We spin the tin in our hands with ease. We nod when you ask for a classic cocktail like a. And we never break a sweat — it's just another one of the hundreds of cocktail recipes we can instantly summon. We're human databases of hundreds of recipes.
Every break to check a text, make coffee, or touch up makeup is a calculated decision. Because ultimately, anything that takes away from prep can be costly once we're working. Of course, if we do get additional bottles, it would likely come at the expense of another bar, who wouldn't get their second bottle or any bottles at all, due to theANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images
Bartenders need to keep an eye on and wrangle rowdy customers who are on the cusp of being over-served.One thing people often don't realize about their bartender: just how incredibly liable we are for your actions if you do something dumb after we've served you alcohol. We wipe down every bottle of syrup, citrus, booze, and bitters. There's an endless supply of stickiness to subdue on every surface. You have to pump and date wines. Restock everything. Run dishes. The list feels endless.
After all, we do it for free already. Even though we're totally unqualified, we end up giving a lot of advice about your woes and heartbreak.What I do mind is when the next person to saddle up at the bar expects a smiling, light-hearted bartender when we're fresh from being in the thick of another person's heaviness.
They drink
I used to be a bartender and appreciate this, but one thing I noticed the bartenders of today don't know is drink prices. If I order something and pull out cash and ask, 'how much do I owe you?' it prompts a scramble to the digital register to ring it up and find out. LostArt