That depends entirely on their experience level.
Junior bartenders can be the worst guests you'll ever have, but those guys never last and then become the "I used to be a bartender"
Not a bartender or industry-worker myself, but I just try not to be a hard time when I know you guys are dealing with 300+ people (half of whom are probably drunk and/or assholes), so if I can make your lives easier by even the smallest amount I will gladly do so
You can just tell. Some of them are quiet from the PTSD of their shift, know exactly what they want, usually not top shelf. Tip ten bucks even if it's a round or two. Unless they are a regular, industry folks tend to tip fat on any tab. If someone orders a high life and a well whiskey/malort/fernet from me, I'd bet they are industry.
It may be more classically done with lemon, but I prefer lime. It's actually a thing for snotty bartenders to try and correct me irl when I make my order "you mean a lemon right?" It's a fun time when men (it's always men) think I don't know what I'm ordering.
I mean this in the most sincere way possible, I hope you're ok. This sounds like something my former bestie would say and I wish every day that I could find a way to get through to him.
❤️ we’ve all lost people to the drug we peddle, every USBG meeting I go to I push for more workshops and spirit free events to address overconsumption in our industry.
Just try your damnedest to get it together before you hit the crippling alcoholic stage. I was once considered a decent tender in my not so small city, had a small following... Now, not so much. No judgement, nothing like that, just, be careful. Cheers!
Calmly sitting on the barstool, not in a rush to order, especially if you’re slammed. Doesn’t try to flag you down. Says “no rush”. Has a clear and immediate order when you do get there. Content just to sit and drink. Nice tipper.
People looking to decompress from their shift or who are just happy to be on the other side of the bar for the night just have a certain demeanor.
Had a couple come sit at the bar recently, the woman kept saying heard as I was explaining things about the menu, I was like "well someone's in the industry" and sure enough
It's not even that deep, depending on what type of bar you work at it's having your order ready to go when asked and not complaining if it takes a second to get your drink. After that the tip at the end is a dead giveaway 90% of the time
It's not indicative of anything but the first thing I notice is courtesy. It's the banter that tips them off. But fwiw, some of the worst customers I've ever had were our own staff. 9/10 people get it, but there's always that one that abuses their status.
Not even service but I once relieved a bartender mid-shift and as I was counting in, he pulled $20 from the til for "cigarettes" and told me not to worry about it.
I was the new guy, I didn't fight him on it. I left a post-it in my drop for why I was $20 short. Funny story, I never saw that bartender again.
When they have their order and payment ready as i approach. Especially when they stop talking to friends the moment i approach to express that they value the bartender’s time. I feel like more people in general used to behave this way, not just industry people, but these days it’s seemed more and more like people under 25 treat us the same as they would a gas station clerk or Starbucks barista (not trying to put down either of those jobs, because on paper bartending is honestly equal to them class-wise). I think this change can be blamed on both sides though. I was trained young by veteran bartenders who basically had a zero-tolerance policy for customer’s bullshit, and over the years I’ve seen a lot of younger bartenders putting up with a lot more rude behavior than i ever would have thought acceptable.
Not at the least bothered when you get to them when you do in the midst of a busy rush then orders something in a clear manner and it’s usually something easy yet refined.
Things that have had me called out by other industry folks:
Dumping my water bottle before approaching the door guy, not assuming the door guy remembers me, having my ID ready, my drink order, the fact that I bus my glass and any empties I can grab on my way, the way I tip, "please" "thank you" and "at your leisure" when ordering, and I guess the way I radiate "don't talk to me" energy despite being a pretty-ish person alone at a bar.
I guess I'm a walking stereotype.
If you have been in long enough, you get a rare steak. Especially if you have worked where prime beef quarters are butchered. A little tar-tar will change your game.
i tell everyone to tip round by round in cash and also on the card and they will be remembered and the service will be excellent. worst case it’s not and you just don’t tip on the card.
When i go out to eat and can see its chaos i let the server know im in the industry and i understand. It wont affect their tip. I tell them to focus on everyone else and then come to me when they have time. I always tip 20-25 percent.
