Bartending 101: What does up-sell mean?

May 21, 8:00 PMBartender ExaminerKathleen Neves

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There is a lot more to bartending than just making drinks. In addition to knowing hundreds upon hundreds of drink recipes, bartenders should be knowledgeable about the products they carry behind their bar. This is especially important if a customer orders something that the bar doesn’t carry because it’s always important to know what a good substitute would be. Having product knowledge is also essential for up-selling. Retail people are not the only people who have to be well versed in up-selling products. Bartenders should be too.

Most customers look at bartenders as an ambassador to the many brands of liquor they carry and serve behind the bar. A bartender should understand all the different types of brands and be able to explain to inquiring customers what the differences between the brands would be.

When a bartender up-sells liquor to a customer, the bartender is doing the customer a service by suggesting a better quality product. A better quality product might be an extra dollar or two more for the customer, but it could be the difference between making it to work the next day or spending the day off, praying to the porcelain gods.

Up-selling behind the bar has a lot of benefits. Up-selling is good for the customer (better quality product equals happy customer). It’s also good for bartender’s tip jar (higher the tab equals higher the tip equals happier the bartender).

The more a bartender knows about the products they carry behind the bar, the better that bartender will be in servicing their thirsty customers. It’s important for bartenders to not only keep themselves educated on the new products coming out on the market, but to educate their customers as well.