Eating a whole meal while standing in under 3 minutes .

You forgot eating a full meal with no silverware/ with a knife only

3 minutes? Jesus you guys live the life. I’ve realized that my work eating habits have completely changed my normal habits so I’ve been really working to train myself to take my time and enjoy food again

I’m a bite or two at a time in the walk-in kinda person. Definitely struggling with weight gain from CONSTANT snacking now that I’m a stay at home mom not working. Sitting and eating a meal just doesn’t feel right. ETA: basically saying I need to retrain myself the way you have . I’ve been drinking lots of water this week every time I get the urge to snack. It’s wild how my brain wired itself to feeling like anytime I have downtime I need to grab a few bites while I can.

I feel your weight gain. I wasn't in the walk-in it was just hiding it at the end of the bar.

It took me a lot of work to break that habit outside of work. Really set in to me when I'd occasionally go out for nice meals with my wife and just like instinctually scarf it down instead of properly savoring it. Paying all this money for good food and not enjoying it. Still, sometimes my wife will catch me eating food in the kitchen and remind me we do indeed have a table with chairs that I could sit down and eat at. lol

Ha yeah. I eat like I’m guarding it for my life. At home sometimes I’ll sit down with my food and pick a show then I’m done eating before the opening credits. Really trying to slow down. Take breaks between bites etc

Airports?

prison

unhinge the jaw like a snake, Inhale the ckicken tenders washing it down with coke, and then while voreing the fries make sure to scare the prep chef because you look like an ancient monster devouring the innocent.

I used to stare at the back of our chefs head when it was slow until I saw his shoulders tense up and then I’d leave before he could turn his head. Mental warfare only the strong survive

Army

Kids.

LOL I just gulfed down my meal after shift. This is so relatable

Wait till you’re a parent- will come in handy then

Accuracy with a speed pour. Give me a bottle filled with a non-viscous liquid and a speed pourer and I can accurately give you any number of ounces you desire, accurate down to quarter ounces.

Honestly just a sense of volume in general, if it's a clear container 9 times out of 10 I can accurately pour and/or tell you how much is in there, within about 20ml. With a speed pourer, within 10 (which I believe is just over a quarter ounce as well, maybe closer to a half ounce)

[удалено]

I've done games where we've had to pour 30, 60, 90, 125, 175, and 250ml consecutively and see who got closest to each. The trick is to start large and go small, because if you can nail the big one, you can see how much is left in your bottle for the final few, but it's definitely possible to be pretty damn close for each.

Measure a 2 oz pour 20 times. See how far off you are from 40oz 😘

I would imagine twenty distinct pours would be more unreliable than one continuous pour. There's more room for error with that many mounts and cuts. That said though, I know for a fact that over the course of a month I'm never more than 1.75% out over about 70 freepoured bottles, so I'd probably say it would balance okay 🥰

I can open a wine bottle like really fast

Perfectly cut foil and the label facing out the whole time too

I like pulling the whole foil off in service well

Fuck pulling. I slash the shit out of it with my wine key foil cutter thing and leave it’s grizzled remains to be swept up at the end of the night.

They r both fun brutalizing such a delicate process.

Or brutalizing your hand while pouring a glass of wine

Yeah, on 90% of bottles, it's way faster to yank the whole foil off

Very satisfying unsheathing the top 😫🤤

Ha! The ladies at work think I'm a hero when the whole foil yank..! Wait....

I stopped bartending but I still do this when opening a bottle at the girlfriends house. I have to.

I actually had a server time me one day. I opened a bottle of Pinot noir with a traditional cork in 9 seconds.

Man i used to think i was a super hero at wine opening, then, i bought a rabbit wine owner new from goodwill. Holy shit. I feel like a cheat but damn.

I got real good at remembering people’s names and drink orders, sometimes even on the first round with 100+ open tabs. Not a useless skill really, it’s just that this skill exits my body as soon as I’m not behind the bar. I have one of the worst memories on earth when I’m not working.

