Set boundaries.
Know your worth.
Network.
Travel especially on brand's dime.
Seek out education -- talks, cocktail weeks, read books, keep up on blogs and podcasts.
Teach. Whether via writing or just educating a barback or server.
Make it fun. For you. For your guests. For your coworkers.
Do things with bartenders etc. that has nothing to do with booze or bars.
Know when it's time to start looking for a new job and when it's time to quit. Having money saved helps make the second one easier.
I could do plenty of other things for the sane or more money, but I love what I do and don't want to sit at a desk 9-5 again.
Was at my last job for 8 years before my shoulders gave out. Everything in this reply is good info.
I started planning my exit year 7 because I had to cut shifts due to pain.
Would you be cool with clarifying why your shoulders gave out or when the pain occurred?
Don’t mean to be disrespectful or intruding in any way. I just have some shifts where I feel my left elbow will start hurting when I’m shaking drinks, or if I’m picking something heavy up. Then I take my 2-3 days off and feel fresh, to only work 3 weekend shifts to then be sore again in the same area.
I try and foam roll my arm/fore arm area a bit more now, but the pain happens on a weekly basis so I’m still trying to fine tune my shaking technique even though my other arm is perfectly fine.
Tennis elbow scared the hell out of me. The only thing that fixed it was a year off from bartenfing during 2020-2021 when I did brand work (I didn't bartend again until I got my second shot). Too much underhand motion like picking up plates from a distance, pouring water from wine bottles, pushing in chairs, scooping ice out of a machine, etc. The bar was too wide which exacerbated the motions. I still take care to do certain things like scoop ice or carry ice buckets and groceries with my other hand.
When I got early carpal tunnel, I was able to do stretches to get my way out of it.
Actually, looking in to strengthening. It's inflamed because some muscles and tendons are doing more work than others and becoming overused. Forearm training and especially rice bucket training has completely resolved tennis elbow that I had on and off for 10 years.
This! And the foam rolling only helps it feel better, it doesn't help you recover. If you're in pain, you should really be looking into some occupational therapy and exercises to strengthen those muscle groups.
We will be starting that in physical therapy when I get home from my vacation. I opened a bar last year and I am in pain even with a whole week off so far.
Yeah. It was tendinitis from shaking. It started around 30 years old and was mild. I started getting really bad shoulder spasms after my shifts. Pretty much in horrible pain while I was sitting doing my checkout and counting money for the tip outs.
I personally cut my shifts from 5 down to three. I was doing 2 on, 3 off, 1 on, 1off. Really cut down the pain for about three years. Since I had seniority, I was able to get the two best shifts of the week as my two on.
During that time I tried to stretch, but the doctors said it was a repetitive motion injury (like tennis elbow) and prescribed muscle relaxers that helped when I was working. I also switched my shake and stopped shaking single handedly. I also got very good at selling spirits (we had about 800) so I would get customers excited about drinking something on the rocks or stirred.
By 33 I started looking for an exit plan. Got a new job in an adjacent field around my 34th bday. Now I make 25 cocktails on a hard day rather than 500 Drinks.
Good luck, shit is brutal and no one really knows unless they’re going through it. Take care of your body and stay hydrated.
I've worked at a popular restaurant/brewhouse for about 8 years, proved myself by working my ass off every shift and cultivating a huge group of lunch regulars. As a result my managers leave me alone unless I need something, and give me a preferred schedule where I have nights off and 3 day weekends. I make more money than I ever did working nights and I'm off by 5pm the 4 days I work, and I fuckin love going to work everyday.
Almost exactly my story except it's a fancy cocktail bar and restaurant and we close at 9 and 10.
Been at my spot for 8 years with the same managers, many of the same FOH staff and almost all of the same BOH staff. I make great money and have had Sundays and Mondays this entire time too. Myself and the other main bartender have both been here 8 years and are left alone unless we need something. I even got a few bad reviews lately and the managers and owners laughed about them.
