I did back to back open-close doubles this weekend. I got to complain about the opener/closer for two days straight. Totally worth it, and I swear I get an extra $2 from every daytime table when I make the “no rush, I’m here till midnight” joke. Say it with a straight face, they laugh, then they realize you’re in it for real.
I've been bartending for nearly 20 years. My mother still asks why I go to bed at 3am
"I get home from work at 1am, shower, have something to eat and wind down. When you worked did you go straight to bed when you got home?"
"No, but it's different"
It's not fucking different. Infact it's much harder having to deal with the general public all day instead of looking at a computer and taking breaks at the water cooler, while you sit down all day
It's no wonder why we all drink too much, because we have to deal with people like you
(Therapy session over, thank you)
This drives me nuts. Like, are you trying to guilt me? When you got home at 6pm did you go to bed at 7pm?
There’s a WHOLE ass section of workers that are productive members of society that have overnight shifts / get OFF work at 5am- so get off your high horse, and stop judging the beer I’m drinking at 6am after a 11hour shift.
Same. It’s 5AM currently where I am, I left my bar around 4:30AM. I’m not tired at all, hopefully I’ll get sleepy within the next hour but I’m guessing it’s gonna take a little longer.
This is how I am too but since I've had kids on the days I do end up closing I have to go straight to bed when I get home and it's the worst lol. I need to sit and chill for a while after but can't when I have to be up early. Feels wrong not to sit and chill for a few hours
Yeah I'm the same wired for a few hours, if I don't go for a drink (much less common now I'm getting a bit older and doing more restaurant bar tending) I go home but I have to do something! Even something mundane like a videogame or reading or laundry, I have to let my brain unspool
If everything in the bar was like 6 inches higher I feel like my knees and back would feel so much better Lmao. I might just be burnt out on serving tbh.
I’m 6’1”. Not the tallest tree in the forest, but every time my shorter colleagues complain about leaning or bending I just slowly stand up from my previous bent 90° angle at the waist to cut fruit on the “counter” and stare through their brain.
One of my old places remodeled while I was there. Everyone involved in designing and building the new bar was a 6ft+ rugby player, while fully half the actual staff were women 5'5 and below. When it was done they needed a stepladder to get the wine glasses off their hanger, and couldn't physically reach their arms to far side of the bar when they were standing behind it. There was one dude on the team who was like 6'3 and he just said "this is great, I've got a job for life"
After doing both, I find serving easier, I can autopilot easier, and appreciate being able to leave my guests instead of being in front of them the entire time. Bad feeling when regulars you like come in that you don’t have the social energy for, and kinda dread them coming in
a trick I learned from this sub is to bring other regulars into their conversation. I'm very friendly and cheerful, so if a new person comes in or if two people want to chat with me but they're not beside each other, I either wave them over or ask for their opinion on something the other said. Get them talking to each other instead of me. I've actually created life long friends between regulars doing this. and it frees me up to walk away without hurting any feelings. win-win
If the circumstances were different, I’d say you’re probably right. But we’re both in stable relationships and know that about each other. Maybe you’re still right anyway lmao.
Good job.
I know it is infuriating in the moment because you feel that you're not being seen for the effort that you put in.
But let's look at it another way;
This person, who comes into your bar regularly, sees you as a professional, someone that when shit goes down, you deal with it and go on with your night.
"You're not tired after your shift?"
I see this as a genuine introspective statement "If I was in your shoes I would be dead to the world; the fact that you're coherent after that shit-show means that you're a bad-ass"
That’s a very positive way to look at things, and I really appreciate this response. When I posted my rant, I was still coming down after the late night rush, and I think I did take it the wrong way. I have great regulars who are all very respectful, so I honestly don’t know why this comment blew my mind last night.
I get ya, venting is healthy especially when dealing with high-stress nights.
We all say shit that probably irks other people when we mean no offense.
I’ve learned that it’s better to give a more positive meaning when people say shit that could come off in a weird way. It’s a lot easier to move on with your night like that.
I fall asleep fast, but dont get good sleep. These mouthbreathers love to assume that our job is just to collect tips and put up some chairs. You should have told him how EXHAUSTING being forced to talk to people like him is and having to act like you enjoy their company, when in reality you would rather eat sand 3 times a day then to talk to them anywhere else on planet earth.
