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The Industry Difference

When bartenders drink in other bars it’s far from the experience an average guest has. Haley Forest looks at if biases, personal connections and a different set of skills and knowledge really qualifies Industry as the best judges.

When recommending a nice cocktail bar, the first places that come to mind are the ones that are remembered fondly, where the drinks were exquisite, atmosphere welcoming and the service left a feeling of being on top of the world. While every establishment has their own unique style, these truths are generally good rules to go by to assure a certain level of consistency and guarantee a good time for the next person.

Something not always taken into account, however is the guest themselves, especially when they are industry. The training and connections given by their profession are a variant that can greatly differentiate an experience which in theory should be the same. Having bartenders as guests creates a very different interaction, one that often isn’t really taken into account when evaluating the merits of a bar.

Attention to Detail

It’s hard for bartenders to enjoy a bar at face value. There is too much knowledge, history, and to some degree empathy, ingrained so it’s near impossible for switch off. This is not to say that a bartender cannot enjoy a night out – but it will be a very different night than what non-trade guests have.

We eat and drink even with friends with the same mentality as a lone drinker or diner,” says Geoffrey Canilao of Balderdash in Copenhagen. Keith McNally had a saying ‘The most dangerous diner is the guest that eats alone because he has all his attention pointed at the place.’ Imagine that but of whole industry when they’re out. Sometimes I wish I can just be a normal guest and be really clueless on whats happening around me.”

The phrase “attention to detail” is practically ingrained into most bartenders and becomes an aspect of everyday life, including social outings. Micro details stand out, while the macro becomes normal. But really, what does an average customer notice in a bar: The shiny bottles on the shelf? The tea light candles creating an intimate glow? The way that every napkin is places just so? To the average customer, these details can become part of a larger view, incredibly important but on a slightly subconscious level. These kind of different viewpoints and values bring about a very different experience.

For those working when bartenders come in as guests, it’s always double sided: it’s great to have friends in but there’s also the awareness that they have the potential to see every detail, for better and worse. Sure, they will empathize when the bar is five deep or an order of ten Ramos Gin Fizzes comes through, but they will also know when corners are being cut and service falls short.

Insiders Club

Everyone acknowledges that working in hospitality can be hard work, which is almost never done for the money. It comes with it entry into a club which has certain perks. Shots, bubbles, treats, comps – the industry likes to look after their own. Sometimes it’s a liquid high-five, sometimes a couple moments to chat; regardless, special treatment is frequent and welcome. Unfortunately, this kind of treatment can occasionally lead to a feeling of expectation and entitlement, causing industry guests to become the worst costumers.

If anything, having the experience of working in bars should teach people to act better, to help educate other customers how to be in a bar, but some look at that connection as a way to skip steps. “It doesn’t give you the excuse to act like you don’t know better,” says Joaquin Simo from Pouring Ribbons in New York. “It’s about knowing how to behave – its setting an example.”

The Best Kind of Compliment

Between the inherent knowledge of the industry and the VIP treatment, bartenders view other bars through shaded lenses of both positivity and negativity. Regardless they should also be able to see beneath the layers and realize the true quality of an establishment, which they can then forward on as a compliment. Ian McIntyre from NOLA in London says “Really aren’t they (industry guests) just regulars? And everyone treats regulars with that little extra care and attention. Regulars are more likely to recommend your bar over everyone else.”

Industry likes to have a good time, in good bars filled with good people – customers, friends and industry alike – and while armed with knowledge will certainly give a different view filled with bias, it helps build the entire community, one bar and guest at a time.

Credits

Foto: Bartender and guest via Shutterstock. Postproduction: Tim Klöcker

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