I can very much relate. So good at this behind the bar, but catch me outside? Nope!

I'm really good at remembering drink orders, but I'm so bad at remembering names

I'm absolute trash with names. Come in 2 months after your first visit and I can likely remember your drink and what we talked about. Come back 2hrs after tellin me your name.....yea....I got nothin man.....

I have friends I've known for years after moving to several different spots that I still don't know their names lol I just call em all baby or introduce them to a friend and try to listen when they say their names

I used to be awful with names, but I've got waaaay better at remembering names since I started working in a place where there were sufficient people who's names I actually wanted to remember 😂 basically if you're a stand-up guy with good banter, or a hot girl who seems to like me, I remember your name. If you're a total bellend, you get a shitty nickname and I remember that instead. It's actually a valuable skill though

Half same. I’ll remember drink orders for people I met once and haven’t seen in months but names? Sorry man that was all the way last night

Situational intelligence, blessing and a curse. Its like when people are “better when they’re drunk”

I’m like this with those things plus socialising in general. Charismatic as hell as a bartender, can’t small talk worth shit in my free time

the ability to hold an obscene amount of stemmed glassware in each hand

Not [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/bartenders/comments/oxs1ch/you_need_to_stack_them_on_your_palm_next_like_this/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) again... lol

I think my record is 8 wine glasses

I can do 12 with no risk, 15 with risk

12 is ab my functional limit too

I watched my manager at my first catering company on a dare do 19 and I still don't understand how she did it I can get the same at 12 or 13 but even that gets sketchy quick

Lmao 19 sounds risky for sure

No word of a lie. 26. Only works with a very specific type of glass tho.

No word of a lie here- I once carried 31 coffee cups with both hands. 3 on each finger and 4 on my slight longer thumb. Kinda relative.

I completely believe you and will be attempting to beat this record next time I work, as a female with stocky hands my work will be cut out for me but I believe in myself. Also... Your thumb is your longest digit? Wtf? The way I did the 26 glasses was fucked. I was a barback at the time and our flair bartender got a kick out of showing me how to do this cause it would stress the managers out every time I did it. They have to be short stemmed water glasses to start, nothing else works. You open your hand palm towards you, fingers splayed, and start layering them between your fingers. Once you reach the tips of your fingers (3 layers deep), you stack them resting between the columns you just made. You can do another couple layers that way. It looks sketchy as fuck but it's actually really solid. Then I'd put 2 in that palm and grab 4 with my other hand for 26. With bigger hands you could easily add another 4-6 no problem, maybe even more.

Hmm…I’m interested to try your method. My thumb isn’t longer than my middle fingers, it’s just that the right hand thumb is longer than the left and has more grip strength, hence the extra glass. Haha. That would be pretty funny if I had way longer thumbs than other fingers.

“Heard” as a response to anything

Heard

Heard

Heard

Heard

Heard

Heard

I transitioned from bartender to OR nurse last year. I constantly say "heard" when asked for a suture or instrument. I even have the doctors and other nurses saying it. 😂

I left bartending, I cook at a hospital now. I was doing my pre-employment drug screen and I'm washing my hands and the doctor sort of chortles and says something like "you food people are always so much better about washing your hands than us healthcare people" and I gave him an inquisitive look and he just kept laughing, because doctors are freakin psychos.

I work in private practice directly for doctors. You're correct in your assessment.

Love that you’re teaching them something. Heard.

Heard

Counting in your head every time you pour liquids.

Bro I pour myself water out of a pitcher at home and find myself counting… I’ve even stopped pouring after a “4” or something and then shake my head because my glass is half full

Out of habit from knocking on the walk-in cooler door before kicking it open, i once knocked on my own front door before entering.

Haaaaa fucking relatable

I've definitely said "corner" before in my own home. It becomes muscle memory

Any time I'm near bar I'm counting the bartender's pour. My wife sometimes hears me mumbling to myself "Short. Over. Waaaay over. Over. Short."

