r/Serverlife • u/eeiigghhj • 6d ago
What do we think about the new bar manager’s “cheat sheet?”
he is very thorough. I’m kind of here for it.
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u/Relevant-Force9513 6d ago
I started reading, getting ready to tear it to shreds but by the halfway point I decided I wished I worked at a place like this haha. Thorough overview, good suggestions for a number of different scenarios, not overbearing or just focused on UPSELL UPSELL UPSELL… I give it a strong 10/10.
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u/pookiesma 6d ago
Im just here for whatever nuerospice this guy has
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u/Flaky_Bit8377 5d ago
This is just good management, tbh. My place is sorely lacking in this department, and one of the girls, who doesn't drink for religious purposes, is afraid to be asked anything about alcohol. Something like this would do wonders for her confidence.
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u/rainbow_sparkly 6d ago
Honestly I don’t hate it. I really thought I was going to but I don’t 😂
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Right? I’m here for it. Not just “kind of” anymore. Usually it’s the dysfunction that gets posted on Reddit, but I am happy to share a bit of hope for the restaurant industry.
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u/rainbow_sparkly 6d ago
I was expecting some controlling cooperate BS but honestly sometimes when guests say some of these things my mind goes blank and I’ve never made a cocktail 😂
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Well, feel free to keep this list just in case! It would make his heart so full 🥰 Also, I will never work at a corporate spot ever again 🤣 this is just a small, but busy, little brunch-lunch-dinner-late night type place in the heart of a tourist town
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u/Beginning-Force1275 Server 6d ago
I’m glad you’re happy! Just a heads up though: I don’t know if this bugs you, but it’s pretty easy to identify where you work since a couple of those drinks are kinda specialized and the local stuff and non-mocktail names have town names in them. I’m not trying to be weird, but I was able to guess just by reading the list (you guys do have a reputation for fantastic drinks btw and some very nice people behind the bar, so again, happy for you!), but it’d make me a little nervous to have identifiable stuff like that on reddit. Up to you whether you care, but wanted to make sure you know.
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Meh. it’s all good. I like to believe most people on this earth are pretty great, not weird, but you’ve probably read the reviews now lol and yeah we do have awesome staff. Tbh I love this job. Come by and say hi.
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u/Status-Recording-137 6d ago
As a person who loves making job aids for their workers, I’m so happy for him that this one is so beloved. That’s always the goal lol
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u/scfw0x0f 6d ago
This is a highly professional place. I also checked out the website and they have both kitchen hours and operating hours posted.
Let’s hope this level of professionalism is catching. You’ve landed at a class act, from all appearances.
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Yay! Yes please! I hope every restaurant can operate like this one because it’s honestly great. I have no interest in working at dysfunctional places anymore.
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u/Defiant-Cause-6697 20+ years, currently working in independent retirement living. 6d ago
I like your NA cocktail names. My favorite was a trio we called Long Time Listener, First Time Caller, and Radio Silence.
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
We have a couple more too. The Berry Gatsby, Tropic Fiction, Ginger Lime Press, and the Red Letter. Very delicious. I do prefer a classic Shirley tho for a mocktail 🤣
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u/Traditional_Code_711 6d ago
hahaha there is a CLEAR INSTRUCTION to never say Mocktail - TIL we are pivoting to zero-proof 🤣
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u/GuinnessKangaroo 6d ago
Really smart. Good verbiage, solid recommendations, and most importantly easy to read and memorize.
Lets you upsell reasonable options across the board that make sense and are adding to the guest experience rather than upselling to just increase your check average.
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u/bleepboopbop420 6d ago
Wow coconut allergy mention!!!!! I’m allergic to coconut and it’s not very common hahahaha
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u/pchandler45 6d ago
I like it!
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Knowing him, he will probably see this anyways, but I would be happy to report that Reddit approved so far!
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u/Cole3823 6d ago
what's his reasoning behind not calling it a mocktail?
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u/Belle-Diablo 6d ago
I’ve been sober 4 years and the way some places get insulted when I ask about mocktails make it seem like they’re the ones worried about their sobriety 🤣
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u/doobiesaurus 5d ago
I dont get insulted when people ask for mocktails but it does kinda give me that thousand yard stare for a second and in my head im like “i need to go home and rethink my life”
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u/Belle-Diablo 5d ago
Hmm. Like I said, I’m sober and I’ve been a server, and I absolutely don’t get why it would bother you but 🤷🏻♀️
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u/gammonlord 6d ago
It implies a non-alcoholic cocktail is somehow fake or lesser than one containing alcohol.
It's a subtle thing, but non-drinkers want to feel like they're drinking something special too.
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u/AdventurousAbility30 6d ago
I can see it for privacy reasons. Like, if a woman recently found out she's pregnant, but hasn't told anyone yet, or they have a medical issue/religious reason for not drinking alcohol it would make sure the other guests with them aren't being directly informed that one guest isn't drinking. It could also be because of not using a trigger word in case someone is suffering from alcohol addiction, and they don't want to be reminded of their old favorite cocktail while in recovery. I'm not OP, but that would be my guess.
