If you bartend, waiter or waitress long enough you will eventually be faced with the choice of crossing the line between being personable or getting personal with a customer. If you want to make some serious money in this profession then you must learn where that line is and how to avoid it gracefully.
It is easier for a bartender to escape these situations than it is for a waitress. First, the bar will be much faster paced. You don't spend a lot of time with one person when serving a drink. No silverware, extra napkins, drinks, ketchup etc. Just serve the drink and your customer has what they ordered. There is also a constant flow of other customers who you must attend to so you move out of a sticky situation a lot faster. Lastly, people drinking at the bar are much more inclined to keep the conversation one way, that being on them! Not all, but alcohol can do that so bartenders really do have an advantage there. You can often just listen to their problems and they won't ask you anything. They often just want your ear!
For whatever reason, waitresses and waiters are much more susceptible to a barrage of personal questions from patrons than bartenders. This is especially true of regular patrons after a few months of you "getting to know them" (which really means after a few months of waiting on them!) These types of customers are generally bored or lonely and they most certainly do exist! Now don't get me wrong, they aren't bad people. Just that they don't stop to think that you are working and that it's not a social event for you as it may be for them. These folks often want to feel like "family" and have a distorted prospective as to what they are actually doing there. (eating!) It is your job to know when and how to cut it off!
When I say your job, I don't mean you'll read this in your employee manual. This is just an unspoken part of being a good server or bartender. If you want to become one of the "Good ones", a true professional and make the big tips, you'll learn when and how to cut it off, where to draw the line. And you won't offend anybody in doing so.
The easiest way to do this is to not start. If what I'm about to say is common sense to you, then you have the makings for being a good server or bartender! I thought a quick basic list here would be appropriate:
Kids-Husband-Wife: If you have kids, it's natural that a regular customer will get around to a few questions about them. And it's fine to be personable about your kids once in a while. But you don't need to tell them who they're dating, what trouble they got into, your birthing pains with your 2nd child, any medical conditions they may have or any of a number of "personal" details about your life. Keep the spouse or boyfriend out too! These are all personal things. It's certainly fine to talk a little about your spouse, but you just have to really clam up after the basics. It's nobody's business and these aren't your true and tested friends, they are complete strangers really! Think about it.
Finance: Don't get into your problems with money. Don't get into their problems with money. If they mention things are tight this month and they are losing hours at work or their house isn't selling then just smile, say your sorry to hear that and things will get better and "can I get you a refill on your water?" Just get out of there! You don't have to be mean, just make a quick exit and if they try it one more time do it again. They'll get the hint. Continue to be as personable as ever but keep the conversation limited to small talk or news topics, nothing personal!
Co Workers: Do not discuss co-workers with customers, EVER. It's unprofessional and gossipy. Just smile and say you don't know. Come on, you know that's just low. You shouldn't do it no matter what. You could easily find yourself in a mess with so many webs around you that you'll never get out. If you stay away from this one you will go so much further in this (or any) profession! Don't let a customer pull you into that trap. Co-workers, including bosses and owners, are OFF LIMITS for conversation to customers unless it's positively just small talk.
Problems: This just means anything that's bugging you. Don't be telling your customers about your late fees on your CC or your mother in law's rude comments, your doctors visits or how your neighbors are keeping you up at night. These are all personal and to most customers, these topics would be boring. If they aren't boring to the customer, you're setting yourself up big time because they are going to get into your head and life as much as possible. It will affect your work and your tips. Keep your problems to yourself.
This isn't to say that you will never ever get personal with a regular customer. There are of course some instances where the customer crosses the line of being "customer" to being "friend" too! But these are rare cases, certainly not the norm. The bottom line is if you want to be making the best tips, have the least amount of stress and be viewed upon by your fellow employees and customers as a leader and a professional, you'll keep the personal stuff off limits with customers.
As you learn to be aware of this, you'll see it often happens quite subtly and almost exclusively with very regular customers. Learning how to stop it before it gains any momentum is what separates the professional from the mediocre in this business of serving people. When you can balance being personable without being personal, you have put yourself above the pack and you will be rewarded for it in bigger tips, better employment opportunities and great respect from everyone around you. This is just one aspect of earning bigger tips, but it's an important one!
