4. Acceptable Levels Of Friendship Across The Bar?
Bartenders are pretty familiar with that distinct category of customer who descends upon the bar smiling like a long-lost buddy-pal, sporting a pair of sunglasses (indoors, mind you), pulling up a stool and asking for the regular... Of course, there are those strange customers who pop-in and pretend they are your BFF, but in all honesty, as difficult and painful as it may sometimes be, reciprocating the friendly approach goes a long way to filling your tips jar; especially here, in the UK, where tipping has never been an institutional norm of the service industry. Waitresses, hosts, bartenders customers place high standards on the levels of service they expect in return for the value of their order. If they are willing to part with anything over and above the total charge, they legitimately expect exceptional levels of customer service in return. And since bartenders are a bunch of minimum wage, over-worked and constantly under-staffed individuals; a smile, a pleasant tone, regular check-ups and helpful suggestions can really make a difference to the amount you take home each night. However, there are limits. We cant serve anyone who calls us "bro". Just dont serve these guys. Simply say it contradicts your moral philosophy to serve anyone who names you so. Leave their presence and begin to close-up the bar, and inform your manager you have feelings leaning towards a life without bartending. Hopefully they will have learned their lesson.