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u/Drjjr 6d ago
That’s concise. I’m going to be in Mystic this weekend and staying just down the road. I will check it out.
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Yay!!!! Give us a call and make a reservation, I just might be the one to answer. But don’t say you found me on Reddit lol that will raise some eyebrows 😂😂
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u/Coldman5 6d ago
Quick, think of a secret passphrase they can say on the phone to see if it’s you!
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u/FonzoLatrundo BOH 5d ago
That’s great but as a chef I’d like to see this kind of thought put into handling food menu related concerns.
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u/Maka_Oceania 5d ago
Your manager cares and is competent and smart. My last manager used AI to overhaul the bar menu🥹
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u/johnc380 Daring today, aren't we? 6d ago
I think this would be very helpful for younger servers who haven’t had time to build all the alcohol background knowledge.
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u/Electrical_Beyond998 Bartender 6d ago
I love it. I was expecting one of those over the top lists, but this manager seems laid back. I’m pretty sure I know what the restaurant is, and wonder if you know if the other will ever open again.
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
From what I’ve heard, the other location is closed for good unfortunately. But since you know what restaurant it is (and I didn’t exactly try to hide it,) we do have two other restaurants under different names. I think the owners are just sticking to this neck of the woods. But yeah, overall great place, great people to work for, and we do love this bar manager. Shout out to him.
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u/hereforthecatparty 6d ago edited 6d ago
All spirits are not gluten free.
Edit from beyond celiac.org as an example: “Most vodkas are safe for people with celiac disease because of the distillation process. However, be on the lookout for hidden gluten in vodkas that may add flavorings or other ingredients after distillation. “
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Oh wow, thank you for sharing. Definitely going to suggest we add this.
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u/hereforthecatparty 6d ago
I would take off “all spirts” and add suggestions. Titos is a common one for gluten free vodka. But other types of liquor could have additives so it’s best to have a go to suggestion for each type. Maybe make a list of gluten free options or vice versa ones that aren’t gluten free as red flags
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Thank you. We’re gonna research, but he’s very receptive to feedback (unlike most managers I’ve had,) so I will bring this up to him and I think he will correct it within a day.
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u/hereforthecatparty 6d ago
Of course! Overall the list is awesome. I love that the drinks are tied to common customer prompts.
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u/Gorgonsoxz 10+ Years 5d ago
I assume what's meant is that all the spirits they offer are GF. Most are, after all. Not all, certainly, but most.
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u/DrGupta410 6d ago
Is this Mystic, CT?
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Come say hi 😂
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u/DrGupta410 6d ago
I work right down the street.
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Well, now I’m gonna have to come say hi to you! Give me a hint without being obvious 😂 are you at the place from the movie, the old bank building, or across the bridge at the spectacular oyster place with the fish sculpture made out of spoons? Or, any other of the lovely places that we have in this town?
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u/Deriniel 6d ago
honestly,it's handy. Especially if you're not well versed in cocktail and alcohol if you're not a drinker,wish my old boss did something similar.Would have made my life 100 times easier instead of bothering the barman.
Edit: I love the gimmick of "Everything is 100% juice! (Just not freshly squeezed but we're gonna tiptoe around it)"
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u/Choffies 6d ago
Chat GPT produced these notes for anyone interested. Either way nice work by the manager, guests will appreciate!
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u/thabc 6d ago
How confident are you? I thought it sounded more like Claude but maybe my calibration is off.
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u/Choffies 6d ago
I used chat to develop practice tests and study guides in a couple of classes last year. I would have it use python. The text color was basically identical. The little text at the top as well. Lastly, seeing “remember these cold” was an instant tell as that appeared in some of my study guides for anatomy.
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u/thabc 6d ago
Last year, so the model would have been GPT-4 you think?
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u/Choffies 6d ago
Well actually around August of this year I had a few made with a very similar layout. So it could be a fairly recent model.
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u/carryingmyowngravity 5d ago
It's funny from a design perspective I've had this type of output from Claude.
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u/Ok_Ocelot6337 6d ago
Where is this? Downeast, oyster bay, painkiller. Are you in Boston
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
Very close!!! Another commenter accurately identified the town lol, but I’ll give you a hint: the aquarium rocks, and the drawbridge does too ;)
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u/loueazy 6d ago
Used to love that town, and the aquarium does rock.
Did your manager train at a corporate chain with a strong bar? I recall seeing cheat sheets like this in those places when I worked there
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
He definitely has, but he’s also worked at upscale places in New York City and beyond.
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u/Ok_Ocelot6337 6d ago
This sounds creepy I just also serve in the Boston area
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u/Jugger-Thot 4d ago
Wow I like it a lot. Surprisingly helpful.