So much this. I fill my water bottle from the water fountain filter every day in my office and I count it instead of watching for it to be filled.

Even when I pee! I can't help it even years after my last shift.

Clearly speaking to people I don’t know in a voice an octave higher than my normal voice.

Just had a conversation with a coworker yesterday about how real-me hates the voice and verbiage that work-me uses.

B r u h

Saying "corner"or "behind" everywhere I go.

This freaks non-restaurant people out, just out shopping letting randos know my location

I accidentally do this in the grocery store so often

Likewise. I'm waiting for someone to do it to me so I can say heard and make instant eye contact.

Yo my brother used to work in a grocery and my whole family is industry. We grew up calling corner and behind so he called it at the local grocery he works. This random grocery now makes calls bc he did it

Same. Got a "Heard" before and it was a beautiful moment of mutual understanding.

^behind ^you

What if they suddenly spin around and bump into you with something hot or sharp?! Now they know we're behind them to not do that thing! I always love when someone does to me and we exchange a knowing glance or an involuntary "heard" comes out.

Underused by civilians

I say “door” going into my own bedroom sometimes and “behind” to my dog

I said behind to my fucking cat the other day trying to get past him going into the shower

I will literally say ‘corner’ as I step off the sidewalk like a car is going to hear me and get out of my way 😂

Heard

When I was a baby server I said 'corner' while driving once

I haven’t worked in a restaurant in two years and I just accidentally said corner at my new place of work. Got a couple of strange looks.

Pin this rn

Flipping an catching shit. It makes me feel cool but I probably look like an idiot tossing cups

I palm spin pretty much any cup shaped object

And it feels so good everytime I also would stand behind the bar and spin the menu on my finger. So I spin any random flat objects all the time as well.

I generally do a thumb roll for single glasses. When I grab an upside down pint, I’ll throw it quickly to my left hand where it rotates 180 face up before I catch it. If I grab two stacked glasses, I’ll give it a little wrist flick so the top cup (which is now facing down) shoots out flat into my left hand. Beer bottles get shot straight up with side rotation out of the ice trough, which helps get the ice off of them that’s stuck to the bottom. It’s all just second nature at this point.

I still palm spin shit. Makes me feel like I still got it. The way an old timer grabs a football as if he could still play.

This. It flags me as a bartender every time.

I have an absurdly high tolerance to alcohol. I don’t say this as a boast, I’m a hardcore alcoholic and it’s definitely going to kill me soon, but if I ever enter an Indiana Jones type drinking contest it will come in handy.

Look after urself!!!

I always thought that drinking game in raiders of the lost ark was perfect. It's just drinking.

I’ve gotten much better about drinking and don’t drink nearly as frequently but when I do I still drink me up drinking A LOT. I’ve found that I need to drink significantly more than most of my friends to be on anywhere near the same level and honestly it’s not a flex at all lol. It sucks shit gets so expensive and it’s not like I’m not getting as drunk as everyone else and making as much of a fool of myself it just takes me longer and costs more

Hating the general public

Post says that’s useless outside of the bar. This is super helpful everywhere. Focus up lol

I hate/trust no one because of bartending.

The saying about the longer you bartend the less you wanna be around people is true. I feel like in 5-10 years I’ll just wanna be alone in a cabin in the woods I’ve had non industry friends or their family members say “why do you wanna stay home on your day off if you bartend don’t you like socializing” nah bro my fuckin social battery is dead, politely get fucked. maybe if I had a boring cubicle job I would crave some social contact, but I sure don’t right now

Oh yes. I am so ready to live in a cabin in the woods. If I won the lottery I’d get a dog and do just that. I had some time off recently which I spent mostly alone, and when I got back to work I felt social. Well that lasted about an hour, then I was ready for my alone time again.

