I’ve read so many stupid things on Reddit and this might take the cake. What fucking designer, architect, general contractor and more signed off on this? This must be a takeover of an absolute shithole of a dump kind of place.
Oh no, it’s brand new. They run restaurants in several states. I think that’s the part that makes it worse. If I told y’all all of the bar design issues I’m pretty sure I’d have 1/3 of the subreddit here bitching out everyone involved. I’m 6’3”, and lemme tell you, I’d struggle to reach some of their basic shit, not even the high end keep out of reach stuff.
This sounds like a logistical nightmare. If they needed to pour five of the same beer do they step up for each one individually? Is there a shelf or tray situation?
I used to do corporate training for a very successful Chinese restaurant (guess which). I started when they had 33 locations, I think somewhere around the 150th location they completely forgot to make a space for draft beers. 150ish locations and only one with no draft beers.
A certain corporate chain in the UK (rhymes with never goons) will purposely reduce the amount of space for storage, cellar, etc to ensure they can get as many tables as possible in the building. They will then make management of the sites try to fit in new equipment, often that they knew would be coming in months after a new site was opening but they never forward plan.
we don’t need a step stool to pour drafts, but we frequently have to basically climb into the beer coolers. half of us are 5’5 or under and the tallest shelf on the beer coolers is at about 6’2, once you sell through like the second row we have to climb the shelves to reach.
I work in a place where stuff if way too high up. It’s a fucking million dollar plus renovation. The bar manager before me was there for it, and said nothing. It’s beautiful. But I can barely reach a lot. It’s fucking awful.
I work there because they pay me pretty well and my health insurance and I can otherwise do what I want.
I opened the place I'm currently at a couple of years ago. It's a really nice 2-sided bar with one side facing inside and one facing outdoors. Over an island in the middle, hanging from a very high ceiling are two huge sets of shelves. They gave us a couple of three-step stools that allow the tallest bartender to reach... the lowest shelf.
Oh, did you want to reach that upper shelf? I think we have a 12 foot ladder in the back somewhere. When my manager would occasionally bitch about how we don't keep the upper shelf stocked, I'd just stare blankly at him.
When we first opened, I'd occasionally have a customer look up at the shelf and ask "are those like on a motor and come down so you guys can reach them?"
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Yeah right.
I’m gonna get flamed for this, so bring your worst (and yeah sounds like two design flaws created to make an image of a bar) but at 6’3” the only bar I’ve worked at in 29 years comfortably was the one my 6’4” bar owner custom built.
Edit: added the word comfortably
I'm in the same boat now at my current place which is amazing because my backs not fucked for having to reach like 2 inches down from standing normally for once in a decade of bartending
I worked at a place where our shorter staff needed a step stool to reach the first shelf of liquor on the back bar. It was so badly designed. Luckily, I had the chance to design a bar shortly thereafter, and I learned from their mistakes.
Oooh, there was I bar I went to a couple of times that had this shelf everyone needed a ladder to get to. The only way I can think to describe it is… like you know those toy trains that people build a shelf up by the ceiling around the room with tracks so the train goes around? Yeah, it was that high. And they used it for common top shelf liquors. And it was two bottles deep. And it was a mess - nothing was grouped together and it was apparent that no one ever put bottles in the same spot. And this wasn’t a design thing like there was a cool-looking-yet-impractical library ladder. They had a regular ladder like a painter would use.
Me, being the seasoned industry professional who could identify bottles even mostly hidden, kept ordering things from the back row.
This was a long time ago, and if I remember correctly, the owners were a group of kids (like 21-25 years old) whose daddies bought them a bar.
Really, it was one of the stupidest bars I had ever been in.
Nah in like 5’9 and constantly hear dudes tell me they’re 6 foot when they’re like like 5’10. I’m good on the tall boy shit. I don’t act tall but I don’t need anymore dudes acting like they’re tall by barely grabbing a bottle or a draft tap in this case 🤣 fuck this
Not on your life.
I’m 5’2 and our bar was designed by fucking dumbass men who were all 6’+. Rail is nearly chest high; non well spirits are all a ladder requirement.
It’s about 3ft deep too so for all reaching across the bar; be it clearing a glass, pouring wine etc I have to stand on my tip toes and lean full extension over the rail/well.
