About Me

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I am 34 years old and have been working in the service industry for a little over 10 years now. 7 of those years I have bartended in Cincinnati. I have worked at fine dining establishments, night clubs and your run of the mill bar. I believe this gives me an unique insight into the world of a service industry worker. I have a beautiful and wonderful girlfriend. Without her my life would be a lot more empty and a lot less exciting.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Part 1 of the weekend

So what an interesting weekend it was.  Even with being off on Saturday for a bachelor party(more on that later) there were more than a couple instances where I thought to myself….I need to write this down.  So I did, and promptly can’t find my notes so I will just have to wing this and see what I can remember.
How hard is it to say please, thank you and your welcome.  Simple courtesy if you ask me.  I say it to the girls just about anytime I ask them anything and they say it in return.  They are 12 and 8 years old so if they can say it, why can’t grown adults say it?  It is the simple things when you work in the service industry.  These things can make my night.  Like not waving me over and then proceeding to put a finger up asking me to hold on a second while you are on a phone call.  Why in the hell do you call me over if you are going to make me wait while you finish your “important” call.  Can you imagine if I did the same to you?  I walk over, ask you what you would like and then proceed to answer my phone and ask you to wait a moment.  How long till you get peeved and walk away?  30 seconds?  So that’s what I do, I walk away and come back later when the phone isn’t attached to your ear. 
Here is a word of advice to all when dealing with someone that works behind a bar.  Walking up behind  me while I am speaking with someone else or doing something and yelling EXCUSE ME!! will get you ignored for as long as I think I can possibly get away with it.  From working years behind a bar I have very  good hearing so yelling it over and over and louder and louder will not help you.  Yes, I heard you, I am just choosing to ignore your rude, ignorant ass.  Believe me when I say I am very good at finding ways to stay busy to make you stand there as long as possible.   It is an art that almost all bartenders have perfected.   On further note, why do people think that by saying EXCUSE ME they are not being rude? It is sort of like saying…no offense but…....  More often than not, the person will take offense to what you are saying.
So a couple walks up to the bar and orders 2 LIT’s.  They look at me and say, why don’t you throw some extra in there for me.  Why say this?  A Long Island is almost all alcohol.  I have never seen these people before so why will I give you free stuff?  If it is a your birthday, bachelor/bachelorette party, a special event or you are a regular I am more than happy to give you a free drink or make your drink a little stronger.  We have a comp tab for exactly this reason.  But Joe/Jane Schmo walking in off the street and demanding free stuff…no way.  So what do I say to this couple?  I look at the guy, size up his oversized white t shirt, baggy pants and hat turned sideways and ask him if that when I come into waffle house after work will he throw me a free pancake if I ask for one.  He says I don’t work at waffle house but no I wouldn’t .  I say same theory and he looks baffled.   So even if you ask for free alcohol and I say yes, more than likely I will still pour the same amount or possibly less. 
Speaking again about waiting for a drink.  Your wait time increases exponentially by the amount you tip.  If you stiff me or another bartender I work with we let each other know and you will stand there until there is no one else to help.  Wave your hands, yell at us, do jumping jacks, it does not matter.  You are waiting.  That simple.  You take care of us, we take care of you.  It is a simple tenant of the service industry.  We will not be rude but will you get the A game?  Nope.
There will be more tomorrow including the paintball adventure on this past Saturday.  So until then…drink responsibly, drive safely and most important of all…tip your bartender!! 

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

First Ever Blog Post

My goal with this blog is to write a post at least once a week.  I see many interesting and unique characters at my place of employment in the lovely city of Newport and I plan on chronicling my nights of work.  I might vent at my customers, I might tell of the great customers, who knows.  I also plan on writing about the do's and don'ts of sitting at a bar.  I share my life with a wonderful woman who shall be known as Pretty Lady in my posts and she will frequent my writings because our life together is never boring.  We connect on a way I never thought possible and hopefully I will be able to accurately express it in words.  Mostly this will be a way for me to express my frustration at the way service people are treated but also a way for me to talk about what I love in the job.  I will share some of my favorite shots/drinks to serve people based on their attitude towards me and mine towards them.  I haven't written anything that someone else will read in a very long time so please bear with me as I begin this journey.  Till next time...drink safely and tip your bartender!