There’s been much debate amongst bartenders concerning the pros and cons of speed behind the bar.
Speak to any bartender working a club, Vegas Strip, high volume bar and they’ll quickly tell you speed‘s king!
If you’re working just for tips, as many do in the US, speedy drinks equals fast tips!
With many bartenders regarding themselves as guns... delays in making a drink is costly so, it’s all guns blazing or go hungry!
Like most traditions behind a bar, they didn’t happen overnight... they evolved over time.
On that basis, it’s possible that Prohibition era American Speak Easy bars are the likely modern starting point of the need for speed behind the bar!
The rationale: Speak Easy owners/bartenders never knew when they could be raided by authorities… seems logical then, if you wanted to sell plenty of drinks, make money, that a heighted sense of urgency was required... speed was critical!
During Prohibition drink quality and craftsmanship were not deemed particularly important, so speed was the catalyst to drinking quick and serving fast!
Whilst at Uber we don’t agree that fast drinks will necessarily be good in terms of quality, flavour and balance, we realize there’s plenty of room to cater for all styles and sorts of bartending/customer needs.
Customers waiting to be served is money potentially left on the table; drinks poorly executed represent money leaving a venue as a guest potentially swaps to a cheaper drink category or leaves disappointed altogether!
Speed behind the bar has consequences... it comes down to juggling between speed, care and quality… pick any 2!
