Bottles clink as liquors are poured into tumblers and glasses. A customer yells over the music, "I need another Bud Light," for the third time waving money in the air.
The bartender is in the process of making a Long Island Iced Tea, a drink that takes a while to concoct. She glares at the waving money and continues at the task at hand as quickly as she can.
Seventeen hours behind the bar on a home game weekend has worn her down.
Another guy throws his drink order over the bar expecting an immediate response.
Four different bartenders around town agree on Tip 1: Don't yell at the bartender continuously if there isn't an immediate response because he or she may make the customer wait longer.
"We'll get to you, it just might take us a few minutes," said Tina Berringer, a bartender at SkyBar Cafe. "Screaming at us is not going to increase your chances of getting served faster."
Julie Grant and Logan Madson at In Italy Ristorante and Bar, and Andrea Fox at Flip Flops agreed with Berringer.
"People think that if it takes a long time, even if we've got 50 other people to help, they think it should be them right then," Grant said. "If they didn't get a drink the second they walked up, they won't tip you at all."
This brings up Tip 2, which all four of the bartenders agreed on: Remember bartenders make money from their tips. Just like servers in a restaurant, bartenders rely on the money placed in the glass jars on the counter.
"We work for tips," Berringer said. "That's what we rely on every single night. Tip originally meant 'To Insure Proper service.' All we ask is 15 to 20 percent."
Madson said he tips other bartenders a lot because he knows what they're going through. The problem with some customers is they don't realize what the person behind the bar goes through.
"People are just there to get drunk or get their drink and get out of there as soon as possible," Madson said.
Tips range depending on the drinks that are served.
"For just a beer, a dollar should be good," Fox said. "With shots, the tips start to rack up. I would say usually 30 to 50 percent."
Bartenders also don't want the X's to come off underage hands at the bar.
"We 'X' people to make sure we don't get a ticket from the ABC board," Fox said. "When they wash them off, the bartenders get a ticket and a bar also gets one."
The bars are just trying to protect students and to keep their jobs. All the bartenders agreed on these tips, but had some of their own.
Fox said to be wary of overly excited, nervous bartenders that are hesitant when asked for a drink. Usually they don't know what they're doing and can make simple mistakes when it comes to making easy drinks.
Fox also warned against customers reaching over the bar of which no bartender is fond.
"Nobody is ever allowed behind the bar," Fox said. "If a customer reached around the bar, it's a big no-no."
If students want to get served with no wait they also suggest coming to the bar early.
"A lot of people don't show up till later, but you'd be amazed how much you don't have to wait in line," Berringer said.
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