Barback Duties During Service

Who Does This: Barback staff (support role)
When: Throughout operating hours (16:00 until close)
Purpose: Keep venue clean, safe, and running smoothly so bartenders can focus on making drinks

Quick Reference - Priority Tasks

These are your responsibilities during service. Check this list constantly:

HIGH PRIORITY (Do immediately when you see them): ☐ Wet floors → wipe ASAP (slip hazard)
☐ Broken glass → deal with immediately (injury risk)
☐ Full rubbish bins → empty when 80% full
☐ Spills on bar tops → wipe immediately

MEDIUM PRIORITY (Do within 5-10 minutes): ☐ Empty tables → clear glasses and bottles
☐ Restocking fridges → right side cold, left side restock
☐ Washing dishes → keep up with incoming dirty glasses
☐ Toilet supplies → check tissues/soap every 30 mins

ONGOING (Do regularly throughout shift): ☐ Smoking area → check and clean every hour
☐ Live hall tables → clear between sets
☐ Outside alcohol → remove from patrons politely

Your job is to be constantly moving and observing. If you're standing still, you're not working.

Detailed Responsibilities

AREA AWARENESS (Most Important)

What "area awareness" means:

Mental checklist to run constantly:

  1. Are floors clean and dry?
  2. Are tables clean?
  3. Are bins getting full?
  4. Are fridges stocked?
  5. Are toilets OK?
  6. Is anything dangerous or out of place?

TASK 1: Clear and Clean Tables

When to do it:

How to do it:

  1. Bring tray or bus tub
  2. Collect all empty glasses and bottles
  3. Check table for:
    • Napkins/rubbish
    • Spills (wipe with cloth)
    • Forgotten items (phones, wallets - give to bar manager)
  4. Wipe table completely
  5. Take glasses to dish pit
  6. Return to find next table to clear

What good looks like:

DON'T:

Polite phrase to use: "Hi, may I clear these for you? / Would you like me to take these empty glasses?"

TASK 2: Wet Floors - IMMEDIATE PRIORITY

Why this is critical:

What to do when you see ANY liquid on floor:

  1. Stop what you're doing
  2. Get mop or cloth IMMEDIATELY
  3. Wipe up spill completely
  4. Check nearby areas (spills spread)
  5. If floor is still slippery after wiping, tell Kop (might need floor cleaner)

Common wet floor locations:

What good looks like:

If major spill (whole drink, beer bottle):

  1. Put "WET FLOOR" sign if we have one
  2. Clean it thoroughly
  3. Remove sign when dry

TASK 3: Deal with Broken Glass IMMEDIATELY

Why this is critical:

When glass breaks:

  1. DO NOT use your hands
  2. Tell nearby people: "Careful, broken glass"
  3. Get broom and dustpan IMMEDIATELY
  4. Sweep up ALL glass (big pieces and tiny pieces)
  5. Put glass in separate bag marked "GLASS" (not in regular rubbish)
  6. Wipe floor with wet mop after sweeping (catches tiny pieces)
  7. Check area carefully - walk around slowly looking for any missed pieces

Where glass often breaks:

What good looks like:

TASK 4: Clear Rubbish Bins

When to empty bins:

Bin locations:

How to do it:

  1. Get fresh bin bags from storage
  2. Tie full bag securely (don't let rubbish fall out)
  3. Take to external rubbish area
  4. Put fresh bag in bin
  5. Return to next bin

What good looks like:

Special handling:

TASK 5: Wipe Bar Tops

When to wipe:

How to do it:

  1. Get clean cloth from under bar
  2. Spray bar cleaner on cloth (not directly on bar - might spray drinks)
  3. Wipe entire bar top section
  4. Pay attention to sticky spots
  5. Get fresh cloth when current one gets too dirty

What good looks like:

Where to focus:

TASK 6: Restock Toilets

What to check every 30 minutes:

How to restock:

  1. Bring supplies from storage
  2. Check each toilet (men's and women's)
  3. Replace empty toilet rolls
  4. Refill soap dispensers
  5. Quick wipe of sinks if dirty
  6. Empty small rubbish bins if full

What good looks like:

If toilet is blocked or major mess:

TASK 7: Check and Clean Smoking Area

How often: Every hour during service

What to check:

How to empty ashtrays during service:

  1. Make sure cigarettes are completely out (not smouldering)
  2. Tip ashtray into bin
  3. Wipe ashtray if sticky
  4. Return to smoking area

