What is a Barback? Job Description, Salary, and How to Hire the Best

Ever wondered who keeps the bar running smoothly during a busy night? It’s the barbacks, the unsung heroes behind every bustling bar. In the United States, barbacks are essential to ensuring bartenders can focus on serving customers without missing a beat. Without them, it would be nearly impossible to enjoy a seamless bar experience. A barback’s role is often overlooked, but their position behind the bar makes them indispensable.

If you’re looking to learn more about the barback role, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about barbacks and how to hire the best ones.

What Is a Barback?

A barback is a bar staff member responsible for supporting bartenders by keeping the bar stocked, clean, and well-organized. Barbacks ensure that bartenders have all the necessary supplies, such as glassware, garnishes, ice, and alcohol, allowing them to serve customers efficiently. Since barbacks are often focused on restocking and maintenance, they usually develop a deep understanding of bar operations and workflow.

Beyond restocking and cleaning, barbacks are expected to follow the bartender’s directions and communicate with other staff to ensure the bar runs smoothly. Depending on the establishment, some bars may have a strict hierarchy with head bartenders leading the way, or barbacks may have more autonomy in taking ownership and decision-making within their duties.

What Does a Barback Do?

During a busy night, barbacks are the backbone of a bar. Each barback is responsible for various tasks, such as replenishing stock, cleaning, and assisting with customer service. With each barback taking care of these essential tasks, bartenders can focus on serving drinks and engaging with customers.

Barback Duties

Although assisting at the bar sounds simple, a barback has a multifaceted role with a range of tasks and duties. Here are some of the key responsibilities of a barback:

• Stocking: Barbacks must keep the bar stocked with essentials like ice, glassware, garnishes, and alcohol. This ensures bartenders have everything they need at their fingertips.
• Cleaning: Barbacks are responsible for cleaning the bar area, including wiping down counters, washing glassware, and disposing of trash. Maintaining cleanliness is crucial for a pleasant customer experience.
• Preparation: Barbacks often prepare garnishes, refill napkins, straws, and other supplies before service begins. They also ensure all equipment is functioning properly.
• Assisting Bartenders: Barbacks assist bartenders by taking orders to customers, fetching supplies, and sometimes even helping to prepare simple drinks.
• Quality Control: Barbacks ensure that the bar is organized and that all supplies are in good condition. They check for expired or damaged products and replace them as needed.
• Communication: Barbacks must communicate effectively with bartenders and other staff to coordinate restocking and share updates. Open communication facilitates a smooth and efficient workflow.

What Is the Difference Between a Barback and a Bartender?

While a barback and a bartender are both significant contributors to the success of a bar, their responsibilities within the service workflow are quite different.

A barback primarily works behind the scenes to support the bartender, focusing on restocking and cleaning. In contrast, a bartender interacts directly with customers, mixing and serving drinks. Bartenders are often the face of the bar, engaging with patrons, taking orders, and creating cocktails. Barbacks, on the other hand, ensure the bartenders can perform these tasks efficiently by maintaining an organized and well-stocked bar.

Bartender Duties

The core responsibility of a bartender is to serve drinks and interact with customers. Breaking it down further, here are some of the main duties of a bartender:

• Mixing Drinks: Bartenders must know how to mix a wide range of cocktails and serve various types of alcohol, often customizing drinks to customer preferences.
• Customer Service: Bartenders engage with customers, take orders, and handle transactions. Excellent customer service skills are essential for creating a welcoming atmosphere.
• Inventory Management: Bartenders manage stock levels, place orders for new supplies, and ensure all ingredients are fresh and available.
• Cleanliness: Bartenders are responsible for keeping their work area clean and organized, including cleaning up spills and washing equipment.
• Quality Control: Bartenders ensure that every drink served meets the bar's quality standards and adheres to recipes.

What Qualities or Expertise Are Required for a Barback?

