care of the guests and the tips will take
care of themselves.
Inadequate Short-term Memory:
Fault lies in the undeveloped ability to recall customers’ names and what they’re
drinking. While people are pleasantly
surprised when bartenders remember
their names, they fully expect them to
remember what they’re drinking.
Scattered Priorities: Working a high-volume bar requires the ability to take
care of first things first, e.g. waiting on
guests before washing a load of glasses
or preparing drink orders for servers
before chatting with a friend. Prioritizing
tasks according to importance and the
best use of time is a proven method of
wrenching order out of chaos.
Missing Persons: When a guest sits
down at the bar and the bartender is
engaged, it’s rude and unprofessional
to ignore the person’s presence until
convenient to do so. Sure it’s busy, but
all the bartender need do is make eye
When a guest sits down at the bar and the bartender
is engaged, it’s rude and unprofessional to ignore
the person’s presence until convenient to do so.
Sure it’s busy, but all the bartender need do
is make eye contact with the guest, smile and say
“I’ll be right with you.”
contact with the guest, smile and say,
“I’ll be right with you.”
Not Knowing What You’re Talking
About: Bartenders should be able to
answer guests’ questions regarding the
menu or a specific product quickly and
knowledgably. Fumbling for answers
or searching for someone else to deal
with the situation diminishes credibility.
People like to know they’re in capable
hands. It’s far easier to upsell guests
after articulating why particular brands
are worth their elevated price.
We Don’t Make That Here: Saying no
to a drink request is bad form. Regardless
of whether the guest orders a Mojito or
Long Island Iced Tea, if the ingredients are
available somewhere on property, make
the drink. Saying no is not an option.
Finally, bartending should be fun — or
at least appear that way. Even when not
thrilled about coming into work — perhaps a lounge chair on the patio is calling
their name — great bartenders don their
game faces and do their best to give the
guests a worthy performance. NCB
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