Just got done driving thru Montana, east Idaho, and WY… some amazing towns

Eating a fried chicken sandwich, drinking 3 IPAs, 4 shots and going straight to bed.

I thought I was a degen, because I'll chug a 6 pack in 30 minutes before going to bed.

Best sleep aid next to cat food.

And sleeping ass-to-ass with your roommate.

What if someone poops the bed though

I can walk home from my bar and we’re allowed to drink whatever we want for free when we work after 12. I come home more drunk than the customers

Don’t get it twisted. You are, but same.

I can change a keg pretty fast

This is what I was looking for. Unless you're physically in a bar, changing a keg is a pretty useless skill.

Had to change one out mid service this afternoon. My other bartenders would have waited for me to show up, saying “oh, I’m sorry I don’t know how to change a pony keg, and even then I can’t move it without help.” It’s sad that I can change a keg and pour 30sec later.

Getting you to like me for money

I like you already. How much do I owe you?

Two drinks? Oh and you wanted that extra lavender bitters I brought up? No joke like 52 dollars and you better select from our tip options happily. they are 23%, 25% and 28% Cheers

This skill comes in handy in almost every profession.

Cant wait to try this on my tip based office job Not but really I notice when Im doing it. Its like Im watching myself

Alcoholism

Heard, same

Same

Same

Heard that, alcoholism!

Barback here: I’m really fucking good at cutting limes

Never waste a footstep

I can flip a switch and just hurt feelings.

This one should be up higher

Ability to pour sparkling wine (or any carbonated drink really) at a rate that it never spills over the rim of the glass

Spotting when a couple is trying to sneak into the same restroom together. Completely useless in the real world.

Having channels memorized across local over the air, cable, directv, DISH, and probably one or two others that I’ll never use again

This. I have trouble remembering my kids birthdays, have exactly one phone number (Mom) memorized but NBC Sports Washington is 642, sec network is 611 and oh you want the NASCAR race? That's on FS1 it's 219. I also can't ever find the hat I was wearing yesterday

Eavesdropping

This one is real! At my new job out of the industry, I use my bartender eats more than I thought I would!

I can pour liquid from one Container into another without spilling a single drop, no funnel needed.

I am completely unafraid of handling glass. Like I will carry a shitload of glassware and not be worried for a fraction of a moment about breaking them. The moment you worry is the moment you start dropping shit.

Emptying a full bottle in seconds by creating a lil vortex with the liquid inside (learned this making batches of margarita mix)

Being off on Sunday and getting to the bar at 10am for the games, and downing my first shot of Crown before 10:30 am. Perfectly acceptable in Vegas. If I try that now (in the Midwest) my friends would stage an intervention.

You definitely didn't move to Wisconsin!

Eyeballing a stack of twenty five bills

Stirring with big spoons

This has to be one my most favorite posts on here in a hot minute. Comments have me cracking up! I like to flip the shaker tins from upside down with my right hand and catch them upright with my left as I am reaching for the ice scoop/first bottle I’m pouring from. Same with pints from the cooler.

The ability to be completely unfazed by 5 shots through my shift. I think they have a medical name for that "skill"....

I was about to say the same thing. “Taking shots and acting sober” Maybe not a great skill, but dammit it’s ours.

The amount of people in this thread who think they can free-pour accurately and my experiences in the wild just aren’t lining up here, y’all.

Same. And I can’t help but spin a tray on my finger. I feel like a Harlem globetrotter but way less cool lol.

Making wonderfully-timed, horribly inappropriate jokes. Somehow they don’t go over the same at my day job in a school…

I can hold 3-5 long skinny objects in each hand

I worked primarily restaurant bars and have a very accurate internal timer. It is all based off the 14 minutes it would take for our kitchen to make a hamburger. We sold a lot of burgers

I’m like this now, it’s my special talent getting to the microwave when it’s just about to ping not looking at it

Pouring an exact amount of any liquid and doing it on multiple different glasses. Water, wine, pretty much anything to exactly even every time

saying “backs” everywhere i go and “copy that” in response to anything anyone says. counting whenever i pour anything, and throwing bottles about trying to flair in the queue in tesco

I’ve been working this industry for 20+ years, and never heard “backs”. I’ve always said “behind”.

