Bartending Pro Tips Part 2:
Bartending is challenging, but it's also a lot of fun! The way that you interact with your guests can make or break the night. That's why we're continuing with Part 2 of our bartending pro tips and this time we'll be focusing on how to manage your guests.
In Part 1, we discussed how to prepare for a shift as well as some items you should have in your arsenal behind the bar. This time, we'll be focusing on serving drinks and tips to help you make the most of each night. As a bartender, you're going to get many people coming into your bar. Some will be there to have fun, while others will be there to throw back a few drinks and leave. There are several things that you want to do while they're in your establishment or even after they leave that will help make their experience more enjoyable.
The first thing you want to focus on is making sure that each guest gets exactly what they ask for when ordering their drink...every time. While this seems simple, it's the most critical piece to the puzzle. If a guest asks for a specific liquor, make sure that you don't let your past experiences with the liquor color their experience. For example, I've had guests order Finlandia Vodka and I automatically think of cheap vodka - but that's not always true. My mind will then lead me to thinking it won't taste good in a cocktail so I'll automatically add extra ingredients to try and hide its taste. However, in reality, Finlandia is an amazing vodka due to how long it's aged in oak barrels. These are some things that you want to avoid doing as much as possible and it really just comes down to making sure you're accurate with your information.
Here's another helpful tip...if someone asks for a drink that you can make but they don't seem too interested in, ask them if they'd be willing to try a cocktail that has orange juice and simple syrup. This is something that the majority of people will enjoy and the fact that you guys are mingling and talking informs them of what type of drinks I can make or not make. This will also make it easier for you in case they need help deciding on what to drink when you're not able to be there.
Another thing that you want to do while they're in your bar is making sure that each guest gets a "Happy Hour" drink. A Happy Hour is something that's served during the morning hours in most bars and it usually consists of any drink with $3 or less of liquor in it. If you don't have a happy hour, make sure to at least have some kind of discounted drink available during the night - 25% of your liquor bottles, 25% off an entire bottle of liquor, etc. This will save your guests money and it'll show that you care about them.
Another thing that you want to do when serving your guests is making sure that they're happy. Whether or not this means being nice to them or not, there are a few things you should never say or act like towards someone who has just entered the bar by saying things like, "That's the only bourbon I have", or "We only serve beer here". These things seem innocent, but showing respect is just common sense and taking the time to make certain everyone has a good experience will help make everyone want to come back.
But I'm a bartender and I don't care what kind of drink your guest wants to order.
Well, that's okay...that's fine. However, if someone asks for something that you can't make or doesn't want to try something else or simply doesn't like it, you should at least try that drink once before giving them the "we don't serve that drink here" speech. There are a few different things you can do here...you can try making it yourself and offer it to them as an alternate option, ask them if they'd be willing to try something else instead of throwing it out, or suggest they go somewhere else and come back another time. There are three things here that you can try. The first is to just say, "I can't make that drink". This is pretty much what you're going to do anyway - but if they're really interested in the drink/cocktail and you're willing to try it, then absolutely give it a shot. The second is to suggest that they try something else in your bar...one of the options would be something like a Bloody Mary (most bars will have these on the menu). This might sound a little odd, but it's something that I've just learned through trial and error over time and I can tell you from experience with how well it works. The third option is to point them in the direction of another bar that might be able to make their drink. Obviously, if this is an option, take the time to tell them about it and give them some info on where they're going. If that bar owner's name is simply "Bob" then you need to make sure Bob knows who these guests are and what they want. It'll just show that you care about their experience as a guest and will help bypass any bad experiences.
Once they've left however, it's time to start thinking about what kind of tip they're going to leave you...if any! So let's go over some tips on how to increase your tips at the end of a shift:
1. Cash Tips
How to increase your cash tips:
Ask for the tip! I know that many people will just leave their money jar out and let their customers decide how much they want to leave. While this is fine, I've found that asking for the tip increases my cash tips at least 3xs more than what it used to be with leaving it out. This can also be done in multiple ways - saying something like, "Hey where do you want me to put this?", or "What do you think is fair for tonight?". The first one is usually when you're busy...but you'll want to address the cash tips right away so that it doesn't distract you while waiting on your other guests. The second one is usually when you're not busy, but it's a good idea to look for the cash tip after the guest leaves and say something like, "Thanks for coming in today - do you have a card on file?".
I've found that many guests will pay using their card and forget to leave anything extra. If I'm able to remind them of that, there's a higher chance they'll come back or go out of their way to just hand me some cash. I also have cash tips from people who had no intention of leaving me any money...but mentioned it after being asked about it.
One way to combat this is by just having your jar sitting out...
Conclusion
So, if you've read through this whole guide then you should have a pretty good grasp on what it takes to be a great bartender and how to keep your guests happy. You'll have to put in the time, effort and dedication that goes into being a great bartender to understand why they are so important...but the results will show that you're making an impact on their experience with your bar as a whole.
But I'm not going to school - I just want to make drinks!
Good for you. If that's all you want...then that's awesome and work hard at achieving it. However, if what you really want is just tips on how to become a better bartender, then continue reading...