If you become a bartender, should you drink alcohol?

Question

probably a dumb question

Answer 1

I know many good bartender who don't drink. It does make it easier though to be able to sample your creations.

Answer 2

I assume you mean, should you drink OFF the job. Yes, I think it's good if a bartender drinks - a little. After all, you want to sample a new drink recipe or when someone makes a toast, you want to raise your glass too.

I've never been a bartender but I think it would be really easy to either start drinking a lot - or get turned off by alcohol and not want to drink it at all.

Answer 3

Not really a dumb question at all.

If you are working with the public in a drinking situation (which by definition you would be), somebody's got to keep their wits about them. And if you're under the influence, you can't.

Imagine a bartender who competed with joke-tellers, butted in with his political opinion, pounded the bar and hollered about why he thought the country is/isn't being run right, hit on every girl in the place and cussed at the sports events on TV. Imagine him telling everyone how he told off his boss today and how he's not appreciated by the nincompoops with whom he works. Imagine him trying to start a fistfight.

Also imagine him singing off key to the music, dancing badly, hitting yet again on every girl in the place, finally getting depressed when none of the ladies seems interested, and winding down the night by sobbing on a barstool, regaling the poor guy next to him with the tragic story of his divorce and making everyone look at pictures of his kids. He could end the night with a bang by opening up the cash drawer and handing out all the money because the customers were all "the best people he had ever met" and he "wanted them to have this".

In all fairness, not everyone (or even most people) get anywhere near this bad when they drink alcohol, but if the possibility of the bartender doing even one of these things while waiting on customers...well, it not only wouldn't be possible, it might be pretty terrible for business.

Also, since a bartender will be dealing with at least one person doing at least one thing listed above during the course of a busy evening (and sometimes several people at once doing several of these things), he needs to be cheerful, sober and even-tempered to handle it all. ;-)

Answer 4

you dont have to drink it, watch coyote ugly they'd take a shot and pretent to chase it with a beer while really spitting it into the beer bottle. Only thing you gotta know is how to make a Good STRONG drink to keep the tips coming!

Answer 5

Most up-scale bartenders usually don't. For them it is part of being, "professional", regarding their profession. And for a true bartender, it is a true profession.

Answer 6

not while on duty...
when i tended bar and someone wante to buy me a drink they would pay for it,i would thank them and have the drink when my shift was over...
having a buzz when your supposed to be in control of drunks is not a good idea.

Answer 7

as long as u r not drinking while on the job.why the hell noti coz i am azuming that one will wtill ahve his or her life too live too?? bottoms up!!! when not behind the bar...

Answer 8

NOPE, but you'll have to get used to being around it all day and crazy people

Answer 9

dude, always, ppl always buy drinks for you, take them, so u can flirt with the ugly ppl and they can give you more tips $$

Answer 10

no you shouldnt