Bartender Wages - How Much Do Bartenders Make?
Bartending is easily one of the most fun and exciting careers, but a lot of people are wondering about bartender wages - how much do bartenders actually make? This article explores some of the top-earning bartenders versus some bartenders a bit lower on the pay-scale.
Then it teaches you how to get to the top of the pay scale. Whether you're a veteran bartender, or you're just thinking about getting into the field, read this article and start earning more quickly!
So, how much do bartenders make?
Bartenders are known for making a lot of money in a single night. This is due to the fact that bartenders make most of their money off of tips.
The median hourly rate for a bartender is about $6.50 to $10. But the tips that can be made from bartending far exceed any set rate of pay.
Bartenders can make hundreds of dollars in one night from just tips. Yes, that's right HUNDREDS!
The biggest factor in the amount of money you'll make as a bartender is the place that you're working.
Are you working at the hole-in-the-wall bar on the corner, or are you working at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse?
Patrons usually tip based on the prices of the drinks, so for a bartender, the higher the prices, the better.
But it is possible to make money as a bartender even if you're working at somewhat of a hole-in-the-wall place.
Very early on in my career I had a job as a bartender at just that type of establishment. I would usually walk with about $100 or so on the average night, but I had a friend who was a bartender there that would routinely make 2-3x more than that!
What made him so special?
He was extremely personable and got to know his patrons - to the point where people would walk in, he would shake hands with them, and very shortly thereafter put their favorite drink down on the bar.
The guy was amazing - he literally had memorized the favorite drinks of about 40 or so separate patrons.
That is a huge factor in bartender wages. A bartender who is personable, knows how to talk to the patrons he is serving and make them feel like he cares is one that is going to make the most money.
A good bartender listens to people and gets to know them. This allows the bartender to know the preferred drink of the patron, and have it ready for them without asking.
Also, a good bartender will create a good vibe in the air, which will allow for the people he/she is serving to have a good time. And isn't that why people come to a bar in the first place?
In general, the better time the people are having due to the bartender, the more they will tip.
Other factors that influence bartender wages:
- Type of establishment (Bar, Casino, Resort, etc...)
- Location of the place
- Personality of the bartender
- The level of expertise and experience
So how do I get the right experience?
Bartending experience can be gained through working your way up at a restaurant, or a bar, from a waiter to a bar-back, to your goal of a bartender. But, the best way to receive the experience needed to have that personality to make the most money as a bartender is to attend a bartending school.
And if you live in Maryland near Glen Burnie, Columbia, Ellicott City, Baltimore, Annapolis or Silver Spring, the Maryland Bartending Academy will give you the right training and experience needed to become a top-earning bartender.
For almost 30 years, the Maryland Bartending Academy has been teaching people, just like you, to become successful bartenders, while doing so in a fun and exciting atmosphere.
The Maryland Bartending Academy's two week and five week courses will teach you everything from customer service to methods of mixing.
Everything that one would need to know to become a successful bartender is learned at the Maryland Bartending Academy.
Here is what one of our graduates has to say about us:
"The Maryland Bartending Academy helped me to become a confident bartender, while at the same time having fun. Because of everything the Maryland Bartending Academy has taught me, I now make more money in tips than I have made in wages at previous jobs."
Bobby Anderson
Baltimore, MD
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Ready to become a bartender?
To learn more about the Maryland Bartending Academy, or about bartending in general call: 410-787-0020 or fill out a request for additional information here.
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