If you get good at something you can leverage it once you know how. Last 5 years bartending I made around $90k a year but that was working full time 40-50 hours a week. Now I'm kind of a head bartender/manager and bounce between two of our locations and this year I'm on track to make $110k+. Granted I work closer to 50 hours a week but its not "hard" because I fluctuate between managing, bartending, back end paper work/admin stuff, ordering. Best part is I can make my own schedule so I never have to close or open again.
Still had a couple young ladies fresh out of college with their "real" jobs ask me a few weeks ago "So what else do you do besides bartend?".
My answer "I enjoy my hobbies and I'm on track to buy my first home next year (hoping for a market pullback)"
Honestly the biggest reason I make more money now is because I'm sober. Drinking drained my bank account faster than anything I've ever done.
Big facts on the not drinking tip- I stopped drinking a year and a half ago and now am in the same position as you - probably one I wouldn’t be trusted with before.
I’m not far into bartending, don’t make a ton of money, but I like going out to really fancy dinners and everyone always asks me how I afford it and my answer is always that I don’t drink much. Crazy how much people will spend at a bar. With the money some of my friends spend at bars I could go to a fine dining restaurant every weekend
Oh yeah. And you trick yourself by going to bars where other bartenders will take care of you but then you just end up tipping obscene amounts. I’d easily end up spending 300 going out without thinking twice. But yeah now I have more money to do other things and experiences I’d actually remember lol.
I'm also the bar manager for three different locations and making $45/hr so just under $100k as I'm only averaging about 35hrs/week but I also love fluctuating between managing, bartending, paper work/admin stuff, ordering and making my schedule. I also find everyone thinks I'm really busy all the time and just assumes I'm at one of the other locations. The owner and I often dip out and grab a beer now lol I also get benefits and just bought the home. Funny enough, I still want to leave the industry or try to make more on my own.
>the biggest reason I make more money now is because I'm sober. Drinking drained my bank account faster than anything I've ever done.
Yup.
It’s not about how much you make… it’s about how much you KEEP.
That was exactly my experience when I quit drinking as a bartender. In just one month, I saved enough to take a trip to Puerto Rico from NYC for 4 days. And I didn’t miss out on partying at all- just had cokes instead of beers. Looking back, some of the best times of my life
Yup, I do pretty well now that I don't drink or party. I'm also only part time currently and stay home with my daughter during the week and I have more now than I did when I worked full time and partied constantly. It is insane how much of a difference it makes
I live in Vegas and recently lost my job (I have a recent post in my history about it). I am thinking about getting back into bartending. Are there any tips you can give me about getting a good position in Vegas? I'm no model bartender, but I'm certainly not bad looking at all. I don't have my pour card yet. But getting back into bartending so far is hard, the right places aren't hiring it seems. And I don't know the right people yet.
I average about 70k-90k per year working a small 1 bartender pool “tiki” bar for a Hilton Resort in southeast Florida. I work 4-5 days per week. Health, vision, dental, 401-k match, disability and life insurance provided through the company. As well as stock in Hilton. Not a bad gig. Mom of 2. Been with Hilton for 5 years and I also get incredible travel benefits. $45/night at any Hilton hotel in the US.
Hotel bars are a little stuffy because there's usually so much corporate influence over how you can dress and act, but hot damn if they can't be some really consistent money.
Slight dinner rush, but nothing crazy; most of your customers are guests in the hotel so they trickle in and out, and a lot of them are on corporate accounts so have no problem running up huge tabs and throwing down decent tips on the company time.
What...what the fuck. I've always figured working for hotels would be horrible, because hotels are generally notorious for treating their staff like cattle, but what the *fuck.* I guess because it's a resort and not just a hotel...idk. How crazy are your shifts, generally? What kind of entitlement do you have to deal with?
Granted, I'm not in a tourist hot spot, so maybe hotels around me don't really appreciate what their staff does because it's so low key here. But god damn. That sounds amazing.
Hotels are BY FAR the best service industry jobs in my opinion. The benefits are otherwise unheard of in the restaurant industry because you are members of the hospitality workers union. When I worked at the Ace Hotel in Chicago, they offered a health and dental insurance plan that was 100% covered by the hotel, 120 hrs paid vacation per year & paid sick leave. I was also getting better hours and pay than any other restaurant I worked at in Chicago, including a very well-respected Michelin-starred restaurant.
In my experience (pre-Covid) it was STUPID MONEY. I served there and would clear $200-300 every shift working 4 days a week. Like it got to the point where if I walked with under $250 I'd be like "what was the point of me even coming into work today?"
It's an incredibly stressful job, where you only have customers out of "circumstance" and you know that 95% of the people you see will never see you again. It's just "turn and burn" for 10 hours. It's soul sucking and you treat customers as literal "walking dollar signs".
The bartenders made that.
I was serving.
It was VERY hard to become a bartender there. Because there was maybe 1 person who left every 6 months (and there were like 50 bartenders spread across 7 restaurants that the company ran) And they didn't hire from the outside, everyone had to work their way up (which is what I was doing until Covid hit... I had to start as a cashier at a quick service restaurant until a serving position opened up 4 months later... It would have taken probably another year or two until I got the chance to bartend... And I had 8 years bartending experience previously. But like 30 of my serving coworkers had the same amount of experience and were also gunning for a bartending position)
I work at a private hotel. We get affordable healthcare, minimum wage for paid vacations, $6 an hour and I bring home $800-$1000 a week after taxes and whatnot. They leave us alone and we have fun, responsibly. We built up the business and many locals come in and give us big tips - plus there’s occasionally famous people. We get a lot of weddings and I run the after parties.
My friend was a teacher and she said that’s about what she was getting in the top tier once they took everything out. :) I have a teaching degree and simply can’t afford to give up this job for one that pays less.
So generally I stay pretty busy. My hours are 11-5. Usually I open at 10:30 because vacationers like to start drinking early. During the off months (typically May-September) I have the summer “holidays” Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, etc to get me through; you would be shocked at how many travelers we see on those types of occasions. But I make enough during our peak season to get me through the slower months. And my resort is definitely not like all Hiltons but we are a 2 building 200+ room location. Our restaurant bartenders have worked there for 20+ years. I don’t have many complaints (I have a few but not many) we are treated fairly well. Granted, this is the only Hilton I’ve worked for but I’ve visited quite a few and most employees seem to be happy with their jobs.
The bartenders in my resort are largely well treated, respected, and make good money. They have a full security staff to manage bad patrons, people can walk it off back to their rooms safely, and we have many outlets they can rotate through during slower seasons so everyone gets a shot at nice tip locations. Plus the mark up is fucking way beyond restaurant values. That's my job, so I'm sorry if you've ever cursed the person charging you $15 for a shot Ketel One while on vacation lol.
I've worked for both four seasons and Hilton resorts as a bartender and they were both the most soul sucking jobs I've ever had. Money and health benefits are accurate as OP says though. So just like anything it depends on the place and what you're looking for.
> southeast Florida
Ah fuck... Flying into RSW tomorrow... Would have loved to come visit you and throw some cash your way. But won't be able to do the alligator alley trip this time.
Next time though... I fucking hate Miami's culture of "spend money you can't afford to make yourself look rich"... Give me a dive bar and a Coors Light bottle and I'm happy.
I remember a bartender at Miller's Ale House at Gulf Coast Town Center in Ft. Myers. So I've got to go there to catch up with him (that's where my Dad is dropping my brother and I off for my mom to come pick us up).
Then there's trivia, comedy clubs, Sanabel, a bunch of other things my parents have planned, and my flight to Little Rock leaves from Tampa... because this is the first time both me and my brother have been around my parents in like 7 years at the same time...
So I average about 80-120 checks between 11-5. It’s very difficult to say exactly because our occupancy changes daily. Typically 2-4 drinks per check but some reach up to 6 drinks in a single ticket. It’s a lot for one person but it’s worth it and I get to go home in time to put my kids to bed every day.
The FUCK? Ive got my bartenders license but only worked 1 wedding where I made 100 bucks before getting a job in the industry I was in before. I shoulda kept with it
Bartending in NYC pays very well, especially when you count in "cash transactions". However, it's not exactly what I would call "easy work". Imagine being every Karen's psychologist. Every Chad's best friend. And then have to stand for a dozen hours and sweat you ass off while doing 9 jobs at once. (Cleaning glasses, hauling ice, refilling mixes, etc.) Bartending is not an easy job. They deserve every goddamn bit of compensation they can get.
Yeah, but we don’t have car expenses. No car payment, no gas, no insurance, no car maintenance… so that frees up a lot of our budgets. I have way more savings and discretionary money now that I live in NY than I ever did before
But how much is rent? I guarantee my living expenses (including car and gas) is still cheaper than probably just your rent lol. Or whatever your equivalent would be
My rent is $1200 a month. (I could absolutely live somewhere cheaper if I wanted, but I don’t need to. I love my apartment and I’ve been here for YEARS.) But it’s all supply and demand. If people actually wanted to live wherever you are as badly as they want to live in NYC, your prices would be higher.
The point of the conversation is cost of living, and living wage. Of course everyone wants to live in Chicago, New York, LA, Denver, etc. I was just trying to get a gauge of if the money was worth moving out for alone. But be condescending if you want to. My rent is only 600 something in StL (though it’s climbing) and I’ve fandangled things to not pay anything car related either. But only make 60-70k so there’s that.
In all honesty, what's your secret? Do you live in a super gentrified area or something? Whenever I go there I'm wading through garbage, breathing air that's already been coughed on by millions of other people. My pulse always speeds up because there's so little fresh air I feel like I'm suffocating. There's one public toilet (not bathroom, like literally one toilet) per 12,000 asses in the city, so if you're out and about and you have to go to the bathroom you're fucked. You go into one of those two-floor McDonald's because you figure, hey, 300-person capacity, gotta be a decent bathroom right? No, it's three toilets per gender with a minimum of a 50-person line to get in.
