David Artsmith - Bartending is a fun and exciting profession, but it takes skill with both drinks and people. The following tips are fairly common sense guidelines that anyone interested in the profession should know and follow.
1. You should shy away from discussions of religion, or political matters. All it will do is lead to a fight or make people uncomfortable
2. Make sure that the bar stays neat, clean, and tidy. Wipe it down after you serve every drink, and keep the entire environment neat and tidy. Use drink coasters to ensure that the space maintains its luster.
3. Know the trendy drinks. While you don’t have to have the entire drink recipe guide memorized, it helps to be familiar with the more trendy beverages of the day.
4. Do your best to learn about sports, especially local sports. People in bars will often be watching or talking about local sports events. If you understand what they are talking about, you can participate as well.
5. Greet everyone as they come in. Pay attention to people as they come in, especially if they are new to the bar; welcome them with a warm greeting and a smiling face.
6. Always serve a beverage by the base of the glass, and not by the top. Nobody wants to put their lips to a place where your hand just was. As you serve drinks, make sure you hold the glass by the bottom, away from where drinking will actually occur.
7. Personal hygiene is important. Make sure that you look neat and sharp, and that you don’t smell bad. You are part of the ambiance of the bar and so your appearance and personal attributes matter.
8. Pay extra attention to regulars and big tippers. While you should strive to treat everyone equally, someone who is a constant in the tavern, or who is willing to pay extra for extra service, should receive extra special attention from you.
9. Stay alert. In any establishment where drinking occurs, violence can erupt. You should stay alert, watching for trouble so that you can nip it in the bud. If you can diffuse a fight with a few words it’s a lot easier than having to call the bouncer over.
10. You should also do your best to have fun with it. Bartending is a social position. If you look like you are having fun, other people will have more fun as well. Try to relax into the job, and enjoy meeting the people who enter the bar. Be friendly, light, and humorous, and your job will be a lot easier.
Tags: bar top, bars, Bartending, coasters, drinks, spirits, wine