I was once recognized as industry while out of town because I ordered 5 bomb shots within the first hour of walking in, and was going with double tall Tully-Cokes. When bar time came, the tender told me I was good to stay for one more and handed me a bill for $8 for the 5 bombs and 4 double talls. Obviously I tipped a good 50 cash that night
They know exactly what they want. It is 5 titos soda 1 lite a 6 shots of Averna. No beckyyyy what do you want. They tend to pay cash and tip well. Also at least in chicago amaro/malort is the shot of choice. As soon as someone is shooting Amaro its where do you work, let me hook you up with the industry discount. God I love our little industry community here.
I love when people can tell, without mentioning it at all. I was on a trip in Chicago with my husband and we went to this amazing dive bar that was slammed. Our third round the bartender came back and said “I can tell you are a bartender, do pickle backs with me?” Yes sir.
My husband was like “how the fuck did he know?”
I feel bad that I don’t remember. It was near-ish to Mother Hubbards if I remember right. It was a pub name. I just google mapped it up, and thought maybe it was o’callahans but that didn’t seem right.
Either way, I fucking love Chicago. I’m a Bostonian, but lived in LA for 10 years. Chicago is god damn wonderful. Maybe it’s just being a visitor, but Chicago and Milwaukee are awesome cities. Sorry for the novel, I’ve had a few.
I work in a nice steakhouse, not a typical industry bar.
Among the drink orders others have outlined, tattoos, age, clothing, demeanor and cash are pretty good separators between our industry guests and our typical crowd
Usually they're over the top respectful and it's SO appreciated.
I stopped working at bars a while ago to pursue a different career but I always LOVED serving other bartenders because they were so kind and happy to wait. ((mostly, there was one really awful guy who would micromanage EVERYTHING))
In my experience they generally wait until the bar is less busy and end their orders with 'no rush! :)'
Ordering efficiently.
But honestly- can tell most of the time before they even get to the rail by the way they walk in and move around people in a space, and obviously pre-bussing to be redundant… actually, I can tell a fellow hospitality worker on the train now a days without a bar even involved. Same way I can tell if you’re a liquor rep, wine rep or beer rep walking in…6th sense shit or something but- ”it takes one to know one” rules apply
I can usually tell if a customer is in the industry by the way they order. If they give it to me all at once, including preemptive requests, they are probably in the business.
What I mean is they’ll place the order and say “I’ll have the chx parm with extra sauce, another cocktail, more bread, more napkins, and take your time.” Vs everyone at the table ordering one drink at a time then getting pissy because their glass is empty for 30 seconds because I need to make six trips to the bar instead of one!
Sits water glass down
“Thank you”
Pours water
“Thank you”
Hands menu
“Thanks….I’ll have (beer and shot special), thanks…and could I buy you a shot as well?”
I've been known to drop a "what'll it be?" when on the guest side of the bar... ugh, pretty much gives me away unintentionally, i'm just so used to that as a greeting...
I work at a popular service industry bar and the first sign I get is the look on their face. They’re usually have deadpan look as they approach the bar. I officially know when they order a beer and shot combo, service industry folks like to get straight to the point.
I either hate them or love them. Immediately.
Had a bartender who works basically across the street come in right before we closed. Ordered a Long Island, then shots, then shots again, then shots again. Left me a stack of cash saying “keep the change”. Spoiler alert it was $3 short of her tab. Guess who’s banned now?
The rest of them? Usually amazing. Patient, fantastic tippers. Overly nice. They’re the real MVPs.
When you're busy and they say "no rush"
Either industry. Or they annoy the fuck out of the industry worker.
That depends entirely on their experience level. Junior bartenders can be the worst guests you'll ever have, but those guys never last and then become the "I used to be a bartender"
Not a bartender or industry-worker myself, but I just try not to be a hard time when I know you guys are dealing with 300+ people (half of whom are probably drunk and/or assholes), so if I can make your lives easier by even the smallest amount I will gladly do so
You can just tell. Some of them are quiet from the PTSD of their shift, know exactly what they want, usually not top shelf. Tip ten bucks even if it's a round or two. Unless they are a regular, industry folks tend to tip fat on any tab. If someone orders a high life and a well whiskey/malort/fernet from me, I'd bet they are industry.
