Being in the bartending business for a while allows you as a bartender to learn a few of life's lessons earlier than if you'd live them yourself. One of them is prepare for your future. Some bars are neighborhood bars where you see the life lesson much clearer. Some bars have a group of regulars that show up day in and day out. Those regulars maybe younger or older it's the same kind of lesson for each group. Watching a customers "life cycle", so to speak, is any customers beginning and their end.

We have witnessed the start or beginning when the 21st Birthday party (legal drinking age in US ) and seen endings to the drinking cycle in various forms, passing on from old age is one of the forms of the customers "life cycle" ending and a couple more are marriage or children are born into the lives of the customer. I know you see what I'm talking about as people come into your life and leave your life as a general rule but looking at this from a bartender's view it seems compressed and valuable lesson can be seen if you look close.

Those of us that prepare for the future are preparing for a better life in the future. An example would be a regular on the older side with or without a job and the expendable income available to drink and tip. A prepared customer can afford to live the lifestyle of a daily bar bill and not think anything of it. The customer that is not prepared ( in life ) is seen infrequently, drinks less and may tip less or not tip at all.

 

So what am I really getting at? Plain and simple "save some money earlier in you life", so you can enjoy the later years of your life in the lifestyle you choose. Plan to pay yourself first with a deposit into a savings account or 401k plan and NEVER touch it. The deposit can be as little as 10% of your tips, or what ever percentage you can afford. Just do it NOW. You really will not miss the money as much as you think.

 

Putting the money away now will assist you with your finances in future. Always remember  the future is closer than you think.

 

That happy hour crowd that you are not a part of because you are the new guy, it hurts . . .  I mean it really hurts because the banter and inside jokes have occured while you weren't there, unable to be in on the joy & fun of what was said.

It hurts because there is no value, because the drinks are aready in front of everybody with a back-up on the way, seeing the up-side down shot glass in front of them. Thus no more drinks to ring up as I come around and get setted in. The only thing left in the wake of the emptiness is a dirty glasses, ashtrays and a bartop to be wiped down.

The ebb and flow of people slipping out like the low tide, and slowly an empty bar reveals itself to a still quite space that lays out before you. Couple of hours that pass as side work and cleaning and maybe a soletary customer turns into a stiring of regulars for the late night rush of the few loyal late night regulars.

The thought, that was the last person to walk in, as the final drinker of the night and now systemactical closing process begins cleaning, stocking and moving bar stools to the right spot. Swoosh, opens the front and a few straglers from another bar along with the their bartender walk in. Bantner,fun and catching up from the last time they were seen. As the time  approches the closing hour it's always a little to fast, goo byes are said and hand shakes and kisses, are exchanged, closing process begings again. To that late night crowd that walks in, I am their bartender,friend and confidant, Now all is good in the world until tomorrow when I see that Happy Hour crowd again, with a little bit of ache and pain because I'm the new guy.

Believe it or not, but the bar business, somthetimes intermingles with the the drugs business. It's a fact and whether or not you partake in the activty ,you are in that business too!

I know you say "I don't do drugs" but sometimes "It is what it is".

 

When you are working behind the bar, you'll see whatever, and just like the crazy relatonship situations you see, you'll be like whatever, becuase you've deen it all, and it makes no difference, because that's your creed. "I know nothing and I see nothing"

 

As a bartender you hold the fate and lives of the people you meet. Either way people are grown adults and they're going to do whatevere the want to do. Never rat out on a customer unless you want to be a bartender for long, it'll catch up to you. Your word is your bond , but your silence is priceless,  customers do remember that!

Ft Lauderdal, Florida, June 3rd and 4th 2013  - Bartenders Bash Series which falls on Monday and Tuesday. This is the famous party held for the those in the bar biz, known as the "End of season party".

 

This event is held at the end of the season for the people working in the biz ( ITB) or in the bar biz, to celebrate and wind down after the tourist and busy season ends. Samples of  liquor and beer are available to those attendees, in the bizzers, just remeber to tip the servers and bartenders well. The event is open to those in the hospitality industry only.

 

The location of this party is at the  Days Inn  located at the begining of the Fort Lauderdale strip, near the Yankee Clipper hotel.

 

Here's a sample of the two day event on youtube, covered by yours truly, 'Ron the Bartender' , 2min video shot at the Bahia Cabana during the Bartender Expo / bash flair competition and bikini contest from 2012.

 

The cost was $20 for each day and a shirt was included with the addmission price.

 

This information is valid as of now, please double check with the locations of the events for last minute changes and update.

 

side note: as the information is made available for the Florida Keys Islamorada event held at the Post Card Inn,  I'll post it here. Currenty I see nothing yet for a Bartender Bash 2013 being held at the PCI

UPDATE Information seen on FACEBOOK is HERE.

The dates stated are May 13th to May 15th

It's now being called "Hospitality Beach Bash 2013"

Having to work at a bar on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, is very iffy. Some smaller local, neighborhood bars may fair well, because some of the customers have no family around and of course you know the local bar is a family of sorts. You can do okay, some times the regulars are out of town or have family IN town and can't get away for a drink.

 

Two things to help you foster a holiday tip are :

 

#1 Hang stockings behind the bar with each stocking having the name of the bartenders that work there on them. Customers will leave a holiday tip for the bartender in their stocking.

 

#2 You as the bartender give scratch off lotto tickets to customers as a gift. These are the perfect size to carry around and you are able to write the customers name on them off to the side, so it's personalized.

 

 

 

 

Once you've made a connection with a customer and are in the middle of a converstaion  with them, you notice another customer needs attention . ..  excuse yourself, take care of the second customer AND return to the first. You are building rapport "building rapport with a customer IS  the #1 reason most customers will tip." Building a rapport is the best way to get repeat business for you and your bar.

A bartender / friend worked at a location that suddenly shutdown (another blog entry) and then picked up some shifts at another location. The new location is a bar within a restaurant, we talked, as it turned out there's nothing for the customers to do but drink - no games dart boards, pool tables, nothing . . . . so I'm going to suggest LRC (left right center) dice game and trivia cards. Hopfully this should help in keeping the customers around the bar a little longer. Any other suggestions would welcome!

Halloween and the small neighborhood bar, is a good time, but just remember to use caution. This time of the year almost everyone is in costume and some are wearing mask. Around this time of year be careful of a Bad Guy coming in wearing a mask to rob your bar. Most of your regulars might be out at another location in a Halloween contest or Party, so your security is gone. Put a sign at the front boor "Please remove mask BEFORE entering the bar" or lock your front if you are alone and leave a sign stating to knock on the door to enter. Good Luck and be safe

So in a world of all these reality shows here's one for the bar people.

 

Here's so more info from Spike TV's web site

 

http://www.spike.com/press/2011/06/15/spike-tv-presents-bar-rescue/

 

 

Just watch it out there

 

http://floridarestaurantlaw.blogspot.com/2010/08/sex-discrimination-on-craigslist.html

 

ads online for bartenders asking that only females apply is get getting a little flack.

 

People want their drinks quickly and with no drama -