Nobody Taught Me This Stuff

When I started bartending, the training was three shifts of following someone around, memorizing where the bottles were, and getting thrown to the wolves on a Tuesday night. Nobody sat me down and explained the stuff that actually matters — the unwritten rules, the mental game, the career moves.

I’ve trained dozens of bartenders over almost 20 years. Here’s what I wish someone had told me on day one.

The First 90 Days: Survival Mode

Learn the POS Before Anything Else

I don’t care how many cocktails you’ve memorized. If you can’t ring in orders fast, you’re dead weight during a rush. Spend your first week getting stupid fast on the POS system.

• Know where every button is without looking
• Learn the modifiers (no ice, extra lime, tall, neat, rocks)
• Know how to split checks, transfer tables, apply comps and discounts
• Learn the void process and who has authorization

Nobody gets fired for slow drinks. People get fired for slow tickets and wrong charges.

The Speed Well Is Your Battlefield

Your speed well is the 6-10 bottles right in front of you at hip level. These are your most-used liquors. You should be able to grab any of them blindfolded.

Most wells go left to right: vodka, gin, rum, tequila, bourbon/whiskey, triple sec. Learn YOUR bar’s well order on day one. It varies.

When you reach for a bottle, your hand should go to the right spot automatically. That’s muscle memory, and it takes about two weeks of conscious practice to build.

Mise en Place Isn’t Just for Chefs

Before your shift starts, set yourself up to win:

• Garnishes cut and stocked — Lemons, limes, oranges, cherries, olives
• Ice bins full — Both the well ice and any specialty ice
• Juices fresh and stocked — Sour mix, OJ, cranberry, pineapple, grapefruit
• Glassware polished and ready — Nothing says amateur like handing someone a spotted glass
• Backup bottles positioned — One of everything within arm’s reach

If you’re the closer, you do this for the opener too. It’s called being a professional.

The Mental Game

You Will Get Yelled At. It’s Not Personal.

Drunk people are emotional. Stressed managers are short. Kitchen staff during a rush are barely human. You will be spoken to in ways that would get someone punched outside these walls.

Don’t take it home. Process it, learn from the legitimate feedback, ignore the rest. If a manager’s criticism is consistent, fix the thing. If a drunk customer is being abusive, that’s a management call — know your bar’s policy.

The bartenders who last decades are the ones who develop thick skin without losing their warmth. That’s the balance.

The “I Don’t Know” Hack

A customer asks for a drink you’ve never heard of. This WILL happen, probably in your first week.

Don’t panic. Don’t guess. Don’t make something up.

Say: “I haven’t made that one in a while — remind me what’s in it?”

90% of the time, they’ll tell you the recipe. The other 10%, they’ll say “I don’t remember either” and order something else. Crisis averted.

Then go home and look it up. Build a list. Every drink you don’t know is a drink you’ll know tomorrow.

Speed Is a Byproduct, Not a Goal

New bartenders try to move fast. Veterans move efficiently. There’s a huge difference.

Fast looks like: grabbing bottles quick, pouring sloppy, running back and forth, sweating, dropping things.

Efficient looks like: batching similar drinks together, building multiple orders simultaneously, minimizing trips to the back, keeping your station clean as you go.

Work clean, work smart, and speed comes naturally. I’ve never seen a messy bartender who was genuinely fast.

Money Moves

How Tips Actually Work

Your tips are directly tied to three things:

1. Speed of first drink — The faster someone gets their first drink, the more generous they feel all night

2. Remembering names and orders — “The usual?” is the most profitable phrase in bartending

3. Genuine engagement — Not fake smiles and small talk scripts. Actual human connection.

Notice what’s NOT on that list? Fancy bottle flips. Instagram-worthy garnishes. Knowing 500 cocktail recipes.

The Upsell That Doesn’t Feel Gross

When someone orders “a vodka soda,” you have a choice:

• Pour the well vodka (low ticket, low tip base)
• Ask “any preference on vodka?” (lets them upgrade themselves)

That one question, asked naturally, will increase your average ticket by 15-20% over a shift. It’s not pushy — you’re asking their preference. Most people will name a brand they like, and now they’re paying $3-5 more per drink and feeling like they got personalized service.

Track Your Money

This is the biggest mistake young bartenders make: they have no idea what they actually earn.

Start tracking from day one:

• Hours worked
• Cash tips
• Credit card tips
• Total sales (if your POS shows it)

After a month, you’ll know your average hourly rate, your best shifts, and which sections or nights make the most money. This is leverage for scheduling conversations with management.

The Stuff Nobody Talks About

Your Body Will Hurt

Standing on concrete for 8-12 hours destroys your feet, knees, and back. This isn’t a “someday” problem — it starts month one.

Invest in shoes. Shoes For Crews, Dansko, or whatever works for your feet. Spend $100+ on shoes and replace them every 6-8 months. Your 40-year-old self will thank you.

Stretch before and after shifts. I know it sounds corny. Do it anyway. Your lower back and hip flexors take a beating.

Drinking Culture Is Real — Be Careful

Bars normalize drinking. You’ll be offered shots by customers, invited to after-shift drinks, surrounded by alcohol for 40+ hours a week. Some of the best people I’ve ever known lost themselves to this.

I’m not going to lecture you on what to do. I’ll just say: pay attention to your relationship with alcohol. If you notice it shifting from fun to necessary, talk to someone. There’s no shame in it.

The Exit Strategy

Bartending is an incredible career. I mean that. But it’s also physically demanding, late-night, and hard on relationships. Start thinking about your long-term play early:

• Bar management — Higher base pay, benefits, regular hours (sort of)
• Brand ambassador — Liquor companies hire experienced bartenders for events and education
• Consulting — Menu development, bar design, training programs
• Own your own spot — The dream. Start learning the business side now.
• Pivot the skills — Sales, hospitality management, event planning. Bartending teaches you all of it.

Don’t wait until you’re burned out to think about what’s next. Plan while you still love it.

The One Thing That Matters Most

Be someone people want to come back to.

Not the bar. Not the drinks. You.

When a regular walks in and their face lights up because you’re working — that’s the job. That’s the whole job. Everything else is just technique.

After almost 20 years, the recipes and the speed and the money all blur together. What I remember are the people. The regulars who became friends. The coworkers who became family. The strangers who walked in having the worst day of their life and left smiling because someone listened.

That’s the gig. And it’s a damn good one.

First year behind the bar? Drop me a line. I remember what it’s like, and I’m happy to help.

Related: [Bar Tools That Actually Matter] | [How to Handle Difficult Customers Like a Pro]