Whether you’re an aspiring barback or a bar looking to hire one, you may be wondering what experience, skills, and education a barback should possess. Here’s what’s generally required to become a barback:

Experience

Most employers prefer some experience in a bar or restaurant setting, such as starting as a busser or dishwasher, to familiarize themselves with the fast-paced environment. Entry-level barback positions might not require extensive experience but understanding basic bar operations is beneficial.

Education and Certifications

A high school diploma or GED is usually sufficient to become a barback. Additional formal education and certificates are not mandatory, but they can be beneficial to demonstrate an applicant’s knowledge of bar operations and customer service.

Hard Skills Required of a Barback:

• Proficiency with various bar equipment
• Basic knowledge of drink preparation
• Excellent organizational skills
• Thorough understanding of cleanliness and sanitation procedures
• Physical fitness to stand for long hours and carry heavy supplies

Soft Skills Required of a Barback:

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to self-manage and work independently
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize tasks
• Time management and organizational skills

All in all, formal education isn’t a strict requirement, but relevant experience and strong organizational skills are crucial to becoming a successful barback.

What Makes a Great Barback?

We covered the basic skills required to be a barback, but what makes an exceptional barback? These are the qualities that can help a barback stand out:

• Above and Beyond Communication: Barbacks are used to communicating with bartenders, but many of them don’t interact very much with the front-of-house (FOH) staff. Going above and beyond by maintaining strong communication with both back-of-house and front-of-house staff can set a barback above the rest.
• Adaptability: During a busy night, it can be easy for a barback to fall into their usual habits. A great barback can adapt quickly and easily to any special requests or changes in the bar’s needs.
• Attention to Detail: Keeping a sharp eye on cleanliness and organization makes a barback stand out. From noticing small details that need to be fixed to ensuring all supplies are stocked, having strong attention to detail can help maintain consistent quality.

What Is the Average Salary of a Barback?

According to Glassdoor, the average salary of a barback ranges between $20,000 to $30,000 annually. Although this figure is expressed as an annual salary, it’s important to note that barbacks are typically paid hourly. The average hourly salary for a barback in the United States is around $15 per hour. As an hourly employee, the number of hours worked may vary based on the bar’s needs.

The exact hourly rate a barback can expect to receive will depend heavily on previous experience and skills. Similar to jobs in other industries, the more experienced a barback is, the more a bar may be willing to pay them since training costs should be less. Based on data collected by Payscale, these are the hourly rates you can expect as a barback based on years of experience:

• Less than one year: $14 per hour
• One to three years: $15 per hour
• More than five years: $16 per hour

Another factor that can impact a barback’s salary is the type of bar they work at. For example, a barback may earn more at a high-end or busy bar since higher standards and more intensive service are usually expected.

How Many Barbacks Does the Average Bar Need?

The exact number of barbacks that a bar needs can vary depending on factors like customer volume and bar size. However, a general rule of thumb is to have one to two barbacks per shift for a medium-sized bar that serves around 100 customers per hour. While this may be a good starting point to make a staffing plan, keep in mind that this number can fluctuate. Larger or more specialized bars might require more barbacks, whereas smaller bars might cross-train staff to cover multiple roles.

Maintaining a balance between efficiency and cost is key since too few barbacks can lead to slow service, while too many can inflate labor costs. Each bar is unique, and analyzing customer traffic can help bars determine the most optimal number of barbacks to deliver smooth service. Using a smart scheduling system that can help you analyze labor vs. sales data can be a simple way to stay on top of your labor costs.

What Training Should Be Provided to a Barback?

Equipping your new barback with a well-rounded training program sets them – and your bar – up for success.

Starting with onboarding, training should begin with a thorough walkthrough of the bar layout, equipment operation, and safety protocols. As a barback, mastering organizational skills is essential, so dedicate time to proper stocking and cleaning techniques. Next, you can dive into specific bar operations to make sure they understand proper preparation and execution for the tasks they’re responsible for. Once they have the basic operations down pat, familiarize them with your menu — cover popular drinks, garnish preparation, and portion control.

