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"Hey there! How ya doin'? What can I get for ya?"

This simple opening line separates the great bartenders from the good bartenders. It helps determine whether you are getting a great tip or a good tip. It also lays the footwork for a repeat customer who loves the great service.

It is my philosophy that bartending is 35% skill and 65% personality. I have been bartending for 15 years. I can't count how many times I have floated into a spirits establishment, walked up to the bar, just to be greeted by some drone who barely smiles, doesn't say a word, and expects me to read their mind as they stand there staring with that look of What'dya want? I have things to do". At that point, it doesn't matter if they mix me the best Long Island Iced Tea I've ever sipped in my life. They have just failed the personality test and therefore will be tipped accordingly. It's a harsh thing to say, but I speak the truth.

As a bartender, I have learned that a smile and fun conversation are what keep my customers coming back and the money filling up my tip jar. I have worked in various types of atmospheres; private clubs, sports bars, pool halls, you name it. But one thing remains constant. Whether you're pouring beers, martinis, or rum and cokes, anything served with a smile and a thank you can bring a customer coming back and usually they'll bring friends.

I tend to be a very out-going, friendly bartender. I use the terms honey, sweetie, darlin' as often as I can on both the guys and the gals. I make it a point to learn names, drinks and what they do for a living. All of these things make for your own personal fan club at times. I have had customers that have changed their hangout place because I went to work somewhere else and they wanted to follow me.

But that's not to say that I am a push-over or a softie by any means. There are certain etiquette rules that if a customer breaks, I find friendly ways of pointing it out. My favorite would be when someone says "Make it a good one." I turn with that furrowed brow, but twinkle-in-my-eye face and say"Well, that would imply that my previous drinks were weak". And follow it with a wink. And when a guy asks for my number, I just simply tell them that I don't hand my number out to customers because you never know what kind of serial killers could be walking around. This keeps me from rejecting them and ticking them off, but friendly enough that I don't lose the customer or the tip.

So in the end, just remember that age old saying "A smile is worth a thousand words!"

Learn more about this author, Tara Zeidler.
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