How To: Be A Bartender

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get acquainted with the bar Remember people's drinks
If the sexy blonde at the end of the bar always orders a Pink Lady, make it a point to mention what she's going to order before she says anything. This demonstrates that you actually put some effort into remembering her preferred beverage. You can even go the extra mile and remember her name.

Match drink with personality
Loud party guys might like to line up shots of tequila, but the more conservative fellow might simply enjoy sipping his scotch and water peacefully. A sophisticated, but full of life gal might be a gin drinker, while a single woman might stick to the traditional Madras (vodka, orange and cranberry).

Anticipate what customers want and impress them by guessing what they might want to drink.

Give free drinks
Everyone likes to receive things for free, so if you have a good customer that spends a lot of money at your bar, give him a round of shots on the house. Who knows, his tips might actually end up paying the mortgage on your future home.

Furnishing good customers with free drinks (usually shots) will serve to keep customers happy and coming back for more.

On the other hand, you can also provide free shots for the pretty ladies roaming around your bar to ensure they remain there. The moment there are women at the bar, men will flock to it, usually ready and willing to buy these women drinks as well.

Find out how many promo drinks you're allowed to hand out per night. Some nightclub managers max it out to 4% of sales, while others might be more lenient.

Tell jokes
A priest, Santa Claus and the devil walk into a bar... Sound familiar? Jokes like these are the ones you should keep in your back pocket to entertain customers. Remember that they expect to laugh and have a good time when they're there.

If the last joke you told dates back to Michael Jordan's first comeback, then get yourself some new ones.

Pick up women
If you think this is just a myth, think again. This doesn't mean that women expect to be picked up by the bartender, but many wouldn't mind. For them, it's like conquering someone that few ladies can get their hands on.

last call

So there you have it, your express guide to becoming a bartender. Even if it's just to impress guests at your next house party or to work in a coveted nightclub, you are now armed with the tools to mix cocktails... and be good at it!



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