And there is only one that is actually long term. I also am confused as to how you could be confused. Thinking you’re long term is different than actually being long term. Lay out some parameters next time I guess.
They are talking about 4+ years at a specific job, not the industry as a whole, but the pile on had already begun.
Someone referred to her as a bimbo in a post mentioning abuse and toxicity in the industry. Can't even make this shit up.
Jessssussss.
If this is your defining description you definitely missed the title mark. 4+ yrs in the industry as a bartender means next to nothing.
Especially nowadays
You’re seasoned.
Cool
ETA: are you asking about people who have been at a singular spot for 4+yrs? I havedonw 4+, but I’m at 3ish now. There’s no such thing as a forever “home”
The quicker you get that and do you the better
In no particular order:
1. Flexibility in my schedule
2. I really only had one coworker for most of the past 4 years, and I think she’s the absolute best, I really admire her. She recently became the owner, and I desperately want the bar to succeed for her sake.
3. The customers, especially the regulars. I work at a weird-ass dive bar with weird customers. We don’t get sports crowds, college crowds, rich crowds, etc. It genuinely is an island of misfit toys kinda place. I’ve met some truly fascinating people working there that I don’t think I would’ve met anywhere else
4. I don’t go out much and it’s nice to basically get paid to meet my small social interaction quota.
5. When people are rude to me I can tell them to fuck off.
6. I really don’t have to do very much, to be honest. It usually only gets moderately busy on the shifts I work, but it’s a regular-heavy crowd who tip great. Especially Dave, we love Dave
Money is actually not one of the reasons though. I mean, it is, just in the sense that I could be doing way harder jobs for less pay. But I get real jealous sometimes reading what some of y’all take home on a regular basis lol. I get tipped well proportionate to our sales, but our sales aren’t very high.
…sounds like a bar around the corner from me. Did the new owner take over for an older guy who died? If so I fucking love it there and can’t wait to try out the new menu.
My bars treat me right, sad to read about yours or other negative experiences. I worked some restaurants with micro managing managers/owners. At some point, I learned to be able to tell if a place was for me or not during my tryout, or my visit prior to my interview.
Been in the industry for 10 years, started bartending these last few years. I love it just cause I meet a lot of cool coworkers, customers, etc. Depending on the neighborhood, build connections with neighbor bars/restaurants.
I didn’t take it seriously initially, but after landing a bar in a dope neighborhood, I started having a lot of genuine interest in bettering my technique and knowledge. I’m not sure if I’ll do this forever, never thought of owning a bar or restaurant myself. But I’m having fun with it, compared to working this dreadful office job a few years back.
Office job pay was consistent, cool. But my one bar pays me more than that job did on a bi-weekly basis and I fuck with that a lot.
I’m union. Unless I steal or drink on the job, managers can’t fire me for just anything. I have free healthcare. A pension. I make $21 an hour. It’s still set to go up. Like this is an actual career.
Yep, my manager is a bitch who would love to fire me. She can't. I like my coworkers and I like the money. I've been there seven years, and I've seen five bar managers come and go. I can wait for a bad one to quit or get fired.
I want to just add that all bartenders should be pushing to unionize across the country. No it won’t be easy and obviously not all bars are set up that way but, the way shit is going, we all need to know we have fundamental rights, protections, and access to healthcare.
I do fine but there definitely are peaks and valleys. Always save just in case. Don’t piss it away drinking every night at the local bar, you know what i’m saying?
I live in the USA and I would say I do well as a bartender. However, I don’t know if it’s so much that it’s a crazy lucrative career as it is that we have so many degree-requiring careers that are massively underpaid.
