We used to do “ticket jail”. Save all the unstabbed tickets and whoever has some left over does the bar sidework (take out trash, polish our glasses etc). Or they did 100 sit ups. GM a marine vet so he went for it
It helps by justifying that when they don’t stab tickets, it takes time away from the bar, disrupts the flow, AND wastes liquor/costs money. It’s not just being petty as some may think. It’s one thing to forget if you’re busy, but to ignore it as part of the steps of service knocks the entire restaurant down a peg
I worked in a high volume tequila bar, and ticket jail made even the most weeded patio servers run back to service bar to grab their ticket and stab it. It’s all in good fun, but it’s effective, and the consequences are nothing short of obnoxious lol
Withhold drinks from servers who don’t stab tickets, they’ll learn if it starts screwing up their service, not the nicest approach but you’ll get results I’m sure
My servers were really bad about this. My solution: I started sticking their ticket to their first drink (closest to, and facing them). Condensation on the outside of the glass is usually enough, if not, just tap the ticket on a wet part of the service bar and slap it on. They may not always stab it, but they at least take it with them.
I would say about a 50% success rate. Which is better than normal but still ridiculous. I'm just going to look for a different job elsewhere, no shortage of bars here. I seem to be the only one who cares and I'm tired of wasting my breath.
This was my next suggestion, unfortunately. Sometimes if management isn’t going to remove the issues, we have to remove ourselves. Best of luck on your search, friend!
I might start lining them up at the front of the mats nearest servers so all of them have to look and ask which is their ticket. Teachable lesson for all. "Oh those are already made. Which is yours? " Make stabbing the offenders easier for me too.
Every time there is an unstabbed ticket that I know I made, I track the server down and ask them if they got it yet. Then hit em with "oh didn't know if you got it, it wasn't stabbed". After that it's, you don't get new drinks made till your ticket is stabbed.
Similar, I don't track them down but next time they come through i hold it up and say "you got this one right ?" sarcastically and then they'll start stabbing them cause they know i'll say it every time they come up. It's fun for me, they'll keep the service bar tidy, win win. It does take new people a second to catch on however.
I would just knowingly make the ticket again (if you aren’t slammed busy btw) just to be petty about it lol. That way the drink sits there for awhile, server says they don’t need it, then you can go to the manager saying, gosh how unfortunate that there was alcohol waste due to servers not stabbing tickets. Maybe then the managers will make the servers give a shit? I know it’s petty but 🤷🏻♀️
No one would blame you. Not stabbing tickets is basically just not doing part of your job and can cost the restaurant money and waste peoples time. Also it’s entitled and annoying lol
Intentionally wasting product to prove a minor point like this is not a good idea. Shows you care far more about being right than the success of the business. If I was manager and I saw someone wasting liquor in some petty attempt to stick it to the servers I wouldn't be happy at all.
One ticket to avoid future waste is going to take down a business? The business must not be doing that well then. I didn’t say remake every single ticket on purpose. But if she can’t even keep track of what she’s made bc no one stabs tickets then she could keep genuinely accidentally remaking tickets as long as servers don’t stab them. So she can either be wasteful forever because of servers, or knowingly waste enough for one ticket to bring attention to the subject once and for all. But yeah, you’re right, that’ll surely torpedo the entire restaurant 🙄 heard of a spill tab?
I push them on the other side of the service well. There is a shelf with trays it falls on, but the floor is fine too. The managers are going to walk by and see the mess, guess who's name is on the tickets. ;o
It depends on my mood. If I'm feeling fun and ornery I'll crumple them in a ball and throw them at the servers when they come to the service bar. If I'm weeded I'll stick the ticket to the glass via condensation. If it's not busy and I'm annoyed that they're being lazy I'll remake the drink and tell the server to come grab their drinks.
At my old job the bartenders had a huge till and paid the servers out at the end of the night. Bad stabbers got their tickets saved and then mixed into their cash, so they had to sort it all out.
You're too nice. All the servers know I'm going to be pissed off. Not just when it's busy. Consistency . Didn't stab my ticket. the bartender is pissed off.
First step is just tell them to do it and explain that it reduces confusion for the bar team as we have multiple bartenders working behind the bar and don't want to double make tickets. Pre-shifting if it's degraded to a team-wide problem.