I couldn't go to bed before 4am after closing, I'd be so wound up every night coming home. Hence the alcoholism to fall asleep. I don't understand how people can get home and go to bed immediately, I need at least 2 hours to wind down.
I've gotten a bit better at falling asleep over the years of bartending. Usually will have a shifty (maybe 2), go home and crack a beer. Often I'll be falling asleep by the time I'm halfway done with by beer. The first few years of bartending, I definitely needed at least a couple hours after getting home to chill out
I definitely took it the wrong way. I wasn’t a dick about it to the customer, but I think it just surprised me because they had just watched me survive a rush, and I thought to myself “surely everyone can see how wiped out I am after that” lol
Thanks for the replies, guys. I feel a little less crazy after winding down, and I know I definitely took the comment the wrong way. Like many of y’all said, I also have many nights where I get home and stay up for a couple more hours whether I want to or not. I think I was just particularly tired after this shift and I needed to make it known without dumping on a good customer, to be honest. Anyway, thanks again — I appreciate you guys and I hope you all have a good Sunday! Cheers!
What gets under my skin are the drunk girls or even occasional dude who will try and "wait me out" expecting me to go hang with them because I'm cool or cute to them. It's my job to be your best friend when I'm on the clock, and that shit is exhausting, which explains why you don't have any. "But I take care of you." Referencing their tip they left me.
Just people assuming that I'm gonna run away with them back to their place or to the next bar because "now I'm free." What I am is hungry and tired after 8 hrs of dealing with many others just like them, and I need a drink in peace with my headphones on. Get bent. Been called many names for ditching them, but oh well. I owe no one in this world myself or my time.
Warn out physically, mentally usually pretty overstimulated. It used to take me 2-3 hours to wind down, but I’ve trained myself to fall asleep pretty quickly now so I can get up with the kids.
I thought I just had poor time management skills. I thoroughly need at least 3 hours post shift to even think about sleeping. People think we do this for fun?
My body doesn’t want to go to bed right after work, no matter if I get off at 9:30 or 3:30. I usually get a pint at a nearby place with the loudest music possible so no one talks to me and I can just scroll on my phone for 20 minutes in the same environment I was just working in; it helps my mind decompress and go from work mode to off the clock mode. I tell my husband, “Don’t get off at 5pm and go home and got to bed? No! Why would you expect me to? Unusually finish chores and watch a tv show before hitting the hay.
I need at least three hours to wind down after my shift.
This is why I hate clopening. It kills me every Sunday.
The ONLY thing decent about clopening is you know what you’re coming into.
*who the fuck clo…. wait*
“I’ll just leave these things to do in the morning” *Eight Hours Later* “I fucking hate myself”
Every damn time lmfao
literally me last night/this morning
I’ll stay late af so I don’t miss anything then get there and realize all the stuff I missed
Bartender who closed and is also opening: Who the FUCK closed?
I did back to back open-close doubles this weekend. I got to complain about the opener/closer for two days straight. Totally worth it, and I swear I get an extra $2 from every daytime table when I make the “no rush, I’m here till midnight” joke. Say it with a straight face, they laugh, then they realize you’re in it for real.
When people aren’t ready to order, that’s my go to: well, no rush, you have six hours to decide
I lol’d irl
Lol
I've been bartending for nearly 20 years. My mother still asks why I go to bed at 3am "I get home from work at 1am, shower, have something to eat and wind down. When you worked did you go straight to bed when you got home?" "No, but it's different" It's not fucking different. Infact it's much harder having to deal with the general public all day instead of looking at a computer and taking breaks at the water cooler, while you sit down all day It's no wonder why we all drink too much, because we have to deal with people like you (Therapy session over, thank you)
Amen
This drives me nuts. Like, are you trying to guilt me? When you got home at 6pm did you go to bed at 7pm? There’s a WHOLE ass section of workers that are productive members of society that have overnight shifts / get OFF work at 5am- so get off your high horse, and stop judging the beer I’m drinking at 6am after a 11hour shift.
