Bar Work

GerryRyan

Ok, I'm getting my start on Saturday night - being ' thrown in at the deep end' as the manager so lightly put it to me

Now, I'm taking it a good number of boardsies have done their time behind the bar. I'm just looking for some general tips, do's, dont's etc.

Obviously I'm going to be trained in - but some general info and stuff to look out for would be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

biko

Don't try to remember several orders. Serve one customer at the time until you get the hang of it. Take a good look at the person ordering so you can remeber who ordered. Like "glasses guy likes Guinness", "blondie pink top likes G&T" etc... This'll help you recall what they want next time.

-simon-

tip1 - Always put guinness in a branded glass!!!

ibh

Worked in a bar for about 6 years and managed for 1. When u start first make sure you learn the names of a couple of co-workers so that when u have a question or problem u can actually get their attention and get them to help you.. Also try and learn early on which taps are which. Remember when ur behind the bar u can't always see the name on the tap so unless it has a distingushable coulour etc hard to tell which is which. Try and spend any free time scoping out where things are kept, eg shots, cordials, minerals etc... Good luck...

cance

as biko said, dont try to over do it. good memory and quick pouring will come with time. for your first few days just concentrate on:

getting the order right.
ringing it up correctly.
pouring the pint correctly.
Serve the customer with a smile and try not to bump into your colleagues.

Take your time.

if its lounge staff work btw,

DO NOT try to carry more than you can handle. 3-4 pints at most the first few days.
ALWAYS leave the tray down if you have drinks on it. DO NOT HOVER the tray while fumbling in your pocket, patrons hate beer running down their back.
Keep your tips and your float in different pockets.
DONT count your tips with your hand in your pocket.
always place a clean ashtray over the dirty one when lifting it, nobody likes butts in their drink.

connundrum

Ask about wastage - is the management strict on it or not. If not then you'll be grand i.e. if you spill a pint or pour a couple of bad ones it won't matter.

Don't wear a tie - speaking as someone who's got dragged over a bar by my tie.

If its a busy bar don't be afraid to tell people to fcuk off and wait their turn in the queue. If its a quiet bar be sure to chat to people i.e. come off as friendly.

Try to clean as you go, if you spill clean it up where possible - it'll create less work for you later in the night.

As for drinks, try not to leave a Guinness sitting for too long. If you're not sure what someone wants, ask them to clarify i.e. if they ask for a beer shandy, ask them which beer they want and what ratio of beer to lemonade they want (maybe thats a bit overkill but..)

More will come to me soon.

Pighead

Tip 2: Always serve Pighead first.

Sleepy

Remember your locals orders.

Ask to be introduced to the locals if they don't do it within the first hour or so.

Smile, even when someone's giving you grief. Nothing pisses off an asshole more than someone that remains calm while they're losing the rag

Don't try take too many orders at once til you're in the job for a while. One customer at a time while you're getting the hang of it.

Make sure to check the money and change you've been given/are giving twice before handing it over.

If you don't know something: ask. There's nothing worse in a bar than the guy who empties the lines because he's too embaressed to admit he doesn't know how to change a keg.

Floor work sucks so do your fair share and more than your fair share until you're as quick at serving pints as the other staff.

And finally, from bitter (and expensive) experience, don't try flair bar-tending until you know what your doing!

Rob_l

-simon- wrote:

tip1 - Always put guinness in a branded glass!!!

always try and put each beer in its branded glass

Rob_l

Sleepy wrote:

And finally, from bitter (and expensive) experience, don't try flair bar-tending until you know what your doing!

shouldn't that be never try as no one really likes these show of saps

beans

FWIW I'm a pretty clumsy individual and managed this in a busy spot for a few years, so don't fret unduly. It's just like anything else.

Good tips so far. Try to glean a vague sense of who's been at the bar longest and serve accordingly. For the most part, just keep the head and don't get stressed, and the rest will come.

GerryRyan

Wow, quick responses there - thanks.

Sounds like I'll get the gist (jist?) of it quick enough. It's a busy enough bar with a nightclub to the side, so I could get my fair share of night shifts (not a bad thing, students need money )

I was told not to be afraid to ask questions or take my time (to an extent) for the first few nights.

uoluol

From my years of experience, both behind and in front of a bar:

A good barman always looks busy.....


Nothing looks as bad as a barman stood behind the bar, leaning on the counter. There is always something to do, wipe down counters, fridges, cut lemons, fill ice buckets etc etc

Good luck in the new job!

