4 Secrets of Fantastic Bartenders

4 Secrets of Fantastic Bartenders Image via: www.pexels.com Dress to impress Dressing the part makes the difference between self-confidence and self-doubt. If you want to do your best, you need to look your best. With that being said, make sure you dress appropriately for the venue. If you are at an upscale restaurant, break out your suit or cocktail dress. If you are at a dive bar, wear your trendiest concert clothes. The most important thing is to remember hygiene. It might go without saying to come to work looking squeaky clean, but after countless customers and hours of working with stinking amounts of liquor, you might forget to reapply deodorant. Go into each shift as though you were attending an important meeting or job interview. Shave, brush your teeth four times, apply extra cologne or perfume, and keep your deodorant on hand. The more well-dressed and neat you look, the more likely you are to attract good tips and returning customers. Be professional and personable One of the biggest things that makes a night out into a fantastic night out is a great bartender. If you are great, your customers will spread the news of your greatness to their friends. The wider this news spreads, the more customers (and money!) will be attracted to your bar. The minute you clock into work, shrug off any and all stressors from your day and focus on the task at hand. Give each customer a winning smile and your kindest treatment. Welcome each one as if they were an old and dear friend. Make conversation with them and make sure not to neglect them during the course of your shift. Do not let them sit without a drink or a refill for too long. As they leave, make sure to thank them for stopping by. Image via: www.pexels.com By now, you probably know that dealing with people under the influence of alcohol is not always positive. Do your best to keep a good spirit and winning attitude going. Also, it might be tempting to be the cool bartender and serve drinks without checking for the proper identification first. Do not be the cool bartender, be the smart bartender. It is common for police officers to send in undercover investigators to order drinks to test the servers to see if they are checking IDs as they should be. Trust me when I say that you do not want to be busted by these guys. Be smart and be professional and you will be a successful bartender. Keep it clean It does not matter how organized and clean you keep your kitchen at home. In the workplace, your bar needs to be spick and span all throughout your shift to maintain a pleasant and professional appearance. Use clean towels to keep the counter clear of spills and other messes. Keep the area organized by putting bottles and glasses back where they belong as quickly as possible. Get rid of any trash you notice as soon as you notice it. Make sure that items are well stocked before, during, and after each shift. Refill and replace items as needed, but definitely be timely about it. The cleaner and more organized that your bar appears, the more appealing it will be to other customers. After all, nobody wants to eat and drink in a place that appears unsanitary. Image via: www.pexels.com Have a good memory Throughout the night, you will have customers shouting order after order after order at you. You need to be able to keep each customer and order straight in your head and not mix them up. Giving a customer the wrong drink can end in disaster. Try your best to remember each customer’s name so you can have an easier time associating their drink order with their name. It also pays to be down with the sickness and up to date with the lingo by memorizing drink nicknames. They will probably teach you all of this while you are in the process of earning your bartending license, but it is still a good idea to refresh your memory every now and then. Now get out there and be the best bartender you can be!