Katie Wicks is not hitting on your man.
Wicks is a popular bartender at Guyutes, 730 NW 23rd St., who, like many drink makers and cocktail shakers, loves her job.
I am there to serve them and let them be themselves. Thats what makes my job fun, she said.
But as much as she loves people and being a bartender is absolutely a job for a people person there are those nagging little customer behaviors that seem to latch onto a shift and drag it down, down, down.
I hate it when a couple sits at my bar and the whole time the lady is just assuming Im hitting on her dude, Wicks said.
Dont be that guy (or gal). Life is so much better for everyone involved when those who tend bar and those who tend to drink at bars get along. Here, for your guidance, are some dos and donts from Oklahoma Citys bartenders.
Why should I pay extra for someone doing his or her job?
Because of this number: $2.13. Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, but bartenders and servers are considered tipped employees, which means they can make as little as $2.13 per hour. Without tips, a bartender could take home as little as $85.20 for a 40-hour workweek. Oklahomas cost of living might be low, but its not that low.
Paul Keller pours drinks at Circus Party Bar, 319 E. Sheridan Ave., and said he rarely sees a paycheck because of the way Oklahomas tipped workers are counted.
Employers use a tip credit exception. So if I make $100 in tips and work five hours, they are allowed to say that I made $20 an hour, basically, he said.
Employers can pay staff $2.13 an hour if they make enough in tips to meet or exceed the $7.25-per-hour federal minimum wage.
Keller said he doesnt know many people in the service industry who get money on their paychecks.
I didnt have a paycheck over $5 all of last year, if I even got one with any money on it in the first place, he said.Thats what makes tipping so vital. Its not extra its a servers entire pay.
Keller said most customers tip about 20 percent unless the bartender completely screwed up.
Even still, me personally, I wouldnt go below that, but I wouldnt expect a 20 percent tip for screwing something up, he said.
For beers, Keller said $1 per pour or bottle opened is okay.
Nothing is worse than busting your ass to take care of a guest and ringing up a $100 or $200 tab, then them leaving you $5, he said.
Wicks said she once had an allergic reaction to cashews at a restaurant and still tipped her server.
No one deserves to be stiffed unless they purposely fucked up to the max, she said.
Yet there are many patrons who walk into their local watering holes with no idea what to order. Thats okay, Wicks said, but only to a point.
If I come up to you and you say you need another minute, thats fine, she said. But after four or five times and you dont decide, I am going to have to assist other people.
Thats a cue to wait for the bartender to come back around, not begin frantically waving her down like youre trying to get the attention of someone with a T-shirt cannon. You had a chance. You will get another. But people who know what they want get drinks faster than those who hem and haw.
While its acceptable to ask a bartender for a suggestion, you need to provide some basic information, Wicks said. Do you like gin, vodka or whiskey? Are you looking for a sweet drink or a boozy cocktail?
Ask me to decide for you and not give me any tips on what spirit you prefer when I am slammed and you will get a beer, she said. When I am obviously helping another customer and making drinks, dont just start spouting off your entire order because I will have to ask you again later anyway.
The best bartenders are models of efficiency and multitasking, and they ask customers to be prepared, too.
David Rumbaugh, who works at Cowboys OKC, 2301 S. Meridian Ave., said patrons need to be ready, particularly when business is brisk.
Its [midnight], the bar is 15 deep, you stand in line for five minutes and then when you get to the front of the line, you have the sack to turn to your friends and then decide what everyone wants to drink, he said. The cherry on top is when they complain about the lines being so long after all of this.
That doesnt just apply to touching bartenders and servers, but thats a pretty important lesson, too.
No, you cant touch my beard, said bartender Lance Hall of Club One15, 115 E. Sheridan Ave.Handsy customers might be the norm, but that doesnt mean its OK. Sexual harassment isnt confined to office environments, and it is just as unwelcome when it comes from a customer as a coworker.
But it seems guests are also getting handsy with the bars stock of produce. At The Pump Bar, 2425 N. Walker Ave., owner Ian McDermid said some customers treat the fruit caddy the covered container full of cherries, sliced limes, lemons and other cocktail garnishes like a buffet.
Wicks said its not just rude; its also gross.
Keep your hands out of my damn fruit caddy. My hands are cleaner than yours, she said.
And while were talking about cleanliness, its also important to pay in a sanitary manner. Rumbaugh said his No. 1 pet peeve with customers is when he holds out his hand for payment and they put the cash down on the obviously wet bar top.