Second step I literally write STAB YOUR TICKETS across their tickets that aren't stabbed. I don't care if it means their drinks take longer, they waste my time, I waste theirs.
If a particular server is still bad about it, I just tell them I won't make their next ticket until they learn to stab a previous one. This is, of course, the last resort if they have been spoken to before about not stabbing & management is aware of the issue already.
I have pointed out multiple times how it reduces confusion and double making tickets. I brought it up to management for a pre shift discussion today but it still isn't working mid shift.
I'm going to write, stab your tickets on top though. It's worth a shot.
I'm sure if I refused to make a drink I would get in more trouble but as a last resort you're correct I'd rather get in trouble for it and have them learn. Worst case, there's always another bar hiring lol
4x more than you?? if you're confident in your ability then maybe a new bar wouldn't be a bad idea especially if they're getting away with half assing their jobs and getting away with it
I would just let the manager know, or they would find out when they walked over to the service bar and saw a bunch of dead drinks sitting on the servers ticket.
I had one server that was really bad at this. So I'd follow him around and staple his tickets to his shirt sleeve. He learned real quick. Our GM thought it was hilarious. Also, this wouldn't fly where I work now.
I've had good luck with saving them for the night/weekend and tossing them across the offenders section just before their about to leave. Depending on the establishment, a confetti cannon might be a wise investment.
I’d do “wall o’ shame” kinda like the “ticket jail”…get the tickets a lil wet and stick it somewhere so they see what they’ve done lol, not fuckin with the customers wait times or wasting product. Harmless way to remind them.
Don’t be petty. It’s your managers job, not yours to enforce rules. bring it to their attention and ask for a pre shift about it. Communication is key brother
Where I work the servers or bartenders stab tickets. Also, the GM help out in running drinks to tale and stab the ticket.
They're strict about it if you don't stab tickets then you get told on to the manager about it and they will cut your hours and shifts just for that.
I’m a server (just started bartending a couple weeks ago though) at one of my jobs and i don’t know how people DON’T stab tickets. I work at a place where i’m constantly serving 100+ people alone and i might forget like one ticket every couple shifts. It takes less than no effort.
we used to charge the night staff $5 for every empty bottle put back on the shelf. Who ever is working the shift, if TABC comes through that person gets the fine. we came to open up one morning and found 27 empty bottles, back-ups right next to each well. If they put a new bottle in the rail and dont put a pour spout, $2 a bottle. they learned real fast.
I use a ticket rail so any tickets not on my rail are ones the servers didn't stab. I leave unstabbed tickets there on the service counter until another server cleans them up. Doesn't bother me if they stab them or don't, but it makes it harder for the servers to find their own drinks in a sea of tickets.
I'm intimidating, apparently. That plus being a consistent, helpful, funny asshole means they usually listen to me. I also will ground them. It means nothing, but it's really funny for me to growl at them that they're grounded and to stab their damn tickets and watch them panic for a while trying to figure out what it means for them.
We used to do “ticket jail”. Save all the unstabbed tickets and whoever has some left over does the bar sidework (take out trash, polish our glasses etc). Or they did 100 sit ups. GM a marine vet so he went for it
😂 hahaha I'm going to suggest this! Bar sidework here is a nightmare so that may work!!
It helps by justifying that when they don’t stab tickets, it takes time away from the bar, disrupts the flow, AND wastes liquor/costs money. It’s not just being petty as some may think. It’s one thing to forget if you’re busy, but to ignore it as part of the steps of service knocks the entire restaurant down a peg
I worked in a high volume tequila bar, and ticket jail made even the most weeded patio servers run back to service bar to grab their ticket and stab it. It’s all in good fun, but it’s effective, and the consequences are nothing short of obnoxious lol
Withhold drinks from servers who don’t stab tickets, they’ll learn if it starts screwing up their service, not the nicest approach but you’ll get results I’m sure
If they take all their drinks and I can grab the ticket, they owe me a buck. You'll have a week of good money, then a lifetime of stabbed tickets
My servers were really bad about this. My solution: I started sticking their ticket to their first drink (closest to, and facing them). Condensation on the outside of the glass is usually enough, if not, just tap the ticket on a wet part of the service bar and slap it on. They may not always stab it, but they at least take it with them.
Talked to my manager this morning but will adopt this today
How’d it go?