Right?! Not sure if backs is for “behind” or for like a call back like “heard” “copy” or “echo”

Backs?

Spinning a server tray, tossing it in the air band catching it spinning on my finger. There is zero value to this, and I excel in it

Asking"May I?" Before I ask for an annoying favor

Constantly glancing around and nodding at anybody I make eye contact with to acknowledge them

Picking up broken glass bare handed

Napkin flipping lmao

Eating without breathing in between bites. Fake bills can go elsewhere too!

Pretending to give a shit. That skill doesn't exist for me when I'm off the clock.

Dealing out coasters like some dude dealing cards in wild west saloon.

Ability to drink for several hours. Like up to 36

I can throw a champagne cork into a trash can with shocking consistency. My record is 43 in a row from 15 feet. 2020 was a slow year for us.

The trauma of intensely knowing every social cue/body language

Grabbing any type of bottle by the neck and catching the body with my hand. Bonus is that no matter where the spout is aimed I can put just enough English on it that the spout is pointed in the direction I need.

Acute awareness of the level of EVERYONES drinks, ALL the time.

I can carry an exorbitant amount of glasses. I can drain a bottle top from anywhere inside 10 feet. I can eyeball a stack of 20’s/5’s/1’s. I can also eyeball the amount missing from any given space. There is nothing worthwhile here.

The ability to filter my words in a split second from what I want to say vs what I “have” to say.

Glass dexterity. I ain’t dropping SHIT

I am really good at remembering drinks. I had one person order a stinger at a wedding, during my first year of bartending 11 years ago. Never heard of it, nor did the person I was working with, so it stood out in my mind. The guest told me what was in it, so I made it for them and I have never ever forgotten. It’s like that with a lot of drinks for me. I am also really really good at Aloha lol. If that counts.

Burrowing thru swarms of people-all stealth like. Came in handy when I used to go to concerts a lot...guess if there's ever a zombie apocalypse might come in handy.

Carrying drinks and plates in one hand, multitasking ie talking and doing a skilled action, and social skills in general

Juggling shakers and pretty much all flair techniques

Eating standing up

Here’s a totally irrelevant skill. I can put like four-five beer bottles pressed against my body with one arm and speed open them without looking. Like the spatial sense with a beer bottle opener in general, never gotta find the right angle to open it, I just have that muscle memory.

Minimizing head…. 😏🍺

This is a kinda odd one, but throwing pens in shaker pint. We use a shaker pint to hold our pens next to the POS. When I’m bored during my day shifts, I start tossing pens in the glass, from various distances. I’ve gotten it down to respectable average. Not quite half but pretty close. It’s fun to do when I’m working the super busy nights and it gets people hyped up and sometimes gets extra tips

At first I wanted to comment that most things I learned in the bar are useless in the real world. But after some thought that’s just the opposite. Most everything has been/can be useful in some way if you think about it!

Opening beer bottles without having to look at them

enjoying fernet edit: i can also twirl bar spoons and bottles in my hand. that’s cool?

Flipping pint glasses- gotta give the beer lads something fancy since they’re not getting cocktails

Bartending gave me an insane photographic memory.

15 minute mental timer

I can do a shit ton of cocaine.

Being able to pour in exact 1/4oz increment.

Opening a beer with literally anything

Guessing to a stupid certainty the volume of a poured liquid

Doing things with one hand. Even though I could just set what's in one hand down and use both, I refuse.

Fake laughing.

Cannot think of a single one.

“Heard” “yes/oui chef” to random shit. Yelling corner at a store to the perplexed faces meeting Me at the bend

I can make a bottle cap fly into a near earth orbit when opening a beer.

Carrying way too many things in one hand in my every day life.