10 Facts About Bartending

There are at least 10 facts about bartending that a person should know before stepping behind the bar. These are things you need to know.

You’ll need to wear a lot of hats

What this means is that you’ll need to be the bartender, the server, the bouncer (maybe), the psychologist, the psychiatrist, the best friend, etc. The customer won’t be satisfied with just one thing, they’ll want everything.

You are legally responsible for others

You’re serving intoxicants that can alter the way people think. Over-serving is a big no-no and can get a business shut down, so think before you keep pouring.

Customer service is important

One of the most important things to remember about bartending is that you’re in customer service. You need to remember that the customer is paying your check, essentially.

Your customers will try to tell you how to make drinks

Yes, they will think they know best since they’ll likely state that there’s not enough booze, it doesn’t look right, and so on. The thing to remember is that there are many ways to accommodate them, for a price.

At the end of your shift, you’ll probably be exhausted

Bartenders don’t sit down a lot if they want to get paid. You will be working hard to fill drink orders for servers and keep your patrons happy.

It does matter which shift you get

A night shift is usually the best since more people come in and want to drink. Day shifts aren’t the worst, but they do get kind of boring sometimes.

This job is competitive

Of course it is. Bartending isn’t just pouring drinks and making money. People come for the friendly banter and the impressive display as well.

You will need to study

You can memorize all the drinks and methods of service you want, but it will always change. If you want to stay on top of the game, you’ll keep studying as things continue to evolve.

It’s a valuable and marketable skill

People are always going to drink, that’s a given. Even during the Volstead Act (Prohibition), people were in constant need of a mind-altering libation that took away their need to care for a little while.

People will judge you

Unfortunately, if you do become a career bartender a lot of people will look down their noses at you and possibly think you’re wasting your life. Let them, it’s your decision and if you make a go of it, there are a lot of ways you can prosper.