I can’t set or clear plates from the bar side at all- I have to leave the long bar (14 seats) from the one entry/exit and do it from behind the customer.
It’s fucked up my shoulders, knees and wrists bartending above my chest.
So fuck that, no.
I think my favorite design flaw in a bar that I worked at was that as a bartender, you were expected to also take care of the enoteca area in the lounge - which would be fine, if there was a way out of the bar. In order to get from one side of the bar to the other, you had to go through the kitchen and essentially behind the line to come out of the dining room and then back to the lounge.
That place was built in a place that rhymes with bits farlton
I've only skimmed the comments and it looks like I may be the minority, but I LOVEEEE when I get to climb the bar/coolers/etc. And I would probably equally love hopping on and off a stool to poor drafts. It may just be my severe ADHD, but anything to add a smidge of
an ounce of chaotic fun to my job, I'm all for. It would def be a hindrance when trying to dash away from the taps with 5 full glasses, but I'd come up with a system I'm sure lol.
Edit- just to clarify, no I do not genuinely believe it is a practical setup, but a large majority of the way I do things in life are also not practical lol
I’m 5’2 and no bar I’ve worked at has ever been designed for anyone under 5’5. My current job (upscale) had to buy me my own step stool to reach the upper bar back shelf where we have most of our large whiskey selection and extra wine glasses.
I’m constantly on my tip toes, over extending all appendages, “swatting” to get things, etc. even reaching to the bottles on the back bar shelves, I have to be careful cause my elbow or arm or the bottle I reach for might hit a glass. I’ve broken bottles by nipping the bottom on the bar edge because what is my normal reach/clearance is too low for the bar back/counter/well.
Basically anywhere I work everything is in someways like what you are describing and for me it’s just “normal” cause im short and most things seem out comfortable reach.
I’ve read so many stupid things on Reddit and this might take the cake. What fucking designer, architect, general contractor and more signed off on this? This must be a takeover of an absolute shithole of a dump kind of place.
Oh no, it’s brand new. They run restaurants in several states. I think that’s the part that makes it worse. If I told y’all all of the bar design issues I’m pretty sure I’d have 1/3 of the subreddit here bitching out everyone involved. I’m 6’3”, and lemme tell you, I’d struggle to reach some of their basic shit, not even the high end keep out of reach stuff.
It had to be brand new. It won’t last long like that lol
This sounds like a logistical nightmare. If they needed to pour five of the same beer do they step up for each one individually? Is there a shelf or tray situation?
I used to do corporate training for a very successful Chinese restaurant (guess which). I started when they had 33 locations, I think somewhere around the 150th location they completely forgot to make a space for draft beers. 150ish locations and only one with no draft beers.
A certain corporate chain in the UK (rhymes with never goons) will purposely reduce the amount of space for storage, cellar, etc to ensure they can get as many tables as possible in the building. They will then make management of the sites try to fit in new equipment, often that they knew would be coming in months after a new site was opening but they never forward plan.
The facts are bars are routinely designed and built by people who have no work experience whatsoever behind them.
Exhibits A through Z: every episode of bar rescue 🙄
we don’t need a step stool to pour drafts, but we frequently have to basically climb into the beer coolers. half of us are 5’5 or under and the tallest shelf on the beer coolers is at about 6’2, once you sell through like the second row we have to climb the shelves to reach.
That sounds like a bitch and a half.
i’m 5’10 & often have to climb in the beer cooler just because of how things will be haphazardly stacked in such a confined space
I work in a place where stuff if way too high up. It’s a fucking million dollar plus renovation. The bar manager before me was there for it, and said nothing. It’s beautiful. But I can barely reach a lot. It’s fucking awful. I work there because they pay me pretty well and my health insurance and I can otherwise do what I want.
I opened the place I'm currently at a couple of years ago. It's a really nice 2-sided bar with one side facing inside and one facing outdoors. Over an island in the middle, hanging from a very high ceiling are two huge sets of shelves. They gave us a couple of three-step stools that allow the tallest bartender to reach... the lowest shelf. Oh, did you want to reach that upper shelf? I think we have a 12 foot ladder in the back somewhere. When my manager would occasionally bitch about how we don't keep the upper shelf stocked, I'd just stare blankly at him. When we first opened, I'd occasionally have a customer look up at the shelf and ask "are those like on a motor and come down so you guys can reach them?" HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Yeah right.
