Being a bartender can be one of the most fun and rewarding jobs in the hospitality industry. Many people enjoy the rush of excitement that being a bartender provides. Many exciting opportunities are available to those who wish to make a living working in bars. Bartending is also an entry level position for many bartenders. The best bartenders earn more money than other positions in the hospitality industry. Here are some of the basic requirements for being a bartender.
Being a bartender requires not only good social skills but also good customer service. Customers usually tip bartenders because they are helpful and kind. Bartenders are usually required to mix and serve different beverages for customers in bars, restaurants, or any liquor licensed establishment. bartenders in the United States generally depend on tips from their co-workers.
Serving Drinks
Most bartenders have a regular customer list that consists of friends and family. When serving drinks to these regular customers, bartenders are expected to be professional and courteous. This makes them easy to find when needed by customers who need another drink. When on the job, they must remember that their co-workers also serve drinks at licensed premises, so they need to be careful about whom they serve drinks to and who they give drinks to.
Most bartenders get good tips from their regular customers because they are known for making good cocktails. Many cocktail parties are planned weekly or monthly. Having a steady group of regular clients that trust bartenders to make good cocktails on a regular basis allows bartenders to build a rapport with the group of people that they serve drinks to on a weekly basis. Most hospitality industry professionals agree that referrals for parties and similar events are among the most important factors in a bartender’s success.
There are some bartenders who prefer to keep a lower profile. Some prefer not to work behind the scenes and they do not entertain walk in customers. These types of bartenders usually serve mixed drinks and they are less social. These bartenders do not take the time to know their customers as well as they should and do not have the same customer service approach that many other bartenders have. They usually just take orders from the table and fill glasses as they are called. This does not give the customer any choice in how the drinks are served, nor does it offer any special customer service experience.
Specialist Drinks And Cocktails
Some bartenders earn more than others in their local area because they specialize in particular drinks. Cocktail clubs are popping up all over the world because of this trend. Customers will travel great distances to visit these bars, which are typically larger than the average bar, because of the special atmosphere that the bar provides. Specialty bartenders can earn six-figure incomes at a minimum. Most bartenders start out by working at smaller bars before moving on to bigger locations and earning bigger tips.
