10 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You

Back in the day, bartending was all about consistency and service. From the humblest watering hole to the fanciest hotel bar, bartenders knew how to mix a repertoire of classic cocktails just right every time, and the customer came first. Today, not so much. Ray Foley, author of Bartending for Dummies, says a growing number of the 500,000 working barkeeps in the U.S. are following the lead of celebrity chefs, hoping to make their mark with their own signature drinks. Sure, that means an explosion of creative cocktails dressed with such exotica as cucumber shavings or lavender foam. But good luck if you’re in the mood for an old standard such as a sidecar.

The upshot? A lack of consistency, for one, says Tony Abou-Ganim, who created the Bellagio’s cocktail program in Las Vegas. “I can go to the same bar, order the same thing from three different bartenders, and get three different drinks,” he says. Even worse is customer service. Some bartenders have flipped the old equation, Foley says, putting 30 percent into pleasing customers and 70 into showcasing their personality: “The prime thing we’re losing in the bar business right now is service for the customer.”