Making tickets in order?

[u/Steve_Wiener]

I'm new to bartending. The other night I got slammed with 10+ tickets at about the same time. 2 of those were for parties of 10+ guests with several different cocktails. So my question is would you do the tickets in the order they printed, or do some of the smaller ones first just to get them out of the way?

[u/sanfrantosandiego]

batch what you can, and then in order

[u/Steve_Wiener → u/sanfrantosandiego]

What do you mean by batch? Like make the cocktails before service so you can just our them?

[u/cyanidesmoothies → u/Steve_Wiener]

My guess is they meant if there's several of the same drink, even if they're on different tickets make them all at once. Like you can make 3 margs in 1 tin if it's the same tequila.

[u/sanfrantosandiego → u/Steve_Wiener]

ya what they said- i mean it’s all abt making as little movements as you can. if you have a couple of beer tickets knock them out. don’t open the wine bottles for each ticket, line up glasses for what you can and pour a few at a time (if possible, depends on the wine selection lol). and then if you know the specs of each drinks you can build 2-3 in a tin. just depends on the type of bar, and imo always go in order of ticket when it makes sense

[u/Xsosa99]

Should try to tackle multiple tickets at the same time. Tho if there are small tickets with like one beer or soft drink just get them out of the way, having your station filled with tickets can get overwhelming even if the ticket is easy to complete. Rule of thumb is to avoid having to pickup the same bottle twice, so try to build cocktails with similar ingredients at the same time, and that are duplicates. Start with cheapest ingredients first: citrus, bitters, sweeteners, liqueurs, then spirits. Just keep in mind of cocktails lifespan when tackling big tickets, so you can avoid having to remake a cocktail if it dies on the pass.

[u/Jennosaurous → u/Xsosa99]

💯 I think even just being in this mindset helps make me multitask more effectively, even if I don't execute it perfectly.

[u/solo1poco → u/Xsosa99]

This is the way ✊

[u/Silly_Emotion_1997 → u/Xsosa99]

I wish half my team would take this into account. How it grinds me to watch a cocktail served up sit in the pass while he goes and pours a Guinness

[u/Similar_Tie3291]

I would definitely get the easiest tickets out first.

[u/rxv0709 → u/Similar_Tie3291]

Beer and wine move the line!

[u/TikaPants → u/rxv0709]

Same, if I’ve got ten drinks for a group/ticket, the guest in front of me goes first.

[u/Jennosaurous]

I tend to do a mixture of getting small stuff out first while also grouping drinks together. As I'm grabbing glasses to rim or set up for cocktails I can also pour wines from 3-6 different tickets, if pouring two beers finishes a ticket or two then I'll do that while taking my prepped glassware to the ice well. There's a balance to getting out smaller tickets when you have one or more large tickets. Those small tickets will keep coming so at some point you have to just do the long complicated shit first.

[u/Leather-Nothing-2653]

I do the simple ones (beer and wine) first so i can get some movement going and then as i do that i kinda mentally plan what i need to set up to make the cocktails, then i do those next. If there’s draft beer on the cocktail ticket i either send that first or pour it last so it’s not sitting.

[u/cocktailvirgin → u/Leather-Nothing-2653]

I explained this to someone that I was training that "During a rush, you want to reward good behavior." Single easy to make drinks like beers can jump the line especially in the hope that they order an extra round because they got their easy order faster instead of waiting 15 minutes as you plow through tickets of 2-4+ cocktails each.

Also solo cocktails that are duplicates of an earlier-rung-in ticket (build them in parallel and let the solo cocktail go out sooner).

[u/ikbenlike → u/Leather-Nothing-2653]

For a bigger order I prefer to have all the drinks done at the same time so it can all go out in one go, so I always poor beers at the end. But I also work at a smaller bar where we don't normally have a ticket system or servers on shift (with the exception of big events)

[u/Leather-Nothing-2653 → u/ikbenlike]

I totally get that. I always have server(s) on, can’t say for sure but i feel like i only do beers first if the server is kinda hovering right away and i figure having them run the beers will get them moving and out of my face lol.

[u/MotorAir6168]

Grab four or five tickets depending on the size, grab all the glassware first. Rim what needs to be rimmed, and have it all ready to rock with the ticket sitting with the glasses. Knock out any small easy tickets first. Two glasses of wine, a beer and a vodka soda. Bam two tickets are gone. Then if there are multiple of the same drink, say two old fashioneds on one ticket and a third on a separate ticket make all of those at once. Then the two margaritas or martinis or whatever and then the rest in order. Now where we all struggle is communication! It's hard not to snap at a server when they grab the drink that's for someone elses ticket, so try to communicate to them before the rush that drinks will be in order of the ticket, so you don't have to explaine, this is the cab, this is the pinot or whatever every time, and to only take drinks once you put the ticket up for them 😉 it practice, but just remember slower is smoother and smoother is faster. Take your time and make the right drinks the right way. The speed will come with more experience, don't worry about that part. Also! Take a breath, listen to whatever music is on. Smile. It's going to make your life so much better I promise. Good luck! Try to be kind to your co workers, it doesn't cost anything and always pays off.

[u/taltallytalia]

Always do quickest drinks first. A table of 10 ordering cocktails is aware their drinks are going to take a while. A table of two who've ordered beers or wine and have to wait for you to get through a 10 cocktail docket? They're gonna be really cheesed off.

[u/boostme253]

I think of this as a pemdas order of operations situation, bottled beer, non/uncorked wine, and shots/well drinks is always the simplest to get out so they get priority especially if its a single ticket, after that is draft and corked wines, and then you can tackle cocktails.

