Author: Brian

There is a vicious rumor that is pervasive throughout the customer service industry… foreigners are cheap tippers. It’s often true, but not for the reason American servers think. The real problem is that American bartenders and servers often give bad service to Europeans because they expect a bad gratuity. Then, when they get a 10% (or less) gratuity, they tell anyone who will listen how bad foreigners tip and the rumor continues to perpetuate. Of course, there are always foreigners who are intentionally cheap, but not anymore or less than citizens of this country. American service staffs have a major disadvantage to our counter parts in the rest of the world. We feel entitled to our gratuities.

In Europe, gratuity is included in the price of the meal and leaving a little loose change (approximately 10%) is truly optional, it’s never expected and genuinely appreciated. In the United States servers are largely dependent on gratuities to make a living wage (some states legally pay their employees a meager 50% of the national minimum wage). So when a guest leaves a low gratuity, it is understandably frustrating, especially if the server thought their service was good.

I’ve often heard bartenders say “Foreigners know better, they are just playing ignorant.” Or “They should have studied the local customs.” That maybe so, but that is never, ever, an excuse for giving poor service. The truth is that many foreigners are simply ignorant of the proper tipping practices in this country. Remember, in Europe the tipping rules are generally the same no matter where you go. In the U.S., we have fifty states with fifty different tipping practices. Depending on the individual state wages and taxes deciphering an American check can be confusing and figuring out the local tipping rules is anybody’s guess (10%, 15%, 20% or more?). In any case, even if your guest knows the customs and leaves a poor tip they may actually have a reason.

I recently had a friend who was visiting from the U.K. He was out with some very high profile clients who he was trying to impress. He took his guests to a famous swanky restaurant (who shall remain nameless) and deliberately spent an obscene amount of money on drinks and dinner. Sadly, he felt the service was lackluster. From the moment he opened his mouth and identified himself as the host (and foreigner) the server treated him with disdain to the point where his clients made a comment. Even if this was only his perception, perception is everything in the customer service industry. He didn’t expect superior service; however he was expecting adequate service.

When it came time to pay the check, my friend discretely left a 10% gratuity. Not because he was upset or trying to make a point, he just left what he thought was an appropriate tip for mediocre service with an attitude. In Europe, he would have left no tip at all, but was familiar that 10%-15% is generally regarded as a minimum gratuity in the USA (depending on where you are). To make matters worse my friend was genuinely unsure if he was supposed to tip on the wine. He opted not to tip on some very expensive wines because there wasn’t any proper wine service. There was no sommelier to decant, properly handle or pour the delicate wines; instead the server opened the bottles, poured the first round, then left the bottle and cork in the middle of the table.

More to the point, she did not offer to taste the host and did not pour the ladies first. As a professional barman for close to thirty years, on this point, I believe my friend was absolutely correct in not tipping on the wine. Unfortunately, with the expensive wine, that reduced the total check gratuity to less than 5%. Almost every bartender or server reading this right now can sympathize and in many cases empathize.

But here is where the story goes horribly wrong: After paying the check, my friend took his clients to a different establishment for a nightcap. By coincidence the server from the previous restaurant walked in having just gotten off work and looking for a drink. She recognized the group, approached them and berated them all for leaving such a paltry gratuity. My friend was understandably shocked and mortified. Interestingly enough, I know people in the industry who would argue that the server was off duty and therefore had every right to complain.

I believe that if she is on the payroll, she is a representative for that restaurant and therefore her actions were wholly inappropriate and reflect badly upon management and ownership. More importantly she publicly humiliated a guest for leaving a poor tip when that is exactly what he intended and what she deserved. The next day he called and complained. Management was appropriately contrite, they investigated and the server was reportedly terminated (unconfirmed). Do I feel bad for the server… yes. Did she deserve to get fired… absolutely!

When I hire new staff for my clients one question that I always ask is “What would you do if you received a 0% gratuity on a check?” The most common answer is “I would do nothing…” To me that is a minimally acceptable answer. The better answer is “I would immediately make a manager aware of the situation before the guest left”; to which I always ask “Why?” If they say they want to get a manager involved to salvage their tip… they’re done.

However, a manager should be made aware if there is little or no gratuity; for two reasons. First in case the guest complains, management is prepared to address any specific incidents or voiced concerns. The second reason is so management can be sure to approach the table to casually (and politely) ask how everything was that evening in case they don’t complain. If the guest is unhappy, they will usually let you know. If they seem happy and have no specific complaint thank them so much for coming in and tell them you look forward to their next visit… and that’s all.

Of course, there is no scenario where anybody asks about the gratuity or lack thereof. It’s not just grossly inappropriate, it’s just poor form. The funny thing is, if you ask most bartenders if they would rather have gratuities or a higher hourly wage, the vast majority would prefer gratuities. That’s because most bartenders and servers recognize one undeniable truth… What goes around comes around.

