26 Jul Two New Favorite Servers Reinforce the Power and Responsibility of the Beer Slinger
by Mark E. Lasbury for Indiana On Tap
It’s not a surprise to hear that I drink a lot of beer in a lot of breweries and bars. And it follows from that statement that I meet a lot of beer slingers. I write at the bar, I make phone calls from the bar, I plan festivals from the bar…. so I get to see most of what goes on, including how the bartenders/servers interact with the patrons.
It’s also true that I have a lousy memory for faces and names. I’d like to say that it’s because I am so deep in thought that they pass by me, but really it’s just a lousy memory for anything other than science and Indiana history. Over the years I have found some really stand out servers, too many to mention, but I’ve written about some of them if you want to try to find those articles.
When you walk into a bar, you’re likely have at least one other person with you. Your overall experience is based on your company, your mood coming in, and in small part, your beer choices. But weaved into everything else, (except maybe your pre-bar mood) is your server. The least you expect is that they don’t hinder your evening, but they can enhance your evening is so many ways. Good conversation without butting in, good beer suggestions without talking down to you, funny or insightful comments that bring and your company closer together by involving all members of the party. It’s hard, and as I’ve said before, it can’t really be taught.
A decent server will be nearly invisible, a great will be your friend. The worst ones want to tell you how little you know. image credit: CraftBeer.com
By watching and listening at the bar, you can see who cares about the customers as people, who cares about whether customers have a good experience and can walk away with more love for craft beer and the establishment. When I’m day drinking/writing Walter is rarely with me, but we spend many evenings at the rail, and we love talking to the servers/bartenders about their jobs, their lives, their beer choices, and their experiences – and we observe how they interact with other patrons. The home run? A bartender/server that gets everyone involved and creates relationships between strangers along the bar – if they sense that that’s what they want.
Well, I had interactions the other day that reminded me of how much I appreciate servers in general, and these two folks in particular. I was at The Pint Room in Carmel, a daunting place for the novice beer fan who wants to be immersed in beer, and a daunting place for servers if they truly want to know the beer and talk the beer to help customers. There are 124 taps at The Pint Room – that’s more beer than many people can keep straight in their head.
But as with just about every job that is done very well, what you think is the main factor is really just a vehicle by which a good server connects with the customer. I’ve said it before and I know I’ll say it again in the future, you’re really in the people business, you just happen to sell beer. And Chris and Ashley from The Pint Room get that.
Chris was pouring beer when I first got to The Pint Room, the lunch rush was just starting to ease up, and he was the only server for the bar and all the tables in the bar, but he didn’t let it fluster him or change his interactions with the customers.
image credit: The Pint Room
–INTERRUPTION – This brings us to the secondary message of this piece. Bars and breweries are having a really hard time finding help, so when your server is a tad bit reluctant to talk as much, or is slightly longer coming to your table, take it easy. They know their tip is in the balance during these interactions and they are doing the best they can. THEY SHOWED UP TO SERVE YOU WHEN MANY PEOPLE WON’T – TIP THEM WELL. Now back to our story –
Chris has been around for a while, but my interactions with him have been limited, mostly due to the pandemic. But I’m impressed by his easy going attitude. He doesn’t force you into conversation, but he senses when you want to talk. Basically, he’s cool meeting you where you are. Beer suggestions from him are just that – you like this, you might like that, not “You’ve got to try this!” while he talks up the most expense pour on the menu.
Two couples came in while Chris was behind the bar – two people were obviously regulars based on how they talked to him, and two were first time visitors. But the time he spent with each was considerable, the conversation was considerable, even with those people he didn’t know, and best of all, he didn’t make it appear that the two regulars were part of some sort of an inner circle that the two new people couldn’t access.
Chris asked me to close and re-open for the evening shift – I really wish more servers would do that. One, it makes the customer more aware of the needs of their server, something that is much neglected, and two, it lets you reward a great server (if they aren’t tip sharing – I ask). Chris was staying on for the evening shift (see the warning above about trying to find staff) but Ashley was coming on and would be working in the drawer as well.
The best servers work well with you, but also work well with on another. Chris and Ashely at theThe Pint Room (this isn’t them) work well together. image credit: Ellwood City Ledger
Ashley and I have a longer history, although it’s not like we fought together in ‘Nam. I’m always surprised when she remembers my name, and even more, she remembers that I’m always looking for a beer I haven’t had, and she gives me time to peruse the beer menu. Ashley has many of the same characteristics as Chris, but she just moves around more and faster while she works.
She’s always walking the bar, looking to see if there is something to do or someone to serve. Even when she stands still she sways forward and back (slightly side to side). But to her credit, she never makes it look or fell like she wants to move on or be somewhere else. Ashley has been at The Pint Room for a long time, so the number of regulars that know here is astounding. Ashley’s always willing to stop and chat for regulars or anyone else, and she has perfected the art of talking about….basically nothing.
It’s not that easy to engage in something that is light, interesting, and makes the customer feel important without bogging down into something so heavy that you get wrapped up and can’t easily break away to help someone else. And by helping someone else, I often mean picking a beer from that giant list. Both Chris and Ashley can talk about beer in depth, but they can also talk at a lower level to make the patrons feel at home and in control of their experience. This is just one of many skills it takes to be a great server, but Chris and Ashley both possess it.
A big smile goes a long way in beer service. image credit: Big Choice Brew
I don’t claim to be able to pick out the best servers in the world, but I see things and they affect me. You need to observe someone over time and across situations to see how they do their job. You can’t make a judgment after just one visit or even a few, and not one shift, but across times of the day. How they react to people on a dead Monday afternoon could be very different from how they act on a packed Friday night. The best servers are consistent over time and circumstances.
You’re at a bar to enjoy the company of your party, to have some good drinks, and to detach from your regular routine for a while. Think of your server as a link to the world outside your table or chair, and a way to enhance your experience: change it, yes, but not dominate it. The best servers always make your evening more than it would have been.
No Comments