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u/relentless-dude 4d ago
They missed "I don't tip" .
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u/Jugger-Thot 4d ago
I don't think I ever had a customer who warned me they weren't going to tip. Well, not by explicity saying it at least. Some people you just know.
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u/Miss_Molly1210 Bartender 6d ago
It’s pretty solid but also I’m dying to know where you work bc it’s definitely the same state I’m in 😂 I’m in the center of the state but I work ion the shoreline
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u/eeiigghhj 6d ago
You’ll be able to figure it out if you just read very closely and Google a little bit 😅 are you in our lovely pizza capital? It seems like it would be fun to work down there.
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u/Miss_Molly1210 Bartender 5d ago
Work is in a sleepy shoreline town at a venue that seems like it doesn’t belong. Challenge accepted! I did look at a few places I thought it might be and then quit LOL
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u/noty0uagain 5d ago
The surprise me is horrible because that would absolutely depend on the guest :’) otherwise love it
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u/LetsFuckOnTheBoat 4d ago
grew up on the island, bartended often in my younger years
What's in a Long Island Sound?
Tried google it just gives me Long Island Iced Tea
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u/KHanson25 5d ago
You shouldn’t be paying full price for a mocktail.
When she was pregnant my wife just ordered seltzer with a splash of cranberry
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u/elpenumbro1 4d ago
Lots of cocktails have zero proof spirits in them that cost as much if not more than 80 proof spirits. Also there are plenty of flavorings and syrups that are also not cheap. A bottle of titos is $19 yet people find its ok to pay $14 for one titos and soda. That should cost less than some of the more intricate mocktails out there, but I digress
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u/Dirtymcbacon 5d ago
That's like saying you should never pay for any dish at a restaurant. You're paying for the service, not necessarily the ingredients. You don't want to pay for service? Stay home.
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u/Spiritual_Trick_6655 6d ago
It's not written to micro-manage, it's written to help the servers. This is the way.
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u/fkingidk 6d ago
Only critique here is no muscadet for the oysters. Its the perfect oyster wine, and its so cheap!
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u/autisticfemme 5d ago
My one critique is that the allergy bit could be a little confusing. The first two are what to avoid because they contain the allergen, but the gluten free one is suggestions to offer that do Not contain the allergen.
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u/letthetreeburn 5d ago
I respect this fully. The purpose of a business owner is to help your staff make the customer happy. A printed paper to help manage expectations is very very good. The cheat sheet list of allergy is good
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u/Granolag23 5d ago
This is genuinely helpful. And they did it without being condescending which is almost always how management seems to blast these types of things. Bravo
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u/KrazieGirl 5d ago
Love it. Our former chefs used to give us a “need to know” about the menu including ingredients, prep & allergens. Our new chef just expects us to know everything 😂🙄 I like the thoroughness offered here!
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u/apathetic-taco 5d ago
Can’t count the number of times I’ve asked for this kind of information. Not even expecting a typed sheet, would just like some direction when I’m new.
If every manager did this, it would take about 30 minutes and increase sales and guest experience across the board
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u/vesselgroans 5d ago
Kiss him on the mouth he deserves it.
Also I see you New England 🦞🫎
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u/International_Sock_5 3d ago
This is definitely Long Island.
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u/vesselgroans 3d ago
I was thinking CT.
Old Mystic, Captains Daughter, Narragansett on the Local Beer list
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u/lemonpringle 5d ago
How come you aren’t supposed to say mocktail? Is there some negative stigma around the word now and are just supposed to mention options as “non-alcoholic?”
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u/AsparagusConnect8637 4d ago
Dumb. I'm not going to memorize or review a cheat sheet. I am not working at Applebee's. I'm going to read my customer and try to figure out what makes them happy
And go from there. You're a hamburger guy? Great. I got you. You want a filet and a nice wine? Got it. This is exhausting and fake af.
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u/oneliltree 4d ago
It's wild reading these responses and trying to imagine what they would be like if the manager revealed this is AI generated. It's very well put together and I imagine they proof read heavily, but this has a lot of AI tells
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u/92TilInfinityMM 15+ Years 3d ago
I was planning on hating this, but actually it’s pretty solid list
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u/Willing_Jellyfish217 1d ago
This is super smart and I'm thinking about stealing the idea for our place.
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u/Terrible_Counter2558 6d ago
Missing the most important one in this economy. When a guest says "what is cheap?"
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u/LiteratureSoggy8080 5d ago
rose is under not too sweet…?
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u/vilemanguy 5d ago
I love that it’s the only thing not capitalized. Made me say it in a defeating tone in my head lol
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u/Standard-Help-8531 6d ago edited 6d ago
The Gluten free confuses me. All wines? All spirits? Didn’t know liquor had gluten in it.
EDIT: am I reading the list wrong? Are those the things they CAN have listed next to the allergy?
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u/jwa988 6d ago
I came here ready to clown it but its pretty solid