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Bartender-Waitress No Experience Needed-Now Hiring
Are you looking for a bartending position but have no experience? How about waitressing? Bowling alley's are hiring right NOW (August) for these positions and you can quite possibly get hired, even as a bartender, without experience! But you've got to act quickly.
Most towns have a local bowling alley. This is such a great starting place if you are truly wanting to get into bartending. (or waitressing) The leagues are the bread and butter for these establishments and it is basically a winter sport. Leagues start right after Labor day, but it takes a few weeks for them to get into the groove and for all of them to get going smoothly and fill up.
During that slower 2-4 weeks is where you get your training. A lot of the bartending duties at these alley's is pouring beer and mixing a dozen or so different drinks, the basics. If you show the desire to want to learn this trade many manager will give you a shot if they need the position filled. They figure there's a good month left for training before it gets super busy and might give you a try.
Waitressing at these places is a great place to get aquainted with alcoholic beverages as you will be serving a lot of them. A great way to get some experience if you want to get into bartending later on. This is an even easier position (without experience) to land than bartending.
If you are serious about bartending as a main income, or you just want to be a little "picky" about where you bartend in the future, you need experience! Your first bartending job at a bowling alley will put you miles ahead of anyone else with no experience when applying to a nicer place. Even those who have completed a "bartending school." The best schooling for this job is "The school of experience" and that's what you'll get if you can start at your local bowling alley!
And don't think this job is a cake walk! You'll be busy, which is what you want, and best of all, you'll actually make some decent money. It's like being paid to go to school! You may even want to stay another year or two or keep a part time position!
Still want to get into bartending? Get to your local bowling alley NOW and talk to a manager. Let them know you are very interested in learning the trade, are a fast learner and would love the opportunity to learn the trade and work at their fine establishment!
Read more about getting hired as a bartender at the bowling alley in your area, with no experience!
Most towns have a local bowling alley. This is such a great starting place if you are truly wanting to get into bartending. (or waitressing) The leagues are the bread and butter for these establishments and it is basically a winter sport. Leagues start right after Labor day, but it takes a few weeks for them to get into the groove and for all of them to get going smoothly and fill up.
During that slower 2-4 weeks is where you get your training. A lot of the bartending duties at these alley's is pouring beer and mixing a dozen or so different drinks, the basics. If you show the desire to want to learn this trade many manager will give you a shot if they need the position filled. They figure there's a good month left for training before it gets super busy and might give you a try.
Waitressing at these places is a great place to get aquainted with alcoholic beverages as you will be serving a lot of them. A great way to get some experience if you want to get into bartending later on. This is an even easier position (without experience) to land than bartending.
If you are serious about bartending as a main income, or you just want to be a little "picky" about where you bartend in the future, you need experience! Your first bartending job at a bowling alley will put you miles ahead of anyone else with no experience when applying to a nicer place. Even those who have completed a "bartending school." The best schooling for this job is "The school of experience" and that's what you'll get if you can start at your local bowling alley!
And don't think this job is a cake walk! You'll be busy, which is what you want, and best of all, you'll actually make some decent money. It's like being paid to go to school! You may even want to stay another year or two or keep a part time position!
Still want to get into bartending? Get to your local bowling alley NOW and talk to a manager. Let them know you are very interested in learning the trade, are a fast learner and would love the opportunity to learn the trade and work at their fine establishment!
Read more about getting hired as a bartender at the bowling alley in your area, with no experience!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Where Do I Need A Bartending License?
One of the first and most asked questions to people looking to get a bartending job is "Do I need A License?" The answer is probably not. Not in most states but there are I believe 2 as of 2009 that require a license, Utah and Wisconsin and the license is very easy to obtain. This wild myth about needing a bartenders license is everywhere and it amazes me how prevelant it is on the web. I believe it started with the bartending schools. I think they made it sound like a certificate is some sort of license and from there it just spread.
