Hey everybody, I want to address a somewhat sensitive topic, “Bartender Pet Peeves,” what we will more conveniently title BPP’s. Although there are countless BPPʼs, for this episode, Iʼm only going to touch on 3 of them. And just to let you know, I did an informal survey of about 25 bartenders, and Iʼm presenting their top 3, not my own and not in any particular order.

Furthermore, Iʼd like to move forward with this topic by stating that this is not intended to be a cry of sympathy for bartenders, but more of an understanding into what you can do to establish A better relationship with your bar keeper, and get winning service and a great drink every time you find yourself at a bar.

Before we continue I think that it’s very important for you to have a clearer picture of whom “The Bartender” is. Bartenders are a collective of aspiring artists, entertainers, writers, models, college students working their way through school, corporate burnout’s, part timers looking to earn some extra cash on the side, and of course, career professionals of the trade. Bartenders by nature share a territorial common thread and look at their bar as their stage and their guests as their audience. Their show is 100% unscripted, and therein lays the flexibility that attracts so many to this profession.

Bartenders also make a good living and tend to enjoy the unstructured work environment that you would never find in a corporate job. Some even land lucrative bar jobs that include medical benefits, 401kʼs and other attractive perks and benefits making for an ideal employment situation.

Whatever the situation, bartenders feel like they are throwing a party everyday, and guess what? Its open to the public and yes you are invited! With the constantly changing landscape of personalities that a bartender will encounter, perhaps itʼs easy to understand why there will sometimes be a conflict of personalities.

Now that the bartenders platform has been set, letʼs address the first BPP… ”Lousy or no tipping patrons”. Bartenders do not work for free, and heavily rely on their “tips” to supplement their modest base salaries.

Letʼs take a look at this situation through A quick scenario…A group approaches the bar, orders 1 round of drinks, the bartender speedily returns with their drinks and presents a tab totaling $78, the guests pays $80 and states “keep the change”. Thatʼs not even a 10% tip and is definitely below the expected 15-20%, which is the standard gratuity paid to bar and wait staff. Now to continue with our little scenario, letʼs imagine that the same group returns for another round of drinks, how do you think the bartender will respond? Perhaps make them wait unusually longer, ignore them all together, give cold or maybe even rude service, or just make a round of pricey weak drinks. In the bartenders’ eyes, he or she will feel as though they have been slighted and will make no efforts to enhance the patrons’ experience.

So remember to fairly tip your bartender, it just makes for an all around better experience for all.

Next…”Consolidate your drink order and have your payment ready”. This BPP is especially beneficial in a crowded bar situation and allows for faster service for all guests.

Again, letʼs look at this BPP through A quick scenario…A group approaches a bar, orders 1 beer, the bartender returns with the beer, the group orders another beer, the bartender returns with that beer, and the group proceeds to order 5 additional drinks, 1 at a time. And it doesnʼt end here, when it comes time to pay for their drinks, the group begins to fumble around to get their payment together, inevitable slowing down service to everyone. So, please trust that your bartender can handle as close to a complete drink order as possible and lets keep the exchanges moving at a nice pace. Also be courteous to the guests waiting behind you, and once you have received your drinks, please step away from the bar so that the next patron can place their order. Remember that the bartender is not your personal servant and is there for all guests.

And for our last bartender BPP we will address “Guests who are cheap but expect free or strong drinks”. Wow, the bartenders that I spoke with had plenty to say here. Unanimously, here are some sure shot questions to piss your bartender off…First “whatʼs the cheapest drink that you serve?” Most bartenders feel that if you canʼt afford to go out, then maybe you should stay at home. Second, “Do you do buybacks?” bartenders commented that nowhere is it written that free drinks are obligatory, and if you have to ask, then the answer is “no”!!! And finally, the surveyed most annoying question, “can you make my drink strong?”, and referencing that the bartender adds less ice or mixer to imply a heavier pour of the spirit. Again, the answer here was “no” but some bartenders will allow you to exercise a double pour charge if you seriously crave the extra alcohol. The bartenders also expressed to me that the guests who fall into this category of expecting more for less, also tend to be lousy tippers, resulting in little reason to be overly generous… ouch!!!

Ultimately, I believe that bartenders feel that they provide a much-needed service and desire a little more recognition and respect from their guests. After all, dealing with the public is no easy task, even though it can be very rewarding at times. The unwritten rule of the trade is “take care of your bartender, and he will take care of you”…this will ensure that you establish a good relationship with your bartender for years to come.