How to Be an Effective Cocktail Waitress
The glamorous image of a cocktail waitress who cheerfully serves drinks in a ball gown doesn't always match the reality of the job. Customers may think you're an airhead, crowds can block your path from the bar to the tables, and some customers may sexually harass you. Because the job includes tips from customers, the average salary is low -- as little as $14,000 a year. Nevertheless, if you work to become an effective cocktail waitress, you can earn higher tips and take home greater pay.
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Instructions
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Study the menu and know how to mix drinks. You likely will not make the drinks yourself, but if you know the basic ingredients in a drink, you can be a more effective cocktail waitress. For example, you will know when to ask if a customer wants salt on the rim of his glass and how many shots of flavoring a customer would like in his drink. A customer will be happier if your questions ensure that his drink is perfect from the start. If you didn't know what to ask and the customer is unhappy with his drink, you may get a smaller tip. The customer is also less likely to want you as his server in the future.
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Greet customers warmly. Even if you feel frazzled and are in the middle of a bad day, put a smile on your face. Ask customers how they are doing before you take their orders.
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Be attentive. Even if you have multiple tables, stop by each table every few minutes to see if any of your customers requires another drink. Fail to do so and your customer may go up to the bar and order her own drink, which will deprive you of part of a potential tip.
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Relay customer comments and concerns to your manager. Although there may be limited room for promotion in an establishment, you can impress your manager with an open line of communication. Your manager is an ideal reference if you hope to move on to a better-paying establishment, so you want her to give you a positive recommendation. Explain what drinks are popular and what drinks your customers rarely order.
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Tips & Warnings
Get to know your regular customers' orders. They will be impressed if you remember their favorite drinks.
Effective cocktail waitresses are friendly but not flirtatious. Female patrons may not like your hitting on the men with whom they're seated. Don't encourage your customers to harass you, even for tips.
Report any sexual harassment to your boss immediately. Classy establishments don't want that kind of clientele, and your boss should side with you.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