Another possibility is TIPS. This stands for "Training for Intervention Procedures" and is a popular course that teaches responsibility basics for bartenders. It is not a license although these days it's becoming very popular for establishments to require the course to work as a bartender in their establishment. This is because their liability insurance is decreased by having you take the course. It's not a bad idea to take it as it's very short and having a certificate of completion certainly won't hurt. Cost is about $40. It can be taken online in most states. This course will no doubt be mandatory in the coming years.
So unless you live in Utah or Wisconsin, you won't need a bartending license. I would like to add that having a bartending license, a TIPS certificate or a bartending school certificate will have no effect on your competence as a bartender to a prospective employer. There is only one thing that qualifies you in the eyes of the owner or manager. Experience. Any certificates or licenses are just pieces of paper that are forced upon you or the owner by the state, or given to you by a bartending school.
So don't get hung up on this. If you want to bartend, get looking for a bartending job pouring beer in a dive if you have to. Even that type of experience is better than any piece of paper. From there you will rapidly move up the ladder if you find you like the bar business.
Another possibility is TIPS. This stands for "Training for Intervention Procedures" and is a popular course that teaches responsibility basics for bartenders. It is not a license although these days it's becoming very popular for establishments to require the course to work as a bartender in their establishment. This is because their liability insurance is decreased by having you take the course. It's not a bad idea to take it as it's very short and having a certificate of completion certainly won't hurt. Cost is about $40. It can be taken online in most states. This course will no doubt be mandatory in the coming years.
So unless you live in Utah or Wisconsin, you won't need a bartending license. I would like to add that having a bartending license, a TIPS certificate or a bartending school certificate will have no effect on your competence as a bartender to a prospective employer. There is only one thing that qualifies you in the eyes of the owner or manager. Experience. Any certificates or licenses are just pieces of paper that are forced upon you or the owner by the state, or given to you by a bartending school.
So don't get hung up on this. If you want to bartend, get looking for a bartending job pouring beer in a dive if you have to. Even that type of experience is better than any piece of paper. From there you will rapidly move up the ladder if you find you like the bar business.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Know The Menu and Earn Bigger Tips
A good server will know the menu practically inside and out, thus Earning much bigger tips! There are so many average waiters and and waitresses that you should strive to be a cut above that by knowing your menu. Don't be shy about asking the cooks or manager questions about food. Your customers are going to ask and when you can answer them intelligently you will not only impress them but you will genuinely be helping them. In their eyes you've done something extra for them and you will certainly be rewarded for it in a bigger tip.
Too often a server does not even know the basics of what is on the menu. You should know exactly what's on that specialty burger. What are all the condiments that come with it automatically? How much is the pre-cooked weight of the burger? What kind of seeds are on the bun? You should know the sauces that come with dishes and be able to describe them. When there is a house special that is popular, know it inside and out! Just break it apart one piece at a time when there are a lot of ingredients and memorize a standard answer. Too often servers stumble through this day after day and week after week. It's silly! You know the question is going to come up every day so learn it and sound intelligent when asked and make bigger tips in the process! You cannot possibly learn everything 100% but you should know the basics of the menu at minimum. And that means more than just what's written on the menu that the customer can clearly see!
Depending on where you work there are many common questions that come up when serving guests. Let's take a popular and simple topic, butter. What type of butter is used, a 60/40 blend, margarine or 100% butter? Some restaurants will use for example, the blend on their breakfast toast while baking with margarine and yet serve 100% butter packets with dinner rolls. You need to know these things! Is the shredded cheese served on the salads or any dish for that matter, 100% real cheese or is it a blend or imitation cheese which is not cheese at all? Are the mushrooms being served on that steak or pizza canned or fresh? The list goes on and the more hours you waiter or waitress, the more you will discover the need to know the answers to these types of questions.
Baked, fried or grilled is another often asked question. A chicken salad for example, will have pieces of chicken on it and often the customer is eating this because they are watching their calorie intake. Baked chicken and deep fried chicken are worlds apart in calories and they are going to ask. Know the difference and what your restaurant serves. Often they don't offer both on the menu but if you know that grilled chicken can be offered instead of deep fried, and you offer that suggestion to your customer who doesn't want the fat, you've just increased your chances of a bigger tip!