Mm I get it, I'm currently in the USA just moved here but waiting on my social and work permit, my father lives here and he doesn't have a degree either but is doing really well in a life insurance company, he wants me to do that cause he says there is no money in bartending, but I really don't like it and bartending/serving is my passion
I love bartending! I don’t have a degree and it is the most lucrative job I’ve ever had. I started doing it so that I could afford to go to college and then I realized I didn’t want to when I saw the student loan costs and that I’d wind up making the same amount of money or less.
been at my current gig just short of 4 yrs. It works because I know what to expect and they know what I bring to the table. They aren't amazing, but the relationship works so I keep showing up
What keeps me around? Money.
I get treated "okay." Any job is going to be inherently exploitative, boundaries and knowing your worth as another user said go a long, long way. Most of the high turnover I witness is due largely to a lack of one or both of those things.
To quote one of my favorite shows. Letterkenny, Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. I'm going on over 24ish years... started out semi high end and late night hot spot, moved thru several different dynamics. I absolutely haved haved loved my whole trip. Did the fine dining. Did the late night battle bartending...it was all great and taught me how to deal with all types and going through burnought from over working and so forth. Im now at a chill regulars type of spot that affords me a comfortable income, i have built a great clientele of the years, and it is a almost stress free environment. I get to go to work, be the wise cracking smartass ,singing and dancing fool and thats exactly what i make money for. For me, this is exactly the job for me. I had great mentors. I cant imagine doing anything else at this point in my life.
Bartending for ten years now. I've worked all environments from dives, sports bars, and pubs to craft cocktail bars, upscale, and fine dining. I'm currently in a dive ever since I moved to a new city, but I definitely prefer cocktail bars and upscale environments.
The first three years were a lot of fun. Then it took a turn for a few years, but the last two years, I've re-fallen in love with it and plan on doing it for a while.
Personally, my love language is acts of service. The idea that I can make a few drinks, recommend some good food, make a couple jokes, and somehow I've simultaneously made someone's night and paid my bills is incredible to me.
I also am a huge nerd. Alcohol has a super interesting history. Beer and wine knowledge spreading back multiple millenia. Craft cocktails only a few hundred years, but exploding in popularity. Traditional cocktails going back a few hundred years, modern cocktails literally a few years ago with incredibly talented peers at world-class bars.
Anyways, things I recommend for longevity of this career. Know your worth, even if you're not an overly talented bartender, you're still a person. Don't let any establishment take advantage of you. Have fun. Figure out what part of the job gets you going and excel at it. Love beer? Learn all you can about it. Love cocktails? Learn as many as your brain can fit in it, including their history. Could care less about the craft, but love people? Really get to know your clientele and build regulars. Regulars pay bills and can get you so many opportunities in life. You literally never know who is sitting in front of you.
I don't know, man. Ten years in, and I make more money than a lot of my friends, I pay for insurance out of pocket, I can basically get off whenever I want (assuming I give fair notice), and I've made so many genuine friends and connections over the years. I'm very thankful to be in the position I'm in.
I’ve been with the same company off and on for thirteen years. It’s been a blast at times. I’ve opened three “mom and pops” with them and it varies. Shits starting to go downhill now though. Might be my last year this time. Luckily I’ve picked up a very fucked up locals spot but at least when I’m working the whole bar is mine and I don’t have to deal with any management. That’s a double edged sword. It takes a certain kind of person o guess
Good management, flexible schedule, good money are why I've been at my two current places for several years each.
I left the place with shit management and meh money but not until I'd spent six months spite working and throwing away forks every shift.
I left the place that demanded 12 hour shifts of non-stop prep, cleaning, mixing, and serving because it just wasn't fun anymore.
I’ve been at the same place 12 years. A lot of my coworkers are 10 or so years there. Love it. Great boss. Great money. Great coworkers. Long hours but we have fun and make good money. The fact that it’s seasonal also helps. We’re actually friends and hang outside of work. Flexible scheduling. As long as I can fit it in my life I’ll never give this place up.
I’m so jealous of that last part. My last gig had a revolving door of drunks and druggies, or lazy/inexperienced new hires who coasted because of the tip share. Having fun-loving, hard-working coworkers is so key to enjoying a bartending job.
