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 Message 7489 of 22774 in Behind the Bar
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Subject: Re: Advice DESPERATELY NEEDED!!
From: TheCaptain
Posted: Mon Jul 11. 2005, 07:52 UTC
Followup to: "Advice DESPERATELY NEEDED!!"  by Dallas  (Sat Jul 9. 2005, 03:07 UTC)
I was always told that you can do three things in life; you can either lead, 
follow, or get out of the way.  Seems applicable in this situation.  Either 
follow along with the current ways of doing things (least advisable option), 
get out and find another job (somewhat advisable) or become a leader and take 
over the bar operations.  If things are this bad, make some lemonade outta 
those lemons and start doing things right.  Come in to your shifts half an 
hour early. Don't even clock in, just go through the bar and make sure 
everything is where it should be.  If everything is, clean something that 
doesn't get cleaned often (our keg fridges, for example, hardly ever get 
touched).  Don't make a big deal of it to Management - they'll notice on their 
 andwill LOVE you for it.  Eventually (and in much less time then you might 
think), they will give you more control on how things go on behind the bar.  
Just a half-hour a day pays of huge in the long run.

Just a bit of advice that has worked for me.

~Tom "The Captain"~

> Tonight ( In my opinion) was a night laced with red flags.  Please 
> read the following story and let me know if I'm off base and 
> over-reacting. 
> 
> I started working at this downtown restaurant about two weeks ago.  
> Nice place- not four star, but probably three star.  So far so 
> good-except my gut was going off tonight like crazy.  
> 
> It all started when we ran out of Jack Daniels.  I had a bottle on my 
> shelf with about 1 oz left in the container.  I poor a Jack and Coke, 
> and my waitress needs another.  I told her to ask the customer if 
> they'd like another brand, because we have NO JACK LEFT.  
> 
> So then one of the owner's comes out of her office( convieniently 
> timed), and starts going on about how it's my job to tell her that we 
> have no Jack Daniels left.  Um... first of all, I only work two 
> shifts during the week for 10 hours total.  You're telling me that 
> it's my job to come in during your weekend crazy fest, and tell you 
> that you have no Jack Daniels left in your bar?!?  Sounds like a lazy 
> ass to me- that Jack had been bone dry for a long time.  
> 
> Then she tells me that it's my job to let her know when we're running 
> out.  WTF?!?!  
>

 
> So far, all of the other waiters and waitresses know to stay the fuck 
> out of the bar.  Most of them politely ask for what they need, and 
> boom I produce it.  Mutual respect, and they recognize the borders.  
> 
> 
> But then, I had ONE waitress start acting like a shit head.
> 
> First, she gave me a drink order for three mixed drinks and then 
> walked away.  As I was pouring the order, she came back around and 
> said " Ooh.. that's not the order I need, in an innocent floozy 
> dumbfuck waitress type of fashion.  Thanks you dumb fucking hoe, now 
> I have to dump an extra glass of smirnoff and sprite down the fucking 
> sink.  I had two customers sitting at the bar watching the whole 
> thing- and both of them just shook their heads at this chick- they 
> witnessed the whole thing.  
> 
> Then, she comes behind the bar and starts pouring shit like she knows 
> what the fuck she's doing.  Just from watching her, she is 
> semi-clueless.  Getting the wrong glass size, etc.  When I'm behind 
> the bar, I am the bartender.  I mix the drinks and you serve them.  
> Capice?   Her excuse?  " I thought you were leaving for the night".  
> To which I said " Umm.. I'm still behind the bar, what makes you 
> think that?!".
> 
> So I decided to get somewhat confrontational with her.  I asked " So 
> all of these drinks that I mix for you, how are we going to divide up 
> the tips?"  I mean, after all, I AM THE BARTENDER, I AM MIXING THE 
> DRINKS YOU SERVE.  AND YOU ARE KEEPING THE TIP MONEY?!?!  I AM THE 
> ONE BEING PAID TO MIX DRINKS.  AND WHEN YOU GET ORDERS WRONG, IT 
> MAKES ME LOOK LIKE A JACKASS!  
> 
> RED FLAG #2:  I had to ASK  the owner about getting tipped out.  She 
> mumbled something like " The people who close at the end of the night 
> get tipped out".  Okay.. so give me my tip money! The point is that I 
> had to be pretty damn assertive about getting my measly five dollars( 
> I actually got three more lousy bucks, but didn't tell her about 
> it).
> 
> So my question to all you fellow tenders- Are these early red flags a 
> sign of disaster to come?  Should I forget this job and move on to a 
> joint that KNOWS THEY'RE RUNNING OUT OF LIQUOR, and HIRE WAITRESSES 
> that have a clue?
> 
> I need some advice. Thanks
> 
> Dallas.


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