What good looks like:

TASK 8: Always Wash Dishes

This is continuous during service:

How to stay on top of dishes:

  1. Check dish pit every 10-15 minutes
  2. If more than 20 glasses waiting, stop what you're doing and wash
  3. Load dishwasher properly (don't overload)
  4. Run dishwasher when full
  5. Unload clean glasses immediately
  6. Put away in correct locations

Glass types and where they go:

What good looks like:

IMPORTANT:

TASK 9: Restock Fridges (FIFO Method)

When to restock:

FIFO = First In, First Out

How to restock properly:

  1. Go to walk-in fridge
  2. Get products that are running low at bar
  3. Open bar fridge
  4. Put cold drinks on RIGHT side (ready to sell)
  5. Put warm drinks on LEFT side (need time to get cold - restock area)
  6. Move cold drinks from left to right as they chill
  7. When restocking right side (cold area):
    • Pull existing stock forward
    • Place new stock behind it
    • SHOW THE BRAND - labels facing forward so customers see what beer it is

What good looks like:

Products that run out fastest:

Tell Fai immediately if:

TASK 10: Clear Live Hall Tables

When to do this:

How to do it:

  1. Wait for appropriate moment (end of song/set)
  2. Move quickly with tray
  3. Clear empties from tables
  4. Don't interrupt people watching the band
  5. Be quiet (don't drop glasses during quiet parts)

What good looks like:

DON'T:

TASK 11: Remove Outside Alcohol

The rule: No outside alcohol allowed in Speakerbox

How to identify outside alcohol:

How to handle it politely:

What to say: "Hi, I'm sorry but we can't allow outside drinks in the venue. We have [same product] available at the bar. Would you like me to get you one?"

If they refuse:

  1. Stay polite but firm
  2. Explain it's venue policy
  3. Offer to hold their drink outside until they leave
  4. If they still refuse, tell Kop or security

What to say if angry: "I understand, but it's our venue policy for licensing reasons. I can get the manager to explain if you'd like?"

What good looks like:

DON'T:

Things Lying Around - Clear Trip Hazards

What to look for:

What to do:

  1. Move bags to safer location (under tables, out of walkways)
  2. Tell Kop if cables need taping
  3. Push chairs back in
  4. Report broken equipment to Kop
  5. Keep walkways clear

What good looks like:

Priorities When It Gets Busy

When venue is PACKED and you can't do everything:

Priority 1 (Safety - Do First):

  1. Wet floors
  2. Broken glass
  3. Trip hazards

Priority 2 (Customer Experience):

  1. Clear tables
  2. Wipe bar tops
  3. Empty bins that are overflowing
  4. Toilet supplies

Priority 3 (When You Have Time):

  1. Restock fridges
  2. Wash dishes
  3. Smoke area maintenance

Mental rule: Safety first, customer comfort second, everything else when you can.

Working With Bartenders

Your job is to make their job easier:

Communication:

What good looks like:

Common Mistakes

Mistake #1: Standing still, not observing

Mistake #2: Cleaning one area too much, ignoring others

Mistake #3: Not clearing broken glass immediately

Mistake #4: Arguing with customers about outside alcohol

Mistake #5: Overfilling rubbish bags

Emergency Situations

Customer injured (slip, cut, etc.)

  1. Call for Kop or Fai immediately
  2. Don't move injured person
  3. Get first aid kit if asked
  4. Stay calm

Fight or aggressive customer

  1. Get security immediately
  2. Stay back, don't get involved
  3. Clear other customers away if possible
  4. Let security/management handle it

Fire or smoke

  1. Sound alarm
  2. Tell manager immediately
  3. Help customers exit if safe to do so
  4. Don't try to fight fire yourself unless tiny and you're trained

Tips for New Barbacks

First few shifts:

How to get faster:

Physical tips:

Most important:

Emergency Contacts

If something breaks or you need help:

Issue Type Contact Phone
Customer issues Fai or Security [Insert number]
Broken equipment Kop [Insert number]
Emergency Eddie [Insert number]

Version Control

Version Date Updated By What Changed
1.0 30/12/2024 Aaron Initial creation from Fai's notes
       
       

Last Reviewed: 30/12/2024
Next Review Due: 30/03/2025 (review every 3 months)
Document Owner: Fai (Bar Manager)

Revision #1
Created 2025-12-30 07:20:26 UTC by Aaron Winning
Updated 2025-12-30 07:20:45 UTC by Aaron Winning