The choice to pursue a career as a bartender can be a very good one: it can lead to a lifelong career that offers good compensation and the opportunity to interact with a wide variety of people. However, it is also a choice that comes with some important obligations and responsibilities. If you are not prepared for the duties that come with the position, you may find yourself in a very difficult situation. The best way to prepare for the responsibilities and obligations of bartending is to attend bartending school.

Moral obligations of bartenders

To the casual observer, bartending is fairly simple. You take note of what your patrons order, serve it to them, and then take their payment. You can also listen to their jokes and stories, interact with them and meet your “regulars”. While all of that is true, there is much more to the position. In fact, you will discover that you are morally obligated to your bosses.

You are morally obligated to take care of your bosses. That means you have to look out for their best interest and take action against the things that can cause them harm. For example, if you give a customer excessive service, he might do something to insult himself and others. Their judgment is affected and they lose the ability to make logical and reasoned decisions. That can lead to a number of unwanted situations, including drunk driving, injuries, and even deaths. As a bartender, it is your responsibility to prevent that from happening.

Legal obligations of bartenders

In addition to the moral obligation to care for those you serve, you also have legal obligations. If you over cater to someone and leave your establishment only to be involved in a drunk driving accident, you may be held liable. Not only will you have to live with the knowledge that you were the one who attended the drunk driver and that you are at least partially responsible for the injuries or deaths in the accident, but you may also be held legally responsible.

Over serving your bosses is a crime. Charges can be brought against the bar or restaurant you work at, and you may even face jail time due to your personal involvement in the case. Obviously, you need to make sure you don’t over-serve your customers in order to avoid these kinds of repercussions.

an education helps

Perhaps the best way to ensure that you can enjoy this rewarding career and continue to serve your customers responsibly is to get a good education at a qualified bartending school. Of course, such a school will teach you how to mix and serve drinks, but you’ll also learn how to identify the signs that someone you’re serving might have had too much to drink and how to deal with those situations correctly. Getting an education from a qualified bartending school is the only way you can ensure that you meet your moral and legal obligations.