In a viral TikTok video, a bartender shared her advice on how bartenders can make hundreds of dollars in tips during one shift.
In the clip, Kat (@smarthotties) films herself in what appears to be her home office.
She titled the video, “TOP 3 TIPS TO MAKE $500 a shift as a BARTENDER in a NIGHTCLUB.”
Kat starts off by stating that “time is money,” so bartenders need to be efficient when taking orders and making drinks. In a scenario in which a group of five people comes up to her at the bar, Kat says she isn’t going to take, make, and charge their drinks one by one.
“That’s going to take way too much time,” she said.
@smarthotties ♬ original sound – Kat | Bottle Girl Mentor
Instead, Kat suggests taking all five people’s orders at once and memorizing them, making them all at the same time, and asking each person how they’re going to pay while she’s making the drinks.
“Ask them if they’re gonna pay cash or card so they don’t have to fumble through their purse or their wallet for three minutes, and you have to sit there and watch them. They can do that while you’re making the drink,” Kat says.
In her second tip, Kat encourages bartenders to always use two hands when making drinks. She explains that liquor can be poured with one hand and the mixer poured with the other. If a person is mixing or shaking a drink, one hand can be used for that while the other works the POS or cash register system.
Last, she states that when someone orders a vodka soda, bartenders shouldn’t automatically pour the “trash well Taaka vodka shit.”
“You are automatically down selling yourself,” Kat said.
Instead, bartenders should give customers three options—Grey Goose, Ketel One, or Belvedere. Usually, customers will choose one of those, and if they need convincing, Kat tells them that the $2 upcharge is worth it since the well vodka will give them the “biggest hangover the next day.”
“The one that’s made me the MOST money is tip 3 but tip 1 brings peace,” one commenter, a fellow bartender, claimed.
Kat is an influencer who gives advice and insight about being a bartender and bottle girl. She describes herself as the “Bottle Girl Mentor” and is the founder of the online course “Night Hustle University.”
The video has garnered more than 420,000 views and over 120 comments as of Tuesday morning.
Several commenters commended Kat and her skills.
“Bartenders are genuinely magicicans, id cry making 5 diff drinks at once,” a top comment read.
“You lost me at memorize,” a person wrote.
“Only become a bartender if; you’re really good at multitasking,” another said.
A fellow bartender added their own tip. “Always start w the most expensive liquor when asking what brand they want also!” they added.
The Daily Dot previously covered a video in which Kat shared how she asks non-tipping customers why they didn’t tip. In these situations, she says she asks customers if have any suggestions for how she could improve her service.
The Daily Dot reached out to Kat via email.