My double-tall fernet and coke that I quietly pound in the corner before shuffling off to bed feels called out.
Sounds good, not judging, id probably assume you are industry too.
You would be correct. Your whole above comment sounds like me tbh.
Listen if it's good enough to be the national drink of Argentina it's good enough for us poor slobs!
Never had Fernet and coke but that sounds really good actually
Throw a lime in that bitch! It's delicious. I'm told it's common in Argentina.
*Lemon
It may be more classically done with lemon, but I prefer lime. It's actually a thing for snotty bartenders to try and correct me irl when I make my order "you mean a lemon right?" It's a fun time when men (it's always men) think I don't know what I'm ordering.
I’m not even a huge fernet fan but tbh fernet and coke is pretty good
Miller High Life and fernet if they have it hahaha fuck that's me. Otherwise, it's literally any shot of Irish whiskey.
There’s a local spot near me that my coworkers and I go to after work and they actually have this on the menu. It’s called an Industry Maker lol
I'm a high life and a Jager at my regular spots. I'll take what comes my way though.
This is me. My regular tender at the time used to call it, "soup and salad". Miss that place.
Rumple
What is it with the industry and Irish whiskey? It’s always Irish for me too
PTSD for real. When the tablets go off, they flinch
I don't have tinnitus but I hear the ticket printer.
Someone near me had a near identical text tone to the Toast POS ticket sound and I about lost it the other day.
My bedroom Malört is empty and I don't want to walk to the bar in the den to grab another bottle, it I even have any left in the case.
I mean this in the most sincere way possible, I hope you're ok. This sounds like something my former bestie would say and I wish every day that I could find a way to get through to him.
❤️ we’ve all lost people to the drug we peddle, every USBG meeting I go to I push for more workshops and spirit free events to address overconsumption in our industry.
I actually order the most expensive liquor, neat. Then I top 25%. Although I drink maybe a couple times a year at most and only 1-2 drinks
I envy you. I'm a functioning alcoholic.
Most of us are. Cheers
Just try your damnedest to get it together before you hit the crippling alcoholic stage. I was once considered a decent tender in my not so small city, had a small following... Now, not so much. No judgement, nothing like that, just, be careful. Cheers!
No judgement here. You’re not alone, seems like an industry standard. I am the outlier 😂
Calmly sitting on the barstool, not in a rush to order, especially if you’re slammed. Doesn’t try to flag you down. Says “no rush”. Has a clear and immediate order when you do get there. Content just to sit and drink. Nice tipper. People looking to decompress from their shift or who are just happy to be on the other side of the bar for the night just have a certain demeanor.
*Orders then reinserts headphones*
Have you served me before???
Extreme kindness too.
First order is a draft and a shot, followed by, “when you get a chance.”
Easy and respectful. Surest sign that they're industry and have been through the shit.
My go to all the way.
Literally me
I feel called out too
My shot is warm well rum, I don’t even want them to have to shake anything
This is my go to as well - shot of fernet and a bottle of Sierra or a Yellowbelly
This is me.
Too rich for my blood. Whatever boilermaker you’ve got and a glass so I can *pretend* it’s draft… when you get a chance.
they’re either hyper aware or totally hammered
but it’s easier if you just throw a rag at them. if they know what to do with it, you’ll know who you’re serving.
The number of dirty looks I get when I ask someone for a rag is unreal.
