Bartender

Top Duties and Qualifications
Bartenders, or Mixologists, mix and serve alcoholic beverages based on guest requests. Their duties include verifying the identification and age of guests, preparing and serving alcoholic beverages, accepting payment from guests, cleaning glasses and bar utensils and balancing cash receipts to record sales.

A Bartender has a variety of duties and responsibilities, including:
Verify identification and age requirements of guests
Mix traditional and creative cocktails
Process payment from guests
Clean glasses and bar utensils
Make suggestions based on guest tastes and preferences
Record and balance cash receipts and prepare cash deposits
Open and maintain tabs throughout their shift
Build a rapport with regular guests to create a positive atmosphere
Keep a positive attitude while working quickly and efficiently to ensure our guest's experience is great!
Consider every guest an asset. We are dependent on the guests choosing our restaurant and strive for them to visit again. The food and service we give today, affects how busy we are tomorrow!
Assess and meet the guests' needs. Not everyone has the same needs so you need to be flexible.
Be prepared and ready to learn. This requires you to come to work on time and ready to work with a "Get it done" attitude. You are eager to learn new duties and responsibilities to advance your career.
Bars can be noisy and stressful places but you remain cool under pressure with the ability to work safely and quickly to ensure your drinks are delivered timely and accurately every time.
Work with a team of professionals. You enjoy working with others and through collaboration, our kitchen team turns out delicious food. Sometimes this means being flexible and using your knowledge to help others.
Exhibit clean work habits and understand your shared ownership of keeping a safe and clean work area.




A day in the life...

As a bartender, you should welcome guests with a smile, a friendly greeting, and attend to their needs in an efficient manner. You're responsible for the preparation of drinks by following our high standards and recipes in an energetic environment. A successful bartender has the ability to stay calm in difficult situations, keeps a cool head, does not take things personally, and always stays professional no matter what the situation.
No two days are alike and no matter how busy things may get: we are a group of people who promote teamwork, encourage a fun work environment, and share common goals of making our guest's experience memorable. Providing service to our guest is an important part of your job and how well you perform these functions will not only promote the success of our restaurant but will also reflect the cash in your pocket.
At the end of the day, guests go home happy and look forward to coming back; you make money and have job security.

What does a Bartender do?
Bartenders are in charge of managing drink orders at a restaurant, pub, hotel, club, or private event to keep guests satisfied during meals or social gatherings. Bartenders have extensive knowledge of common drinks which they use to recommend drinks to guests, prepare cocktails, pour beers and properly decant wines. Bartenders also entertain guests who sit at the bar by providing stimulating conversation and excellent guest service while filling drink orders for other guests. Their role is to ensure that guests are of legal drinking age and then prepare a requested drink to their specifications.

Bartender skills and qualifications:
Examples of skills and qualifications for a successful Bartender candidate include:
Knowledge of applicable laws and regulations
Knowledge of mixology for traditional and creative cocktails
Understanding of unique and complementary flavor pairings
Impeccable guest service and social perceptiveness
Ability to evaluate guest satisfaction and responsiveness
Ability to enforce company policies regarding the consumption of alcohol
Accountability in maintaining inventory and processing payments
Physical ability to stand and walk for long periods of time


Bartender education and training requirements
Bartenders need at least a high school diploma or GED. Many Bartenders also complete bartending school to earn a certification. Food and alcohol handling certifications are also available. Bartenders who need to craft different types of cocktails can also complete mixology courses. Nearly all training that a Bartender receives is on the job. They usually shadow experienced Bartenders until they feel comfortable working on their own.

Bartender experience requirements
Bartenders usually need some experience in a hospitality or food and beverage position. Experience as a Server, Hostess or Front Desk Agent is valuable. In some cases, entry-level Bartenders can start with no prior experience. Those working in a high-end bar or restaurant usually need at least a year or two of experience. If they need to mix complicated cocktails, they should have some experience, though bartending or mixology school can serve as a substitute.

What makes a good Bartender?
Good Bartenders are extremely personable and excellent at multitasking so that they can simultaneously take orders from guests at the counter, interact with wait staff and pour drinks without making a mistake. They also have a great memory so that they can keep a mental list of the ingredients in signature cocktails specific to their menu in addition to popular drinks that guests commonly order. Excellent Bartenders who want to work at high-end establishments may also have the physical dexterity and agility to perform bar tricks to entertain their guests.

What are the daily duties of a Bartender?
On a typical day, a Bartender starts their shift by checking their inventory and making note of what liquors, beers, wines and garnishes are out of stock. They polish glasses, organize the bar and set out drink mats, napkins and straws for guests to easily access. Once the bar opens, they chat with guests and make suggestions for drinks they might enjoy. In between making drinks for guests, Bartenders wipe down the bar to keep it clean and sanitary for new guests. At the end of their shift, they do a deep clean of the counters, kegs and floors.

Who does a Bartender report to?
Bartenders report directly to Restaurant Managers or Club Managers. Some establishments have separate Managers for front-of-house and back-of-house, while others have one person in charge of both the kitchen and the bar. Bartenders work closely with Servers, Hosts and Bussers to provide excellent guest service and streamline workflows.