING TO SAVE A COUPLE OF BUCKS WHEN THE ADDITION OF JUST ONE MORE EMPLOYEE COULD DOUBLE THE TOTAL REVENUE? EVERY CUSTOMER WOULD BE TREATED TO BETTER AND FASTER SERVICE, AND SPEND MORE MONEY. THE HOURLY COST OF ONE EXTRA BARTENDER VERY OFTEN CAN BE COVERED BY THE ADDITIONAL SALE OF TWO COCKTAILS AN HOUR.

ON CHANGE My friend is the bar manager, but he’s young and has never been a bartender. Over the weekend he came in to rearrange the back bar to make it look “prettier”, without asking his bartenders their advice and without telling the bartenders what he had done. The next day, as the bartenders started their individual shifts, there was a constant “who moved The Black Label? Who put this there?” A huge amount of time and effort to just find the liquor resulted in extremely poor and slow service. When the manager finally started his shift, instead of being greeted by “great job”, he was treated like crap by all of the bartending staff.

The next weekend, lesson still not learned, he swapped out all of the pour spouts on all of the bottles, without asking the bartenders. Bottles that usually had a two-count spout now had a four-count, and they were all the same. It was taking the bartenders twice as long to make a drink.

TIP OF THE DAY: THERE ARE DIFFERENT SIZE POUR SPOUTS FOR A REASON, JUST ASK YOUR BARTENDER. FORGET YOUR EGO AND ASK YOUR STAFF FOR ADVICE. GET THEIR OPINION BEFORE MAKING DRASTIC CHANGES THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS. MAKING CHANGES ISN’T A BAD THING, BUT YOUR STAFF SHOULD BE AWARE OF THEM SO THAT THEY MAY BE BETTER PREPARED.

ON DESIGN Joe was moving slowly, he was obviously frustrated, and he made sure that most of the staff and customers knew it. Every time he reached for a bottle on the back bar, it was the wrong one. Whoever worked the day shift wasn’t paying attention or just didn’t care when they put a bottle back. Combine that with the total lack of common sense used when they re-designed the bar, and Joe had reason to be pissed.

The “well” was backward and the area was way too small, the draft beer was located on the wrong side of the bar and there wasn’t enough storage for the backup needed. They were constantly running out of the liquor used for the advertised drink specials, and nothing was where it should have been. For a professional bartender, it was frustrating as hell.

TIP OF THE DAY: A BARTENDER SHOULD BE ABLE TO WALK BEHIND THE BAR AT THE START OF HIS SHIFT, AND KNOW THAT THE BAR IS FULLY STOCKED AND READY TO WORK. LEAVING THE BAR FOR ANY REASON IS UNACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY IF IT’S TO GET SOMETHING THE BAR-BACK OR PREVIOUS BARTENDER MISSED.

MANAGEMENT AND COMMON SENSE The rent is about to go up $1800 a month, and my boss is freaking out. He’s starting to cut corners that will affect the bar and my income. One of my very regular customers, a lovely man that we’ll call “Jon”, enjoys coming in to visit with me and have a couple of Vodka and Diet Tonic’s. He’s one of my few customers that has been loyal and stayed consistent over the years, and he loves his diet tonic. So because of the soon-to-be increase in our rent, and because my boss has no clue who our customers are or what they drink, he starts to cross off of our inventory lists what he believes to be a waste of money… and he started with diet tonic.

Then he decided that wine glasses were too expensive and he decided that the taste of wine wouldn’t change if we poured it in a small water glass, “European style.” I have several regular customers that only drink wine, and one in particular knows and enjoys the simple act of swirling the wine glass while holding it by the stem, to allow for a little aeration while not warming the glass and wine with the heat from his hand. Something only true wine lovers understand… and something my boss has no clue about.