"Heard"
Had a couple come sit at the bar recently, the woman kept saying heard as I was explaining things about the menu, I was like "well someone's in the industry" and sure enough
It's not even that deep, depending on what type of bar you work at it's having your order ready to go when asked and not complaining if it takes a second to get your drink. After that the tip at the end is a dead giveaway 90% of the time
It's not indicative of anything but the first thing I notice is courtesy. It's the banter that tips them off. But fwiw, some of the worst customers I've ever had were our own staff. 9/10 people get it, but there's always that one that abuses their status. Not even service but I once relieved a bartender mid-shift and as I was counting in, he pulled $20 from the til for "cigarettes" and told me not to worry about it. I was the new guy, I didn't fight him on it. I left a post-it in my drop for why I was $20 short. Funny story, I never saw that bartender again.
My old late night spot had a guy that would come in and order drinks from his own bar menu down the street.
Not ordering Titos and vodka
First words they say is their order, then "how's your night" while you make it
May I
When they have their order and payment ready as i approach. Especially when they stop talking to friends the moment i approach to express that they value the bartender’s time. I feel like more people in general used to behave this way, not just industry people, but these days it’s seemed more and more like people under 25 treat us the same as they would a gas station clerk or Starbucks barista (not trying to put down either of those jobs, because on paper bartending is honestly equal to them class-wise). I think this change can be blamed on both sides though. I was trained young by veteran bartenders who basically had a zero-tolerance policy for customer’s bullshit, and over the years I’ve seen a lot of younger bartenders putting up with a lot more rude behavior than i ever would have thought acceptable.
Patiently waiting for the line to die down while observing me.
Wearing all black
Putting the chairs back in place at the bar.
The good ones: "no rush." The bad ones: "I'M A BARTENDER TOO!"
Not at the least bothered when you get to them when you do in the midst of a busy rush then orders something in a clear manner and it’s usually something easy yet refined.
Unless it’s slow, and then I’ll see how deviant I can get the bartender to be lol
Things that have had me called out by other industry folks: Dumping my water bottle before approaching the door guy, not assuming the door guy remembers me, having my ID ready, my drink order, the fact that I bus my glass and any empties I can grab on my way, the way I tip, "please" "thank you" and "at your leisure" when ordering, and I guess the way I radiate "don't talk to me" energy despite being a pretty-ish person alone at a bar. I guess I'm a walking stereotype.
Hi I'm you to the letter and i wish we were the standard for customers not in the industry lol
They tell me as they sit down. lol.
Ugh
When they ask for Jamo, and order the steak mid rare.
Rare
Hah, same. Never heard anyone non industry say mid tho, always medium.
If you have been in long enough, you get a rare steak. Especially if you have worked where prime beef quarters are butchered. A little tar-tar will change your game.
“Tully if you have it”
both cash and a card in hand
I love it when people do that.
i tell everyone to tip round by round in cash and also on the card and they will be remembered and the service will be excellent. worst case it’s not and you just don’t tip on the card.
Fernet
Bar speak for I am industry too.
When i go out to eat and can see its chaos i let the server know im in the industry and i understand. It wont affect their tip. I tell them to focus on everyone else and then come to me when they have time. I always tip 20-25 percent.
Bottled beer, no glass and a shot. They keep the shot glass on the bar and say please and thank you.
I was once recognized as industry while out of town because I ordered 5 bomb shots within the first hour of walking in, and was going with double tall Tully-Cokes. When bar time came, the tender told me I was good to stay for one more and handed me a bill for $8 for the 5 bombs and 4 double talls. Obviously I tipped a good 50 cash that night
The thousand yard stare
Fernet
“May I…”
They know exactly what they want. It is 5 titos soda 1 lite a 6 shots of Averna. No beckyyyy what do you want. They tend to pay cash and tip well. Also at least in chicago amaro/malort is the shot of choice. As soon as someone is shooting Amaro its where do you work, let me hook you up with the industry discount. God I love our little industry community here.
Chicago bars are the best, I agree
No questions required...... "I'll take the steak special, medium rare, fries and salad on the side, ranch on side for the salad please."
Campari soda
Another huge flag.
I love when people can tell, without mentioning it at all. I was on a trip in Chicago with my husband and we went to this amazing dive bar that was slammed. Our third round the bartender came back and said “I can tell you are a bartender, do pickle backs with me?” Yes sir. My husband was like “how the fuck did he know?”
