Opportunity to become a bartender

[KathyP]

I'm not sure where to post this, but since beer is the primary product, here goes:

A friend of my husband just bought a local bar/grill. Casual, to say the least. In fact, a number of bikers and working class people are the clientele. I am looking at an opportunity to become a bartender there. Most drinks and drafts I can handle. What I'm not sure of is what is the general protocol of working with other bartenders and table wait staff? Share tips or not? Any other general bartender duties besides drinks, washing glasses, taking inventory, etc?

Any tips, suggestions and sage wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

[KatieLoeb]

Learn how to switch out an empty keg. Learn how to change the syrup on the soda gun. Decide who will be the Service Bartender (the one getting the drinks for the waitstaff as opposed to directly for the patrons) on any given shift and what their tip out percentage from the staff will be for hooking them up all night in a (hopefully) timely fashion and making sure they get their tips. Learn how to make Bloody mary mix, sour mix, and any other house made blends for cocktails you want to have around. Learn a few goofy bar tricks. Re-read Psychology 101 - you'll need it for those slightly melancholy drunks.

[Busboy]

Bartending is a skill, a craft, that takes a little while to get good at and a long time to perfect (as if...). No matter how easy it looks, from the other side, it's not. My tip: no matter how crowded and crazy it gets, no matter how deep in the weeds you are, take a deep breath, remind yourself that you're in charge -- it's your bar -- and set a pace that you can live with. Don't take any guff from the swine.

Much easier said than done.

Edited to add: good luck, a talented bartender is an asset to the community.

Edited June 26, 2004 by Busboy (log)

[winesonoma]

Been there, done that, good luck