As a beverage consultant, I am frequently asked to design craft cocktail lists for high volume establishments. Every day I am approached by major corporations and smaller restaurateurs/bar owners who want to remain competitive in the mist of the global cocktail revolution. The biggest myth in the industry is that great craft cocktails take longer to make than the classics. For high volume restaurants, bars and resorts the prevailing perception is that you must sacrifice quality in order to maintain quantity. However, there is a financially viable solution. When properly executed, even the busiest restaurants can keep up with demand while delivering fantastic tasting quality craft cocktails every single time.

The key is to successfully execute a two part program which may initially sound obvious, but very few bars in my experience actually take the time to implement each part properly and therefore fail at both. The first part of the program is Mise en place (meaning- putting in place). Mise en place is simply making sure that you have all of the glassware, ingredients, garnishes, and bar tools set up in a logical, ergonomic fashion so that they are easily accessible when you need to quickly assemble recipes specifically from your cocktail list. This requires some forethought and planning on behalf of the bar staff and management. A lot of the higher-end craft cocktail lounges use cheater bottles on their bar filled with syrups, tonics and tinctures, but also base spirits and modifying spirits required to make every craft cocktail on their list. This way the bartender doesn’t have to constantly scramble throughout the shift to find this bottle or that ingredient.

The idea is to have everything you need to make every cocktail on your list within arm’s reach. This is not always possible depending on your bar layout, but time is money and spending the extra time to make sure the bar is set up for success can tip the scale in favor of profitability and happy consumers. If space permits, it is also a wise idea to have all the ingredients for the top ten most commonly ordered classics available at arm’s reach as well.

The other component of a successful high volume craft cocktail program, Pre-batching, is a little more controversial. The purest will scream that every component MUST be assembled in front of the guest in order to ensure that the integrity of each cocktail is at its freshest and optimal balance… and while I agree that this is ideal, if you pre-batch using the following rules, you can crank out craft cocktails all night long in a fast and efficient manner while still maintaining balance and quality standards for every cocktail served:

Pre-batching Boozy Drinks-If you have cocktails on your list that are entirely composed of multiple liquors and/or liqueurs, with no mixers (non-alcoholic components), there is nothing wrong with simply blending all the ingredients together in the proper proportions to make one huge balanced cocktail and then filling up an empty bottle(s) with that cocktail to use as needed.  Of course, those cocktails will need to be chilled and diluted upon being ordered (many state laws prohibit serving alcohol unless poured from the original container, however this is rarely enforced and is on the books to keep unscrupulous bar owners from watering down booze or replacing the good stuff with poor quality distillates).

If you do decide to pre-batch multiple liquors, the bottle should be labeled and dated with the name of the cocktail so that the entire bar staff is on the same page. The advantage to pre-batching is that you can taste the drink for balance in advance and the bar staff doesn’t have to waste time grabbing multiple bottles and measuring each pour according to the recipe. The only downside is that the guests don’t get to see you pouring the individual brands required to make the drink. However, in a high volume restaurant with a back bar sending drinks to tables or serving to large parties/functions, this is not an issue.

Pre-batching Citrus Juices-The Italians say that fresh squeezed citrus is golden in the morning, silver in the afternoon and bronze in the evening. In other words, the longer your fresh juices are exposed to air, the more oxidized (and subsequently bitter) they become. While I am a die-hard proponent of freshly squeezed juices a-la-minute (on the spot) I advocate pre-squeezing fresh juices in volume to get through the busiest parts of the day while business is cranking. Citrus should never be added to the alcoholic components of the cocktail in advance.

Lemon, lime and grapefruit juices only keeps for one day at the most. Fresh orange and pineapple juice have enough residual sugars to keep for several days. If you end up with too much fresh juice being thrown out at the end of the night, cut back on your pars but DO throw it out (or give to the kitchen). It is important to anticipate business and then create pars, but note that a lazy barman will always order more juice than required, the solution for that is to have your bartenders squeezing all their own juices at the beginning of the day.

Ideally, by the end of the night when things slow down, the bartenders should have run out of the pre-squeezed juices and should be squeezing fresh juice per drink ordered. I tell my high volume clients to either pre-mix all the alcoholic components and squeeze fresh juice in front of the guest OR pre-mix the liquor in advance and then add pre-squeezed juice while preparing the drink.  If you decide to go the later route, just remember the aforementioned Italian saying about citrus juices.  Make sure to taste each cocktail for balance and don’t be surprised to find that you are adding a little bit more sugar syrup toward the end of the day than at the beginning to balance out oxidized juices.

Pre-batching Carbonation- Every new bartender learns the hard way to never shake carbonated drinks. It sounds obvious but almost every newbie has to get soaking wet at least once before the lesson sinks in. The same principle holds true for pre-batching carbonated drinks. Don’t do it. Common sense tells you that the drink will lose the bubbles throughout the day. Once you add carbonation you can no longer shake the cocktail which means you either have to stir or tumble roll to get the proper dilution. Carbonated ingredients are always added after the cocktail has been chilled and diluted. Only then add carbonation, tumble rolled once to mix the ingredient throughout, garnish and serve.