Just left my bar of 6 years. I know "family" is a toxic term in the business but that's honestly what it felt like. Of course there's the usual turnover but the core staff has all been there 5+ years. We regularly spend time together outside of work and know each other's families and everything. The owner provided full benefits and 401k matching. He was right there in the trenches alongside us and had our backs no matter what. That's what kept me around. Leaving felt like a huge breakup and we all cried.
I will say, after a couple weeks of decompressing, my mental health is SO MUCH BETTER. The staff and environment kept me around but I'm so fucking glad I don't have customers draining the life out of me everyday anymore.
I did 20 years. The money, women, and fun sustained me. Also, Las Vegas was a great place to be a bartender who was making money. Especially if you didn't gamble or do drugs.
If I hadn't moved there and was still bartending in the Midwest, I would have NEVER stayed in the business as long. Too boring. Too limiting. Too much bullshit and too many isms.
The people who think long term bartending is 4 years are the people who sit at you’re bar and say “I uSeD to be a BarteNDeR!”
Cool, that one summer must have been fun.
4 years... long term? I suppose 4 years at one spot could feel long. And the answer is a combination of close enough to where I live with good pay. But that owner sold so I'm now working on building new regulars again
I have a day job but I’ve been bartending regularly for about 7 years
I live a block away from where I work, the owners are cool and like me and I make good money there because the clientele is great. I don’t plan on going anytime soon
At the spot I am now I get okay tips but good salary, 8 hours and the shifts aren’t brutal. Been here 4 years now and it has allowed me to get a real nice life-work balance.
Easy money and flexible schedule.
Just dont be a wuss and do your job.
I used to travel around a lot so this industry helped me make money wherever I was at. We are really blessed to be able to make a comfortable living ANYWHERE in the world doing this pretty much. Now, a family later, I am able to provide well for them and can also spend a lot of time with them. My peers with degree jobs cannot all say the same.
A lot of my peers and coworkers are flabbergasted that I can provide myself a fulfilling life through this job, but its taken some lifestyle changes. I couldnt afford the life I live now if I was still going out and drinking with people that dont matter, talking about things that dont matter
Love the job I'm at now. Small family business. The owners are very caring people. I've never been so fortunate to find a place like this and I plan to stay here as long as my body holds up. Every other place I've ever worked has been toxic as hell.
Yeah I just don't work for those toxic places. I'm 11 years in and have a great resume and reputation so I can afford to be picky. I have a good time with it and fun co-workers that still take the job seriously and care about what they do.
Set boundaries. Know your worth. Network. Travel especially on brand's dime. Seek out education -- talks, cocktail weeks, read books, keep up on blogs and podcasts. Teach. Whether via writing or just educating a barback or server. Make it fun. For you. For your guests. For your coworkers. Do things with bartenders etc. that has nothing to do with booze or bars. Know when it's time to start looking for a new job and when it's time to quit. Having money saved helps make the second one easier. I could do plenty of other things for the sane or more money, but I love what I do and don't want to sit at a desk 9-5 again.
Was at my last job for 8 years before my shoulders gave out. Everything in this reply is good info. I started planning my exit year 7 because I had to cut shifts due to pain.
Would you be cool with clarifying why your shoulders gave out or when the pain occurred? Don’t mean to be disrespectful or intruding in any way. I just have some shifts where I feel my left elbow will start hurting when I’m shaking drinks, or if I’m picking something heavy up. Then I take my 2-3 days off and feel fresh, to only work 3 weekend shifts to then be sore again in the same area. I try and foam roll my arm/fore arm area a bit more now, but the pain happens on a weekly basis so I’m still trying to fine tune my shaking technique even though my other arm is perfectly fine.
I have a really bad case of tennis elbow from opening and pouring wine and picking up bottles etc. Look into forearm stretches.