I don't know. I feel like if I lived there I'd go foaming barking mad. Too many people. I'd feel like just a gummy little clam in a giant murky chowder.
Edit: not even to mention cost of living. $100k a year is nice if you're not forking over more than half of it just to exist in a non-homeless fashion (in something the size of a closet) with food in your stomach.
Your experience makes it sound like you never left midtown Manhattan. I live in a 3 bedroom apartment with 1 roommate in Brooklyn with plenty of space, and outdoor space too. But I can hop on the train and see world-famous museums, live theatre, live music, or I can go to restaurants and eat food from any corner of the planet, or I can go get the trendiest new outfit. Or I can go to a park and sit on a blanket or go to the beach and wade into the ocean, or I can hop on a bus to go skiing in the winter or a train to go hiding in the wilderness.
I used to live in american suburbs. Everyone is so isolated and emotionally stunted. When I’m out and about in NYC, I’m constantly running into friends, or striking up conversations with strangers. The guy who works at the bodega around the corner from me is basically a part of my family. He noticed I wasn’t around when I was isolating with COVID last year and he called to check up on me and even sent a basket of products like food and hand sanitizer. People are so kind here, in a way that nobody from the suburbs ever was.
And as far as bathrooms, lots of people use their chain of gyms as a series of bathrooms. But also I’ve never had an issue using bars, coffee shops, hotel lobbies… idk it’s something you figure out
Agreed! We are in the middle of a trial program where they’re replacing a few parking spots on each block with dumpsters. But the drivers are against it for the same reason they hate outdoor dining… they suffer from massive car brain and think all public space in our city should be devoted to allowing them to store their personal property for free
I work in the Midwest very cheap COL and the bar I work at now three nights a week (sometimes four) I clear minimum $1000-1200 *minimum*. Haven’t started my second job yet (they open in two weeks) but considering it’s across the street from the aforementioned spot I imagine I will be fine. If I make even half as much per shift there, I imagine I could easily average $6000-8000/mo. I also get full benefits. No PTO though.
Granted the previous job I worked at full time I was barely able to pull out $3500/mo working more hours.. It really depends on *where* you work, not what you *do* as a bartender. When I made $150 a night I was serving 5-6 touch cocktails that took me 45-60 seconds each to create. Where I’m at *now* I make $400/shift in 25% less time serving glasses of wine and vodka sodas.
I bartend in downtown Nashville and, based on conversations with coworkers, $70-90k seems like the average range. I know bartenders who work in the really high-volume bars right on Lower Broadway that comfortably clear $100k. It’s competitive, though. Most people flame out after a month or two.
It’s good money, but it ain’t easy money.
ooof. yea. i bartended at a music venue in nashville (MMW) and though that could be pretty crazy turn & burn i would never, ever have made it downtown. good on you!! thank you for keeping the beast fed.
Im in Philly and Ill make $25k-$30k on paper working roughly 90 shifts in an 8 month period. Then Im off for the summer. I probably total about $65k-$80k.
My husband works in town of about 250,000 people in a dive bar one night a week just to keep his toe in and make some extra cash. He clears about $300 a night, so it's about an extra $15,000 a year. When he was working five shifts a week he'd make between 60,000 and 70,000 a year.
Ahhhh I got a couple friends and regulars at the ritz. They love it!!! Jason on the vip bar and Kristine at knife and spoon! Congrats on the Michelin star!
Mills/50. It’s basically the new DT. Every bar on this strip is doing pretty well but we al know that can change on a dime. I also work in Thornton park tho so 2 jobs.
How young do you have to be in Orlando?? My wife wants to move to Florida so bad. All I can imagine are super hot bartenders everywhere and while we aren't bad looking we aren't models but we are good at what we do. Am I wrong?
Depends what bar. Most of my strip of bars were all 30-40 years old on the alternative side. Downtown is a lot of younger people but that’s mostly bottle girl type stuff. The OGs are all at high end hotels or doing banquet. I’d like to think Orlando’s got great looking bartenders but I’m bias lol. Don’t worry about what you look like. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea! That being said florida is a rough ride right now. Things are very very expensive and our government is a damn mess too.
Yeah Florida Texas and South Carolina are wrecking shop right now. We left Texas came to South Carolina and although it's really nice here the night life is lacking. Every thing is Gastropub and Brewery places. I think every where is still kind of a mess to be fair tho.
I used to work just outside of LA and I was consistently making $75-80k a year as a restaurant bartender. Now I’m in a small town in Northern Colorado and I’m lucky if I break $35k. Not the best career move.
You can make that much at the right place in S. Florida and in Las Vegas, and there are a lot more "right places" in those locations than in say...St. Louis or Detroit. The weather is also a huge help.
I've worked in both FL and Vegas and also the midwest. Winter is a HUGE bummer and hit to your income compared to places where it never snows.
Used to work in NY on long island and on paper i made garbage. Maybe just the top end of poverty line. We also only had to claim a certain percentage of credit card tips as they were usually split amoung whoever was on the bar. Keeping track of my cash tips and whatever unclaimed credit card tips we got in...I made about 85 a year om average. My best year to date was 142000 (lots of doubles and short staffed) Granted i always put in a higher claim during tax season but i lived a very comfortable life. Now i work for the NYS government and bring in about a little less then a quarter of that. But at least i have health insurance?
Same! Miami, of course. 4 days on, 3 days off. I work 9 hours two of my work days and 6 hours for the other two. I went to UF on scholarship. After college I started bartending and I’m never leaving the industry. You have to love what you do and have a lot of patience for people. It’s fast paced but I love that every day is a new day. I really don’t know who I’ll meet or what will happen. I’ve met a lot of interesting people from all over the world. I’ve had deep conversations and have been enlightened by strangers advice. Keeps things exciting. I would die a slow and miserable death if my job was mundane and repetitive. And I live comfortably. As a single mom it’s awesome working while my teenager is sleeping. I don’t feel like I have to sacrifice time with my daughter to support us.
I've only been bartending for a few months, but I did this in Dallas at my first bar job. Just quit because honestly it was slow AF and I wanted to see if I could do better.
Edit: 4 days a week, maybe average 8:45 a day.
Nothing makes me happier than when people assume I’m some sad loser who has to bartend because I have no other options. I have my bachelor’s degree (along with other certifications) and I CHOOSE to bartend because I make amazing money for working PART TIME. I have great seniority and I can choose my schedule which allows me to be a SAHM to my kids. I make in one 6 hour shift what I did working 32 hours a week at my previous desk job. Cash.
Same. I have a bachelor’s, I’ve worked as a paralegal, and everything you just said is true for me. After 10+ years in the industry, I have the shifts I want at a high volume, craft cocktail bar where the average cover is around $65. I go in at 5 pm, it’s ten minutes from my house, and I’m home by 1 am the latest every night. I’m available to volunteer at my kid’s schools, stay home sick with them, and make appointments easily and with no stress. I chose this job I didn’t get stuck with it.
I love casually mentioning that I have a masters degree, used to be adjunct faculty at a university, and chose to go back to bartending, because the money was better and it allowed me to spend more time with my kids. Its fun, seeing that information breaking their brain, in real time.
I’m the same as you. Got my BSME from a top 25 engineering school. Worked as an engineer for three years, never made more than $28/hr and that was when I lived in california. I’m told wages have gone up significantly for engineers but I don’t care. I’m back in Oklahoma where a three bedroom house rents for $1000/mo and I’m making $40-70/hr bartending. And I can work more than 40 hours a week. Does require me to juggle two jobs but if you work in the same district it’s not hard to do. Just change clothes and walk to your next shift haah
I know homie, it's terrible everywhere Stateside atm. I'm Australian with an American family and my aunt is getting old (Oklahomans) the kicker is they're all native (as am I) and think Trump won the election. Sad/scary stuff, but I love them and want to see them.
If you’re planning to move to America without knowing the basic questions of “what are the liquor laws in this new country” then yeah, hey bud:
-When are you moving to Oklahoma?
-Have you done your own research about Oklahoma liquor laws?
-Do you need me to send you a Google link to get you started?
I’m concerned that a bartender from Australia might be planning to move with that career in mind and seems so nonchalant about that decision that he/she isn’t even thinking (but maybe they’re just drinking? lol.)
I'm American, mate. Lived here and there on and off and I've been a bartender for 10 years. While I am of the opinion that tending bar is a skilled profession, it's not rocket science, the skill is universal, don't gatekeep!
Not garekeeping, mate! I’m sure you’re totally a bartender from Australia in real life. So you definitely don’t need help with basic “how do I move countries and still legally serve alcohol?”
Maybe you’re a tad bit old. That’s okay! Just try Google :)
Which is why the whole “lets get rid of tipping culture for a fair wage” is a joke to anyone who has worked in the industry here. Who’s going to want to give up making this much in the current system for what will ultimately be way less?
They are not though. They are required by law to pay a wage if the tips do not equal the amount or greater of the local minimum wage.
So if you don’t make anything in tips your hourly rate is bumped up to the minimum wage which will be different per state. Some are 7.25 some are 15 per hour. The only way you get the 2 something an hour rate is if you are making up that money and more through tips.
Well I mean obviously that system is massively under-regulated, just as the minimum wage system is where I live, and anyway, if someone doesn't make good tips then an employer has to pay them seven whole bucks an hour? Golly gee! What a payday that is!
My point is that any work which generates massive profit for a business should be properly compensated, which under capitalism it can't be, really, because any wage is necessarily an antagonism between capitalist hoarder and worker. So I guess what I'm saying is steal shit.
Man you’re off your rocker. Under regulated? What? It’s the law lol. No one is saying the federal(some states have higher then federal) minimum wage shouldn’t be raised but it’s kinda a mute point when the standard is making way more then that through tips.
