Bartenders have various responsibilities, including preparing and serving drinks, stocking the bar, interacting with customers, and ensuring their safety. They may also perform housekeeping duties and receive tips.
Depending on the nature of the job, a bartender might have a number of different responsibilities, including preparing and serving alcoholic beverages. A bartender may need to stock the bar by taking inventory and ordering an appropriate level of spirits, beers and mixers. If there are no servers, a bartender may also need to prepare drink garnishes such as fruit wedges or kebabs. Solo bartenders may also need to stock paper items like napkins, straws and umbrellas for novelty.
If a bartender is on a staff, then others may be tasked with performing basic prep and other stocking duties. A food and beverage manager may be responsible for inventory control and orders, which leaves the bartender free to focus on creating mixed drinks, filling drink orders, and interacting with their customers. A bartender is often seen as the “face” of the establishment, so they are expected to set the overall mood and energy level of the room.
During an average shift, a bartender generally spends his or her time moving between the service bar where servers take drink orders and the general bar area where customers can order drinks individually. A bartender may have to charge the customer for each drink ordered, or he may decide to open an open bill called a tab, which the customer would have to pay at the end of the evening. During a shift, a bartender may have a number of running boards and individual orders to keep track of, in addition to their normal drink service duties.
A licensed bartender also has a responsibility to ensure the safety of the establishment’s patrons, which generally means recognizing when a customer has become intoxicated. Bartenders can be held accountable for the actions of inebriated patrons, so they will often stop serving customers who show signs of impaired judgment. A bartender may call a cab to drive a drunk patron or leave the person in the custody of a designated non-drinking driver. One of the most important responsibilities of a licensed bartender is to know when to stop serving their customers and to enforce that decision without exception.
At the end of a shift, the bartender may be asked to perform general housekeeping duties such as washing glasses, emptying trash, stocking coolers, and cleaning service areas. Many bartenders receive a small hourly wage supplemented by tips, so they often spend most of their shift rushing from customer to customer to fill multiple orders. The job of a bartender can be very physically demanding if hired to work at a popular night club or restaurant, but it can also be very appealing if the gig is a private wedding or class reunion. A freelance bartender is often prepared to work on their own or as part of a wait staff.
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