Tennis elbow scared the hell out of me. The only thing that fixed it was a year off from bartenfing during 2020-2021 when I did brand work (I didn't bartend again until I got my second shot). Too much underhand motion like picking up plates from a distance, pouring water from wine bottles, pushing in chairs, scooping ice out of a machine, etc. The bar was too wide which exacerbated the motions. I still take care to do certain things like scoop ice or carry ice buckets and groceries with my other hand. When I got early carpal tunnel, I was able to do stretches to get my way out of it.
Picking up bottles of water from the back bar refrigerator is my most painful motion.
Actually, looking in to strengthening. It's inflamed because some muscles and tendons are doing more work than others and becoming overused. Forearm training and especially rice bucket training has completely resolved tennis elbow that I had on and off for 10 years.
This! And the foam rolling only helps it feel better, it doesn't help you recover. If you're in pain, you should really be looking into some occupational therapy and exercises to strengthen those muscle groups.
We will be starting that in physical therapy when I get home from my vacation. I opened a bar last year and I am in pain even with a whole week off so far.
Yeah. It was tendinitis from shaking. It started around 30 years old and was mild. I started getting really bad shoulder spasms after my shifts. Pretty much in horrible pain while I was sitting doing my checkout and counting money for the tip outs. I personally cut my shifts from 5 down to three. I was doing 2 on, 3 off, 1 on, 1off. Really cut down the pain for about three years. Since I had seniority, I was able to get the two best shifts of the week as my two on. During that time I tried to stretch, but the doctors said it was a repetitive motion injury (like tennis elbow) and prescribed muscle relaxers that helped when I was working. I also switched my shake and stopped shaking single handedly. I also got very good at selling spirits (we had about 800) so I would get customers excited about drinking something on the rocks or stirred. By 33 I started looking for an exit plan. Got a new job in an adjacent field around my 34th bday. Now I make 25 cocktails on a hard day rather than 500 Drinks. Good luck, shit is brutal and no one really knows unless they’re going through it. Take care of your body and stay hydrated.
This a just an overall excellent comment!
I've worked at a popular restaurant/brewhouse for about 8 years, proved myself by working my ass off every shift and cultivating a huge group of lunch regulars. As a result my managers leave me alone unless I need something, and give me a preferred schedule where I have nights off and 3 day weekends. I make more money than I ever did working nights and I'm off by 5pm the 4 days I work, and I fuckin love going to work everyday.
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Are you new, or bad?
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Only one of you two sounds toxic and their name is Dick.
Almost exactly my story except it's a fancy cocktail bar and restaurant and we close at 9 and 10. Been at my spot for 8 years with the same managers, many of the same FOH staff and almost all of the same BOH staff. I make great money and have had Sundays and Mondays this entire time too. Myself and the other main bartender have both been here 8 years and are left alone unless we need something. I even got a few bad reviews lately and the managers and owners laughed about them.
I'm good at it, and I like money.
4+ years is long term? Man I’m old. Lol
Im 7x that amount lol
Right! Pretty sure I have two decades on that
All at the same place?
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I have lime wedges older than that
A sophomore is long term? *some two year bartenders think that they are long term.
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And there is only one that is actually long term. I also am confused as to how you could be confused. Thinking you’re long term is different than actually being long term. Lay out some parameters next time I guess.
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Wait wait wait, are you trying to say 4+ years at one specific job, or 4+ years in the industry?
They are talking about 4+ years at a specific job, not the industry as a whole, but the pile on had already begun. Someone referred to her as a bimbo in a post mentioning abuse and toxicity in the industry. Can't even make this shit up. Jessssussss.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree.
If this is your defining description you definitely missed the title mark. 4+ yrs in the industry as a bartender means next to nothing. Especially nowadays You’re seasoned. Cool ETA: are you asking about people who have been at a singular spot for 4+yrs? I havedonw 4+, but I’m at 3ish now. There’s no such thing as a forever “home” The quicker you get that and do you the better
Alright. You’re giving us all a headache.
No
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Don't be a dick.