At Fat Dog Kitchen & Bar, 1234 N. Western Ave., bartender Katherine Stone simply asks for customers to be nice. She might work at an establishment with dog in the name, but shes no canine. That means snapping fingers, whistling or waving money in the air to get her attention are no-nos.
I promise I see you and I will get to you as quickly as I can, she said. Also, please and thank you go a long way.
Keller said a bartender stops serving customers for the protection of everyone involved.
Theyre helping you because they can clearly see you dont need any more, he said. It is not a green light to be a raging asshat. Trust me; you already were a raging asshat in the first place.
Hall said it might be frustrating to be cut off, but often, the staff will just ask guests to drink water and slow down.
The louder and more obnoxious you get, the rougher the ride out of the establishment will be, Hall said.
When someone who makes more money from you drinking says you shouldnt drink any more, its best to get a ride home and live to drink another day.
Because bartenders love you. They want to see you again especially if you follow the rules.
Veteran bartender Katie Wicks said the first step is stocking the bar with some essentials. If theres a liquor the group absolutely abhors, its OK to leave it off, but many of these are multi-tool players that are used in many mixed drinks.
Vodka: Still closely associated with Russia, vodka is an almost-flavorless clear spirit that is often made from fermented grain. Mixed with seasoned tomato juice, it makes a bloody mary. Pour it with orange juice for a screwdriver. Or chill it down and mix it with vermouth for a martini, vodka martini.
Gin: A close cousin to vodka, gin is another clear grain spirit, but with a predominant flavor of juniper berries. Its used in a more traditional martini as well as classic drinks like French 75 and Tom Collins.
Whiskey: A hearty brown liquor made from grain, whiskey has both high- (think 35-year aged Scotch) and low-end (good old country moonshine) associations. Its also a key ingredient in many classic cocktails, including old fashioneds, Manhattans and the aptly named whiskey sour.
Rum: Liquor distilled from molasses or sugar cane, rum is an amber-tinted delight usually associated with sailors. Its used in a number of sweet drinks, including mojitos, daiquiris and piña coladas, but its also pretty good mixed with Coca-Cola.
Tequila: Frequently blamed for wild behavior, tequila is liquor distilled from the juice of agave plants, which are mostly found in Mexico. Its best-known use is the beloved margarita, making it a must for any home bar.
Not everybody drinks liquor or alcohol, so keep a bottle each of red and white wine, a few varieties of beer and soft drinks on hand, too.
Preparation is key, so its a good idea to have a few basic cocktail recipes under your belt. Make them for yourself to taste before trying to play mixologist for the whole party.
Wicks said one thing home bartenders often get wrong is portioning.
If you want the drinks to taste the same as they would at the bar, its all about portioning, she said.One benefit of home bartending is the ability to pour a stiffer drink than you might get at a bar, but that doesnt mean theyll taste good. Bartenders follow recipes for a reason, Wicks said the drinks taste better in the right proportions.
Use a jigger to measure liquor and other ingredients until you develop an eye for the right pour.
Once you have the basics down, start playing with flavors, she said.
Over time, you start to understand which liquors work well other flavors, Wicks said, like how Hendricks Gin blends well with cucumber.
Good drinks dont guarantee a good time, but they can stop an otherwise fun evening from grinding to a halt.
Nothing is worse than a house party with shitty drinks, Wicks said.
TIPPING IS MANDATORY
$1 per drink minimum, including water or soda if youre taking up a seat at the bar.
$2 per drink for more complex concoctions.
If youre tabbing out at the end of the night, pay 20 percent.
If you cant afford to tip on cheap beer, then please drink your cheap beer at home.
Buying the bartender a shot after their shift is great, but it doesnt replace a tip.
BE PREPARED
Its OK to look at the menu, but when a bartender asks what you want, be prepared to answer.
If you dont know what you want to drink, your place in line is forfeited until everyone else waiting has been served.
Ask for recommendations when its slow and the bartender can help. When its busy, have your go-to drink order ready.
HANDS OFF!
Servers are there to help, not to be groped or fondled.
Keep your hands out of the fruit caddy. It is not an all-you-can-eat buffet. Helping yourself to the garnishes is rude and unhygienic.
If a bartender reaches out to accept payment, dont drop the money on the wet bar.
LAST CALL
When youre cut off, for whatever reason, its time to go.
Bartenders have a legal responsibility to cut off customers who have had too much to drink.
The bigger the fuss, the less likely youll be able to return to that bar, so behave.
Headline: Drink better, Bartenders share tricks to help customers stay in their good graces.