Tips for Being a Better Bartender
Follow the bartending tips to improve your performance and position at the restaurant you work at
In these times of heavy competition, being good at your job is not good enough anymore. The best bartenders are those who keep learning and search for opportunities to improve. In order to improve in your role, here are some useful tips you can benefit
from.
Perfect your workstation
The better your workstation setup is, the more efficient and productive you will be as a bartender. The key is to come up with a process, perfect it, and make it yours. Your workstation setup routine should include steps for looking after every single
part of your bar – from the napkins and glassware to the ice, mixers, and liquor. This preparation should be done before the first customer even walks in the door, ensuring that you can focus on making the best drink possible rather than scrambling
to find a certain mixer or filling up the ice in the well. Throughout your shift and whenever you can, collect, clean and wash glasses and the bar area. Make sure you also use the times when it's quieter to rotate and stock up the fridges. You
won't always get the chance if there's a sudden rush of customers. Also, keep flooring dry by having a dry mop nearby or a stack of paper towels.
Master the art of the pour
While there may be a certain glamour or charm in doing a freestyle pour, it’s best to use a jigger when making every pour. This helps to improve the customer experience since every customer who walks through the door will know that they are getting
the same drink every time. Additionally, by using a jigger, you can avoid overpouring or under pouring. Overpouring is the single most common source of lost profitability at a bar, while underpouring can damage the overall image and reputation
of your bar.
Provide a good customer experience
If you’re doing tasks or helping a teammate in another area of the bar, always keep checking for customers. Even if it’s for a few seconds, apologize for the delay when you’re back. Your guests are at the bar to have a good time, so it’s completely
normal for them to be impatient. Just be friendly, helpful and keep a smile on your face regardless of how stressful it becomes. If you’re serving a customer and it’s busy, let the next two customers know which order you’re working through. By
telling them that they’re next or third in line, they’ll appreciate that you’ve noticed them and will get to them soon.
Provide a good customer experience
If you’re doing tasks or helping a teammate in another area of the bar, always keep checking for customers. Even if it’s for a few seconds, apologize for the delay when you’re back. Your guests are at the bar to have a good time, so it’s completely
normal for them to be impatient. Just be friendly, helpful and keep a smile on your face regardless of how stressful it becomes. If you’re serving a customer and it’s busy, let the next two customers know which order you’re working through. By
telling them that they’re next or third in line, they’ll appreciate that you’ve noticed them and will get to them soon.
Embrace your inner mixologist
You should be acquainted with the properties of every ingredient used in a drink, and therefore, be able to create some very unique drinks that make use of these properties. By embracing your inner mixologist, you are getting closer to creating your
own drink creations. Have a signature cocktail that you’ve worked hard to improve so that you can impress your customers. If you do it well and do it regularly, you’ll be surprised how happy customers will be.
Become a better listener & remember your regular customers
For many people who head out to a bar, a bartender is more than just someone who pours a drink. He or she is someone who is an unofficial mentor, coach, and just someone to lean on when times are tough. So, learn how to become a better listener, and
people will begin to view you in the same way. Remember your regulars' drinks orders and try to get to know them without being too forceful. When the bar's not as busy, it'll help keep you entertained but can also lead to more sales. They will
choose your bar over others, simply because they feel more comfortable at your bar.
Stay ahead of new industry trends & master the basics
It’s important to keep up on new drink trends – such as the arrival of new spirits, new distilling methods, new cocktail creations, and new social trends. One big trend right now is the “wine cocktail.” And while it’s now common knowledge that craft
and artisanal spirits are highly popular, it’s important to focus on nuances, such as new flavor combinations or colors. Additionally, know all the products behind your bar to help upsell and earn respect from your team. You’re likelier to be
seen as the leader because other bar staff will come to you for advice when they need it the most.
Understand the profitability metrics for your bar
Bar owners often rely on bartenders to help them maximize the profitability of their establishment. And that means bartenders need to become much more involved with understanding the underlying metrics that determine bar profitability. For example,
bartenders should understand how to calculate the profit margins of different drinks as well as the various factors that impact pour rates. Rather than relying on gut instincts or intuition, you should know which cocktails on your bar menu are
more profitable than others.
Be a good teammate by giving thanks to your servers and bar backs
To be better bartender you also need to be good teammate. If somebody calls in sick, cover for them if you can. If one teammate is getting a lot of big drinks orders, help share the workload. It’s also important to give thanks to all the people who
help to determine just how well run your bar is going to be. A simple “thank you” goes a long way in helping everyone get through a particularly busy or manic weekend night.
Just like any other profession, you as a bartender must continually evolve, change and improve in order to be competitive in your field.