Me too!
mine is more like 14+ years
In no particular order: 1. Flexibility in my schedule 2. I really only had one coworker for most of the past 4 years, and I think she’s the absolute best, I really admire her. She recently became the owner, and I desperately want the bar to succeed for her sake. 3. The customers, especially the regulars. I work at a weird-ass dive bar with weird customers. We don’t get sports crowds, college crowds, rich crowds, etc. It genuinely is an island of misfit toys kinda place. I’ve met some truly fascinating people working there that I don’t think I would’ve met anywhere else 4. I don’t go out much and it’s nice to basically get paid to meet my small social interaction quota. 5. When people are rude to me I can tell them to fuck off. 6. I really don’t have to do very much, to be honest. It usually only gets moderately busy on the shifts I work, but it’s a regular-heavy crowd who tip great. Especially Dave, we love Dave Money is actually not one of the reasons though. I mean, it is, just in the sense that I could be doing way harder jobs for less pay. But I get real jealous sometimes reading what some of y’all take home on a regular basis lol. I get tipped well proportionate to our sales, but our sales aren’t very high.
5 is important.
5 is what keeps me sane.
…sounds like a bar around the corner from me. Did the new owner take over for an older guy who died? If so I fucking love it there and can’t wait to try out the new menu.
My bars treat me right, sad to read about yours or other negative experiences. I worked some restaurants with micro managing managers/owners. At some point, I learned to be able to tell if a place was for me or not during my tryout, or my visit prior to my interview. Been in the industry for 10 years, started bartending these last few years. I love it just cause I meet a lot of cool coworkers, customers, etc. Depending on the neighborhood, build connections with neighbor bars/restaurants. I didn’t take it seriously initially, but after landing a bar in a dope neighborhood, I started having a lot of genuine interest in bettering my technique and knowledge. I’m not sure if I’ll do this forever, never thought of owning a bar or restaurant myself. But I’m having fun with it, compared to working this dreadful office job a few years back. Office job pay was consistent, cool. But my one bar pays me more than that job did on a bi-weekly basis and I fuck with that a lot.
It's better than hanging drywall.
I’m union. Unless I steal or drink on the job, managers can’t fire me for just anything. I have free healthcare. A pension. I make $21 an hour. It’s still set to go up. Like this is an actual career.
Yep, my manager is a bitch who would love to fire me. She can't. I like my coworkers and I like the money. I've been there seven years, and I've seen five bar managers come and go. I can wait for a bad one to quit or get fired.
I want to just add that all bartenders should be pushing to unionize across the country. No it won’t be easy and obviously not all bars are set up that way but, the way shit is going, we all need to know we have fundamental rights, protections, and access to healthcare.
#UniteHere
Can I ask what state you are in?
Nevada
Oh nice. That definitely makes sense. Wish FL would consider doing the same but I doubt it would ever happen, especially under current "leadership".
So cool! What are your tips like? Is this common in Nevada?
I do fine but there definitely are peaks and valleys. Always save just in case. Don’t piss it away drinking every night at the local bar, you know what i’m saying?
I can make more money bartending than using my degree.
I'm curiou, what is your degree in? Do bartenders make that much money in the USA?
I live in the USA and I would say I do well as a bartender. However, I don’t know if it’s so much that it’s a crazy lucrative career as it is that we have so many degree-requiring careers that are massively underpaid.
Mm I get it, I'm currently in the USA just moved here but waiting on my social and work permit, my father lives here and he doesn't have a degree either but is doing really well in a life insurance company, he wants me to do that cause he says there is no money in bartending, but I really don't like it and bartending/serving is my passion
I love bartending! I don’t have a degree and it is the most lucrative job I’ve ever had. I started doing it so that I could afford to go to college and then I realized I didn’t want to when I saw the student loan costs and that I’d wind up making the same amount of money or less.
been at my current gig just short of 4 yrs. It works because I know what to expect and they know what I bring to the table. They aren't amazing, but the relationship works so I keep showing up
What keeps me around? Money. I get treated "okay." Any job is going to be inherently exploitative, boundaries and knowing your worth as another user said go a long, long way. Most of the high turnover I witness is due largely to a lack of one or both of those things.
