What is a Barback?

Customers who experience longer wait times are 18% less satisfied with their experience. Hiring a barback can keep your bar operations efficient and boost customer satisfaction. 

What is a barback?

If you’re thinking of opening or owning a bar, you need a barback to help maintain smooth operations. Barbacks mainly assist the bartenders in various tasks, especially behind-the-scenes duties, so that the latter can focus on making drinks and engaging with customers.

Barbacks help the bartenders with stocking and replenishing supplies, keeping the bar clean, and helping with customer requests. They also perform end-of-shift duties, such as taking out the trash and securing the bar area.

Barback responsibilities

Stocking and replenishing supplies

A well-stocked bar makes sure bartenders can serve customers quickly without delays, especially during busy nights. Before the shift starts, a barback should check bar inventory, making sure that all liquor bottles are topped up, mixers are ready, and garnishes like lemons and limes are prepped. 

Keeping the bar clean

It should be second nature for barbacks to wipe down counters, clean up spills immediately, and keep the bar area tidy throughout the shift. By doing so, they prevent clutter from building up and keep the bar looking professional and inviting.

Helping with customer requests and queries

While they may not be directly serving drinks, barbacks can help by answering questions about the menu, fetching items, or minor requests like bringing extra napkins. The added support allows bartenders to focus on making drinks, which speeds up service and improves customer satisfaction.

Removing and disposing of trash

Another responsibility of barbacks is to dispose of trash, including emptying trash bins, removing discarded items like napkins and straws, and taking out the garbage after each shift. Prompt trash removal not only keeps the bar clean but also prevents unpleasant odors that could detract from the customer experience.

Securing the bar area after the shift

Cleaning isn’t the only task a barback should complete at the end of the night. They must double-check that all bottles are back in their designated places, ice bins are emptied, and the bar area is tidy.

Make sure your barbacks know what to do during peak hours with detailed shift plans using 7shifts. Our bar management software also lets you assign specific tasks, like stocking supplies or cleaning the bar, and track their completion in real-time.

Does your restaurant or bar need barbacks?

Your restaurant needs barbacks if your bartenders are constantly running out of supplies, struggling to keep up with orders, or spending too much time on tasks like restocking and cleaning.

To find out if you need a barback, observe your busiest shifts. If you notice customers waiting more than 10 minutes for a cocktail, your bar needs more staff. You don’t even have to hire a full-time barback. You can set up a part-time role for the weekend or during holidays.

What’s the average barback pay range?

The average barback hourly rate is $15.26, with some earning higher wages in high-end bars or restaurants in major cities. Employers may also offer additional benefits such as tips and bonuses.

When hiring a barback, you must consider the local job market and offer a competitive compensation package to attract and retain talented individuals. Check job postings and talk to industry peers to understand the going rate.

You can also offer a pay range rather than posting a fixed hourly rate to entice more experienced barbacks. For example, offering a pay range between $15 to $18 per hour gives you room to adjust based on qualifications, making your job offer more attractive to skilled candidates.

Finally, don't underestimate the power of non-wage benefits. Beyond a competitive hourly wage, emphasize other perks like flexible scheduling and staff discounts to encourage more applications.

How to hire a barback

When hiring a barback, make sure you know your operational needs, especially the tasks your bartenders need help with. As soon as you’ve identified these requirements, you can easily prepare for the interview and demo to find the next addition to your bar staff.

Step 1: Determine your barback requirements

Knowing whether you need a barback involves evaluating the size and volume of your bar. For a smaller bar with moderate traffic, one barback per shift might be enough. However, if you run a high-volume restaurant or a busy nightspot, you may need two or more barbacks to handle the workload efficiently.

Next, outline the barback’s key responsibilities, which typically include restocking liquor, garnishes, and glassware, cleaning the bar area, and assisting bartenders with various tasks throughout the shift.

Lastly, you should know how to schedule employees effectively by creating a schedule that aligns with your bar’s busiest times. As mentioned, you can set up a part-time barback for when bartenders need the most support, such as weekends and holidays. 

Step 2: Consider the skills and experience needed for the barback role

While previous bar or restaurant experience is a plus, it's not always necessary. Look for candidates who demonstrate strong organizational skills, the ability to multitask, and a proactive attitude.

Physical stamina is also important, as the job often involves lifting heavy items like kegs and standing for long periods. Good communication skills are also valuable, as barbacks need to work closely with bartenders and other staff.

Age is an important thing to consider since barbacks may have to serve liquor during busy shifts. The minimum age to serve differs per state, with some places like Maine and Michigan allowing 17-year-olds to serve alcohol as long as a manager or supervisor is present.

Step 3: Know where to look for qualified barbacks

Your restaurant’s website and social media channels are great platforms to let people know that you’re looking for barbacks. Another option is using job boards and employment websites, which lets you reach more applicants.