TIP OF THE DAY: A LITTLE COMMON SENSE GOES A LONG WAY, NOT TO MENTION THAT THE CUSTOMER MAY NOT ALWAYS BE RIGHT, BUT THEY DO KNOW WHAT THEY LIKE. WHETHER IT INVOLVES MY WINE LOVERS, OR WHEN JON COMES IN, ALMOST DAILY, FOR HIS TWO TO THREE COCKTAILS, BUT BECAUSE THE OWNER DOESN’T DRINK OR LIKE DIET TONIC, AND BECAUSE HE WANTS TO SAVE THE FEW DOLLARS IT COSTS… HE MAKES CHANGES THAT AFFECT HIS AND MY INCOME.

THE WHAT NOT TO DO LIST These are areas of concern when a manager allows their ego and personal entitlement due to their position, to get in the way of taking care of the business.  Do not allow your bartenders to manage their own schedule. Covering a shift for a day off with the wrong employee has far reaching ramifications. There is more to bartending than just having a body stand behind the bar.  Do not create a spontaneous happy hour drink special without checking supplies, enough glassware and alcohol for the special would help.  Do not offer “shot specials” if you don’t have enough shot glasses.  Do not change the location of anything behind the bar without telling the bartenders; they are the ones that will be wasting time looking for what you moved.  Changing the tools the bartenders use should always be cleared with them first. Pour spouts, glassware, wine keys… a manager should always ask first, what works and what doesn’t?  The bar/restaurant is your place of work, act accordingly. It is not your personal pickup spot or relationship social media opportunity.  If there are two bartender stations on the bar, use them both, do not schedule two bartenders to work a shift without giving them the tools to work with. Having two bartenders working from one well is not conducive to good customer service and will have an adverse effect on everyone sitting on the bar and the bartenders that are getting in each other’s way.

TIP OF THE DAY: A MANAGER WILL USUALLY HAVE THE FINAL SAY ABOUT DAILY OPERATIONS, BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO GIVE THEIR BARTENDERS A LITTLE RESPECT. ASKING THEIR OPINION BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT THEM WILL HELP MAKE YOU BE A BETTER MANAGER.

THE WHAT TO DO LIST Manage and lead with common sense; and allow your employees some input on what affects them. If you feel the need to take all of the credit, fine, but the more successful they are, the more successful your bar, and you, will be.  Look the part, act professionally, and dress appropriately.  Develop a personality that is consistent with your clientele. (Try to have a smile and a hand shake when appropriate, for new and old customers).  Create an atmosphere that is also consistent with your clientele. (If your bar is filled with lovers of country music, don’t put heavy metal on the juke box.)  A structured schedule for all employees will benefit both the employees and the customers. Bartenders should have a set schedule to promote a regular clientele, do not think that changing their schedules weekly will build your business; customers don’t like surprises, and that includes having the wrong bartender behind the bar when they get there.  Keep a structured training program and put everyone on the same page when it comes to drink recipes and customer service, (every bartender should make every cocktail the same way).  When it comes to bar and back bar design, work with what you have; but esthetics is only the start, functionality is essential.  Management should allow the bartenders a comp tab, for both customer satisfaction and experimentation.  Craft Cocktails: It’s hard to create new and exciting cocktail recipes if the bartender is held to a strict pouring cost without the ability to get creative. Management should allow experimentation with new ingredients. A new customer should not be a test subject.

TIP OF THE DAY: ONCE AGAIN, TRY TO PAY ATTENTION AND KEEP YOUR EGO AT THE DOOR. THIS ISN’T ABOUT YOU. IT’S ABOUT BUILDING A BUSINESS AND MAKING MONEY. WHAT YOU LIKE AND/OR DISLIKE ISN’T AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOUR CUSTOMERS LIKE AND/OR DISLIKE; AND WITHOUT CUSTOMERS… YOU WON’T HAVE A JOB.

BEING PREPARED Having a fully stocked bar at the start of a bartender’s shift has many benefits, not the least of which would be a happy bartender. Allowing a bartender to start pouring drinks as soon as they step behind the bar is so much more efficient than having a full bar and then they start bitching that the ice bin is empty, the liquor used last night hadn’t been replaced, and the dishwasher hadn’t been used all day. It’s one of management’s responsibilities to ensure there is sufficient staff and time for the preparation.

