I have been working as a bartender far a couple of years now, primarily in a rather slow bar and as a banquet bartender on occasion. Although the work is steady I have become dissatisfied with the relatively low pay. I have been told that although it is harder, a bartender can make significantly more money working in a popular club. Therefor I have begun looking for a job at one of the many Sacramento clubs.
Since I have never worked in a club, and have never really gone to them, I would like to know how a club bartending experience is different from that of a regular bar. Is it much harder? Is the money much better? What should I know before hand? What are the owners looking for in a bartender? Any general advice/leads you can give me?
He was head bartender and manager of the best club in town when we were going to college. I live in a city of about 80,000, and this was “the” college night club to go to.
He was only paid about $12 CAN an hour, but on Wednesday’s (college night) and Friday and Saturday nights he would make $100-$180 CAN a night in tips. He was pretty good, he was fast and would do the odd cocktail flip trick.
But it was pretty fast and intense work. You’re on your feet for about 6 hours straight making a lot of drinks, fast. His hands looked like hamburger all the time from opening twist-off bottles.
But he was a great guy to know when going to college! No lines, no cover, free drinks!
I’m not a bartender, but I’ve wiled away much of my adult life (drinking age is 18 here) in pubs and clubs. I’d be expecting the following from working in a club, as opposed to a bar:
– Later working hours. I’m not sure about Sacremento, but most clubs here don’t pick up until after midnight/1am–and they go through until dawn. Expect big changes in your sleeping cycle.
– More people on drugs, but fewer drunken louts. FWIW, (most) people on (most) drugs are WAY easier to deal with than drunks. Fighting and bouncer interventions are very rare in most late-night clubs.
– Generally, you may find a bigger focus on the physical attractiveness of club staff. Many club owners specifically target and reward good-looking bartenders (of both sexes).
Come over and ask us here http://www.webtender.com/iforum/
I’m sure you’ll get some good responses.
Personally, I figured that you don’t make good money bartending, wherever you are, compared to my other career of computer consultant anyway. I’ve almost always worked party pubs, which are sort of different from both, so I can’t give much input on this question.
I’ve worked in both and far prefer clubs. There tends to be a much better, more laid-back atmosphere, the customers are nicer (yes, mostly because they’re high), tips tend to be better and your shift passes quickly because you’re always busy. The downsides are that you do have to be really fast, the hours don’t suit everyone (personally, I’m a nightowl, so it never bothered me), and it’s true that your physical appearance matters - ya’ gotta be pretty!