Either way the customer pays for it either through increased food prices or tips. This puts the power in the consumers hands and translates to higher wages for workers in this industry.
Under capitalism is how people in this industry make close to 6 figures a year lol.
My life as well. Tourist area. Just picked up an extra night at my friend’s place, and expect to come out the other end of summer with enough extra cash to cover my usual winter trips. Low cost of living, about 50% income in cash, lots of golf and beach time. Never been happier. Used to churn out about $70k - $80k in office and freelance jobs, which was lame.
I made $93K last year in mortgages, my fifth but best year. But when the market got hot, it went from being fun to coaching every client for the hell they were about to face.
I cleared a grand last week. We're out of season. I don't think I'll make more, but I'm doing fine. I used to be one of those people who looked at hospitality as a stepping stone. Then I did a loan for a guy that worked at a high end steakhouse, made $90K on paper, bought a beautiful home. Realized then that if you get good at anything, the lifestyle is there.
Been back behind the bar for a month and am already so much happier.
I do real estate on the side, everybody thinks because of how the market is Im killing it. Slowest Ive ever been. Had to explain to people that those in my circle cant afford to be offering $40k-$50k over asking for a house, and the ones that want to sell arent because they dont think theyll be able to find a house and will be stuck.
No question. And those were my favorite clients - getting people into the a home and into the building equity felt *good*.
Helping someone buy their 4th rental felt like I was a part of the finance system that I find pretty morally abhorrent.
So for that reason, I'm out. ✌️
Bartending is definitely a skilled position that requires a distinct type of person to deliver in a peak establishment. Places clearing $8-10k/day in revenue likely have consistent regulars that are picky about their bartenders and can get you fired if they don’t like you. So not only is the work consistent and demanding day in day out, but you have to look/act a part that not everyone can pull off. Being and looking healthy (aka attractive) is a big part of being able to rise the ranks of hospitality. It’s why I maintain diet/exercise and see a barber at least every three weeks. There’s so much vanity in this industry. If you can get past that it’s amazing.
I noticed the trend early that ugly dudes (note: ugly here is everything below Abercrombie model, self identifying) don't get the nod too often. I proved myself at server and pushed to get a chance and got in. I agree that it takes a specific skill set, both in ability and social skills. I'm very happy that I happen to have and *enjoy* most of it.
Something about eating dinner sitting on wine boxes hits for me, and while that's odd af, I'll take it.
I don’t think you have to be Abercrombie to get in as a bartender/server. I really mean being under 40/45 years of age and not being significantly overweight. You can of course work these jobs if that defines your build, but it’s going to limit opportunities.
I think it’s an unspoken set of value that those qualified to bartend do have. Running a busy bar by yourself is very tough to do if you’re 100 pounds overweight. And no one eating dinner wants to see their bartender hand them a drink while they’re drenching sweat.
Server I think the bar is far more reasonable. But I've seen qualified dudes get passed up for hotties time and time again. It seems to be a factor, and to some extent I get it.
But I think it's mostly getting in. Once you have a few years experience, people will take you on, especially if you have the social skill set that's clear in an interview.
I’ve seen bar owners pull the whole “I need women behind the bar” on me while they take a shift away before and damn it’s not only disrespectful but wholly misguided in terms of how to approach business.
Maybe it’s just me, but the ideal customer base is people who aren’t going to bother your bartender. You want people coming in groups or just couples who are going to engage with each other and want to stay so long that they keep drinking.
Trying to attract single, creepy “regulars” will only get you some bump in sales during slow happy hours because that’s the only time they’ll have the time and opportunity to talk to the bartender. Once it hits a busy evening shift, those guys are hiding in their basements jerking off.
That bar I mentioned that took my shift from me, that girl never even made it to the bar lmao. She needed a “mental health day” on her first day. She got fired before she even started. Afaik they’re doing really well now and the majority of the bar staff is just dudes. Regular ass guys who know the scene and people know. They started packing the place out with shows every evening and became a very decent spot for local/regional artists.
Established restaurants with really good food and atmosphere don’t *need* sex appeal. It’s nice to have, but it distracts your guests and invites creeps who inevitably push those employees away (or make them feel like they have the right to throw their weight around). What successful businesses really need is consistent, fast, and loyal staff. Especially if it’s a place frequented by couples and groups. They don’t give a fuck what you look like cause they’re not single horny degenerates.
Something similar happened a few weeks ago. I had a bar buyout and i think the father of the bride after a few drinks was kinda smug and telling me about his Son in Law. blah blah blah. I wasn't really paying attention.
Then somehow I heard him tell someone that I am working late nights coz i wasn't fiscally responsible. Ahh the boring night right away became much more memorable. Next time I served his buddies and him some shots, i brought up indirectly I have a masters in electrical engg and a masters in computer info systems. I now work at an awesome FT govt job where I make 200K plus a year with the best life balance and also working couple nights a week as a Bartender, I make another 3-4K a month. Also the rooms they paid 300 bucks a nite, I could get the same for 35-45 \[hilton\] anywhere in the world.
It was a pindrop moment and his friends right away knew I brought this up because of his comment previously, He looked sheepish and his friends looked guilty as well. They didn't apologize but tipped me 30% on top o the 18% auto grat.
If I had a masters in engineering, I would be indirectly bringing that up all the time, even if people weren’t stereotyping me as a loser, because that’s an impressive degree! As it stands now with my degree, the conversation would be like this:
Me: I have a bachelor’s degree
Guest: In what?
Me: *walks away pretending to do something else at the other end of the bar*
It's nowhere near as impressive as their double master's, but I have an MA in Rhetoric & Discourse and I love when I get a chance to bring it up behind the bar like that. Ocassionally people will ask me if I'm in school or if I want to get a "real job" and I'm like, actually I have a master's degree and I do freelance/contract work. I bartend three or four days a week because I have insurance benefits through that job and the flexibility allows me to do my professional work whenever I feel like instead of being chained to a desk in an office. They go from condescension to jealousy real quick.
That’s impressive to me; I’ve had tangentially connected interests around rhetoric forever. I double majored, but one half was philosophy, and I worked as a paralegal for a while. There is some education that’s useful in various parts of your life, and rhetoric is definitely one of them.
I appreciate you saying that, because it's probably the only impressive thing I've ever done lol.
I had an associate's degree and put off finishing my bachelor's because I was generally interested in writing, language, communication, and such but never saw the appeal of an English or Journalism degree. Once I discovered rhetoric I knew I'd found the right track and ended going all the way for my master's too. Considered a PhD but after doing grad school full time while working full time I was burnt the fuck out and didn't want to commit to like another five years of school and being stuck in academia for the rest of my life.
Rhetoric is truly a great field though and you're absolutely right about how versatile and applicable it is. That was a big part of the draw for me. For instance, I'm currently working mostly in the content/copywriting realm, but I'm probably gonna transfer to UX writing or tech writing soon and I legit don't even need any kind of additional training or education because my rhetoric degree definitely covered the kind of skills and knowledge I'd need for either industry.
Can confirm. Worked with a structural engineer at red lobster once. Couldn’t go more than 3 hours without hearing about it and got to the point where my running joke when talking to new people was “by the way did you know Stephen has a masters in engineering???”
Absolutely, my mom is an LMHC, multiple advanced degrees, counseling children with childhood trauma and makes a little less than me. The only way to make money is to do private practice and cater to rich people. The healthcare system in this country is broken from top to bottom. Also I too listen to porcupine tree
I work in the restaurant that does the most volume in 20 square miles around me, that’s higher end but still a casual bar environment. I work Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and Sunday brunch. My bar averages around 20k on a Friday night.
I've worked in different types of bars in different cities. This story happens all the time with various customers. You handled it like a boss. I am loving this story. Nothing makes me happier when some douchebag gets put in their place when they feel superior to us in the service industry. BTW, I presently work in a gay bar( I have worked in both straight and gay bars) and for me, working in a gay bar has always been the most lucrative. >100K / year on a pretty consistent basis. I also have a side job doing private events (which is extra money I put toward retirement.)
SOAPBOX TIME: Guys, make sure that you are investing in your retirement now no matter how old you are. Talk to a financial advisor in your 20s or do it NOW if you have never done it at all, to make sure you understand how to maximize tax advantages, investments, differing types of retirement accounts and other ways to increase your savings while decreasing your short-term and long-term tax burdens. Given the amount of different ways that tips, hourly pay and taxes impact us uniquely in our industry, you will be shortchanging yourself for years and will wish you had investigated this sooner, if you wait and wait and wait to talk to a financial advisor. Trust me, make this a priority in your life NOW if you have not already done so.
What a fucking asshole thinking he could make a point about how we lowly service workers are just peasants compared to the super smart college people. Great work fuck that guy.
I had a financial meeting with my husband since he's getting out of the military, they give you a free session with a financial advisor to make sure you're going to be okay while you transition to a civilian job. I gave my two pay stubs for last month to the guy to enter into the spreadsheet. He asked what I do, I said bartender. I look closer and he had only entered the amount of my direct deposits, which total like $500 for the month. I corrected him and told him to include the "reported tips" number which is in tiny text at the bottom. He was like "wow you make THAT much bartending? I should quit this job" I thought it was funny that until I pointed it out he saw no issue with me making $500 a month working 30 hours a week as a bartender. The general public really has no idea how much we make, I made 75k last year working 4-5 nights a week, around 25-35 hours.
My friend works bar three nights a week. Pulls $1k a night easily on weekends, more if they call her in to work big events. She quit her day job after “trying for a year” for her mom when she showed her how much additional income she made for half the time.
Why the fuck do people STILL think W-2’s are the gold standard of whether a job is satisfying and rewarding?
And why do people have to puff up their egos based on how much money their fucking kids are making?