On a recent visit to a sports bar, the manager picked up a microphone and announced that during happy hour, they would be promoting a one dollar drink special… all well drinks for a dollar. The bar was full, and usually the added business would have been a benefit to all, but not now. The bar had a full liquor license, but was essentially a beer bar with over fifty taps for the craft beer selections. Not only were the bartenders not mentally prepared, the glassware necessary for the well drink orders didn’t exist. The entire bar had only four glasses that weren’t beer glasses. When the thirty or so special drink orders hit the bar, the bartenders had nothing to put them in; and yes… putting a shot of tequila in a twenty-two ounce chilled beer mug is unacceptable.

The entire three hour happy hour was a constant battle; as the bartenders kept calling for “empty glasses please”. The servers were forced to tell their upset customers that they would have to wait until they could find some clean glasses; the bartenders were forced to deal with a ticket system that kept rolling out special drink orders that they couldn’t fill; and everyone had to deal with the incompetent manager that thought it was all funny.

TIP OF THE DAY: PREPARATION IS KEY TO ANY OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL; WHETHER POURING OFF UNPOPULAR LIQUOR TO MAKE ROOM FOR INVENTORY, TO AN ATTEMPT TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE. IF THE BAR OPENS AT 11:00; AND YOUR BARTENDER STARTS AT 11:00; AND THERE ARE CUSTOMERS WAITING TO GET IN AT 11:00; THERE MIGHT NOT BE ENOUGH TIME TO PREPARE… JUST SAYING…

WORKPLACE {STAFF} MAINTENANCE Contrary to popular belief, it may not be the terrible employees that cause the real problems. Most of your existing staff and regular customers already know who’s bad or good; and the bad ones are usually not taken seriously and are eventually asked to leave. The real problems are caused by employees who “appear” to be doing a reasonably good job, but are slowly destroying the attitude and performance of the employees they work with, and the customers that are trying to get service.

You hold a mandatory meeting to discuss issues and training opportunities. Everyone is in attendance and all have something positive to say and have promised support… it was awesome. Then one of your “seasoned” employees holds a side bar with a small group of bartenders. Now… and only now, does he disagree with the issues and decisions discussed at your meeting; your role as the influencing manager just took a second seat to the “seasoned” employee who is very verbal and tells his audience that he will not be following the new plan. What was discussed by all and agreed to, will never be implemented or supported, and as manager, you will never know why.

TIP OF THE DAY: WAITING UNTIL AFTER THE MEETING TO SAY, “I’M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THAT” IS LIKE SAYING “I’LL AGREE TO ANYTHING… BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT I’LL ACTUALLY DO IT.” THAT PERSON WILL NEED TO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE; AND ALTHOUGH NOT OBVIOUS TO SOME, IT WILL BE A MANAGERS’ JOB TO BE AWARE OF WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND THEM.

Gossip… a select group of employees will love to do it, but never advertise that they are doing it. Before a staff meeting, a few bartenders and servers are talking about a couple of new assistant managers; and without really thinking about it, their conversation and opinions become part of your company’s corporate culture. Whether you are working for a large, multi-chain restaurant or you have a small little dive bar, gossip will have an adverse effect on everyone’s opinion and how they eventually conduct themselves. Not only will the conversations waste time and energy, it will also cause other people to respect their coworkers a little less… and anything that is detrimental and diminishes the dignity or respect of any employee should never be tolerated. Saying “did you hear what he did?” is really saying that “I have nothing better to do with my time than talk about people.”

TIP OF THE DAY: SPENDING THE FIRST THIRTY MINUTES OF YOUR SHIFT COMPLAINING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE NOT DOING THEIR JOB REALLY MEANS THAT YOU HAVE JUST SPENT THE FIRST THIRTY MINUTES ON THE CLOCK, NOT DOING YOUR JOB.

Peer Pressure has been known to be used to hold other team members back. The new bartender is working hard. She is working long hours. She’s out-pouring other bartenders. The area she works is always clean and stocked. Her personality has created her own unique style. She Rocks.

