Cutting People Off

When it comes to bartending, there are so many more aspects to the job than just making drinks. If you are a bartender, you are the ring leader for that party. It's your duty to make sure everyone is having a good time. Sometimes you have to be a matchmaker. Sometimes you have to be a therapist. Sometimes you just have to smile, nod and pretend like you care. Bartenders are also responsible for maintaining their customers. If you come into my bar already drunk, I legally cannot serve you. Sorry. If you become intoxicated while in my care to the point where you start acting a fool, I have to regulate you. That means no more drinks for you Lushface.

I want to share a funny story about how I had to cut off a drunk before in the past. It's such a good story, I use it in my lecture at the bartending school when I talk about having to cut people off.

A few years ago, I was bartending at a really busy nightclub here in the city. I had this group of guys who had been standing in front of my well all night, drinking. I was cool with it because they were not only a lot of fun, but they were tipping me really well with each round they ordered. Later in the night, one of the guys in the group wanted to order another shot, but clearly was in no state to take another shot. Call me crazy, but if your eyes are cross-eyed and you are slurring your words, I'm not going to serve you anymore alcohol.

So what do I do? I didn't want to single this guy out in front of all of his friends and point out that he was unable to handle his alcohol as well as his friends could. With my quick bartending thinking, I told the guy I would make him a "special shot". Hell, I would even take one with him. I grabbed my tin, put some ice in it and mixed up a special shot consisting of 7-up, cranberry juice, a splash of pineapple and a little bit of oj. I gave the tin a good shake and poured us two shots. The guy went to grab his wallet and I quickly told him that this round was on me.

Drunk Dude took the shot and LOVED IT! He even tipped me. Dude was so drunk, he never even noticed that there wasn't a lick of liquor in his shot.

It's times like these that make me really, really love my job.