Tha Gopher

Rob_l wrote:

shouldn't that be never try as no one really likes these show of saps

Indeed, is here anything more funny than seein some cock of the walk barman juggle his vodka and barardi bottles to try and impress the fine bird working with him only to smash them off the ground Or at the very least badly lose grip of one bottle. Twats.

mikemac

Loads of good advice so far.

Don't become a barman who has an attitude "it's my job to serve drinks but fetching ice, stock and glasses is beneath me".

I've worked with plenty of those in the past :mad:
So if you're busy, keep serving but if it's quiet find something to do.

Serve one customer at a time as you build up your speed and confidence and if you make a mistake like mixing up an order, just be pleasant about it and apologise. If you smile and are pleasant then people will generally not mind. You always meet the odd person looking down on you, **** em!

Top Tip:
You may meet a punter who will order a massive round and collect it all from the bar. As they collect it all, they'll order a Guinness and say I'll be back to pay for the other 10 or so drinks and collect the Guinness.
If this happens, alarm bells better start ringing OP in your head. Watch this person like a hawk as it's a tried and trusted scam and if it's mad busy you might be able to find them on them on the floor to get them to pay.

Degsy

Try to be nice to customers,dont put thier change into a pool of spilt drink.

Jesus Wept

You can have a practise run here.

bronte

Have a feeling you're working in a place in my hometown op!
If it's the same place, you'll be grand! Worked there a few years back myself, was good craic...just take your time with it.

Jackz

That night club in Leixlip Ocean or something. The bouncers gave me shoes there one night so they could let me in. Mad place.

irishcrazyhorse

always pour the stouts first...
And ask someone to show you how to get rid of any bubbles.
As people have already said,SMILE, people find it really hard to give you **** if your smiling.
And most importantly, ask questions,if you dont know something ask someone that does,otherwise you will waste your time and theres while there stuck fixing your mistake.

Also,a pet hate of mine is been given a wrongly cut lime with my corona and fill the cider to the brim,thers not ment to be a head

Terry

Jackz wrote:

That night club in Leixlip Ocean or something. The bouncers gave me shoes there one night so they could let me in. Mad place.

Ahhhhhh ha ha ha ha ha.

That is all.

Gordon

When pouring pints be sure to tilt the glass towards yourself, it's a bit wonky to do but if you can get into the habit of doing that then when the keg empties you will spray yourself as opposed to your customers.

Make sure you know roughly how long each person has been waiting in the queue. Then you can tell them: "No, you haven't been waiting half an hour, you've been waiting for roughly 90 seconds mate, just wait your turn". I got punched in the head for that one

Oh, good luck! It can be fun and it can be a pain in the butt serving the general populous alcohol.

Jigsaw

In my experience working behind a bar was a hateful experience and in light of that I must encourage you to get another job as soon as possible. Even decent people become twats when drunk let alone people who are twats when sober.

Work in a supermarket or something where you won't have to work late and you'll actually get a break.

FlutterinBantam

If you see me coming in,check the shítter.

I like a pristine shítter.

If you see me leaving,check the shítter

I can be a tad "loose".


Best of luck:D

Degag

As a fairly experienced barman, i would say that the best advice i could give you is NOT TO PANIC regardless of how busy you get, and you will panic. Just calm down and remember that you can do only so much.

And don't panic when you start filling pints in your sleep. (it will/should happen!)

KamiKazi

Tackle69 wrote:

And don't panic when you start filling pints in your sleep. (it will/should happen!)

my mother came into my room early one morning after i had worked late the night before to ask me something. I dont know what she said but i told her to change the budweiser and that we need more jack daniels

-avey-

was working in a bar and nightclub, bar work's grand, as said already dont panic and have d craic when u can..good laugh with a good crowd in n some good music the abuse u can get from drunken customers can be pretty frustrating, i try not to make eye contact with people trying to skip the queue, just concentrate on the person ur serving, if you make eye contact with someone they take it to mean they're next :rolleyes:

seamus

We went into a bar last Friday and they had a new barman on his first night.

Don't do some of the things he did:

1. Fill up a pint with a huge head, remove the head with the palm of your hand, refill, and so on until you have a pint that still has a huge but now tainted head.

2. Pour a whole pint of Guiness in one go and with a huge head.

3. When asked for "Jagerbombs", give Jagermeister instead.


On number three - if you're in doubt about what's in a drink, don't try to guess. Ask a colleague, or if the patron looks friendly just admit that you've never heard of it before and ask him what's in it.