Eventually, one of the other bartenders, usually the “seasoned” experienced bartender who has been there since the place opened will say, “You’re working too hard and you’re making the rest of us look bad.” A great employee doesn’t, and never should, compare themselves to others… they compare themselves to themselves. They will always win the comparison war by doing better today than they did yesterday. Poor or lazy employees don’t want to do more… they want others to do less; and pretty soon very few employees are working as they should. The “rock stars” who keep trying just a little more than the others will eventually get shunned for a quality that we need every employee to have.

TIP OF THE DAY: SAYING “YOU’RE WORKING TOO HARD” IS REALLY SAYING, “NO ONE SHOULD WORK THAT HARD BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO WORK THAT HARD;” AND THE LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND QUALITY OF WORK SOON SUFFERS. MANAGERS SHOULD STRIVE TO MAKE THEIR ENTIRE TEAM “ROCK STARS”.

They frequently say “that’s not my job.” The smaller the company and/or staff, the more important this becomes. Getting things done, regardless of what you think your job responsibilities are, is paramount. Whether cleaning off dirty glasses from another server’s station, to dropping off a drink order to help a busy employee. Standing around bitching about not having any customers in your station usually starts with the “attitude” of the server in that station. Even if a manager has to double as a food runner and seconds later get ice because the bar-back is too busy, it’s all about customer service and common sense.

TIP OF THE DAY: SAYING “IT’S NOT MY JOB” USUALLY MEANS, “I ONLY CARE ABOUT MYSELF”; EFFECTIVELY MAKING THE TEAM CONCEPT YOU’RE TRYING TO BUILD INEFFECTIVE. A MANAGER SHOULD BE CONSIDERED NOT ONLY PART OF THE TEAM, BUT THE TEAM LEADER AND SHOULDN’T BE AFRAID TO STEP IN AND HELP.

So maybe the bar back did do all of the work. The bar is spotless, the ice bins are full, and all the prep work was done before you started your shift. Maybe without him, you wouldn’t have been so attentive to all of your regular customers and your tips will show the end result. Would it kill you to share the glory? A good employee and good team player will share, and give credit where credit is due. He appreciates those working around him. When others don’t adopt the same philosophy, the good employees will resent having to fight for recognition that is rightfully theirs. Someone in a leadership or management role should always celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of those he works with. Their continued success will reflect well on him as well.

TIP OF THE DAY: TELLING MANAGEMENT AND CUSTOMERS THAT “I DID ALL THE WORK” OR “IT WAS ALL MY IDEA” IS LIKE SAYING, “THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND ME… AND I NEED EVERYONE TO KNOW IT.”

Employees who have been on the job awhile are considered a “seasoned” employee. They often think they have already paid their dues and don’t have to work as hard. The great things accomplished yesterday, last month or last year, means little if the current job isn’t getting done and the employees working with you have got to pick up the slack.

TIP OF THE DAY: SAYING “I’VE PAID MY DUES” REALLY SAYS “I NO LONGER NEED TO WORK AS HARD AS THE REST OF YOU.” A GOOD MANAGER WILL EVENTUALLY GET MORE INVOLVED TO KEEP EVERYONE WORKING ON THE SAME TEAM, AND AT THE SAME LEVEL.

A customer complains, then liquor salesman screwed up an order, and the cash draw was short… get over it, shit happens. No matter what has happened, it’s usually not going to be the end of the world, so fix it. If it’s always someone else’s fault, is that really important? Sometimes, whatever the issue and regardless of who is really to blame, some people will step up and take the hit. They are willing to accept the responsibility and criticism because they know they can handle it, (and they know that maybe the person really at fault couldn’t). Few acts are more selfless than the taking of the underserved hit and few acts better cement relationships.

TIP OF THE DAY: SAYING “IT WASN’T ME” OR “I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, YOU’LL HAVE TO TALK TO SALLY” IS LIKE SAYING “WE’RE NOT ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE ARE NOT A TEAM.”

