Basics To Becoming A Bartender
Sunday, March 29th, 2009What exactly does it mean to be a bartender? A bartender is someone that serves beverages, and in some cases food behind a licensed bar. Bartenders can be found in any establishment that has a bar, such as bars, restaurants, night clubs, pubs and taverns.
The bartenders main duty is to mix and serves drinks, and the majority of drinks a bartender is making contain alcohol, such as beer, wine, liquor, liqueur, coolers and cocktails. They also serve water, juice, soda and other non-alcoholic beverages for customers who do not wish to drink alcohol such as a designated driver or a non drinker.
As well as make and serve drinks, the bartender is also responsible for taking payment for drinks, in some cases (either from customers, waiters or waitresses), keeping the liquor supplies and glassware stocked, keeping the bar area clean, maintaining enough ice and garnishes on hand and serving food to customers sitting at the bar, if the bar offers food for sale.
Almost anywhere you go the bartender will be expected to dress appropriate, this makes the whole atmosphere of the bar better. There are even some places where the bartender will be expected to be the main entertainment of the bar.
What makes a professional bartender is the ability to be able to make hundreds of shots and drinks right off the bat. A customer should not have to wait while you are searching in a recipe book for the ingredients on how to make a long island iced tea, you will lose customers that way and also lose your tip more than likely .
Another must from a bartender, especially you are working in a pub or tavern, will be your people skills. It is very important to interact with your customers. The better you try and serve your customers and interact with them, the more likely they are to return, and not only that the more money you will make overall.
There are some places where minors are allowed into the bar, so it is crucial that the bartender checks identification cards to ensure they are at the legal drinking age if someone tries to order a drink. If you think there is any chance that the person may be underage, it is always recommended to check for proper identification.
If this sounds like a lot of work, with not much reward, there is always a bright side. You are working at an establishment that serves gallons of liquor each day, and you are in charge of it. The job of bartender is management, customer service, and so much more! Even a bar tending job looks good on a resume when you present it in the right way.