ETHICS IN PRACTICE CASE Working for My Cup or the House? For those who are not familiar with the service industry, The bartender with the heavier pour or who gives employees are paid minimally by the company they work away drinks for free may receive more money in their for and their pay rate is determined by the tips received tip cup but the company suffers from lost revenues. If from customers. As a bartender, a person is exposed to a bartender makes an average of 100 drinks a night and having to deal with all sorts of peoples' needs as well as uses two pours instead of one for each drink, that bar- employee competition and standard operating proce- tender is giving away 100 drinks worth of alcohol each dures set forth by management. Every time a drink is night which reduces nightly revenues, and has a huge poured, a decision must be made whether to follow effect on yearly liquor revenues. company standards or give away extra alcohol in order In this highly competitive and profitable industry, over to receive a larger tip. pouring is a practice that can cripple a business. As the new- When first being promoted to bartender at an est bartender, one wants to fit in with the other bartenders established golf resort, I witnessed firsthand the dif- and earn as much money as possible though it costs the ferent factors that can affect one's "pour." A pour company or "house" profits. Which is more important, fill- can be defined as how much liquor is added to a cus- ing your own tip cup or maximizing the house's profits that tomer's drink. The three factors that affect one's pour does not directly benefit the bartender? are as follows: comparisons to other employees' pours, the requests of customers for extra pours with 1. Is it ethical to over pour customers' drinks in order to compensation of a larger tip, and what the company develop better customer relations to earn more tips designates as a pour. at the expense of company revenues? Are the bar- When working as a team or having repeat customers, tenders using the "entitlement mentality" here to bartenders are compared based on their pour. If one bar- justify their self-serving actions? Do bartenders tender uses two pours and another uses one pour (the have a "right" to take care of their own cups? latter is the standard for the company), the rule-following 2. If the customer wants or expects over pouring, bartender is not viewed as favorably as the one using the should the companies allow over pouring in order larger pour. This is clearly reflected in tips from custo- to satisfy the customers' wants and desires? mers. Similarly, the customer might say, "Put a little 3. Is it ethical to witness and not report over pouring on extra in there and I'll take care of you." The employee the part of fellow bartenders who have been there lon- is put on the spot to choose between the company and ger? Should I inform management what is happening? him or herself. Contributed by Matthew DePasquale