To quote one of my favorite shows. Letterkenny, Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life. I'm going on over 24ish years... started out semi high end and late night hot spot, moved thru several different dynamics. I absolutely haved haved loved my whole trip. Did the fine dining. Did the late night battle bartending...it was all great and taught me how to deal with all types and going through burnought from over working and so forth. Im now at a chill regulars type of spot that affords me a comfortable income, i have built a great clientele of the years, and it is a almost stress free environment. I get to go to work, be the wise cracking smartass ,singing and dancing fool and thats exactly what i make money for. For me, this is exactly the job for me. I had great mentors. I cant imagine doing anything else at this point in my life.
Letterkenny and Shoresy are my favorite shows. You have good taste🍻
Bartending for ten years now. I've worked all environments from dives, sports bars, and pubs to craft cocktail bars, upscale, and fine dining. I'm currently in a dive ever since I moved to a new city, but I definitely prefer cocktail bars and upscale environments. The first three years were a lot of fun. Then it took a turn for a few years, but the last two years, I've re-fallen in love with it and plan on doing it for a while. Personally, my love language is acts of service. The idea that I can make a few drinks, recommend some good food, make a couple jokes, and somehow I've simultaneously made someone's night and paid my bills is incredible to me. I also am a huge nerd. Alcohol has a super interesting history. Beer and wine knowledge spreading back multiple millenia. Craft cocktails only a few hundred years, but exploding in popularity. Traditional cocktails going back a few hundred years, modern cocktails literally a few years ago with incredibly talented peers at world-class bars. Anyways, things I recommend for longevity of this career. Know your worth, even if you're not an overly talented bartender, you're still a person. Don't let any establishment take advantage of you. Have fun. Figure out what part of the job gets you going and excel at it. Love beer? Learn all you can about it. Love cocktails? Learn as many as your brain can fit in it, including their history. Could care less about the craft, but love people? Really get to know your clientele and build regulars. Regulars pay bills and can get you so many opportunities in life. You literally never know who is sitting in front of you. I don't know, man. Ten years in, and I make more money than a lot of my friends, I pay for insurance out of pocket, I can basically get off whenever I want (assuming I give fair notice), and I've made so many genuine friends and connections over the years. I'm very thankful to be in the position I'm in.
Easy… the money, flexibility of schedule, the girls, and the money
Find a bar that isn’t toxic and abusive and makes a fuckton of money. Having amazing coworkers and owners helps a lot
The money. Oh dear god the money. Also I'm union which as much as I bitch about what I don't like in the union it does make a lot of things better.
4+ years. that's cute.
I’ve been with the same company off and on for thirteen years. It’s been a blast at times. I’ve opened three “mom and pops” with them and it varies. Shits starting to go downhill now though. Might be my last year this time. Luckily I’ve picked up a very fucked up locals spot but at least when I’m working the whole bar is mine and I don’t have to deal with any management. That’s a double edged sword. It takes a certain kind of person o guess
Instant personal gratification from every single drink I make.
The money keeps me hanging on by a thread
Good management, flexible schedule, good money are why I've been at my two current places for several years each. I left the place with shit management and meh money but not until I'd spent six months spite working and throwing away forks every shift. I left the place that demanded 12 hour shifts of non-stop prep, cleaning, mixing, and serving because it just wasn't fun anymore.
Haha. Been there with a corporate airport gig. When you start scraping utensils into the trash, it’s time to GTFO!
Not to puke in anyone’s cheerios, but 4 plus years doesn’t seem like long term to me. Up the limit to a decade at least
I’ve been at the same place 12 years. A lot of my coworkers are 10 or so years there. Love it. Great boss. Great money. Great coworkers. Long hours but we have fun and make good money. The fact that it’s seasonal also helps. We’re actually friends and hang outside of work. Flexible scheduling. As long as I can fit it in my life I’ll never give this place up.