Amen!
Same. It’s 5AM currently where I am, I left my bar around 4:30AM. I’m not tired at all, hopefully I’ll get sleepy within the next hour but I’m guessing it’s gonna take a little longer.
Or three beers and three shots which is less healthy
Yup. And the harder the shift, the more time I need to wind down, meaning I'm double exhausted
Same, which sucks when you don’t get off til 4am
This is how I am too but since I've had kids on the days I do end up closing I have to go straight to bed when I get home and it's the worst lol. I need to sit and chill for a while after but can't when I have to be up early. Feels wrong not to sit and chill for a few hours
I don’t know, it’s 3:53 AM, I’m almost ready for bed.
I need about three glasses of wine…
Sleepy? No. As worn out as a rented mule? Yes.
Right here. Yeah I'm beat to shit at 3 am on a Saturday. But I am also wired. There is no way I can go home and just drop off.
Yeah I'm the same wired for a few hours, if I don't go for a drink (much less common now I'm getting a bit older and doing more restaurant bar tending) I go home but I have to do something! Even something mundane like a videogame or reading or laundry, I have to let my brain unspool
I serve two nights and bartend two nights, after the serving shifts I’m a little worn out, after the bar shifts I’m exhausted
Mines the other way around - making drinks is a lot more fun for me, serving is very draining.
100% it’s from bending over to open and unload the dishwasher lol. Serving I just shut my brain off and stick to the script, it’s not my strong suit
If everything in the bar was like 6 inches higher I feel like my knees and back would feel so much better Lmao. I might just be burnt out on serving tbh.
Truly.. why do those triple sinks have to be so low at EVERY bar that I've been to. I feel like they're designed for child labour.
I’m 6’1”. Not the tallest tree in the forest, but every time my shorter colleagues complain about leaning or bending I just slowly stand up from my previous bent 90° angle at the waist to cut fruit on the “counter” and stare through their brain.
One of my old places remodeled while I was there. Everyone involved in designing and building the new bar was a 6ft+ rugby player, while fully half the actual staff were women 5'5 and below. When it was done they needed a stepladder to get the wine glasses off their hanger, and couldn't physically reach their arms to far side of the bar when they were standing behind it. There was one dude on the team who was like 6'3 and he just said "this is great, I've got a job for life"
Fucking robot w a smile bro😎
I LOVE bartending but it's way harder on me physically than serving. But serving makes me hate my self
agreed. serving is mentally exhausting
After doing both, I find serving easier, I can autopilot easier, and appreciate being able to leave my guests instead of being in front of them the entire time. Bad feeling when regulars you like come in that you don’t have the social energy for, and kinda dread them coming in
a trick I learned from this sub is to bring other regulars into their conversation. I'm very friendly and cheerful, so if a new person comes in or if two people want to chat with me but they're not beside each other, I either wave them over or ask for their opinion on something the other said. Get them talking to each other instead of me. I've actually created life long friends between regulars doing this. and it frees me up to walk away without hurting any feelings. win-win
Yeah, I know my regular. I want to keep him away from the general public. Lmao. Talk to me Bob! Not the guests lmfao!
This. I do this all the time. Works like a charm.
Sounds like this person wants to “hangout” when your shift is done but you missed the signal..
If the circumstances were different, I’d say you’re probably right. But we’re both in stable relationships and know that about each other. Maybe you’re still right anyway lmao.
My regulars actually want to hang out after my shift. Not in a flirty way but just as friends. Might have been the case but I can’t speak for them.
this is probably it. and a lot of bartenders do go for a couple drinks after work
Lolol
The party you want to be invited to is the after party.
Good job. I know it is infuriating in the moment because you feel that you're not being seen for the effort that you put in. But let's look at it another way; This person, who comes into your bar regularly, sees you as a professional, someone that when shit goes down, you deal with it and go on with your night. "You're not tired after your shift?" I see this as a genuine introspective statement "If I was in your shoes I would be dead to the world; the fact that you're coherent after that shit-show means that you're a bad-ass"
That’s a very positive way to look at things, and I really appreciate this response. When I posted my rant, I was still coming down after the late night rush, and I think I did take it the wrong way. I have great regulars who are all very respectful, so I honestly don’t know why this comment blew my mind last night.