BARTENDER PAIRINGS From a management point of view, this is not easily accomplished, but not impossible, all it takes is the luxury of having more than two bartenders to choose from, know them well, and use a little common sense. It’s not unlike relationships, opposites do seem to attract. Our BAG Rating System, (using a scale of {1} to {10} for each individual category, is used to initially start. A quick Bartender Assessment for each bartender on your staff will determine their strengths and weaknesses… (You may share these or not, but they are an excellent training tool to determine where the bartender needs help). Then make the comparisons. We offer three scenarios that should help explain our concept on how the system would work.

Scenario 1: You have two bartenders working behind the bar and both of them are gifted talkers and love to flirt with their clientele. One has her butt securely fastened to the sink’s stainless drain-board while flirting with one of her regular customers; the other has his back to the server station and is trying to convince the beautiful woman in front of him that he is the next best thing in her life. There are three servers in the station waiting for one of the bartenders to turn around and make their drink orders, and at 67

this point, they really don’t care which one. Having at least one bartender that wants to hold a conversation with a customer is great, and will usually keep those customers coming back more often, but it really helps if the other bartender is rushing to keep up with the drinks orders.

TIP OF THE DAY: USING OUR ASSESSMENT TOOL, THE PERSONALITY GRADE FOR BOTH BARTENDERS IS {9}… BUT WHAT IF ONE OF THE {9}’S WAS ACTUALLY PAIRED WITH A {6}? THE {6} WOULDN’T TALK MUCH BUT LOVES TO THINK THEY ARE A FAST BARTENDER AND WILL WANT TO MAKE THE DRINKS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

Scenario 2: Two bartenders working and they are both considered fast, and on our assessment they are both a {9}. They are both running and making drink orders; which is great if you have two wells, but what if one isn’t set up? You now have two fast bartenders getting in each other’s way; and very often the customers sitting at the bar are feeling slightly neglected. A better pairing would have been to match a fast bartender {9} and a personality of a {6}, with a “not so fast one” {6} with a personality of {9}… and open the second well.

TIP OF THE DAY: THE FAST BARTENDER IS KEEPING UP AND HANDLING MOST OF THE DRINK ORDERS FROM THE SERVERS WHILE THE SLOW ONE IS KEEPING THE BAR ENTERTAINED WHILE POURING THEIR DRINKS. EVERYONE WINS BECAUSE EACH BARTENDER IS WORKING WITHIN THEIR STRENGTHS AND NOT COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT WORKING AS A TEAM TO KEEP CUSTOMER SATISFACTION HIGH.

Scenario 3: Two bartenders, one rated a {9} in the knowledge category and an {8} in the Creative category. The other bartender is a {9} in the experience category and an {8} in Customer Service. Both are rated a {7} in Common Sense…

TIP OF THE DAY: AS WE SOMETIMES EXPERIENCE WITH FOOD AND WINE… THE PERFECT PAIRING These concepts and scenarios aren’t perfect, and the formulas won’t always work, but it’s a pretty good start. One of the unknown factors is if the two bartenders actually like each other or not. As their manager, it’s not your job to make them close personal friends, but it is your job to create a good working environment and try to make the pairing a comfortable one. There would be less stress, better efficiencies, but more importantly, better customer satisfaction and an improved bottom line.

YOUR TEAM AND R.E.S.P.E.C.T. First and foremost, you and your entire team make the establishment successful; and there needs to be a fundamental understanding that there is a respect for each person on your team. When you call a staff meeting of all bartenders and servers, if those who dare to disagree with you are treated poorly or contemptuously, then the whole team will suffer. If management is not open to accepting new ideas and suggestions, then creativity could be squelched. Your staff needs to know that their place of work is a safe place for open conversation and disparate ideas; then solutions and new concepts can flourish.

This should not be confused with the employees that never have anything good to say, and nothing you tell them will make them happy. That isn’t productive either; but if someone has something constructive to say or ask, then a productive discussion of their ideas or concerns should be encouraged.