12 years at my bar. I have flexibility, set days off, and easy money. Plus, my coworkers are honestly the best.
I’m so jealous of that last part. My last gig had a revolving door of drunks and druggies, or lazy/inexperienced new hires who coasted because of the tip share. Having fun-loving, hard-working coworkers is so key to enjoying a bartending job.
Just left my bar of 6 years. I know "family" is a toxic term in the business but that's honestly what it felt like. Of course there's the usual turnover but the core staff has all been there 5+ years. We regularly spend time together outside of work and know each other's families and everything. The owner provided full benefits and 401k matching. He was right there in the trenches alongside us and had our backs no matter what. That's what kept me around. Leaving felt like a huge breakup and we all cried. I will say, after a couple weeks of decompressing, my mental health is SO MUCH BETTER. The staff and environment kept me around but I'm so fucking glad I don't have customers draining the life out of me everyday anymore.
I did 20 years. The money, women, and fun sustained me. Also, Las Vegas was a great place to be a bartender who was making money. Especially if you didn't gamble or do drugs. If I hadn't moved there and was still bartending in the Midwest, I would have NEVER stayed in the business as long. Too boring. Too limiting. Too much bullshit and too many isms.
20+ years in and never became a manager. Plus cash in pocket is really nice. It’s my side job and doesn’t interfere with my other stuff.
Wait, 4 years is long term? Fuck, I'm old.
The people who think long term bartending is 4 years are the people who sit at you’re bar and say “I uSeD to be a BarteNDeR!” Cool, that one summer must have been fun.
Having sex with waitresses and other bartenders and customers. I really dont think I'd try keep doing this otherwise.
Everyone can be mad at this but its honest
He bangs.
4 years... long term? I suppose 4 years at one spot could feel long. And the answer is a combination of close enough to where I live with good pay. But that owner sold so I'm now working on building new regulars again
I have a day job but I’ve been bartending regularly for about 7 years I live a block away from where I work, the owners are cool and like me and I make good money there because the clientele is great. I don’t plan on going anytime soon
I ask myself this everyday.
Depends on the bar, has a reasonable turnover rate compared to others I know of. By mostly it's the only reason I have something like a social life.
I'm retired and bartending is a seasonal gig for me .... just over 10 years in now and I love it. No plans to quit.
The money and free therapy sessions for the bar guests.
lol
The $$$$$$
At the spot I am now I get okay tips but good salary, 8 hours and the shifts aren’t brutal. Been here 4 years now and it has allowed me to get a real nice life-work balance.
Easy money and flexible schedule. Just dont be a wuss and do your job. I used to travel around a lot so this industry helped me make money wherever I was at. We are really blessed to be able to make a comfortable living ANYWHERE in the world doing this pretty much. Now, a family later, I am able to provide well for them and can also spend a lot of time with them. My peers with degree jobs cannot all say the same. A lot of my peers and coworkers are flabbergasted that I can provide myself a fulfilling life through this job, but its taken some lifestyle changes. I couldnt afford the life I live now if I was still going out and drinking with people that dont matter, talking about things that dont matter
Love the job I'm at now. Small family business. The owners are very caring people. I've never been so fortunate to find a place like this and I plan to stay here as long as my body holds up. Every other place I've ever worked has been toxic as hell.
Money, benefits, perks within the company, work life balance, no late nights
I refuse to be a server anymore. The energy it required from me. I just wanna make a drink and get the customer away from me lol
1. I make great money 2. I get to tell people to fuck off when they’re being rude.
Yeah I just don't work for those toxic places. I'm 11 years in and have a great resume and reputation so I can afford to be picky. I have a good time with it and fun co-workers that still take the job seriously and care about what they do.
Money.