How Many Bartenders Do You Need? | Premier Staff | Event Staffing Agency (2024)

FAQs

How Many Bartenders Do You Need? | Premier Staff | Event Staffing Agency? ›

So, how many bartenders do you need to run your event? It is advised to have 1 bartender for every 75 guests if you are just serving beer and wine. If you are serving other co*cktails, it is recommended to have 1 bartender for every 50 guests.

If you're having a small wedding with 50 guests, you'll need one or two bartenders. If you're having a medium-sized wedding with 100 guests, you'll need at least two bartenders. And if you're having a large wedding with 150 guests, you'll need three to four bartenders.

What's the 50% rule in bartending? The proper time to serve customers the next co*cktail is once they've consumed 50% of their drink.

A simple rule of thumb is from 1-60, one bartender can handle it. 60-160, two bartenders, 160 – 200, three bartenders, etc. There are other factors involved, however, and sometimes more or less bartenders are needed for individual events. Events where only beer and wine is served need less bartenders.

The general rule of thumb is 50 guests for every 1 bartender for a full service bar. If you're just doing beer and wine, you can probably get away with 1 bartender for every 75 guests. So if you have 125 guests for a full service open bar, we would recommend 3 bartenders.

So, how many bartenders do you need to run your event? It is advised to have 1 bartender for every 75 guests if you are just serving beer and wine. If you are serving other co*cktails, it is recommended to have 1 bartender for every 50 guests.

The generally accepted free pouring technique and bartending counting method is to use a 4 count and have each number equal half an ounce poured. But counting to four doesn't make it the right amount. Counting to four at the right speed is what you're after. And the key to doing that is practice.

Everything from why you shake, when you muddle, to the practicalities of the job, and what we call the five 'P's of world class service: pride, passion, preparation, professionalism and presentation.

A “dirty dump” in bartending refers to the technique of transferring the entire contents of a co*cktail shaker into a serving glass, without the use of a strainer. This method includes all the ice, as well as any muddled fruits, herbs, and other solid ingredients used in the co*cktail's preparation.

Dry is another term used for ordering martinis. It means that you want less Vermouth than the standard recipe requires. “Bone-dry” or “extra dry” will indicate to the bartender that you want the glass rinsed with Vermouth and then discarded.

Do bartenders make 6 figures? ›

Bartending pays well in places with a high cost of living, so it will balance out. Seattle, New York City, San Francisco, the District of Columbia, Boston, and Los Angeles are among the top metropolitan areas. Bartenders in these areas who work in high-end bars, restaurants, and hotels report making six figures a year.

Bartenders can make simple co*cktails whereas mixologists will be required if you plan to serve custom co*cktails or other complicated drinks. You will need 1 bartender or mixologist and 1 barback per 50 guests. If you have specific other needs, you may need more staff.

For a buffet, we recommend one server for every 25 to 35 guests. For a seated, plated event, we suggest one server for every 10 to 15 guests.

An option is for servers to tip out supporting staff a specific percentage of their tips. This percentage is usually set by the manager and is non-negotiable. Typically, the bartender will receive 10% and another 25–30% will be split amongst the remaining staff.

Standard tipping:

Usually, they're tipped about $50 to $100 per bartender, unless there's a tip jar. If there is one, you don't have to tip extra unless you want to! (Especially if they did such a great job.) Catering is usually tipped about 18% of the food cost, but this is different from the service fee.

For a 4 hour party with 100 guests, you will need approximately 400 drinks: 160 beers, 144 glasses of wine (29 bottles) and enough liqueur for 96 individual co*cktails (amounts will depend upon what type of co*cktail you serve). If you aren't serving wine, plan on 240 co*cktails.

How many servers do I need? For a buffet, we recommend one server for every 25 to 35 guests. For a seated, plated event, we suggest one server for every 10 to 15 guests. For passed hors d'oeuvres, we recommend one server per 25 guests.

If you are opting for a limited bar with signature drinks, one bartender per 75 guests is sufficient to make everything run smoothly, although depending on the difficulty of the signature drinks (and the time it takes to make them), it might be good to add a barback!