1954 Practical Bar Management by Eddie Clarke

PRACTICAL BAR MANAGEMENT

Man arrives (unless, of course, he has a high reputation), but it can swiftly be dismissed by the experienced man during the course of business. Respect will therefore come with popularity, but be wary in this distinguishment, and watch for those who may claim favouritism, thereby allowing the green eye of jealousy to fall upon the remainder of the staff. Be then pleasant to them all, greet them always with a"good-morning"—attend to any grievances at once, and encourage any suggestions which will benefit the running of the bar or help towards that desired happy staff attitude. In addition, callthem by their Christian names,and take an interest in their personal welfare, it will all add up in the end to a total of discipline born of respect. 4. Take every advantage of travel, especially abroad. It gives one lots of ideas and impressions of how other Cocktail Bars are run. Try also to acquire a knowledge of other languages, for whilst they are not really a necessity in this branch ofthe catering business, they are at most times a great asset. The duties ofthe Bar Manager and the Head Bartender are alike, inasmuch as they are both responsible for all the stocks and cash transactions appertaining to the particular bar. They are respon sible also for deficiency of profit, providing there is an accurate checking and stocktaking system. They are responsible for the seiwice, cleanliness and good orderliness of the bar, and for the allotting of jobs to the various assistants in preparation for the bar service. In addition the Bar Manager, apartfrom supervising the operations of several bars, could also be answerable for the buying of the wines, spirits and other commodities, for sale therein. He should also play the part of social host, welcoming and caring for the well-being ofthe clientele. The assistants should carry out their allotted duties without having the various tasks pointed out to them over and over again. They should likewise use their own intuition, and if there is something that requires attention, they should see that the matter is dealt with, in fact, they must show the same care for the prosperity of the bar as do their senior colleagues. The first duty ofthe day for the combined forces ofthe bar staff 38 DUTIES OF THE BAR STAFF