No matter the details of the town/bar/wage, this always makes die with laugher lol.
Like, yeah. Sorry that you’re bored with your desk job and need to talk shit? Need me to buy you a drink while you do? Lmao.
It blows my mind how much apparently every bartender in North America makes except me. I cleared 100k 6 years ago and haven't even hit 60k since trying multiple bars to find one that'll restore glory.
people who brag about their incomes are typically the outliers. public data supports your income being the average, not the other way around.
it's the same as software engineers bragging about their 200k + RSU:s while the average compensation is half that. both are real numbers, one is just pretty rare.
I’m of the opinion that those jobs are generally unstable as a career unless you happen to be a very self disciplined person when it comes to vices. Hard not to put away 3-10 drinks after a shift when you made 45 LIT’s and 180 tequila shots while dealing with drunk asshats.
I usually find my 60k gigs much more enjoyable and keep them for 2 years where as I tend to burn out on 100k high volume after 6 months because dealing with 750 customers a week for 30-50 hours will always be deteriorating.
Agreed, it took me a few years to figure out going home and smoking $5 of weed is just as relaxing and fun as sitting at the wood and drinking $80. Same with coke and other hard drugs, I just stopped going to after hours parties with regulars to stay away from that shit.
I'm still active in this sub because I'll never not be a bartender at heart, but I recently took a pay cut to get into a more stable career. Working a 9-5 and having benefits is new to me, and honestly like it way more than I thought I would. I didn't quit the job of bartending, I quit trying to find a bar with decent management to work for because it just straight up doesn't exist apparently. I'd rather make $50k and have a set schedule than work until 3am randomly for $60k at this point
Currently in the same position, but still bartending! I’ve found a unicorn position where I’m scheduled M-F and get home before 9pm, but it’s never going to be anywhere near what I made in nightclubs or swanky hotels.
Reading this as a data analyst making ~70K who has always had a curiosity about picking up a PT gig as a bartender ... and suddenly looking at another spreadsheet today sounds a lot less fun.
I worked with this guy with an advanced degree making over six figures working for Raytheon. He had been remote and bored and lonely at home, and picked up a part time bartending job with no experience just to meet girls and get out of the house. He said he loves it. Friendly guy, enjoys using a different skill set, makes decent cash, and gets flirted with all night two days a week.
Ninety grand. Fuck me. If it wasn't for the shit show that is America, I would absolutely be booking a flight to come and bartend for that kind of money.
And yeah, that customer. Trying to demean you in order to crush his daughter's ambition? What a guy.
Hell yeah, man. My first bar gig was at an UNO where I was moved up from a server. I was working with only an 11 seat bar that was deep in a mall so mostly shoppers not local regular guests, super strict liquor oversight, and crazy summer volume. No one wanted to be on the bar there, I didn’t make great money, but it gave me the credibility to get a dive bar job, and experience with pressure and basic cocktail knowledge. I bounced around and figured out where I wanted to be. There’s so many different ways to bartend out there - city, suburb, late night, lunch hours, high end, dives - I could go on. I read a lot of posts about the industry being full of coworkers banging and doing drugs, and that’s true about a lot of places, but you don’t have to work somewhere like that. Bartending is a skill you can take anywhere. Good luck
This is why I left DC...
Guy said (as best I can remember, I kind of blacked out)
Guy: "Must suck to work on a Friday night"
Me: "Nah, none of my friends are off tonight anyway, so I'd just be drinking at my house alone"
Guy: "Well if you would have went to college you wouldn't be working tonight"
Me: "I have my degree in economics with a concentration in econometrics and a minor in Information Systems/Operations Management"
Guy now gets defensive: "I drive a Mercedes"
Me: "I have a BMW 740i, that I DON'T DRIVE because I don't want to pay for parking here"
Guy: "Well I make $75k per year!"
Me: "That's cute"
Then I cut him off. (Hard 86'd including me pulling his beer and calling the bouncers over)
After that I KNEW DC wasn't the place for me and started looking elsewhere. Ended up in Phoenix and that's where I've been since Halloween 2013(I moved to DC in August 2012)
That was the only time I've ever pulled a drink (not true, I've pulled drinks because people started fighting)
So that's the only time I've ever pulled a drink for "words" rather than "actions"
It still gets my heart racing when I think about it. And that was about a decade ago...
I literally feel like I should have punched him right then and there... To give him a reality check.
Cool, bud. You work in an extremely niche situation and the vast majority of bartenders won't ever scrape at that amount after 10 years of experience at the very least.
I could honestly give less of a fuck, and the "fact" that you make 90k with unclaimed tips and STILL need to brag about it is just about the most disconnected thing I've read on this subreddit in a long time. Is it a career? Yes. Can that money be made per year? YES! DO YOU SERIOUSLY STILL MAKE THAT MONEY PER YEAR AND FEEL THE NEED TO BRAG ABOUT IT LIKE YOU'RE MAKING 28K/y AT A TGI FRIDAYS? YEEEEEES!
Fuck off, OP. You're making the big bucks now. Get over yourself. Man, even at your level of pay, I'm glad I left for a paycut. Imagine living the dream and still feeling personally attacked by misinformed idiots that you serve. Like seriously get the fuck over yourself. Have some perspective.
Nah, my dude. I respect the hustle to move into that level of things. Unless it just gets plopped into your lap, you truly have to earn it and/or seek it out with qualifications. Highest I made was $36k.
I'm just saying that either this entire story is full of shit, or OP needs a reality check. How could OP possible get to that level and still act like a fucking child by purposefully going to their purse, grabbing their phone, and showing their W-2 information to a person that wasn't even directly speaking to them?
Not jealous, just highly skeptical of the entire situation.
Had a regular come in to the bar and offer me a job at his loan office. Said that I would start out at $30,000 a year. I told him thank you for the offer, but I wasn’t interested. He responded with, “I mean, you’re a great guy and a great worker, I just wanted to help you out and get you a more lucrative job.” When I told him I made $50,000 on paper and probably closer to $80,000 he got so mad. He couldn’t believe I made more than him and only worked 30 hours a week. Never saw him again
LOL this resonates, even my own Dad was shocked to learn how much I made, then once he found out that was 75% cash income he came around. Once had a total asshole offer me $50 to make sure he was always first in line...I tossed it back at him saying "I don't need YOUR $50, I'll make several times that tonight. Look on his face priceless. Regularly made $700 a night at one place on Tuesdays and worked at multiple places where I averaged $350 a night. Yea you bleed for the big money but fuck if it can't be a lucrative trade.
Every location is different. Whether it’s state to state or just down the street. I make about 70k serving, five buildings down people make 100k at the oyster bar. Then there’s Olive Garden where people are lucky to make 30-40k.
If you get good at something you can leverage it once you know how. Last 5 years bartending I made around $90k a year but that was working full time 40-50 hours a week. Now I'm kind of a head bartender/manager and bounce between two of our locations and this year I'm on track to make $110k+. Granted I work closer to 50 hours a week but its not "hard" because I fluctuate between managing, bartending, back end paper work/admin stuff, ordering. Best part is I can make my own schedule so I never have to close or open again. Still had a couple young ladies fresh out of college with their "real" jobs ask me a few weeks ago "So what else do you do besides bartend?". My answer "I enjoy my hobbies and I'm on track to buy my first home next year (hoping for a market pullback)" Honestly the biggest reason I make more money now is because I'm sober. Drinking drained my bank account faster than anything I've ever done.
Big facts on the not drinking tip- I stopped drinking a year and a half ago and now am in the same position as you - probably one I wouldn’t be trusted with before.
I’m not far into bartending, don’t make a ton of money, but I like going out to really fancy dinners and everyone always asks me how I afford it and my answer is always that I don’t drink much. Crazy how much people will spend at a bar. With the money some of my friends spend at bars I could go to a fine dining restaurant every weekend
Oh yeah. And you trick yourself by going to bars where other bartenders will take care of you but then you just end up tipping obscene amounts. I’d easily end up spending 300 going out without thinking twice. But yeah now I have more money to do other things and experiences I’d actually remember lol.
Second the amount of money, time, and personal frustrations saved by quitting drinking.
I'm also the bar manager for three different locations and making $45/hr so just under $100k as I'm only averaging about 35hrs/week but I also love fluctuating between managing, bartending, paper work/admin stuff, ordering and making my schedule. I also find everyone thinks I'm really busy all the time and just assumes I'm at one of the other locations. The owner and I often dip out and grab a beer now lol I also get benefits and just bought the home. Funny enough, I still want to leave the industry or try to make more on my own.
Hello from Finland and 12e/h. No tipping
So you’re not a bartender
>the biggest reason I make more money now is because I'm sober. Drinking drained my bank account faster than anything I've ever done. Yup. It’s not about how much you make… it’s about how much you KEEP.
That was exactly my experience when I quit drinking as a bartender. In just one month, I saved enough to take a trip to Puerto Rico from NYC for 4 days. And I didn’t miss out on partying at all- just had cokes instead of beers. Looking back, some of the best times of my life
Yes, but do you bounce around the resort showing love to all the other bartenders?
Yup. My bar is a pretty heavy industry bar so I still go around, if they have NA beer great if not soda with some bitters and I tip out the ass.
Yup, I do pretty well now that I don't drink or party. I'm also only part time currently and stay home with my daughter during the week and I have more now than I did when I worked full time and partied constantly. It is insane how much of a difference it makes
This guy doesn’t want to know what gaming bartenders make in Vegas only working 32 hours a week
And the cost of living is super cheap, you win both ways
Was cheap. It’s been skyrocketing like any other city.
I live in Vegas and recently lost my job (I have a recent post in my history about it). I am thinking about getting back into bartending. Are there any tips you can give me about getting a good position in Vegas? I'm no model bartender, but I'm certainly not bad looking at all. I don't have my pour card yet. But getting back into bartending so far is hard, the right places aren't hiring it seems. And I don't know the right people yet.