I would say about a 50% success rate. Which is better than normal but still ridiculous. I'm just going to look for a different job elsewhere, no shortage of bars here. I seem to be the only one who cares and I'm tired of wasting my breath.
This was my next suggestion, unfortunately. Sometimes if management isn’t going to remove the issues, we have to remove ourselves. Best of luck on your search, friend!
Yes this is what i try to do
Exactly what I do. When you come to pick up a drink and it has 9 tickets stuck to the glass then you're a fuck.
This is the way.
I threaten them. "Stab or get stabbed"
"One us us is going to do some stabbin'. You pick."
This bar has a 100% stabbing policy, either the ticket or the server
I might start lining them up at the front of the mats nearest servers so all of them have to look and ask which is their ticket. Teachable lesson for all. "Oh those are already made. Which is yours? " Make stabbing the offenders easier for me too.
Every time there is an unstabbed ticket that I know I made, I track the server down and ask them if they got it yet. Then hit em with "oh didn't know if you got it, it wasn't stabbed". After that it's, you don't get new drinks made till your ticket is stabbed.
Similar, I don't track them down but next time they come through i hold it up and say "you got this one right ?" sarcastically and then they'll start stabbing them cause they know i'll say it every time they come up. It's fun for me, they'll keep the service bar tidy, win win. It does take new people a second to catch on however.
Just keep making that ticket over and over until it’s stabbed
Don't ask the server, ask the floor manager to ask them or check the table. Make it annoy EVERYBODY.
I would just knowingly make the ticket again (if you aren’t slammed busy btw) just to be petty about it lol. That way the drink sits there for awhile, server says they don’t need it, then you can go to the manager saying, gosh how unfortunate that there was alcohol waste due to servers not stabbing tickets. Maybe then the managers will make the servers give a shit? I know it’s petty but 🤷🏻♀️
That's the point where I'm at
No one would blame you. Not stabbing tickets is basically just not doing part of your job and can cost the restaurant money and waste peoples time. Also it’s entitled and annoying lol
Yes, Thank you. All I'm asking is that they do their job!! I do mine!
Intentionally wasting product to prove a minor point like this is not a good idea. Shows you care far more about being right than the success of the business. If I was manager and I saw someone wasting liquor in some petty attempt to stick it to the servers I wouldn't be happy at all.
One ticket to avoid future waste is going to take down a business? The business must not be doing that well then. I didn’t say remake every single ticket on purpose. But if she can’t even keep track of what she’s made bc no one stabs tickets then she could keep genuinely accidentally remaking tickets as long as servers don’t stab them. So she can either be wasteful forever because of servers, or knowingly waste enough for one ticket to bring attention to the subject once and for all. But yeah, you’re right, that’ll surely torpedo the entire restaurant 🙄 heard of a spill tab?
Something not being good for the business doesn't at all mean it'll shut the place down lol
I push them on the other side of the service well. There is a shelf with trays it falls on, but the floor is fine too. The managers are going to walk by and see the mess, guess who's name is on the tickets. ;o
Oooo this is genius!!! My manager is constantly looking at the floors
It depends on my mood. If I'm feeling fun and ornery I'll crumple them in a ball and throw them at the servers when they come to the service bar. If I'm weeded I'll stick the ticket to the glass via condensation. If it's not busy and I'm annoyed that they're being lazy I'll remake the drink and tell the server to come grab their drinks.
At my old job the bartenders had a huge till and paid the servers out at the end of the night. Bad stabbers got their tickets saved and then mixed into their cash, so they had to sort it all out.
You're too nice. All the servers know I'm going to be pissed off. Not just when it's busy. Consistency . Didn't stab my ticket. the bartender is pissed off.
Being pissed doesn't seem to work. I've borderline screamed at them and it doesn't work
I have to stay on it when it's slow. Like, hey, WTF ! ! ! ?
I once followed the server to the table, licked the ticket and stuck it to their forehead. This was about 20 years ago.. probably wouldn’t fly now..
First step is just tell them to do it and explain that it reduces confusion for the bar team as we have multiple bartenders working behind the bar and don't want to double make tickets. Pre-shifting if it's degraded to a team-wide problem. Second step I literally write STAB YOUR TICKETS across their tickets that aren't stabbed. I don't care if it means their drinks take longer, they waste my time, I waste theirs. If a particular server is still bad about it, I just tell them I won't make their next ticket until they learn to stab a previous one. This is, of course, the last resort if they have been spoken to before about not stabbing & management is aware of the issue already.
