Thursday, October 08, 2009

Working For Tips

I am not the kind of bartender that thinks every time I do the least little thing or make you a drink you should give me a dollar. I don't get all pissy when someone comes up to the bar and all they need is a glass of water. Since I tend bar at events and weddings and corporate meetings, the bar is frequently included with the package. Meaning people don't have to pay. And the event host is usually paying around $150.00 to the hotel for the services of a bartender.

But I don't get that money. I do get paid, and it's above minimum wage, but that $150 is what the hotel bills the client. And it certainly has nothing to do with the guests at all. Now if you are at a party or event and you just come to the bar for a glass of wine or two, a couple of sodas, a martini before the buffet or whatever, I don't think you need to worry about giving me a tip necessarily. It would be nice, but you won't get the stank eye or the under the breath mutter from me if you don't. That's what my hourly pay covers.

But if you are hitting that open bar like it's your basement rec room, and I am making you drink after drink, beer after beer, like the cheap-ass alcoholics I took care of for 4 1/2 hours last night, you really ought to leave a couple of dollars on the bar during the course of the night.

I literally made a couple of these corporate drunks 15 cocktails over the course of their event. One guy had at least 10 beers, and he had them all poured in to a glass with a salted rim and lime. I opened up 5 bottles of house champagne, which three people guzzled like they were drinking France's finest vintage. A lot of them kept bringing glass after glass, half-full up to the bar for me to "top that off". I guess that's a way to make it seem like you aren't ordering 12 glasses of wine. Newsflash, you are. And what did I make in tip money for 4 1/2 hours indulging these corporate fuckwads? Nothing. Not a dollar the entire night.

Cheap-ass motherfuckers. You suck.

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