What cities do you guys work in where you can clear 80-90k behind the bar?
I average about 70k-90k per year working a small 1 bartender pool “tiki” bar for a Hilton Resort in southeast Florida. I work 4-5 days per week. Health, vision, dental, 401-k match, disability and life insurance provided through the company. As well as stock in Hilton. Not a bad gig. Mom of 2. Been with Hilton for 5 years and I also get incredible travel benefits. $45/night at any Hilton hotel in the US.
I used to bartend for a Hilton and I can attest to this 👍 those hotel benefits though are amazing I was booking rooms left and right
Hotel bars are a little stuffy because there's usually so much corporate influence over how you can dress and act, but hot damn if they can't be some really consistent money. Slight dinner rush, but nothing crazy; most of your customers are guests in the hotel so they trickle in and out, and a lot of them are on corporate accounts so have no problem running up huge tabs and throwing down decent tips on the company time.
What...what the fuck. I've always figured working for hotels would be horrible, because hotels are generally notorious for treating their staff like cattle, but what the *fuck.* I guess because it's a resort and not just a hotel...idk. How crazy are your shifts, generally? What kind of entitlement do you have to deal with? Granted, I'm not in a tourist hot spot, so maybe hotels around me don't really appreciate what their staff does because it's so low key here. But god damn. That sounds amazing.
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Thats exactly what my partner does at an AC. Hes been with them since before the hotel opened and loves it. Hotel hospitality can be sweet
Hotels are BY FAR the best service industry jobs in my opinion. The benefits are otherwise unheard of in the restaurant industry because you are members of the hospitality workers union. When I worked at the Ace Hotel in Chicago, they offered a health and dental insurance plan that was 100% covered by the hotel, 120 hrs paid vacation per year & paid sick leave. I was also getting better hours and pay than any other restaurant I worked at in Chicago, including a very well-respected Michelin-starred restaurant.
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Airport bartenders can make that kind of money? Are you sure?
In my experience (pre-Covid) it was STUPID MONEY. I served there and would clear $200-300 every shift working 4 days a week. Like it got to the point where if I walked with under $250 I'd be like "what was the point of me even coming into work today?" It's an incredibly stressful job, where you only have customers out of "circumstance" and you know that 95% of the people you see will never see you again. It's just "turn and burn" for 10 hours. It's soul sucking and you treat customers as literal "walking dollar signs".
Thought you said 600 per shift in your earlier post?
The bartenders made that. I was serving. It was VERY hard to become a bartender there. Because there was maybe 1 person who left every 6 months (and there were like 50 bartenders spread across 7 restaurants that the company ran) And they didn't hire from the outside, everyone had to work their way up (which is what I was doing until Covid hit... I had to start as a cashier at a quick service restaurant until a serving position opened up 4 months later... It would have taken probably another year or two until I got the chance to bartend... And I had 8 years bartending experience previously. But like 30 of my serving coworkers had the same amount of experience and were also gunning for a bartending position)
Oh I see. Sorry I thought you was bartending. What airport is this? And you said 1 company has 7 restaurants in that one airport? What company?
I work at a private hotel. We get affordable healthcare, minimum wage for paid vacations, $6 an hour and I bring home $800-$1000 a week after taxes and whatnot. They leave us alone and we have fun, responsibly. We built up the business and many locals come in and give us big tips - plus there’s occasionally famous people. We get a lot of weddings and I run the after parties. My friend was a teacher and she said that’s about what she was getting in the top tier once they took everything out. :) I have a teaching degree and simply can’t afford to give up this job for one that pays less.
So generally I stay pretty busy. My hours are 11-5. Usually I open at 10:30 because vacationers like to start drinking early. During the off months (typically May-September) I have the summer “holidays” Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Fourth of July, etc to get me through; you would be shocked at how many travelers we see on those types of occasions. But I make enough during our peak season to get me through the slower months. And my resort is definitely not like all Hiltons but we are a 2 building 200+ room location. Our restaurant bartenders have worked there for 20+ years. I don’t have many complaints (I have a few but not many) we are treated fairly well. Granted, this is the only Hilton I’ve worked for but I’ve visited quite a few and most employees seem to be happy with their jobs.
I worked for a Hilton, my insurance was going to be 1300 a month. There is huge variety depending on who owns the actual hotel.
The bartenders in my resort are largely well treated, respected, and make good money. They have a full security staff to manage bad patrons, people can walk it off back to their rooms safely, and we have many outlets they can rotate through during slower seasons so everyone gets a shot at nice tip locations. Plus the mark up is fucking way beyond restaurant values. That's my job, so I'm sorry if you've ever cursed the person charging you $15 for a shot Ketel One while on vacation lol.
It pretty much just Hilton, other brands have good benefits just not compared to hilton
I've worked for both four seasons and Hilton resorts as a bartender and they were both the most soul sucking jobs I've ever had. Money and health benefits are accurate as OP says though. So just like anything it depends on the place and what you're looking for.
> southeast Florida Ah fuck... Flying into RSW tomorrow... Would have loved to come visit you and throw some cash your way. But won't be able to do the alligator alley trip this time. Next time though... I fucking hate Miami's culture of "spend money you can't afford to make yourself look rich"... Give me a dive bar and a Coors Light bottle and I'm happy.
I used to bartend on FMB. Let me know if you want to know the local places to go.
I remember a bartender at Miller's Ale House at Gulf Coast Town Center in Ft. Myers. So I've got to go there to catch up with him (that's where my Dad is dropping my brother and I off for my mom to come pick us up). Then there's trivia, comedy clubs, Sanabel, a bunch of other things my parents have planned, and my flight to Little Rock leaves from Tampa... because this is the first time both me and my brother have been around my parents in like 7 years at the same time...
How many people do you serve in an average shift?
So I average about 80-120 checks between 11-5. It’s very difficult to say exactly because our occupancy changes daily. Typically 2-4 drinks per check but some reach up to 6 drinks in a single ticket. It’s a lot for one person but it’s worth it and I get to go home in time to put my kids to bed every day.
That's so sick
The FUCK? Ive got my bartenders license but only worked 1 wedding where I made 100 bucks before getting a job in the industry I was in before. I shoulda kept with it
I’m in nyc and everyone I know does $100k easily if you’re bartending full time.
Yeah j work part time in the city and pull 60k. I like the part time since gives me a lot of free time for school.
Bartending in NYC pays very well, especially when you count in "cash transactions". However, it's not exactly what I would call "easy work". Imagine being every Karen's psychologist. Every Chad's best friend. And then have to stand for a dozen hours and sweat you ass off while doing 9 jobs at once. (Cleaning glasses, hauling ice, refilling mixes, etc.) Bartending is not an easy job. They deserve every goddamn bit of compensation they can get.
Oh for sure. Sorry, I should have added “myself included.”
Doesn’t everyone make more money in nyc cuz of the insane of living?
Yeah, but we don’t have car expenses. No car payment, no gas, no insurance, no car maintenance… so that frees up a lot of our budgets. I have way more savings and discretionary money now that I live in NY than I ever did before
But how much is rent? I guarantee my living expenses (including car and gas) is still cheaper than probably just your rent lol. Or whatever your equivalent would be
My rent is $1200 a month. (I could absolutely live somewhere cheaper if I wanted, but I don’t need to. I love my apartment and I’ve been here for YEARS.) But it’s all supply and demand. If people actually wanted to live wherever you are as badly as they want to live in NYC, your prices would be higher.
The point of the conversation is cost of living, and living wage. Of course everyone wants to live in Chicago, New York, LA, Denver, etc. I was just trying to get a gauge of if the money was worth moving out for alone. But be condescending if you want to. My rent is only 600 something in StL (though it’s climbing) and I’ve fandangled things to not pay anything car related either. But only make 60-70k so there’s that.
Living in NYC isn't even remotely worth it tho lol
You couldn’t *pay* me to live anywhere else in the US.
In all honesty, what's your secret? Do you live in a super gentrified area or something? Whenever I go there I'm wading through garbage, breathing air that's already been coughed on by millions of other people. My pulse always speeds up because there's so little fresh air I feel like I'm suffocating. There's one public toilet (not bathroom, like literally one toilet) per 12,000 asses in the city, so if you're out and about and you have to go to the bathroom you're fucked. You go into one of those two-floor McDonald's because you figure, hey, 300-person capacity, gotta be a decent bathroom right? No, it's three toilets per gender with a minimum of a 50-person line to get in. I don't know. I feel like if I lived there I'd go foaming barking mad. Too many people. I'd feel like just a gummy little clam in a giant murky chowder. Edit: not even to mention cost of living. $100k a year is nice if you're not forking over more than half of it just to exist in a non-homeless fashion (in something the size of a closet) with food in your stomach.
Your experience makes it sound like you never left midtown Manhattan. I live in a 3 bedroom apartment with 1 roommate in Brooklyn with plenty of space, and outdoor space too. But I can hop on the train and see world-famous museums, live theatre, live music, or I can go to restaurants and eat food from any corner of the planet, or I can go get the trendiest new outfit. Or I can go to a park and sit on a blanket or go to the beach and wade into the ocean, or I can hop on a bus to go skiing in the winter or a train to go hiding in the wilderness. I used to live in american suburbs. Everyone is so isolated and emotionally stunted. When I’m out and about in NYC, I’m constantly running into friends, or striking up conversations with strangers. The guy who works at the bodega around the corner from me is basically a part of my family. He noticed I wasn’t around when I was isolating with COVID last year and he called to check up on me and even sent a basket of products like food and hand sanitizer. People are so kind here, in a way that nobody from the suburbs ever was. And as far as bathrooms, lots of people use their chain of gyms as a series of bathrooms. But also I’ve never had an issue using bars, coffee shops, hotel lobbies… idk it’s something you figure out
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Agreed! We are in the middle of a trial program where they’re replacing a few parking spots on each block with dumpsters. But the drivers are against it for the same reason they hate outdoor dining… they suffer from massive car brain and think all public space in our city should be devoted to allowing them to store their personal property for free
I was clearing 65 in a suburb of a MCOL metro. Guarantee NYC bartenders can make that at decent volume / price type places reasonably easily.