-avey-

seamus wrote:

if you're in doubt about what's in a drink, don't try to guess. Ask a colleague, or if the patron looks friendly just admit that you've never heard of it before and ask him what's in it.

most customers r more dan happy 2 volunteer information bout der favourite drink

leninbenjamin

-avey- wrote:

most customers r more dan happy 2 volunteer information bout der favourite drink

oh for god sakes. lrn 2 spl plz.
/rant


don't do what a noobie did in the bar i worked in. he broke a glass in the ice, and told nobody about it. he then himself served a woman "ice" from that very ice. and amazingly he was never fired. was typical of the place though, but i better not mention the name in case of slander. no one ever figured out why he never told anyone. i think it was because he saw himself above such menial tasks...

Slutmonkey57b

When you're pouring spirits or cordials, take a moment to put the spirit bottle back where you found it. This applies to anything else you have to pick up to make a drink. Pick it up, use it, (clean it) put it back. If you don't you'll be tripping over everything in no time and you won't be able to find anything at all.

Terry

-avey- wrote:

most customers r more dan happy 2 volunteer information bout der favourite drink

Hi.
Welcome to After Hours.
Please feel free to use the full keyboard in front of you, and remember, Ur is the name of an ancient Mesopotamian city.

OP, is it a pub in Leixlip?

I'll trawl them all looking for new lounge staff if you don't tell me and then I'll make an ass of you.

The Bollox

you are going to make mistakes in your first few weeks, so be prepared. no-one is brilliant first time. the hardest pints to pour are probably Guinness and Miller (it's very gassy) so try to get used to spitting the tap for lagers (let the suds drop and catch the beer after as this will reduce the initial head and allow you to adjust at the end of pouring).

no.1 rule is to start off slow, this will minimise your mistakes, and if the bar gets busy try not to let the stress get the better of you (I have been behind the bar for 3 years and this still gets me).

one more thing, it takes a LOT of practice to be able to do flair properly so if it is a requirement (some cocktail bars expect their barmen to be able to do some things) practice at home with empty bottles.

Rabies

Don't be afraid to tell customers that it is only your first/second/third night on the bar and sorry if things take a little long than normal.

Ask your manager about wastage. When you are comfortable in the bar then experiment with shots, not just the usual tequila, sambuca and jager. Ask other bar staff for their favourite shot and it won't take long to build up a couple of your own.

As a few others have said, always be busy. Nothing looks worse than a person standing behind the bar scratching their ass.

On easy boring days, get to know your customers and their drinks. It pays back in the end. And it encourages people to return to your bar.

Degag

seamus wrote:

Don't do some of the things he did:

1. Fill up a pint with a huge head, remove the head with the palm of your hand, refill, and so on until you have a pint that still has a huge but now tainted head.

Don't get this, i've never removed head with my hand nor has any other barman i've seen... don't think customers would be too happy to see it!

GerryRyan

Terry wrote:

OP, is it a pub in Leixlip?

I'll trawl them all looking for new lounge staff if you don't tell me and then I'll make an ass of you.

Ha, trawl away Terry - you'll be in the wrong town (village?) for a start. It's Newbridge.

GerryRyan

Rabies wrote:

As a few others have said, always be busy. Nothing looks worse than a person standing behind the bar scratching their ass.

Not the first to say it - some sound tips there lads, thanks.

KamiKazi

ahahaha no way, so you're either in pub S or pub WW eh?

GerryRyan

KamiKazi wrote:

ahahaha no way, so you're either in pub S or pub WW eh?

Nay, try pub F, or R.B.

<are you posting from the library in carlow by the way? >

KamiKazi

nope, my house off campus

Terry

ThatGuy wrote: »

Ha, trawl away Terry - you'll be in the wrong town (village?) for a start. It's Newbridge.

Meh. I'll just do a pub crawl anyway.

Gazza22

It's so difficult at the moment to find somewhere that will train you up behind the bar. I'd love to train up part-time, it's an excellent skill to have when travelling, there's always bar work.

GerryRyan

I don't usually bump threads - but just a quick thanks for all the tips and advice - I start work in a few hours.

Naos

Good Luck thatguy, feeling nervous yet?

Rockee

If you get a chance tomorrow OP come on here and tell us how you got on!

JohnnyStones

I do anything "bar" work!:)

Kold

From my bar experience I just worked hard and kept my head down. It's a job, don't bitch to strangers, when someone is bitching about your colleagues just say you're sure they're just having a bad day. Don't put yourself on the line, if you stumble on someone having a sneaky snort, keep it to yourself, they know where you work and you're getting minimum-ish wage for this ****.
Keep busy, don't give anyone any excuses or reason to doubt you.

bennyx_o

As others have said, always look busy. Take your time and ask questions when you're not sure. I miss working in a bar, it's good craic

JohnnyStones wrote: »

I do anything "bar" work!:)

I lol'd