It takes a special kind of leader to turn possible discord into something productive and fruitful; and can manage disparate views and concerns. Bringing together people with different ideas, knowledge, and

68 experience and turning that conversation into something useful and positive for the future of the company is worth the effort. Meetings with creative tension can bring an exhilaration and satisfaction that perhaps can’t be found in a comfortable jolly meal with friends and the “team” can be made stronger through creative friction.

TIP OF THE DAY: PLEASE DO NOT BECOME A YES MAN AND AGREE TO EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING BECAUSE YOU DON’T LIKE CONFRONTATION. SIMPLY CONDUCT YOUR STAFF MEETING SO THAT EACH PERSON FEELS LIKE THEY HAD BEEN HEARD, THEIR VIEWS HAVE BEEN GIVEN FULL CONSIDERATION, AND THAT THERE WAS A PRODUCTIVE PATH FORWARD.

CHAPTER 8 BAR-BACKS

Experienced bar-backs are invaluable, but rare, primarily because they usually want to grow up to become bartenders. For the few that are content to just do the job without the ego and fame that goes with bartending, they do most of the “heavy lifting” and make a bartending shift considerably more fun.

WHAT IS A BAR-BACK? The bartender’s assistant, pure and simple. A good experienced assistant, the bar-back, should know; not only of what the customer’s needs are, they also need to be aware of what the bartender’s needs are… and what the bartender is going to need next. They share the same stage as the bartenders they are there to assist; but with an added benefit of not having to talk to anyone, allowing a considerable amount of time to actually do their job. One of the things that are usually not considered is that a bar-back is being watched by the same customers that are there to watch the bartender… and they see everything. From the drinks they watch you sneak, to the drinks you give away to servers and customers, to the drinks you take into the back… everything.

The lunch shift just ended and “happy hour” doesn’t start for another couple of hours, this is not the time to take a smoke break and hang out with your buddies in the kitchen. Usually, customers won’t see a bar-back until happy hour is in full swing and the bartenders need help in keeping up; but their primary function should be the prep-work that is done in anticipation of a busy night.

An integral part of good service in a busy bar is the bar-back; and it is usually someone who has an interest in becoming a bartender; but the will be someone who has little or no experience dealing with the personality side of the business. It is a win-win situation for all parties only when the bar-back can take his ego out of the picture. Becoming a professional bartender is not for everyone. It is the accumulation of knowledge and experience gained over time, combined with the motivation required to learn a demanding trade in the service industry.

When a bartender starts their shift, the actual bar should be stocked, clean and ready for action… glassware should be clean, stacked and ready for service, with the wine glasses given some extra attention and polish.

TIP OF THE DAY: THERE IS NO BENEFIT IF THE GLASSES ARE CLEAN, BUT STILL SITTING IN THE DISHWASHER STATION IN THE BACK AREA OF THE KITCHEN; AND EVEN LESS BENEFIT IF THE BAR ISN’T READY WHEN A BARTENDER IS STARTING THEIR SHIFT AND DOESN’T HAVE THE TOOLS TO DO HIS JOB.

A BAR BACK’S DILEMMA You are the bartender’s backup and support; learn to do the job of Bar-Back, from behind the bartender, not in front of him. Listen and become aware of what the bartender is doing and more importantly, what he needs. Part of his job is to direct and teach you; it’s not just about making a cocktail. Do not rush into your bartender’s well to make a mixed drink, unless he or she tells you to. Get the beer or wine from the cooler

behind you… clean up the mess in front of the new customer, fill in the blanks, while your bartender does his job.

A good bartender may spin around during the process of making six drinks, taking cash from two customers, while getting the next cocktail order from a server. He’s in a groove that stops immediately if you are standing were he needs to be. Do not get in his way and learn to work with him, not against him. Listen to what is going on around you and listen to your bartender’s direction. Eventually you will learn to second guess each other and words will rarely be needed, but that takes time and a good bar presence.

TIP OF THE DAY: THERE IS A METHOD FOR REPLACING AND RE-STOCKING GLASSWARE; A METHOD PASSED DOWN FROM BAR-BACK TO BAR- BACK; AND ONE THAT MANAGEMENT HAS NO CLUE ABOUT. THE MORE YOU LEARN ABOUT BECOMING A GOOD BAR BACK, THE BETTER BARTENDER YOU WILL BECOME.

