Lately, too many articles on the Internet bashing customers for being rude, low tippers, and numerous other petty complaints.

To all of us behind the bar and wait staff as well, " We have the greatest job on Earth." Imagine this: you go for a job interview and the owner of the business says, "For every $2 I earn, you make a $1." That is the privilege we are given as restaurant/bar staff. We make a 15-20 percent tip and the owner nets 30-40 percent!
If you don't like every aspect of bartending/waiting, or hospitality, then take a hike. We earn $20, $40 , $60 bucks an hour or more in tips.

Don't Complain about a customer. Instead, stop touching your hair, face, butt or whatever, and then serve my food or make my drink. Don't squeeze a lime into my drink and pollute it with fingernail gunk! Don't wipe down the bar and grab my glass by the top third, and Stop Texting!

As far as a customer interrupting us,when we are so busy, earning awesome money; here is an example of Hospitality. A new customer finally gets our attention in our slammed bar and We have no time to tell them what beers we have or wait for them to decide what they want off our extensive list , so we throw the beer list at them and say , "I'll be back" and dash off. Wrong attitude!
It takes 15 seconds to do it right. Ask them what type of beer style they prefer (we only have to learn 6 words; Lager, Pilsner, Ale, Stout, Porter, or Wheat beer),politely hand the customer your list of drafts and bottles, offer a sample of their favorite style, and happily say I will be right back. A beer drinker hunts new beers. Make them comfortable and create a new regular. 15 seconds to create a positive experience and a regular customer.

A good regular tips us $250-$500 a year to open their beer, pour their draft or Jack and Coke. Really, we get a $1.00 for taking the cap off their beer!

So, to all of us in the Hospitality Bizz, Bar or Wait staff, Drop the attitude; Build your business, for that is the privilege we are given. 20 Percent!!!!
You lose your boss a table of 4, you cost the restaurant $5000 yearly income.They spread the word and your restaurant loses even more.

Yes, there are always bad customers. If they are not tipping you, or behaving improperly, then you need to work at it. It's called Hospitality, It's called Bartending, Tending to the Bar.

I don't mean to say the customer is always right, but I look at it this way, "A customer can get a drink and or a meal up the street, down the street, or at home; they don't need us. But what they cannot get any place else is Us; and the atmosphere and the "Energy Of The Experience", we create for and with them. "

Finally, two things: Each and every customer creates a memory(file) of their experience in our establishment, starting with that first visit. Everything we say and do, and the way they are treated, goes into that memory(file) AND It Does Not Come Out!
Remember every shift, Every day we work, is a Friday night for every guest coming through the door. Even if they are the only customer! It's about the "Energy of their Experience"; the laughter, the enjoyment of the food and drink, the small bits of conversation. This creates the "Energy of Their Experience" and the memory that will bring them back, with friends!

The next time they are thinking about going out (and handing us a $5 for putting a plate on the table in front of them or pouring their wine), alone or with friends, they will make immendiate choices. If your name and your restaurant's name pops up and everyone says YES! Let's Go There! You have done your job well, you understand hospitality. If not, you may not hear it, but many, all over town will be saying, Nah, I don't like that place, or " Damn, Look Who's Working." when they come in.

Now can I get some more bread? I won't need dinner, the soup filled me up. How about a lemon in my water?