You might have been too busy barking drink orders to notice, but December 8th is Bartender Appreciation Day. Though the little-known holiday’s acronym is “BAD,” that is precisely the type of behavior you should be aiming to avoid when dealing with service staff. In that light, here are a few helpful hints on how to best butter up to your bartender.
Be Polite
Look, we get it; it’s your big night out, and you’re paying good money for it. But there’s a good shot that your bartender has been dealing with condescending a-holes for an entire shift, and you definitely don’t help your cause by being yet another one of them. This is a person you are dealing with, after all, and while you are there for fun, he or she is working a job in order to get by. So, treat them with the dignity and respect that you receive (or at least would like to) at your job.
Be Patient
It may seem like it’s taking forever to get a drink, but that may not be your bartender’s fault. Odds are it’s any number of other things that’s holding up your order, from the size of the crowd to the bar’s layout to stingy management who won’t spring for another desperately needed set of hands behind the bar.
Be Prepared
Clearly, the customer is always right, but not knowing what you want to order when your bartender gets to you is the adult equivalent of getting called on in class when you haven’t done your homework. Review the drink list, make your decision, and let the bartender know post-haste. Keep it moving!
Speak Up, Speak Out
You know how you can barely hear anything in this loud bar/club? Well, imagine having to try and take correct drink orders. Give the bartender your order loudly and clearly, while simultaneously making sure you never skew into that obnoxiously condescending “are you deaf?” tone of voice.
Whether it’s Bartender Appreciation Day or not, establishing a friendly, polite rapport with your bartender will never do you wrong. Maybe you’ll end up becoming one of his or her favorite customers—and who knows what kind of (free) rewards that could deliver?