He is a competent, fast bar-back, but has been at it way too long. He has taken the attitude that he is just as good, if not better, than the bartenders that he is supposed to be assisting. A bar-back in the well, instead of doing their job, is not a good thing. He spills a drink in the well, necessitating a quick clean up, but he ignores it. Then he just kept digging into the ice to make more drinks, without giving any thought to the fact that the next drink he was going to make using the vodka soaked ice was a plain coke.

I watched as he made a total of six drinks and only two had to be re-made, the reasons are irrelevant, he had to make them twice. As he moved behind the bar, he was throwing dirty dishes into a bus-tray, slamming metal water pitchers onto the bar, and taking drink orders from customers and making their drinks. When someone isn’t doing the job, someone else is forced to do it for them, in this case the three bartenders stepped up their game and took care of business. The bar-back gave the overall impression that he was too good to be just a bar-back… that his “shit didn’t stink.” He thought he was cute… I thought, along with most of the other bar patrons, that obnoxious would have been a better word.

TIP OF THE DAY: AS I MENTIONED, HE IS A FAST, COMPETENT BAR-BACK, BUT ONLY WHEN HE SHOWS UP TO ACTUALLY BE A BAR-BACK, THE JOB THAT HE IS PAID TO DO.

All the mixes that a bartender will require to create the drinks; the juices like grapefruit, orange, and cranberry juice, should be stocked and ready. Bloody Mary mix and specialty mixes created by the bartenders or management may need to be prepared before the shift starts. Accessibility to the items required for specialty drinks will need to be were the bartender and serving staff can find them. The fruit garnish, correctly cut and properly stored, the napkins on display and ready, and the ice bins should start clean, and then filled in preparation for a busy shift.

A common sense approach is to have the beer coolers properly stocked early to allow the time necessary for the beer to come to proper temperature. No one wants a warm beer, the liquor backup, whether it is to be stacked and ready to replace empty bottles or sitting on display on the back-bar, should be up to “PAR”. The bottles should be wiped down and unsealed, in anticipation of being used quickly and efficiently. The bottles lining the back-bar shelves need to be facing to the front, facing the bartenders and the customers.

TIP OF THE DAY: A FULLY STOCKED BAR READY FOR SERVICE WILL ALLOW FOR FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT CUSTOMER SERVICE; WHICH MEANS BETTER SERVICE, MORE REVENUE DUE TO A SATISFIED AND BETTER TIPPING CLIENTELE.

The bartender picks up a wineglass during her busy shift and notices the water spots on the side of the glass. After wiping the glass off as best as she could using the wrong bar towel, she picks up a cocktail glass and sees lipstick on the edge. The glassware should be cleaned, polished and ready at the start of the shift; and using the correct bar towel is essential. If a bar towel has lint, that lint will find its way onto the glass.

The bar was getting dirty, and all I got from the owner was excuses. Behind the bar we were used to the fruit flies and the occasional bugs, but I draw the line when it comes to anything bigger.

I was taking a food order for a couple sitting at my bar when I looked down to see a rat walk across my feet. No one else saw it and I kept my mouth and temper under control, but after my shift was over, I quit. The owner, John, tried to talk me out of it, and insisted that it wasn’t that bad; this was a battle that I wasn’t going to win; but that rat freaked me out. I wasn’t coming back until he called the exterminators and fixed the problem.

The next morning, John woke me up with a desperate phone call to please come in and he promised to take care of the problem that night. Against my better judgment, I started my shift.

It was a crazy lunch, with every table taken, a line at the front door, and my bar was filled with my regulars. I was having a pretty good day until I looked up to see a very large rat walking across a very small plant, located above the dining room. The timing couldn’t have been better when the rat fell in the middle of a table that just had their food delivered. Everyone at the table, including the waitress, were too shocked to say a word, not even a little scream; but they weren’t the only people to walk out the door.

A very embarrassed John made his apologies to everyone that noticed, and he knew by the big smile on my face, that I love winning.

