It’s late and you’re a few drinks deep. You think “one more drink before I call Uber.” But somehow, “Last Call” hits, and you missed it.
Now the bartender is holding court, while holding you up for $20 a shot. Extortion? Maybe. Effective? Definitely.
At least that’s what one bartender in Columbus, Ohio, is saying. And the internet can’t get enough. TikTok user Sydney Bruder (@Princessssyd), who usually posts makeup tips and behind the-bar-moments just revealed in a viral video how she turns those late night, “just-one-more-drink” types into her own bonus payday.
And since her video’s garnered 9,00 views (and counting), it’s clear: People are taking notes.
It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It
Running game. Finessing. Optimizing the hustle. Call it what you want, but we see savvy financial strategy.
Speaking from the front seat of her car, Bruder kicks off her tip tutorial: “For me, I’m a sassy bartender. I give attitude, they love that s—.”
“One of my favorites, which works pretty much every time. Is when its last call or past last call, and they’re like ‘Can I get one more drink, one more shot?'” she recalls.
Hospitality Hustler
That’s when this cheeky, scrappy bartender sets the hook.
“‘Sure, (pause for half-a-beat, for 20 bucks,'” she says as she cocks her head and makes eye-contact while wearing a barely discernible smirk.
Then she gives very specific directions. “You’re gonna say it [in a] cute, fun, silly, sassy [way],” she instructs.
And then Bruder cautions, this is “not the time to be a b—-. But also, don’t be too nice.”
Nope.
“You’re gonna be like: ‘yeah, I’ll give you that for $20,” she says in a take-no-s— tone.
The Bartender Always Wins
And it’s kind of a can’t-lose situation—especially for a witty bartender.
“It’s fine, if they don’t want it that bad. You weren’t going to get it anyway. But, if they want it, you’re gonna get that $20, or $50, or $100, or whatever you ask for,” she says.
Then she says, it’s all about the energy: “Keep the mentality that you have something that they want. You have to be confident.”
And if you’re nervous, well, that’s what makes last call perfect. “They’re drunk, they don’t know what the f— is going on. You asked for $20, and he just pulled out a $100 bill. He’s lost,” she says.
Hospitality Meets Mean Girls
The comments section is quick to cosign Bruder’s “sociological observations.”
“LITERALLY ME.” said one viewer. “I’m sassy and they do eat it up!! You can definitely tell who to do it with though. Not everyone can take it though.
“The meaner I am, the more money I make,…19 years later” another bartender claimed.
This actually seems to be a pretty common bartending tactic. Another said, “You’re nicer than me, because drinks after last call are $50.”
Teasing… As A Love Language?
Bar manager Jeffery Morgenthaler wrote in Food Republic that bars are a sort of sanctuary and not just for the guest. “What if hospitality was actually a two-way street? Do you think people like me work in bars because we love being on our feet for 12 hours a day? No, we’re avoiding reality too.”
That idea, of a bar as a special place, as a part of the social contract might be the reason that sassy teasing often works. As Thrillist observed, “You’re not paying a bartender for their time, you’re paying them for a way to waste yours.”
That same article also noted that in a way, bartenders are like a parent at a slumber party. “They are working to make sure everybody else is having fun, while trying to keep them from getting in too much trouble.”
So it makes sense, if bartenders are part counselor, part den mom, then they’ve earned the right to make you pony up for that last refreshment of the night.
BroBible reached out via email and TikTok direct message. We’ll update you if we hear back.