Learn substitutions. Know without asking what can and cannot be substituted for certain side dishes at no cost. Also know the additional cost for certain substitutions. You look like a pro when you can answer questions like these without having to go ask someone. Avoid saying "I don't know" at any cost. Simply say "Let me find someone who can answer that for you better than I can"
Dessert questions will pop up once in a while also. There's money to made in the dessert rush so know your stuff! What brand of ice cream do you use? Is it real whipped cream or just whipped topping? Coffee is popular with desserts so know if you are serving half and half, non dairy creamer or heavy whipping cream. If your sauces or toppings are made with real fruits, know that and use it as a selling point. What about the pies? Is the crust hand made or frozen or from a box? Is the fruit fresh or canned? If the fruit is fresh, often it is purchased locally, another great selling point, but only if you know that!
These are just a few examples to get you thinking while at work. Look, you are there anyways and you want to make more tips, right? Then utilize your time and when curiosity crosses your mind about a menu item or a customer asks something, make it your goal to learn about it and remember it. You cannot learn everything about every little ingredient used but the real question is are trying to learn anything? Be a great server! Learn more about what you are serving and watch both your compliments and tips grow!
Too often a server does not even know the basics of what is on the menu. You should know exactly what's on that specialty burger. What are all the condiments that come with it automatically? How much is the pre-cooked weight of the burger? What kind of seeds are on the bun? You should know the sauces that come with dishes and be able to describe them. When there is a house special that is popular, know it inside and out! Just break it apart one piece at a time when there are a lot of ingredients and memorize a standard answer. Too often servers stumble through this day after day and week after week. It's silly! You know the question is going to come up every day so learn it and sound intelligent when asked and make bigger tips in the process! You cannot possibly learn everything 100% but you should know the basics of the menu at minimum. And that means more than just what's written on the menu that the customer can clearly see!
Depending on where you work there are many common questions that come up when serving guests. Let's take a popular and simple topic, butter. What type of butter is used, a 60/40 blend, margarine or 100% butter? Some restaurants will use for example, the blend on their breakfast toast while baking with margarine and yet serve 100% butter packets with dinner rolls. You need to know these things! Is the shredded cheese served on the salads or any dish for that matter, 100% real cheese or is it a blend or imitation cheese which is not cheese at all? Are the mushrooms being served on that steak or pizza canned or fresh? The list goes on and the more hours you waiter or waitress, the more you will discover the need to know the answers to these types of questions.
Baked, fried or grilled is another often asked question. A chicken salad for example, will have pieces of chicken on it and often the customer is eating this because they are watching their calorie intake. Baked chicken and deep fried chicken are worlds apart in calories and they are going to ask. Know the difference and what your restaurant serves. Often they don't offer both on the menu but if you know that grilled chicken can be offered instead of deep fried, and you offer that suggestion to your customer who doesn't want the fat, you've just increased your chances of a bigger tip!
Learn substitutions. Know without asking what can and cannot be substituted for certain side dishes at no cost. Also know the additional cost for certain substitutions. You look like a pro when you can answer questions like these without having to go ask someone. Avoid saying "I don't know" at any cost. Simply say "Let me find someone who can answer that for you better than I can"
Dessert questions will pop up once in a while also. There's money to made in the dessert rush so know your stuff! What brand of ice cream do you use? Is it real whipped cream or just whipped topping? Coffee is popular with desserts so know if you are serving half and half, non dairy creamer or heavy whipping cream. If your sauces or toppings are made with real fruits, know that and use it as a selling point. What about the pies? Is the crust hand made or frozen or from a box? Is the fruit fresh or canned? If the fruit is fresh, often it is purchased locally, another great selling point, but only if you know that!
These are just a few examples to get you thinking while at work. Look, you are there anyways and you want to make more tips, right? Then utilize your time and when curiosity crosses your mind about a menu item or a customer asks something, make it your goal to learn about it and remember it. You cannot learn everything about every little ingredient used but the real question is are trying to learn anything? Be a great server! Learn more about what you are serving and watch both your compliments and tips grow!
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