TIP OF THE DAY: IT IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THE ENTIRE BAR CLEAN. NO EXCUSES. THE CUSTOMERS WHO SAW THE RAT TOLD EVERYONE THEY KNEW, AND THEY WILL NEVER BE BACK.

IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LEAN… If you have time to lean… you have time to clean. Was it a coincidence or déjà vu? I was sitting at a bar that had just undergone a complete ownership and name change and a remodel. Eighteen months earlier I had walked into this place and met their day bartender. As I mentioned earlier in the introduction to this guide, the bartender was polishing glassware as he told me that many years earlier, he had a boss you told him that when he was behind the bar, if he had time to lean, he had time to clean, and he never forgot it.

I was enjoying a glass of wine with my favorite new bartender when her bar-back walked behind the bar, crossed his arms across his chest, and just stared out at the customers in the room. There was dirty glassware sitting in front of him, an ice bin that could have been refilled, and the bar was packed, but he just stood there. As the bartender picked up a “clean” glass from the shelf behind the bar, she had to wipe the remnants of lipstick from the rim before using it… and he just stood there.

If they are not dusty, dirty, or covered with water spots, it may have lipstick or fingerprints to deal with. Every bottle should be wiped down and arranged with their labels facing to the front. Every glass should be wiped down and/or polished every day. When it becomes part of your daily routine, a bartender will never have to waste time cleaning it before pouring a drink.

TIP OF THE DAY: IF YOU HAVE TIME TO LEAN… YOU HAVE TIME TO CLEAN… AND NEVER STAND IN THE WAY OF THE BARTENDER ON DUTY.

A BAR-BACK’S WHAT TO DO LIST A bar-back’s job responsibilities will usually include:  Stay out of the well until you are given permission by the bartender. This will occur when he is too busy and needs your help; or he/she wants to enhance your training;  Do not make mixed drinks until asked by the bartender;  Pay attention to your surroundings;  Keep the ice bin full;  Keep the bar clean;  Maintain the liquor and beer at PAR value (fully stocked);  Do what the bartender tells you to do;  Pick up and clean the dirty glasses from the bar, wine glasses will need polishing;  And watch the flirting with staff and customers… you are not the bartender yet!

TIP OF THE DAY: THE BARTENDER’S JOB IS TO SERVE AND ENTERTAIN THE CUSTOMERS, THAT’S PRETTY HARD TO DO IF HE HAS TO GO TO STORAGE TO FIND A JAR OF OLIVES THAT HE NEEDS FOR THE VARIOUS MARTINI’S HE’S BEEN ASKED TO MAKE. THE BETTER AND EASIER YOU MAKE IT, THE MORE MONEY YOU BOTH MAKE.

EPILOGUE SO YOU WANT TO BE A BARTENDER

It’s an experience that for some; will be the highlight of their lives. More importantly, it’s a profession that can be admired, and be blamed for all that is wrong in the world. Your boss will blame you for why the club’s business is “off”. You will be the reason that he can’t make payroll. The inventory is off and the numbers aren’t adding up. A customer just complained that you weren’t fast enough with both, taking his order, or cashing him out.

The reasons for not doing the job are endless, but if you have a personality, and follow the basic direction offered in this guide, you will be a Professional Bartender that can handle almost any scenario.

Some tips and tricks if you're going out to visit your local saloon, tavern, bar or night club. First and foremost… be polite, be cordial. DO NOT assume that any staff member is, or wants to be your friend; especially if it's your first night in this place. Bartenders and servers are paid to be nice to you, but the minute you cross the line, we reserve the right to kick you to the curb. Just because you believe yourself to be a bartender; it doesn’t give you entitlement. You’ll need to earn respect by treating others the same way you would wish to be treated at your bar.

Cheers! Have fun! It's why we all go out anyway. If there’s one lesson I’d like to impart with this guide, it’s that life comes at you fast. Working in bars has introduced me to more cities and faces than most will see in a lifetime. Enjoy your life, enjoy each other, and most of all: tip your server.