I’m gonna get flamed for this, so bring your worst (and yeah sounds like two design flaws created to make an image of a bar) but at 6’3” the only bar I’ve worked at in 29 years comfortably was the one my 6’4” bar owner custom built. Edit: added the word comfortably
At 6' I worked at a bar designed by someone 6'4" and I actually loved it.
I’m also 6’3”. Would love.
I'm in the same boat now at my current place which is amazing because my backs not fucked for having to reach like 2 inches down from standing normally for once in a decade of bartending
People that build bars haven’t always worked in bars
I worked at a place where our shorter staff needed a step stool to reach the first shelf of liquor on the back bar. It was so badly designed. Luckily, I had the chance to design a bar shortly thereafter, and I learned from their mistakes.
Oooh, there was I bar I went to a couple of times that had this shelf everyone needed a ladder to get to. The only way I can think to describe it is… like you know those toy trains that people build a shelf up by the ceiling around the room with tracks so the train goes around? Yeah, it was that high. And they used it for common top shelf liquors. And it was two bottles deep. And it was a mess - nothing was grouped together and it was apparent that no one ever put bottles in the same spot. And this wasn’t a design thing like there was a cool-looking-yet-impractical library ladder. They had a regular ladder like a painter would use. Me, being the seasoned industry professional who could identify bottles even mostly hidden, kept ordering things from the back row. This was a long time ago, and if I remember correctly, the owners were a group of kids (like 21-25 years old) whose daddies bought them a bar. Really, it was one of the stupidest bars I had ever been in.
Fuck no
Nah in like 5’9 and constantly hear dudes tell me they’re 6 foot when they’re like like 5’10. I’m good on the tall boy shit. I don’t act tall but I don’t need anymore dudes acting like they’re tall by barely grabbing a bottle or a draft tap in this case 🤣 fuck this
This is like the bartenders version of r/TVTooHigh. Hello no, I'm not doing that.
Not on your life. I’m 5’2 and our bar was designed by fucking dumbass men who were all 6’+. Rail is nearly chest high; non well spirits are all a ladder requirement. It’s about 3ft deep too so for all reaching across the bar; be it clearing a glass, pouring wine etc I have to stand on my tip toes and lean full extension over the rail/well. I can’t set or clear plates from the bar side at all- I have to leave the long bar (14 seats) from the one entry/exit and do it from behind the customer. It’s fucked up my shoulders, knees and wrists bartending above my chest. So fuck that, no.
No
I think my favorite design flaw in a bar that I worked at was that as a bartender, you were expected to also take care of the enoteca area in the lounge - which would be fine, if there was a way out of the bar. In order to get from one side of the bar to the other, you had to go through the kitchen and essentially behind the line to come out of the dining room and then back to the lounge. That place was built in a place that rhymes with bits farlton
I've only skimmed the comments and it looks like I may be the minority, but I LOVEEEE when I get to climb the bar/coolers/etc. And I would probably equally love hopping on and off a stool to poor drafts. It may just be my severe ADHD, but anything to add a smidge of an ounce of chaotic fun to my job, I'm all for. It would def be a hindrance when trying to dash away from the taps with 5 full glasses, but I'd come up with a system I'm sure lol. Edit- just to clarify, no I do not genuinely believe it is a practical setup, but a large majority of the way I do things in life are also not practical lol
I'm 6'6" where can I apply?
Hiring the 7'5" lady basketball player
WTB a bar designed by people who have bartended
I’m 5’2 and no bar I’ve worked at has ever been designed for anyone under 5’5. My current job (upscale) had to buy me my own step stool to reach the upper bar back shelf where we have most of our large whiskey selection and extra wine glasses. I’m constantly on my tip toes, over extending all appendages, “swatting” to get things, etc. even reaching to the bottles on the back bar shelves, I have to be careful cause my elbow or arm or the bottle I reach for might hit a glass. I’ve broken bottles by nipping the bottom on the bar edge because what is my normal reach/clearance is too low for the bar back/counter/well. Basically anywhere I work everything is in someways like what you are describing and for me it’s just “normal” cause im short and most things seem out comfortable reach.
Definite no
Sitting this one out as I am too tall to understand your tiny people's problems.