Hi Dollie

Hello Dollie, I just wanted to tell you that I love the site, it is very informative. I just started cocktail waitressing as of today 8/23. I was told by someone who has an ex friend who is a Cocktail Waitress that I'd need to learn how to make the drinks as a part of my job description. Is this true? Or do they mean the garnishes for specific drinks?

AqUaTlcZ

Hi AqUaTlcZ,

Who needs an ex-friend like that? Reinstate her and have her teach you all she knows - pronto!

It never hurts to be over-qualified for your job. Or maybe it does. Anyway, in our scenario, if you know how to make drinks, including garnishes, you will be more confident in your job, especially with customers and bartenders. Sometimes guests will ask you what goes in a certain drink, or they'll give you the ingredients and not know the name. Sometimes bartenders don't know how to make certain drinks and will either try to fake you out by pouring whatever, hoping you don't know either, or you'll be stuck in the bar asking, "Does anyone know how to make a rum and Coke?"

I've been in the business long enough now that if someone orders a drink I've never heard of I can confidently ask, "How is that made?" without fear of sounding like an idiot. I also carry with me two drink books, and in the not-so-rare instance that I learn a new one from a customer, I'll write that in one of my books. Everyone at work knows I have them so sometimes I'll get a call from another bar asking to look up how to make a drink. For someone who's such a wise-ass I need the knowledge to justify it.

So drink-making is not a requirement, but it's definitely an asset.