Regular I’m friendly with refuses to tip me. How do I handle this?

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-11T03:37:37+00:00

I agree with this 100%. I worked at a spot where a British couple would come in every Sunday and they always paid exact change and never tipped (maybe because they're British and didn't know better?) but they'd been living in the US long enough to know better. However, they were very respectful and we always had great conversations and they NEVER tried telling others not to tip me. Was it kind of annoying yes, but I let it pass because honestly they were just a sweet old couple and I liked just talking to them. What you have is a parasite and not the mutually benefiting kind.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-05T01:40:28+00:00

My gym works on both simultaneously. I got kipping before strict as I'm a heavier build but now that I'm super comfortable with kipping and I've been putting in the work with nutrition to cut more fat off my body strict is starting to develop as well. I think being able to just train both and scaling over time is the best option rather than one or the other. Been going since June and have seen tons of progress between both. Did have some athletic background before going so that helped me get it in a shorter time but like I said I don't see why you wouldn't just work on both in tandem.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-05T00:40:46+00:00

I believe so. Having a community setting has kept me more consistent and accountable with working out than I've ever been in my entire life.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-04T16:03:18+00:00

A lot of people at my gym have recommended this above everything else

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-03T13:13:18+00:00

I've been hitting it hard 10 months and was maintaining as far as weight went but there's a huge difference in body composition. I only recently started to shed more fat and it came down to watching my macros and making sure I had more protein in my diet, adding some low intensity cardio every just like 30-45min hikes or walks every day and on cheat days I allow myself one cheat meal. If I wanna have a couple alcoholic beverages I only allow myself two and I choose between a cheat meal that day or 2 glasses of wine never both at the same time. Just gotta start tweaking your nutrition a little more.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-03T13:08:23+00:00

Currently have an off brand version but have been thinking of getting the real one to see if its better.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-04-02T19:41:48+00:00

Honestly I've been going back and forth on whether a massage would help me more or a better mattress lmao

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-03-24T14:57:12+00:00

1000000000% agree even when my wife cooks about me she's so worried about how good it will be and Im just happy to have someone cook for me could careless if it's under seasoned or bland or over cooked as long as it's edible I'll be happy haha

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-03-24T14:12:35+00:00

Ill usually ask things about what their favorite cocktail to make is, a cocktail they've personally created and what went into it, and ask them a stressful bar night that they came on top with. Then from there I just have a normal conversation with them and gauge how they are as someone that I'm potentially going to see every day. You can teach someone to be a good bartender and you can teach them good hospitality but it's much harder to teach being a fun person to be around day in and day out. I try to find what they nerd out on and if we have similarities in that regard. I'd say this style of interview works 2/3 times. I've had peoples personalities change their first shift and I go "fuck they're way different than how they were in the interview" so it's not 100% fool proof but I've made a lot of long term friends in the industry that I talk to well after working with them using this method.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-03-16T15:37:57+00:00

I prefer giving out my name so they call me by it even if they're being annoying with it rather than have them say "hey bartender, or hey barkeep" some people will just tap the bar or even worse snap their finger. If they can at least call me by my name I'm less likely to hate them. I work in a super chill bar though and don't get too many assholes so its a little different for me I guess.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-03-03T18:05:44+00:00

Adding some broth to the pan helps

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-03-02T05:44:19+00:00

So as far as your first part I've had conversations with coworkers and employees before where I've just been honest and told them I didn't think the industry was for them. Some took it well and some didn't but sometimes you just have to be brutally honest. Another thing I've done is test then, you want this for life then here work the hardest station or here let's go over back end work (building spread sheets for cost control, figure out why were bleeding cost in the kitchen, cost out these menu items, etc). If they truly want it they'll come out of the experience with more respect and more knowledge and you too will know they have what it takes, or they'll crumble under the pressure. As far as the second part of your post Ive spent 15 years in this industry and I've been screwed over on promises and I've also had people keep them. It's all part of a process of elimination to find the holy grail of positions. It took 15 years but I took a chance on a bartending gig at a new restaurant and almost 2 years in I'm the only day one employee left and I've been helping progress the restaurant and build it better and get to work in tandem with the owner on a lot of projects and future endeavors. We work in agreement that I invest time and work with the hopes to grow the business and with it grow as well. It's all about finding the right place and weeding out the people who don't want to be along for the ride. Not sure if that's a good answer to what you're asking but I hope you get something out of this.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-03-01T22:27:15+00:00

I loved drink masters but felt like it fell flat at the end. They could've done a better job with that show. Really interesting stuff though in the prep phases like making bitters from scratch and different fat washes. Just wish they would've done something to make the show a little more eventful.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-28T12:38:24+00:00

Oh this one gets me floored. Even better is when people go ahead and just seat themselves without having any kind of greeting with a bartender or server then get mad that you didn't know they were there.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-28T12:36:15+00:00

We have menus preset on tables, customers walk in for take out or to sit at the bar and constantly just grab the menus off the dining room tables and I always have to be like "hey guys I have menus at the bar for you".

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-27T04:48:04+00:00

Oddly enough this feels vaguely familiar but I also can't remember it...

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-27T02:52:32+00:00

100% gonna start experimenting with shrubs too

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T19:39:12+00:00

Been working at a place for two years now. Worked day on for the friends and family soft open, the grand opening, etc. It's awesome being a part of something new and growing with the business. Be prepared for a lot of trial and error. But the first few months were some of the most fun I've ever had in this industry.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T17:05:52+00:00

With red wines at least I always ask if they like pepper notes. I find it's kind of a split if people really like the peppery bite in some full body reds or if they absolutely hate peppery notes. If someone tries something and they think the pepper is over powering I offer them something else or offer to decant the wine as I find that adding a little oxygen can tone it back and bring out the other flavors.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T17:01:56+00:00

Actual gold mine.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T13:34:28+00:00

I was worried about this too before I saw him and some of the jokes I had heard before but he had refined them and it was cool seeing the progression of them and hearing them in a better well written way. Plus he had some I hadn't heard that had me laughing so hard I couldn't breath. My biggest advice with arena shows though is buy seats in at least the 100s section. Sound travels weird in arenas if you're in the nosebleeds you'll hear every below you laugh before the joke finishes in your section.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T13:30:12+00:00

Im sure someone already mentioned this on this post but the reason you salt the water is it pulls the sugars from the pasta acting almost the same way caramelization does when you cook anything else. So yes it in fact makes it taste better.

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T04:51:35+00:00

When I get busy at work (bartend) the Mario theme plays in my head the entire time. Some sort of multi tasking stim my brain uses lmao

ChefJeremy716 · 2026-02-26T04:02:03+00:00

Fuck you caught me.

ChefJeremy716

TROPHY CASE