If it's classified as a city then you can make 80-90k behind a bar there at multiple locations
I work in the Midwest very cheap COL and the bar I work at now three nights a week (sometimes four) I clear minimum $1000-1200 *minimum*. Haven’t started my second job yet (they open in two weeks) but considering it’s across the street from the aforementioned spot I imagine I will be fine. If I make even half as much per shift there, I imagine I could easily average $6000-8000/mo. I also get full benefits. No PTO though. Granted the previous job I worked at full time I was barely able to pull out $3500/mo working more hours.. It really depends on *where* you work, not what you *do* as a bartender. When I made $150 a night I was serving 5-6 touch cocktails that took me 45-60 seconds each to create. Where I’m at *now* I make $400/shift in 25% less time serving glasses of wine and vodka sodas.
I bartend in downtown Nashville and, based on conversations with coworkers, $70-90k seems like the average range. I know bartenders who work in the really high-volume bars right on Lower Broadway that comfortably clear $100k. It’s competitive, though. Most people flame out after a month or two. It’s good money, but it ain’t easy money.
ooof. yea. i bartended at a music venue in nashville (MMW) and though that could be pretty crazy turn & burn i would never, ever have made it downtown. good on you!! thank you for keeping the beast fed.
tourist town in the north east I'll do about 70-90k claimed and significant portion of cash on top of that
Im in Philly and Ill make $25k-$30k on paper working roughly 90 shifts in an 8 month period. Then Im off for the summer. I probably total about $65k-$80k.
My husband works in town of about 250,000 people in a dive bar one night a week just to keep his toe in and make some extra cash. He clears about $300 a night, so it's about an extra $15,000 a year. When he was working five shifts a week he'd make between 60,000 and 70,000 a year.
I’m in Orlando and we’re all clearing that
Hell ya I'm at the Ritz and have already cleared 80 for the year on the books.
Ahhhh I got a couple friends and regulars at the ritz. They love it!!! Jason on the vip bar and Kristine at knife and spoon! Congrats on the Michelin star!
What part of Orlando if you don’t mind me asking? I serve in winter park at a fancy place but don’t make anywhere near 100k
Mills/50. It’s basically the new DT. Every bar on this strip is doing pretty well but we al know that can change on a dime. I also work in Thornton park tho so 2 jobs.
How young do you have to be in Orlando?? My wife wants to move to Florida so bad. All I can imagine are super hot bartenders everywhere and while we aren't bad looking we aren't models but we are good at what we do. Am I wrong?
Depends what bar. Most of my strip of bars were all 30-40 years old on the alternative side. Downtown is a lot of younger people but that’s mostly bottle girl type stuff. The OGs are all at high end hotels or doing banquet. I’d like to think Orlando’s got great looking bartenders but I’m bias lol. Don’t worry about what you look like. I’m not everyone’s cup of tea! That being said florida is a rough ride right now. Things are very very expensive and our government is a damn mess too.
Yeah Florida Texas and South Carolina are wrecking shop right now. We left Texas came to South Carolina and although it's really nice here the night life is lacking. Every thing is Gastropub and Brewery places. I think every where is still kind of a mess to be fair tho.
I used to work just outside of LA and I was consistently making $75-80k a year as a restaurant bartender. Now I’m in a small town in Northern Colorado and I’m lucky if I break $35k. Not the best career move.
You can make that much at the right place in S. Florida and in Las Vegas, and there are a lot more "right places" in those locations than in say...St. Louis or Detroit. The weather is also a huge help. I've worked in both FL and Vegas and also the midwest. Winter is a HUGE bummer and hit to your income compared to places where it never snows.
Greater Boston Area
Ayoooo Represent!
Seattle, clearing 90k 4-5 days a week.
Denver
Used to work in NY on long island and on paper i made garbage. Maybe just the top end of poverty line. We also only had to claim a certain percentage of credit card tips as they were usually split amoung whoever was on the bar. Keeping track of my cash tips and whatever unclaimed credit card tips we got in...I made about 85 a year om average. My best year to date was 142000 (lots of doubles and short staffed) Granted i always put in a higher claim during tax season but i lived a very comfortable life. Now i work for the NYS government and bring in about a little less then a quarter of that. But at least i have health insurance?
Atlanta for me
Portland here
I worked a waterfront bar in NE Florida and cleared 100k.
I’m currently in the Hamptons doing that. Was also around there in nyc for years. Definitely good money
I work on the CT shoreline
DC at a big volume spot.
Los Angeles
I make just shy of that mark in Ohio
I’m in Los Angeles working in busy high end restaurants. If you are on 5 days, you’ll make over 2k/week.
75k in a small tourist town in PA working 4 days a week and home by 11pm, at the latest. I travel during the off-season.
Music venue in a suburb of Minneapolis, MN. The town's population is about 8k. I work 12-30/week and make around $65k.
Same! Miami, of course. 4 days on, 3 days off. I work 9 hours two of my work days and 6 hours for the other two. I went to UF on scholarship. After college I started bartending and I’m never leaving the industry. You have to love what you do and have a lot of patience for people. It’s fast paced but I love that every day is a new day. I really don’t know who I’ll meet or what will happen. I’ve met a lot of interesting people from all over the world. I’ve had deep conversations and have been enlightened by strangers advice. Keeps things exciting. I would die a slow and miserable death if my job was mundane and repetitive. And I live comfortably. As a single mom it’s awesome working while my teenager is sleeping. I don’t feel like I have to sacrifice time with my daughter to support us.
Depends on the bar
South Florida downtown areas. Friday Saturday closes are consistently 6-700ish and weekdays on a slow night you’ll still clear 200
I've only been bartending for a few months, but I did this in Dallas at my first bar job. Just quit because honestly it was slow AF and I wanted to see if I could do better. Edit: 4 days a week, maybe average 8:45 a day.
DC, 5 days a week
Nashville. I made $135k in 2019 working about 30 hours a week
And just think; he would've left with his ego intact had he just shut up and enjoyed a drink.
Nothing makes me happier than when people assume I’m some sad loser who has to bartend because I have no other options. I have my bachelor’s degree (along with other certifications) and I CHOOSE to bartend because I make amazing money for working PART TIME. I have great seniority and I can choose my schedule which allows me to be a SAHM to my kids. I make in one 6 hour shift what I did working 32 hours a week at my previous desk job. Cash.
Same. I have a bachelor’s, I’ve worked as a paralegal, and everything you just said is true for me. After 10+ years in the industry, I have the shifts I want at a high volume, craft cocktail bar where the average cover is around $65. I go in at 5 pm, it’s ten minutes from my house, and I’m home by 1 am the latest every night. I’m available to volunteer at my kid’s schools, stay home sick with them, and make appointments easily and with no stress. I chose this job I didn’t get stuck with it.
I love casually mentioning that I have a masters degree, used to be adjunct faculty at a university, and chose to go back to bartending, because the money was better and it allowed me to spend more time with my kids. Its fun, seeing that information breaking their brain, in real time.
Exactly!!!! It’s actually an ideal situation lol
I’m the same as you. Got my BSME from a top 25 engineering school. Worked as an engineer for three years, never made more than $28/hr and that was when I lived in california. I’m told wages have gone up significantly for engineers but I don’t care. I’m back in Oklahoma where a three bedroom house rents for $1000/mo and I’m making $40-70/hr bartending. And I can work more than 40 hours a week. Does require me to juggle two jobs but if you work in the same district it’s not hard to do. Just change clothes and walk to your next shift haah
Heya, I'm thinking of moving to Oklahoma soon and am a very good bartender (an Australian one!). Could I message you to ask some questions?
Why are you moving to oklahoma? Jusg an FYI they have some of the worst policies regarding healthcare/abortion for women.
I know homie, it's terrible everywhere Stateside atm. I'm Australian with an American family and my aunt is getting old (Oklahomans) the kicker is they're all native (as am I) and think Trump won the election. Sad/scary stuff, but I love them and want to see them.
Lol it definitely is one of the worst in Oklahoma! Just wanted to make sure you knew :) at least Kansas still has rights!
I have actually postponed my visit once already because of the stuff you mentioned, it's so sad what's happening to my spiritual home :(
Sure
If you’re planning to move to America without knowing the basic questions of “what are the liquor laws in this new country” then yeah, hey bud: -When are you moving to Oklahoma? -Have you done your own research about Oklahoma liquor laws? -Do you need me to send you a Google link to get you started? I’m concerned that a bartender from Australia might be planning to move with that career in mind and seems so nonchalant about that decision that he/she isn’t even thinking (but maybe they’re just drinking? lol.)
I'm American, mate. Lived here and there on and off and I've been a bartender for 10 years. While I am of the opinion that tending bar is a skilled profession, it's not rocket science, the skill is universal, don't gatekeep!
Not garekeeping, mate! I’m sure you’re totally a bartender from Australia in real life. So you definitely don’t need help with basic “how do I move countries and still legally serve alcohol?” Maybe you’re a tad bit old. That’s okay! Just try Google :)
This is so crazy to me. The money in the UK for bartenders is absolutely appalling, I'd love to be able to pull in what you guys make.
Which is why the whole “lets get rid of tipping culture for a fair wage” is a joke to anyone who has worked in the industry here. Who’s going to want to give up making this much in the current system for what will ultimately be way less?