Last but not least, emphasize the importance of teamwork and communication in the bar. Role-playing a busy night can help them develop a rhythm with their fellow barbacks and bartenders, so they can get a feel for what’s expected of them.

Keep in mind that ongoing training and feedback should be provided to help a barback continue their development and foster their confidence in the role. Regular performance reviews and constructive feedback sessions can help identify areas for improvement and recognize outstanding performance. Additionally, offering opportunities for further training and career advancement within the bar can keep barbacks motivated and engaged, ultimately contributing to a more efficient and harmonious bar environment. By investing in the continuous growth of your barbacks, you ensure they remain an integral part of your team, capable of supporting your bartenders and enhancing the overall customer experience.

What is the Average Career Path of a Barback?

The career journey of a barback typically starts in an entry-level position, but it can progress into various roles within the hospitality industry. Many aspiring bartenders and other bar professionals begin their careers as barbacks, gaining essential experience and skills that can lead to advanced positions. Here’s an overview of the average career path for a barback:

• Entry-Level Barback: Most individuals start as entry-level barbacks, where they learn the basics of bar operations, stocking, cleaning, and supporting bartenders.
• Experienced Barback: With a year or more of experience, barbacks often take on more responsibilities, such as assisting with inventory management, preparing garnishes, and occasionally helping to make simple drinks.
• Bartender: After gaining sufficient experience and demonstrating strong skills, many barbacks transition to bartending roles. As bartenders, they interact directly with customers, mix and serve drinks, and handle cash transactions.
• Head Bartender/Lead Bartender: Experienced bartenders can advance to head bartender or lead bartender positions. In these roles, they oversee other bartenders, manage bar inventory, and ensure quality control.
• Bar Manager: With additional experience and possibly some management training, bartenders can move up to bar manager roles. Bar managers are responsible for the overall operations of the bar, including staffing, inventory management, and financial performance.
• Food and Beverage Manager: Some bar managers progress to broader roles within the hospitality industry, such as food and beverage manager positions, where they oversee the entire food and beverage operations of an establishment.
• General Manager: For those with significant experience and leadership skills, the ultimate career goal might be to become a general manager, overseeing all aspects of a restaurant, bar, or hospitality establishment.

Career Path Highlights

• Entry-Level Barback: Gain foundational skills in bar operations.
• Experienced Barback: Take on more responsibilities and support bartenders.
• Bartender: Transition to serving drinks and interacting with customers.
• Head Bartender/Lead Bartender: Lead bartending team and manage bar operations.
• Bar Manager: Oversee the entire bar, including staff and inventory.
• Food and Beverage Manager: Manage all food and beverage operations in an establishment.
• General Manager: Oversee all aspects of a hospitality establishment.

Starting as a barback offers a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of bar operations, develop essential skills, and pave the way for a successful career in the hospitality industry. By excelling in each role, individuals can progressively advance to more senior positions, ultimately achieving their career goals.

The Backbone of the Bar: Recognizing the Value of Barbacks in Your Establishment

Barbacks are the backbone of your bar. They ensure that bartenders can focus on creating and serving drinks, maintain the cleanliness and organization of the bar, and provide seamless support during busy nights. When you invest in your barbacks, you invest in the smooth operation and success of your bar. A happy and motivated barback translates to efficient service and satisfied customers.

If you’re looking to streamline your hiring and onboarding process, consider Push, the all-in-one people management solution specifically built for restaurants and bars. With Push, you can find and onboard top talent with ease, ensuring your bar is always staffed with skilled and motivated individuals. From smart schedules to automated payroll and comprehensive reporting, Push is the secret ingredient to success. Learn more about our hiring and onboarding solutions and see how Push can transform your bar operations. Book a demo today to experience the power of Push for yourself.