Your local hospitality community can also be a valuable resource for finding barbacks. Reach out to industry associations, local bartender groups, or culinary schools to see if they can refer qualified candidates. Additionally, you can encourage current staff to refer friends or acquaintances who may be interested in the role.

Step 4: Prepare a structured interview process

Developing a set of interview questions can help you assess the candidate’s skills, experience, and fit for the role. Focus on key areas such as their understanding of barback responsibilities and experience in a fast-paced service environment.

Include hypothetical scenarios to help you gauge how well they solve problems and work with others.

For instance, you might ask, “What would you do if the bar ran out of a popular liquor during peak hours?” or “How would you handle a situation where a bartender is overwhelmed and customers are waiting?” These questions give you an idea of their critical thinking skills and ability to work under pressure. 

Danny Meyer, founder of Union Square Hospitality Group, shares how they hire the right people in their restaurant by looking for the “51 percenters.” “We are looking for talent whose skills are divided 51-49 between emotional hospitality and technical excellence,” he says. 

Meyer emphasizes how they look for kind optimism, curiosity, work ethic, empathy, self-awareness, and integrity in applicants. He adds that candidates who possess these six key emotional skills have a high hospitality quotient, making them the best people to work in their restaurant.

Step 5: Conduct barback demos to check their skills

Aside from interviews, conducting demos is an effective way to evaluate a candidate’s practical skills. You can ask candidates to demonstrate how they’d restock glassware, prepare garnishes, or handle a mock customer request under time pressure.

Hands-on assessments allow you to see their competence in real-time and show you that they can handle the physical demands of the job. The demo also gives you an idea of how well they follow instructions or work with the bartenders. 

Step 6: Check references and verify credentials

Before you finalize the barback hiring process, make sure to check their references and verify their work history and qualifications. Contact previous employers and ask about the candidate’s reliability and their ability to handle pressure and work as part of a team. 

Step 7: Create a detailed contract

Having a contract protects you and the barback. It should outline the responsibilities they need to fulfill to set expectations right from the start. The document should also include details on the work schedule, shift patterns, and any requirements specific to your restaurant.

For example, if your barback will be working until the wee hours of the morning, you should state it clearly in the contract. Also, specify the compensation package, including the hourly wage, any tips or bonuses, and non-wage benefits like flexible scheduling.

Being transparent in the contract builds trust and makes sure the person you hire fully understands their job and the rewards associated with it.

Step 8: Provide comprehensive onboarding

Once the contract has been signed, give your barback a tour of your bar to make them familiar with the layout. Knowing where the glassware, liquor, and garnishes are placed can help them find things quickly when customers’ orders are piling up.

Take time to train the barback on the equipment they’ll be using as well, such as the ice machine, glass washer, and point of sale (POS) system if they’ll be helping with order entry. Make sure they understand the procedures for using and maintaining this equipment to keep everything running smoothly.

Of course, you should introduce the new barback to the people they’ll be working with, especially the bartenders and servers. With support and teamwork, your barback can be a valuable addition to your bar staff.

How to train your barback

During the training period, you must set clear expectations and pair them with a mentor for guidance. Scheduling regular check-ins also gives the barback an idea of their progress and how well they’re meeting your performance metrics.

Establish clear expectations and performance metrics

Make sure the barback understands what is required during each shift and how their role supports your overall operations. When creating a bar or restaurant staff training manual, discuss whether they can serve drinks or if their responsibilities are limited to supporting the bartenders. By setting specific goals, you help them focus on what they should be doing.

Let them know of performance metrics like the speed and accuracy of restocking supplies and the bar’s cleanliness at the end of each shift. This way, you have a clear way of assessing their performance.

Pair them with a mentor

A mentor can help the new hire understand the specific responsibilities of the role. You don't have to go out of your way to find an experienced barback. A skilled bartender or server can provide the new hire with the guidance and support they need.

The mentor should be patient, approachable, and willing to share their knowledge and experience. They can walk the new barback through a typical shift, showing them how to anticipate the bartenders' needs and interact with customers in a way that enhances the overall service.

Schedule regular check-ins

Hold weekly meetings to discuss the barback’s progress and address any challenges they’re facing. You can also provide constructive feedback during these check-ins. Schedule these meetings at least once a week for two or three months, depending on the new hire's performance.

Maintaining smooth operations

A barback helps bartenders focus on serving customers efficiently. When hiring one, check whether they have the skills and experience to keep your bar running smoothly. Empower your barback through proper onboarding and training so they can become a valuable member of your team.

As you hire more staff, let 7shifts help you with scheduling and managing shifts to make sure your bartender always has a barback to help them. With features like automated scheduling, shift swapping, and time-off requests, our bar and brewery team management software makes it easy to maintain a well-coordinated team.

Vahag Aydinyan

Hello! I am Vahag, Content Marketing Manager at 7shifts. I am writing about content marketing, marketing trends, tips on restaurant marketing and more.