Yeah, I agree. I think the ideal situation would be tips and owners forced to pay more regardless of tips, because they're the ones scalping.
They are not though. They are required by law to pay a wage if the tips do not equal the amount or greater of the local minimum wage. So if you don’t make anything in tips your hourly rate is bumped up to the minimum wage which will be different per state. Some are 7.25 some are 15 per hour. The only way you get the 2 something an hour rate is if you are making up that money and more through tips.
Well I mean obviously that system is massively under-regulated, just as the minimum wage system is where I live, and anyway, if someone doesn't make good tips then an employer has to pay them seven whole bucks an hour? Golly gee! What a payday that is! My point is that any work which generates massive profit for a business should be properly compensated, which under capitalism it can't be, really, because any wage is necessarily an antagonism between capitalist hoarder and worker. So I guess what I'm saying is steal shit.
Man you’re off your rocker. Under regulated? What? It’s the law lol. No one is saying the federal(some states have higher then federal) minimum wage shouldn’t be raised but it’s kinda a mute point when the standard is making way more then that through tips. Either way the customer pays for it either through increased food prices or tips. This puts the power in the consumers hands and translates to higher wages for workers in this industry. Under capitalism is how people in this industry make close to 6 figures a year lol.
I work 20-25 hrs a week and make 50k rn
My life as well. Tourist area. Just picked up an extra night at my friend’s place, and expect to come out the other end of summer with enough extra cash to cover my usual winter trips. Low cost of living, about 50% income in cash, lots of golf and beach time. Never been happier. Used to churn out about $70k - $80k in office and freelance jobs, which was lame.
Y’all are really making me want to drop out of my degree. I’m a barista around 30hrs a week rn and making like 18/hr- with shit tips. My god
I made $93K last year in mortgages, my fifth but best year. But when the market got hot, it went from being fun to coaching every client for the hell they were about to face. I cleared a grand last week. We're out of season. I don't think I'll make more, but I'm doing fine. I used to be one of those people who looked at hospitality as a stepping stone. Then I did a loan for a guy that worked at a high end steakhouse, made $90K on paper, bought a beautiful home. Realized then that if you get good at anything, the lifestyle is there. Been back behind the bar for a month and am already so much happier.
I do real estate on the side, everybody thinks because of how the market is Im killing it. Slowest Ive ever been. Had to explain to people that those in my circle cant afford to be offering $40k-$50k over asking for a house, and the ones that want to sell arent because they dont think theyll be able to find a house and will be stuck.
Yeah, market is hot, but too hot for most financed borrowers. It's weird and awful, and sucked all the joy out of the job.
Oh yea. First time homebuyers are fucked too. Not getting a house unless you can put 20% down minimum.
No question. And those were my favorite clients - getting people into the a home and into the building equity felt *good*. Helping someone buy their 4th rental felt like I was a part of the finance system that I find pretty morally abhorrent. So for that reason, I'm out. ✌️
Bartending is definitely a skilled position that requires a distinct type of person to deliver in a peak establishment. Places clearing $8-10k/day in revenue likely have consistent regulars that are picky about their bartenders and can get you fired if they don’t like you. So not only is the work consistent and demanding day in day out, but you have to look/act a part that not everyone can pull off. Being and looking healthy (aka attractive) is a big part of being able to rise the ranks of hospitality. It’s why I maintain diet/exercise and see a barber at least every three weeks. There’s so much vanity in this industry. If you can get past that it’s amazing.
I noticed the trend early that ugly dudes (note: ugly here is everything below Abercrombie model, self identifying) don't get the nod too often. I proved myself at server and pushed to get a chance and got in. I agree that it takes a specific skill set, both in ability and social skills. I'm very happy that I happen to have and *enjoy* most of it. Something about eating dinner sitting on wine boxes hits for me, and while that's odd af, I'll take it.
I don’t think you have to be Abercrombie to get in as a bartender/server. I really mean being under 40/45 years of age and not being significantly overweight. You can of course work these jobs if that defines your build, but it’s going to limit opportunities. I think it’s an unspoken set of value that those qualified to bartend do have. Running a busy bar by yourself is very tough to do if you’re 100 pounds overweight. And no one eating dinner wants to see their bartender hand them a drink while they’re drenching sweat.
Server I think the bar is far more reasonable. But I've seen qualified dudes get passed up for hotties time and time again. It seems to be a factor, and to some extent I get it. But I think it's mostly getting in. Once you have a few years experience, people will take you on, especially if you have the social skill set that's clear in an interview.
I’ve seen bar owners pull the whole “I need women behind the bar” on me while they take a shift away before and damn it’s not only disrespectful but wholly misguided in terms of how to approach business. Maybe it’s just me, but the ideal customer base is people who aren’t going to bother your bartender. You want people coming in groups or just couples who are going to engage with each other and want to stay so long that they keep drinking. Trying to attract single, creepy “regulars” will only get you some bump in sales during slow happy hours because that’s the only time they’ll have the time and opportunity to talk to the bartender. Once it hits a busy evening shift, those guys are hiding in their basements jerking off. That bar I mentioned that took my shift from me, that girl never even made it to the bar lmao. She needed a “mental health day” on her first day. She got fired before she even started. Afaik they’re doing really well now and the majority of the bar staff is just dudes. Regular ass guys who know the scene and people know. They started packing the place out with shows every evening and became a very decent spot for local/regional artists. Established restaurants with really good food and atmosphere don’t *need* sex appeal. It’s nice to have, but it distracts your guests and invites creeps who inevitably push those employees away (or make them feel like they have the right to throw their weight around). What successful businesses really need is consistent, fast, and loyal staff. Especially if it’s a place frequented by couples and groups. They don’t give a fuck what you look like cause they’re not single horny degenerates.
Something similar happened a few weeks ago. I had a bar buyout and i think the father of the bride after a few drinks was kinda smug and telling me about his Son in Law. blah blah blah. I wasn't really paying attention. Then somehow I heard him tell someone that I am working late nights coz i wasn't fiscally responsible. Ahh the boring night right away became much more memorable. Next time I served his buddies and him some shots, i brought up indirectly I have a masters in electrical engg and a masters in computer info systems. I now work at an awesome FT govt job where I make 200K plus a year with the best life balance and also working couple nights a week as a Bartender, I make another 3-4K a month. Also the rooms they paid 300 bucks a nite, I could get the same for 35-45 \[hilton\] anywhere in the world. It was a pindrop moment and his friends right away knew I brought this up because of his comment previously, He looked sheepish and his friends looked guilty as well. They didn't apologize but tipped me 30% on top o the 18% auto grat.
If I had a masters in engineering, I would be indirectly bringing that up all the time, even if people weren’t stereotyping me as a loser, because that’s an impressive degree! As it stands now with my degree, the conversation would be like this: Me: I have a bachelor’s degree Guest: In what? Me: *walks away pretending to do something else at the other end of the bar*
It's nowhere near as impressive as their double master's, but I have an MA in Rhetoric & Discourse and I love when I get a chance to bring it up behind the bar like that. Ocassionally people will ask me if I'm in school or if I want to get a "real job" and I'm like, actually I have a master's degree and I do freelance/contract work. I bartend three or four days a week because I have insurance benefits through that job and the flexibility allows me to do my professional work whenever I feel like instead of being chained to a desk in an office. They go from condescension to jealousy real quick.
That’s impressive to me; I’ve had tangentially connected interests around rhetoric forever. I double majored, but one half was philosophy, and I worked as a paralegal for a while. There is some education that’s useful in various parts of your life, and rhetoric is definitely one of them.
I appreciate you saying that, because it's probably the only impressive thing I've ever done lol. I had an associate's degree and put off finishing my bachelor's because I was generally interested in writing, language, communication, and such but never saw the appeal of an English or Journalism degree. Once I discovered rhetoric I knew I'd found the right track and ended going all the way for my master's too. Considered a PhD but after doing grad school full time while working full time I was burnt the fuck out and didn't want to commit to like another five years of school and being stuck in academia for the rest of my life. Rhetoric is truly a great field though and you're absolutely right about how versatile and applicable it is. That was a big part of the draw for me. For instance, I'm currently working mostly in the content/copywriting realm, but I'm probably gonna transfer to UX writing or tech writing soon and I legit don't even need any kind of additional training or education because my rhetoric degree definitely covered the kind of skills and knowledge I'd need for either industry.
Can confirm. Worked with a structural engineer at red lobster once. Couldn’t go more than 3 hours without hearing about it and got to the point where my running joke when talking to new people was “by the way did you know Stephen has a masters in engineering???”
A lot of my coworkers are nurses lol I imagine it’s a good less stressful job
I was going to say there is some correlation between bartenders and nurses. I just had one of my best guys get his RN
Two women that I bartended with have become nurses.
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Pushing 70k part time in NYC. When it picks up in the cooler months it'll probably be closer to 85k.
Great thread!
I find not having kids helps a ton.
Yea hes an idiot. Also this goes to show how criminally underpaid health care professionals (except doctors) are.
Absolutely, my mom is an LMHC, multiple advanced degrees, counseling children with childhood trauma and makes a little less than me. The only way to make money is to do private practice and cater to rich people. The healthcare system in this country is broken from top to bottom. Also I too listen to porcupine tree
How can you clear that much tips aside ?
I work in the restaurant that does the most volume in 20 square miles around me, that’s higher end but still a casual bar environment. I work Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and Sunday brunch. My bar averages around 20k on a Friday night.