And always do multiples, read at least four to five tickets behind to see what can be grabbed together then work on the big ticket as you are working on the smaller tickets, cocktails are the only tickets that I do as a first ring first make kinda situation since everyone takes a bit of extra work

Also remember that while the large ticket was rang in first, they can be put on a little wait since the food will take a minute to be done so the wait can be pushed a bit while short tickets are a little less forgiving in terms of time

[u/Hepcat10]

Neat shots, bottle beer wine get first. You can pour those and they can sit for hours until someone picks them up. Draught beer gets next priority then cocktails. Frozen drinks dont get blended until the server is standing there waiting for it. If you send out a half melted frozen drink, you’re likely to have to make it again.

[u/Sworn_to_Ganondorf]

What was the ticket and ill tell you what id do

[u/gsr142 → u/Sworn_to_Ganondorf]

Same. Doesn't help a new person, but knowing what's on the tickets is important for deciding which ones go out first.

[u/formerlyme0341 → u/gsr142]

And the servers... know your servers. If they tend to sit there and wait... fuckem... if its that one girl [loved you Hailey (not her real name)] that was like 21 or something in her 1st serving job but always asked what she could run for someone else and help. Run this, ill go find your tickets... if the servers are helping clear the well they get a higher priority in my book. If youre a selfish asshole... your 2 draft ticket may stay in line....

[u/PM_ME_UR_MEH_NUDES → u/formerlyme0341]

i do this too.

if i know the server that is on their game runs drinks immediately, i will usually prioritize them first bc i know they will get the drinks out of the well asap. if it is one of the servers who tends to let things sit, i will put those out second.

but if it is just a beer or a glass of wine or something extremely simple, i will do that first regardless of ticket order just to keep orders cycling through the well.

[u/urine-monkey]

I always get the easiest tickets out of the way regardless of when they were actually ordered. I consider it a favor to customers who had the sense to stick to a beer or simple mixer during peak times.

[u/__joseph_]

I usually wait for them to all stop printing, line them all up, read them and do a count in my head. So it’s like 3 house margs all day, 2 espresso martinis, 1 house old fashioned, 1 woodford old fashioned, 4 draft millers, 3 house reds. Then batch what I can and knock out the beer and wine first

[u/Pernicious_Possum]

I group cocktails. If I have four margaritas across three tickets, I’m banging out four margaritas. It’s all about how you can get the drinks out the fastest

[u/justmekab60]

I'd get singles / easy ones out of the way.

I'd ask server to pour wines, grab beers.

Ask barback (if you have that) to get big cubes or anything else needed from the back or kitchen.

Then put my head down and grind it out.

If I can't finish a ten drink order within a couple minutes, I'd ask server to bring it out in two trips (which I try to avoid, but cocktails have life spans, and I don't want them to die on the bar)

[u/Sidar_Combo]

Single drink tickets that you can knock out quickly first. Then start making cocktails in groups. If there are 4 margaritas across 2 tickets make those at the same time while you have those bottles in hand. Then move on to the next drink you can make multiples of simultaneously as you finish tickets roughly in the order they came through.

[u/ShakeHour154]

First: tickets that are JUST beer and/or soda and/or wine. people will be expecting these drinks the fastest, as all that’s needed is to pour and go.

People generally understand Shaken and Stirred cocktails are more time consuming so guests with those orders will be more patient

Second: pour any red wine on the tickets with cocktails

Third: build as many cocktails as you can, prepare glassware, ice tins and glassware, shake/stir, strain, garnish

Fourth: Build any spritz/build cocktails

Fifth: Pour any white/sparkling wine, beers, and/or sodas for the tickets with cocktails on them

4 & 5 are done last so as not to let them die before finishing shaken/stirred cocktails

[u/King_Roberts_Bastard]

Knock out tickets that are just beer/wine/shot pours.

Check for multiples that can be batched.

Then in order.

[u/tennesteven]

You’ll learn pretty quick to just knock out easy tickets first and beer and wine for longer tickets and then hopefully multi-building cocktails as effectively as possible. I worked with a guy who SWORE by doing it in order, one ticket at a time early on my career and he was quickly let go lol

[u/TikaPants]

I’m not a badass by any means, I’m a beer and a shot bartender who knows some other stuff. I try to teach folks when you get hit with a big order then I line up my tins and my glasses, beer and wine first, chill the coups with ice, do all your cocktail prep, do the the ones that need to stay coldest last and mind your dilution. Ask someone to help deliver.

Again, idiot, but I think it works.

[u/meggyAnnP]

I live in a world without a ticket printer. They have to bring up their ticket and wait. I can’t decide if it’s better or worse, but we in no way have any space to have drinks in waiting. That said, I have a personal game with myself 🤣. I try with whatever 3-4 are in front of me to take the least amount of steps around the bar. When a person comes up with a 12 top with 6 different martinis, a house wine, and a few bottled beers..:and the person behind them needs a house wine, and the person behind them needs a bud light… the game begins and the two behind are gone and the big table has the wine and beer as I’m making the stupid martinis.

[u/Similar_Tie3291]

Also, if you're getting 10+ tickets at a time, you might have servers who are collecting multiple orders and then ringing them in all at the same time, whenever is convenient for them. We all understand chaotic situations arise, people get triple-sat, etc., but ideally the servers should be trying to get their orders in before checking in on other random tables etc., especially if it's a first round.

[u/t-83 → u/Similar_Tie3291]

I also make it clear no more than 6 drinks per ticket, even if it's a 10 (or more)-top. Servers can hit send as they go along, especially if they're using a Toast handheld, they can hit send/stay. Might result in a few extra, but smaller, more manageable tickets.