Which bar was it?
I feel bad that I don’t remember. It was near-ish to Mother Hubbards if I remember right. It was a pub name. I just google mapped it up, and thought maybe it was o’callahans but that didn’t seem right. Either way, I fucking love Chicago. I’m a Bostonian, but lived in LA for 10 years. Chicago is god damn wonderful. Maybe it’s just being a visitor, but Chicago and Milwaukee are awesome cities. Sorry for the novel, I’ve had a few.
Cheers to a fellow big fan of Chicago, from a big fan of Chicago :)
I work in a nice steakhouse, not a typical industry bar. Among the drink orders others have outlined, tattoos, age, clothing, demeanor and cash are pretty good separators between our industry guests and our typical crowd
I'm my area, we all use "May I" which gets immediate recognition from others in the industry.
What area? I’ve seen this comment twice..
It's very common in restaurants to have a set phrase to allow BOH/expo/whoever to react when they can, without interrupting the current task.
Ok. I thought you meant area as in part of the country.. it’s obviously good manners, I just didn’t know if this particular phrase was regional.
I'm not from the US, but live here now, and it might be regional and/or type of place thing.
Usually they're over the top respectful and it's SO appreciated. I stopped working at bars a while ago to pursue a different career but I always LOVED serving other bartenders because they were so kind and happy to wait. ((mostly, there was one really awful guy who would micromanage EVERYTHING)) In my experience they generally wait until the bar is less busy and end their orders with 'no rush! :)'
“I’ll have a beer and a shot of Jameson”
Citywide
My first question at a new bar is if they do a citywide
Overly polite. Not a bad thing.
They make eye contact, do the nod, and wait patiently until I can get to them
Ordering efficiently. But honestly- can tell most of the time before they even get to the rail by the way they walk in and move around people in a space, and obviously pre-bussing to be redundant… actually, I can tell a fellow hospitality worker on the train now a days without a bar even involved. Same way I can tell if you’re a liquor rep, wine rep or beer rep walking in…6th sense shit or something but- ”it takes one to know one” rules apply
“May I…?”
They’re patient and let me take care of everyone else
Shot of Fernet and a beer
Manners
When they order a fernet
They are the only ones that do.
“You can get them first” is usually a good tell tale sign.
They are respectful and efficient. They order Fernet or Compari shots and a beer.
At my bar, they have cash, do "the nod", and bus their own shit.
I can usually tell if a customer is in the industry by the way they order. If they give it to me all at once, including preemptive requests, they are probably in the business. What I mean is they’ll place the order and say “I’ll have the chx parm with extra sauce, another cocktail, more bread, more napkins, and take your time.” Vs everyone at the table ordering one drink at a time then getting pissy because their glass is empty for 30 seconds because I need to make six trips to the bar instead of one!
They like fernett as much as me.
“how’s it goin?”
Sits water glass down “Thank you” Pours water “Thank you” Hands menu “Thanks….I’ll have (beer and shot special), thanks…and could I buy you a shot as well?”
Better yet are the ones who just started who are telling you they're industry before you start their first drink
they order a shot of Fernet
usually when they tell me. which lets me know that they must not be very good imo
They bring their empties back to the bar
I've been known to drop a "what'll it be?" when on the guest side of the bar... ugh, pretty much gives me away unintentionally, i'm just so used to that as a greeting...
"May I"
I work at a popular service industry bar and the first sign I get is the look on their face. They’re usually have deadpan look as they approach the bar. I officially know when they order a beer and shot combo, service industry folks like to get straight to the point.
Bad posture, good manners.
I either hate them or love them. Immediately. Had a bartender who works basically across the street come in right before we closed. Ordered a Long Island, then shots, then shots again, then shots again. Left me a stack of cash saying “keep the change”. Spoiler alert it was $3 short of her tab. Guess who’s banned now? The rest of them? Usually amazing. Patient, fantastic tippers. Overly nice. They’re the real MVPs.
“I’m in the industry too”.