Pre-batching Mixers- There is a lot of mixed drinks that have non-alcoholic mixers added to them. Many of those mixers have a fizzy component to them (i.e. coke, sprite, club soda), in which case simply follow the rules for carbonated drinks above, however for all other mixers, specific rules apply.  The biggest concern with pre-batching mixers with liquor in advance is if the non-alcoholic ingredient(s) are perishable or have an expiration date. Wine, vermouth, dry sherry and dairy products should only be added only at the time the drink is made. The same is true for cocktails requiring eggs or egg whites. For other drinks that have non-alcoholic ingredients that are not perishable (i.e. water, sugars, spices, etc.), these ingredients can be added to liquor(s) in advance and will keep indefinitely if stored properly. Herbs can also be added in advance for infusions but must be removed once the oils are extracted but before the mix becomes bitter.

The bottoms line is that craft cocktails are good for the bottom line. Pre-batching tends to get a bad rap, but when done properly can produce high quality and highly lucrative drinks. Of course, it’s always a good idea to hire a professional mixologist to create the menu and teach the staff how to properly execute. Once you’re are up and going, mis en place ensures speed and pre-batching guarantees consistency. The beauty of well made craft cocktails is that the bartender’s check averages go up, the house’s liquor costs go down and most importantly, the guest gets a better experience. Win, win, win!!

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia now have laws on the books legalizing marijuana in some form or another. Four of those states allow the use of marijuana for recreational purposes (Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska). So it should come as no surprise then that many bartenders are legally experimenting with cannabis in cocktails.
First, let me say, that I am not one of them. Not because I’m a prude and not because I live in a state where pot is only approved for medical purposes. Let me be blunt… er, clear: My drug of choice is alcohol which I choose to drink in moderation and responsibly. However, I recognize that many of my clients do smoke pot (legally). They frequently ask me to keep them appraised of the latest trends and design cocktail programs that cater to their clientele.
In that vein, I’ve recently discovered that an Israel scientist has bred a strain of marijuana that has virtually none of the active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is therefore a good choice for mixologists like myself that want to work with the flavor without the high. Even if my clients choose to use the psychoactive stuff, at least I can present recipes that I have personally tested without getting the munchies (of course if I was a bar owner, serving cocktails that drive food sales is a phenomenal idea!).
The tide is turning and mixologists need to recognize that we have a new flavor profile in our selection of fresh herbs or get stoned (pun intended). There can be no doubt that pot has a distinct, if not pleasant odor. And while the flavor may be more nostalgic than tasty for some, when balanced in a craft cocktail the results can be quite satisfying.
The concept of marijuana flavored drinks is hardly new. There are numerous soft-drinks, colas even energy drinks with cannabis as an ingredient (the ultimate oxymoron). Dani Tatarin of The Keefer Bar in Vancouver, BC has been experimenting with cannabis infused spirits for years. I spoke to her in 2008 about infusing spirits with flavor by cooking them sous-vide (underwater) thereby extracting all the flavor without cooking off the ethanol.
When I next saw her she had infused marijuana into neutral grain spirit using that method. According to Dani, the THC is felt immediately when consumed in booze. This makes sense since ethanol is a solvent and literally strips away the oils and resin in the leaf where much of the psychoactive properties are found.
By the same principle, the easiest way to extract flavor (and THC) is to simply infuse a spirit by adding fresh cannabis leaves and letting it rest for 24-48 hours. Maceration is faster, by muddling leaves like mint in a mojito, you can extract the flavor and still get baked. Compounding straight THC in a liquid form is perhaps quickest but not recommended. As a mixologist, I only advocate fresh ingredients. Plus, the liquid form is only available to the states where it can be consumed recreationally. Since I always taste my cocktails for balance, playing around with the proper proportions can prove to be a less than sobering experience.
With the explosions of micro distilleries in the USA, it is simply a matter of time before someone makes a commercially viable base spirit infused with marijuana through distillation. As it is, there are pot-absinthes available in Amsterdam. Other weed friendly nations have a variety of copper pot distilled pot-infused liquors.
When designing original recipes, because of its herbaceous flavor, I suggest that weed is best paired with Blanco tequilas, aggressive gins, white rums or neutral vodkas (the latter if you want to emphasis marijuana as the dominant flavor profile). Here is an unteste recipe… if you live in one of those legal states, give it a go and let me know your feedback:

CANNABIS COCKTAIL
1.25 oz. Cannabis infused 100% Agave Highland Blanco Tequila
.25 oz. Pechuga Mezcal
.75 oz. Beet Sugar Simple Syrup
.50 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3 dashes of Celery Bitters
1 Egg white

Garnish:
Black lava salt 1/2 rim served with a small sized bag of Fritos on the side

Glassware:
Martini Glass or Cocktail Coup

Method:
Infused freshly cut cannabis leaves (8-10) into a quality Blanco tequila for 24-48 hrs, place all ingredients into mixing tin, add large ice, shake vigorously, taste for balance, double strain into glass, garnish and serve.

Until our next cocktail together…

Bottoms up!