For the bartenders out there..?

Question

Can you make a living off of bartending, specifically speaking, bartending at a hipper place than those bars/pubs that old men go to? And when I say "make a living," I mean providing for a family. By the way, are there a lot of fights in the bars like the ones shown on t.v. How often do the customers fight where you bartend? And how long did training take for you to actually become a bartender? I know this is a lot of questions, but I'm considering bartending and am very curious.

Answer 1

First off, not everyone is capable of being a bartender. If you feel you have the patience, the memory, high tolerance to drunk people, and are a good listener than you might do okay. I have tended bar in vastly different settings. I bartended weddings, special events, etc, for a golf course and made Super good money, but it wasn't a consistant enough income to support my family. When I worked for a popular college based bar, I made over $200 a night, but I noticed I started drinking more after work, and did not get enough sleep. You have to be strong willed to not fall in with the crowd if you have a family. It is difficult to turn your co workers down after working all night with them , when they ask you to go have a few after work. When you know your family is at home sleeping. I also bartended for a chain restaurant for the longest amount of time, but I think I got tired of the clientel. You have to make drinks very quickly and accurately on demand when you work in a busy atmosphere. If you can tolerate all of this, then you will do fine. I was a server first at the restaurant where I began bartending, and they trained me to bartend. I didn't need to take classes, and taking classes won't get you hired anywhere any faster. Employers look for experienced bartenders, not school trained tenders. If you are a fast learner, you can just learn best by doing it. Buy Bartending for Dummies by Ray Foley, this book has almost every drink you will need to know to bartend. Memorize the basics and then the other drinks will come naturally. If you work at a club, or very busy popular bar, you will make more, because of the volume, but you will get stiffed just as much as you get tipped. You must maintain a good attitude and friendly personality everytime you work. No matter what is going on in your personal life. I know a lot of guys that have bartended for a popular club here for a long time and live really well. Just be smart and don't get sucked in to the party scene. I personally didn't see many fights. I wouldn't think that would be a main concern. As far as how long I trained, only about 2 weeks, and then it is a constant learning by doing situation. You will have to listen to a lot of BS and drunk rambling, just smile and nod. If you have anymore questions, just email me.

Answer 2

The first and most important thing you need to consider if you want to bartend and be successful is if you are a people person! Bartending is'nt just serving drinks, it's being a friend to your customers, a counseler, a person they can tell their worries, troubles or even excitement to. You are the gatekeeper to the spirits of alcohol that they desire, for whatever reason they are choosing to embibe; therefore, you are important. Bartending is a very lucrative business and it is fun! What is better than being in a social atmosphere and getting paid for it? Different places can enable where you make the most money. I work at a hotel where I bartend conventions, weddings, social hour functions...events like that. I make great money and my clientel changes all the time and so does the atmosphere. I love it! As far as fights go...I have not seen alot, maybe a few at weddings when the bridesmaids were vying for the attention of same groomsmen..but I think it depends upon the setting of place you are choosing to work in. You should probably consider what environment would best suit your personality and if you will be able to associate yourself with those that frequent the bar. The customer is always right and they are the deciding factor in how much money you will make. If you can't be a friend to the customers than you won't make money because you wont be tipped. Tipping is up to the customers as it should be and they will tip better if you appreciate them, treat them well, learn and remember what they drink if they frequent the place often, be a frend! Provide the best service all the time and smile! I have been bartending for ten years and I would never give it up! Training is a constant thing and the more you learn the better you will be in the service industry! People are fun and bartending is a great job. Hanging out while getting paid is ideal! I wish you all the luck in your future endevours and your beginning career in customer service! Just keep in mind one important point, provide the type of service you would expect someone to give to you if you were on the other side of the bar! :-) And have fun!

Answer 3

Short answers: Yes. No. Very rarely. About a month to get good. :)

Long answers: It's absolutely doable to make a great living being a bartender. The hours can be tough sometimes, and drunk people aren't always the best company or the most rational people to be hanging out with, but, for me, it's worth it.

I'd say the higher-priced the drinks, the more apt people are to tip more. I currently bartend in a pretty swanky lounge in Manhattan and if the clienetele we have can afford the steep drink prices, they can most likely afford to tip nicely for good service. There are also never fights at my bar. Consider the customers at a college bar versus a "hipper place." Guys in suits and ladies in dresses are less likely to start swinging...

I didn't ever go to bartending school, but rather learned on the job. I had a boss at the restaurant where I waited tables who had a bartender quit... and they needed someone to fill in with about five minutes of notice. Bartending is 90% personality, 10% drink-making. Buy yourself a Mr. Boston's Bartenders Manual and you'll be fine. It took me about a month to get fully comfortable behind the bar, and people continually surprise me with new and bizarre drinks (with even more bizarre names, usually) that they'd like.

For someone starting out, maybe a bartending school would be worth it. They usually help students find jobs, too.

Good luck! Cheers!

Answer 4

I was a single mother with 2 kids with no help from their dad, Bartending was my only job and I was able to pay all the bills, pay the babysitter, and have extra money to go out and have a good time, I was stuck behind the bar at a last minutes notice because they needed one bad, I had never done it before and I learned that night and have been doing this for 7 years now. The fights arent bad at all, it depends oon the bar, the area its in and how well the bar is ran, if its a run down bar that serves everyone till their absolulty wasted, theres bound to be fights, I work in a bar where we watch what we serve and we have fights maybe once a month. Goodluck and if you decide to do it, you'll love it, its alot of fun and it doesnt feel like a job.

Answer 5

You can become a Bartender in 6 weeks. the course does not cost more than $200.00 in most areas. The number of fights that occur depend on the amount of alcohol consumed by patrons. Most states/provinces have by-laws concerning this. Many Bartenders have profitable careers that allow them to support a family oun a home save and invest. Whether or not a Bartender is successful depends on the individuals personality. Out going friendly people with a good , intelligent mind do best in this profession. The trendy clubs are volume based (lots of tips) though it is unlikely you will make a regular client base who are loyal and will follow you to any other bar you choose to work in. It was rare for a fight to break out in any bar I have worked in. The door staff (Bouncers) are well trained professionals intervene before a disagreement comes to blows and if it does they are quickly escorted off the premises. Most bars are not as they are depicted in film/TV. Many are much better and fun relaxed places to be.

Answer 6

No offense, but I think you could make a lot better tips from those "old men" at men's clubs and country clubs. At a hip younger place, many customers have no concept of tipping the bartender.

Answer 7

Check out "The Bartenders Black Book."
8th edition by Steven Kitteridige Cunningham

Lots of good tidbits in the front, and lots of neat drinks in the back.