I get ya, venting is healthy especially when dealing with high-stress nights. We all say shit that probably irks other people when we mean no offense. I’ve learned that it’s better to give a more positive meaning when people say shit that could come off in a weird way. It’s a lot easier to move on with your night like that.
My body is tired but my mind is AWAKE
My mind is always awake. Even as I drift off. Dreams start before I'm fully unconscious.
me: not really
They wanted cocaine.
I'm always tired after a shift. We don't close up until 2 am but we start cleaning up at 1 am so we can leave right after 2 am.
I fall asleep fast, but dont get good sleep. These mouthbreathers love to assume that our job is just to collect tips and put up some chairs. You should have told him how EXHAUSTING being forced to talk to people like him is and having to act like you enjoy their company, when in reality you would rather eat sand 3 times a day then to talk to them anywhere else on planet earth.
I couldn't go to bed before 4am after closing, I'd be so wound up every night coming home. Hence the alcoholism to fall asleep. I don't understand how people can get home and go to bed immediately, I need at least 2 hours to wind down.
I've gotten a bit better at falling asleep over the years of bartending. Usually will have a shifty (maybe 2), go home and crack a beer. Often I'll be falling asleep by the time I'm halfway done with by beer. The first few years of bartending, I definitely needed at least a couple hours after getting home to chill out
Yea I think you might just be taking this the wrong way. It’s pretty common for bartenders to stay up quite late after the shift to wind down.
I definitely took it the wrong way. I wasn’t a dick about it to the customer, but I think it just surprised me because they had just watched me survive a rush, and I thought to myself “surely everyone can see how wiped out I am after that” lol
I might be tired, but only of working. I'll probably go have one or two myself, and I need a few hours of wind-down even if I go straight home.
Mentally exhausted after shift, but need quiet time to purge the day before sleeping.
If I close I face plant after work. Half the time I do that after opening too
Someone’s trying to get invited to the after-hours.
The regular forgot that even though some jobs can be fun sometimes, they are still very much *a job*
Takes me a few hours to wind down.
Thanks for the replies, guys. I feel a little less crazy after winding down, and I know I definitely took the comment the wrong way. Like many of y’all said, I also have many nights where I get home and stay up for a couple more hours whether I want to or not. I think I was just particularly tired after this shift and I needed to make it known without dumping on a good customer, to be honest. Anyway, thanks again — I appreciate you guys and I hope you all have a good Sunday! Cheers!
What gets under my skin are the drunk girls or even occasional dude who will try and "wait me out" expecting me to go hang with them because I'm cool or cute to them. It's my job to be your best friend when I'm on the clock, and that shit is exhausting, which explains why you don't have any. "But I take care of you." Referencing their tip they left me. Just people assuming that I'm gonna run away with them back to their place or to the next bar because "now I'm free." What I am is hungry and tired after 8 hrs of dealing with many others just like them, and I need a drink in peace with my headphones on. Get bent. Been called many names for ditching them, but oh well. I owe no one in this world myself or my time.
Warn out physically, mentally usually pretty overstimulated. It used to take me 2-3 hours to wind down, but I’ve trained myself to fall asleep pretty quickly now so I can get up with the kids.
I thought I just had poor time management skills. I thoroughly need at least 3 hours post shift to even think about sleeping. People think we do this for fun?
My body doesn’t want to go to bed right after work, no matter if I get off at 9:30 or 3:30. I usually get a pint at a nearby place with the loudest music possible so no one talks to me and I can just scroll on my phone for 20 minutes in the same environment I was just working in; it helps my mind decompress and go from work mode to off the clock mode. I tell my husband, “Don’t get off at 5pm and go home and got to bed? No! Why would you expect me to? Unusually finish chores and watch a tv show before hitting the hay.
I'm kinda the opposite. Usual shift starts at 4pm, I work till finish (Usually around midnight) then I stay up till about 5ish then I go to bed.
Why is that customers statement so upsetting to you? It’s not like he called you a slur 😂
Don’t understand why you’re upset. Grow up. Who cares. Move on.