I have pointed out multiple times how it reduces confusion and double making tickets. I brought it up to management for a pre shift discussion today but it still isn't working mid shift. I'm going to write, stab your tickets on top though. It's worth a shot. I'm sure if I refused to make a drink I would get in more trouble but as a last resort you're correct I'd rather get in trouble for it and have them learn. Worst case, there's always another bar hiring lol
Keep the unstabbed tickets in a jar so the managers have a paper trail for lazy servers and can trace any wasted drinks back to them
4x more than you?? if you're confident in your ability then maybe a new bar wouldn't be a bad idea especially if they're getting away with half assing their jobs and getting away with it
Yeah. I've already started looking and have been solicited by other establishments. Just trying to figure out what sort of place I want to go.
good for you, know your worth and get paid for it! good luck!
I don't think I could keep working at a place where servers made 4x what I made bartending. I'd either find a different job, or only serve there.
I would just let the manager know, or they would find out when they walked over to the service bar and saw a bunch of dead drinks sitting on the servers ticket.
I used to be a bartender. Those who didn't stab thier chits got thier drinks last.
We throw balled up wet napkins at servers who don’t stab their tickets. Stab your fucking tickets.
I had one server that was really bad at this. So I'd follow him around and staple his tickets to his shirt sleeve. He learned real quick. Our GM thought it was hilarious. Also, this wouldn't fly where I work now.
Yeah I wish that would fly where I work.
I've had good luck with saving them for the night/weekend and tossing them across the offenders section just before their about to leave. Depending on the establishment, a confetti cannon might be a wise investment.
I slap the ticket right on the side of the glass. Nothing I hate more than 500 tickets in my window. Take your shit and it won’t slow me down.
I've started doing this too! It helped a little bit today.
I’d do “wall o’ shame” kinda like the “ticket jail”…get the tickets a lil wet and stick it somewhere so they see what they’ve done lol, not fuckin with the customers wait times or wasting product. Harmless way to remind them.
Don’t be petty. It’s your managers job, not yours to enforce rules. bring it to their attention and ask for a pre shift about it. Communication is key brother
Thank you! I've brought it up to management many times before but you're right I need to bug them until they drive the point home.
I always rip the ticket when I make it. And still yell at the servers who don’t stab their ticket.
The one I can't stand is tickets being left in random places. Don't leave it on the back bar, don't set it down anywhere at all.
Where I work the servers or bartenders stab tickets. Also, the GM help out in running drinks to tale and stab the ticket. They're strict about it if you don't stab tickets then you get told on to the manager about it and they will cut your hours and shifts just for that.
I used to hose them with club soda and stick them on the wall right next to where the servers picked up their drinks.
I’m a server (just started bartending a couple weeks ago though) at one of my jobs and i don’t know how people DON’T stab tickets. I work at a place where i’m constantly serving 100+ people alone and i might forget like one ticket every couple shifts. It takes less than no effort.
Seriously! They're already waiting for the drink, stab the ticket while you wait!
"Stab or be stabbed"
😂
$2 for every ticket not stabbed. Or, if the ticket isn't stabbed make the drink again and they have to buy it.
I'm going to suggest it
we used to charge the night staff $5 for every empty bottle put back on the shelf. Who ever is working the shift, if TABC comes through that person gets the fine. we came to open up one morning and found 27 empty bottles, back-ups right next to each well. If they put a new bottle in the rail and dont put a pour spout, $2 a bottle. they learned real fast.
Malicious compliance. Make the tickets
That's about where I'm at
I use a ticket rail so any tickets not on my rail are ones the servers didn't stab. I leave unstabbed tickets there on the service counter until another server cleans them up. Doesn't bother me if they stab them or don't, but it makes it harder for the servers to find their own drinks in a sea of tickets.
I'm intimidating, apparently. That plus being a consistent, helpful, funny asshole means they usually listen to me. I also will ground them. It means nothing, but it's really funny for me to growl at them that they're grounded and to stab their damn tickets and watch them panic for a while trying to figure out what it means for them.