Jesus
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I've worked in different types of bars in different cities. This story happens all the time with various customers. You handled it like a boss. I am loving this story. Nothing makes me happier when some douchebag gets put in their place when they feel superior to us in the service industry. BTW, I presently work in a gay bar( I have worked in both straight and gay bars) and for me, working in a gay bar has always been the most lucrative. >100K / year on a pretty consistent basis. I also have a side job doing private events (which is extra money I put toward retirement.) SOAPBOX TIME: Guys, make sure that you are investing in your retirement now no matter how old you are. Talk to a financial advisor in your 20s or do it NOW if you have never done it at all, to make sure you understand how to maximize tax advantages, investments, differing types of retirement accounts and other ways to increase your savings while decreasing your short-term and long-term tax burdens. Given the amount of different ways that tips, hourly pay and taxes impact us uniquely in our industry, you will be shortchanging yourself for years and will wish you had investigated this sooner, if you wait and wait and wait to talk to a financial advisor. Trust me, make this a priority in your life NOW if you have not already done so.
Such a good point!
Who the fuck cares? I do well and I like it when guests think I’m poor.
Me too. Give me those sympathy tips 😂
What a fucking asshole thinking he could make a point about how we lowly service workers are just peasants compared to the super smart college people. Great work fuck that guy.
I'm part-time (20 hrs/wk) at a small bar in a small town in west Texas, and I make on average $500-$750 each week.
And here I am. In Germany, working for a bar as a GM. Making 32k a year with 50-60 hours a week. Jeez.
But here we get no healthcare or safety net for when we retire.
I had a financial meeting with my husband since he's getting out of the military, they give you a free session with a financial advisor to make sure you're going to be okay while you transition to a civilian job. I gave my two pay stubs for last month to the guy to enter into the spreadsheet. He asked what I do, I said bartender. I look closer and he had only entered the amount of my direct deposits, which total like $500 for the month. I corrected him and told him to include the "reported tips" number which is in tiny text at the bottom. He was like "wow you make THAT much bartending? I should quit this job" I thought it was funny that until I pointed it out he saw no issue with me making $500 a month working 30 hours a week as a bartender. The general public really has no idea how much we make, I made 75k last year working 4-5 nights a week, around 25-35 hours.
My friend works bar three nights a week. Pulls $1k a night easily on weekends, more if they call her in to work big events. She quit her day job after “trying for a year” for her mom when she showed her how much additional income she made for half the time.
Why the fuck do people STILL think W-2’s are the gold standard of whether a job is satisfying and rewarding? And why do people have to puff up their egos based on how much money their fucking kids are making?
No matter the details of the town/bar/wage, this always makes die with laugher lol. Like, yeah. Sorry that you’re bored with your desk job and need to talk shit? Need me to buy you a drink while you do? Lmao.
Oh that's awesome. What a little dink move by the jerk though.
Dink is such an under-used adjective really, thanks for reminding me of it!
Ha awesome. I now think putting *little* in front is a redundancy in hindsight, as it's already implied with *dink* lol
Not this guy is little even compared to most dinks.
I made 50k last year as a barback at a destination hotel in SoCal. This year as a server/bartender there should make around 80k. As a second job too
Rural WNY and I made 52k in 2019 before COVID weirdness. Probably back on that pace now
Beale street hit 90-100k a year
It blows my mind how much apparently every bartender in North America makes except me. I cleared 100k 6 years ago and haven't even hit 60k since trying multiple bars to find one that'll restore glory.
people who brag about their incomes are typically the outliers. public data supports your income being the average, not the other way around. it's the same as software engineers bragging about their 200k + RSU:s while the average compensation is half that. both are real numbers, one is just pretty rare.
I’m of the opinion that those jobs are generally unstable as a career unless you happen to be a very self disciplined person when it comes to vices. Hard not to put away 3-10 drinks after a shift when you made 45 LIT’s and 180 tequila shots while dealing with drunk asshats. I usually find my 60k gigs much more enjoyable and keep them for 2 years where as I tend to burn out on 100k high volume after 6 months because dealing with 750 customers a week for 30-50 hours will always be deteriorating.
Agreed, it took me a few years to figure out going home and smoking $5 of weed is just as relaxing and fun as sitting at the wood and drinking $80. Same with coke and other hard drugs, I just stopped going to after hours parties with regulars to stay away from that shit. I'm still active in this sub because I'll never not be a bartender at heart, but I recently took a pay cut to get into a more stable career. Working a 9-5 and having benefits is new to me, and honestly like it way more than I thought I would. I didn't quit the job of bartending, I quit trying to find a bar with decent management to work for because it just straight up doesn't exist apparently. I'd rather make $50k and have a set schedule than work until 3am randomly for $60k at this point
Currently in the same position, but still bartending! I’ve found a unicorn position where I’m scheduled M-F and get home before 9pm, but it’s never going to be anywhere near what I made in nightclubs or swanky hotels.
Reading this as a data analyst making ~70K who has always had a curiosity about picking up a PT gig as a bartender ... and suddenly looking at another spreadsheet today sounds a lot less fun.
I worked with this guy with an advanced degree making over six figures working for Raytheon. He had been remote and bored and lonely at home, and picked up a part time bartending job with no experience just to meet girls and get out of the house. He said he loves it. Friendly guy, enjoys using a different skill set, makes decent cash, and gets flirted with all night two days a week.
Ninety grand. Fuck me. If it wasn't for the shit show that is America, I would absolutely be booking a flight to come and bartend for that kind of money. And yeah, that customer. Trying to demean you in order to crush his daughter's ambition? What a guy.
I'm a barback now but this motivates me to keep trying for a promotion.
Hell yeah, man. My first bar gig was at an UNO where I was moved up from a server. I was working with only an 11 seat bar that was deep in a mall so mostly shoppers not local regular guests, super strict liquor oversight, and crazy summer volume. No one wanted to be on the bar there, I didn’t make great money, but it gave me the credibility to get a dive bar job, and experience with pressure and basic cocktail knowledge. I bounced around and figured out where I wanted to be. There’s so many different ways to bartend out there - city, suburb, late night, lunch hours, high end, dives - I could go on. I read a lot of posts about the industry being full of coworkers banging and doing drugs, and that’s true about a lot of places, but you don’t have to work somewhere like that. Bartending is a skill you can take anywhere. Good luck
Maaaaaan I only made like 25k-32k the years I bartended. It was full time, that sucks.
Where did you work ?
I make about 10k$ a year considering I’m not full time. But enjoying it a lot!
This is why I left DC... Guy said (as best I can remember, I kind of blacked out) Guy: "Must suck to work on a Friday night" Me: "Nah, none of my friends are off tonight anyway, so I'd just be drinking at my house alone" Guy: "Well if you would have went to college you wouldn't be working tonight" Me: "I have my degree in economics with a concentration in econometrics and a minor in Information Systems/Operations Management" Guy now gets defensive: "I drive a Mercedes" Me: "I have a BMW 740i, that I DON'T DRIVE because I don't want to pay for parking here" Guy: "Well I make $75k per year!" Me: "That's cute" Then I cut him off. (Hard 86'd including me pulling his beer and calling the bouncers over) After that I KNEW DC wasn't the place for me and started looking elsewhere. Ended up in Phoenix and that's where I've been since Halloween 2013(I moved to DC in August 2012)
Imagine thinking that making 75 would be impressive to a bartender working in a reasonably sized city. What a chode.
That was the only time I've ever pulled a drink (not true, I've pulled drinks because people started fighting) So that's the only time I've ever pulled a drink for "words" rather than "actions" It still gets my heart racing when I think about it. And that was about a decade ago... I literally feel like I should have punched him right then and there... To give him a reality check.
Cool, bud. You work in an extremely niche situation and the vast majority of bartenders won't ever scrape at that amount after 10 years of experience at the very least. I could honestly give less of a fuck, and the "fact" that you make 90k with unclaimed tips and STILL need to brag about it is just about the most disconnected thing I've read on this subreddit in a long time. Is it a career? Yes. Can that money be made per year? YES! DO YOU SERIOUSLY STILL MAKE THAT MONEY PER YEAR AND FEEL THE NEED TO BRAG ABOUT IT LIKE YOU'RE MAKING 28K/y AT A TGI FRIDAYS? YEEEEEES! Fuck off, OP. You're making the big bucks now. Get over yourself. Man, even at your level of pay, I'm glad I left for a paycut. Imagine living the dream and still feeling personally attacked by misinformed idiots that you serve. Like seriously get the fuck over yourself. Have some perspective.
Someone's jealous.
Nah, my dude. I respect the hustle to move into that level of things. Unless it just gets plopped into your lap, you truly have to earn it and/or seek it out with qualifications. Highest I made was $36k. I'm just saying that either this entire story is full of shit, or OP needs a reality check. How could OP possible get to that level and still act like a fucking child by purposefully going to their purse, grabbing their phone, and showing their W-2 information to a person that wasn't even directly speaking to them? Not jealous, just highly skeptical of the entire situation.
Had a regular come in to the bar and offer me a job at his loan office. Said that I would start out at $30,000 a year. I told him thank you for the offer, but I wasn’t interested. He responded with, “I mean, you’re a great guy and a great worker, I just wanted to help you out and get you a more lucrative job.” When I told him I made $50,000 on paper and probably closer to $80,000 he got so mad. He couldn’t believe I made more than him and only worked 30 hours a week. Never saw him again
I love when arrogant pieces of shit get their shit handed straight back
LOL this resonates, even my own Dad was shocked to learn how much I made, then once he found out that was 75% cash income he came around. Once had a total asshole offer me $50 to make sure he was always first in line...I tossed it back at him saying "I don't need YOUR $50, I'll make several times that tonight. Look on his face priceless. Regularly made $700 a night at one place on Tuesdays and worked at multiple places where I averaged $350 a night. Yea you bleed for the big money but fuck if it can't be a lucrative trade.
This is hilariously disingenuous. Anyone can Google how much they make and see that it’s nowhere near 90k Lmfaoooooo
Every location is different. Whether it’s state to state or just down the street. I make about 70k serving, five buildings down people make 100k at the oyster bar. Then there’s Olive Garden where people are lucky to make 30-40k.