Bartender Communication Codes

Good Communication is essential to the success of any bar, listed below is a series of codes to assist in simplifying this communication.

The reason that codes are important to a bar is that guests in your bar don’t need to know everything that’s happening behind the scenes a few examples would be if you tell a bartender to clean his bar top the guest will be instantly look at the bar top & think yes its pretty bad. Also it is best if guests don’t hear that a bartender needs to go to the toilet or which girls the bartenders think is hot.

A bar is a high paced environment normally noisy environment & the simpler the communication is the more efficient & effective it is.

50 Throw Bottle

This is for flair bartenders, Example 50 Smirnoff would mean throw me a bottle Smirnoff

68 Product in stock

If for example a keg finishes 68 VB would mean VB is back in stock.

86 Product out of stock

If a product is not in stock or totally used during shift that product is 86 Example 86 Baileys would mean the bar is out of Bailey.

100 Clean It

This is a code for managers or senior bartenders to tell their staff cleaning is required Example Johnny 100 bar top would actually mean Johnny your bar top is a mess clean it.

150 I Require Change

Example 150 $5 notes would mean my till needs $5 notes

200 New Customer needs assistance

Example 200 Terry would let Terry know he has a new customer at his station.

250 Guest needs Cigarette lit

With the changes in world smoking laws this will be null & void to most, however smokers love when someone lights their cigarette.

300 Existing customer needs assistance

Used to let bartenders know that a guest on their station is waiting to be served or possibly is almost finished his or her drink.

400 Require help I am in the weeds

Even the best bartenders can get overrun with drink orders, this code is to notify other bartenders that you require help. Example: you may call 400 Robert this would tell Robert who is working on a quite station that you are in need of some help.

500 Follow me

This is a manager’s code that means the bartender has to follow them off the bar. Example: Michael 500 Office would mean Michael I need to see you in the office.

600 Can I go for my meal break

601Can I go to the toilet for number 1

602 Can I go to the toilet for number 2

603 Can I go to the toilet its going to take a while

650 Can I go for a cigarette

The 600 codes all relate to breaks & staff leaving the bar in general.

700 Hot Girl/Guy

701 Hot Girl/Guy after 1 Beer

702 Hot Girl/Guy after 2 Beers

703 Hot Girl/Guy after 3 Beers

750 Unattractive person

The 700 codes are all related to bartenders & staff being able to talk about guests without offending anybody. Better to have comments made in code than have a guest overhear a comment about his girlfriend.

800 Order Up

This is related to service bartenders & is so waiters can inform bartender an order is waiting to be made.

900 Order made & ready to go

This code is for the service bar bartender to notify waiters drinks are waiting to go & getting warm.

On the Fly

By adding the words on the fly to the end of anything simply means it needs to be done now. Example: 900 table 10 on the fly would notify waiter at the bar that drinks to table 10 must go now.

Behind

This simply means you are about to walk behind somebody, this a very important word because it prevents injuries. In any bar that has Flair it is an absolute must. Example: If Mike says behind to Ryan it tells Ryan not to step back

Around the Bend

Some bars have blind spot the call of around the bend notifies any staff on the other side, that someone is coming.

If you have any extra bar communication codes that you feel could benefit this list please contact us.

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Earth Bar Magazine

Earth Bar Magazine