Mr. Bartender Policies, Terms, & Conditions
Booking Policy
If you’d like to book, all you have to do is fill out the Mr. Bartender Booking Form. Assuming you’ve already received a quote & confirmed that we are available, you will get a confirmation of booking within 1-2 business days. Once you get a reply saying you’re booked, you’re booked! You can book as far in advance as you’d like. Mr. Bartender does not recall every conversation he has with every client about every potential event. If you get sent the booking form and don’t respond until right before your event, you are not guaranteed a bartender. We do not start staffing our events until the form is submitted and is responded to. A non-refundable deposit of 10% is required upon booking. A deposit of 50% of the total will be required 2 weeks before the event. It is entirely your responsibility to fill out the form correctly, including complete contact and event information. Within the booking form, you will find a question asking for your preferred method of payment; if that space is left blank, it will be assumed your preferred method of payment is credit card and you will be charged accordingly.
Payment Policy
We accept payment in the form of cash, check, PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and all major credit cards. A service charge of 3.6% will be added to every credit card transaction. A deposit of 10% of the total will be required upon booking. A deposit of 50% of the total will be required 2 weeks before the event. The rest of the balance will be required 96 hours before the event. Your credit card information will be required upon booking. This timeline may change depending on how close to the date the event is booked. We will not charge the credit card in full if you wish to pay a different way. An amount of $1 will be charged to your card upon booking to authenticate credit card information but will be refunded shortly after. If payment is not invoiced or collected at the appropriate time, it is still owed. However, lack of invoicing or collection of payment does not mean you are not still booked. Unused time is still subject to be charged. We do not refund for staff being sent home earlier than scheduled. If you wish to pay in cash, you must place the cash in a sealed envelope made out to Mr. Bartender, otherwise it will be interpreted as tip, and your credit card will be charged the total balance.
Planning Policy
You are paying a premium price for Mr. Bartender. Please take advantage of our consultation services. We offer menu, budgeting, and shopping consultations, as well as a wealth of knowledge of classic and craft cocktails. It is better to ask a hundred questions than to just assume something. Please see our Event Disclosure Policy.
Uniform Policies
Our staff wears a predetermined uniform (listed below); this is very important to our brand. If you wish to have the staff wear anything else, the rate is increased an extra $10/hour per Staff Member.
Black Slacks/Pants/Jeans
White Buttoned Collared Shirt with Sleeves rolled past the elbows OR White Collared Short Sleeved Blouse
Black Suspenders
Black Bowtie OR Black Bowtie Choker/Headband
Cancellation/ Refund Policy
You can cancel up to 108 hours (4.5 Days) before the event without penalty. If you wish to cancel after the 108-hour mark, you will forfeit 25% of the value of the total balance. If you cancel 84 hours (3.5 Days) before the event, you forfeit 50% of the total balance. If you cancel 60 hours before the event, you will forfeit 100% of the value of the total balance. Any items that have been already prepared or purchased for your event will be charged in full, regardless of the time of cancellation. Cancellation refers to any part of the booking, including, but not limited to, rentals, purchases, ingredient prep, and/or staff. Events that end earlier than initially invoiced are not eligible for a refund of unused time. If you cancel your event, you can still apply the deposit to a future event as long as it falls within 6 months of the original event.
Late Booking Policy / Rush Event Fees
If you wish to book a party that is only 84 hours away, you may be subject to a Rush Fee. These fees could total anywhere between $50-$750, depending on your requirements for the event and how close to the event the booking form is sent in. We charge rush fees because events booked with short notice require us to expedite our planning policy and hire additional labor on our backend to make sure your event goes off without a hitch.
To avoid any additional fees, please make sure to return a fully completed booking form, with all relevant information, and settle any needs well in advance of the event date. This applies to, but is not limited to, any rental, product, cocktail, or staffing requirements.
Travel Fees
Any event taking place at a location that is 30 or more miles from our facilities in Mission Hills, CA may be subject to a travel fee. The travel fee is calculated based on staffing requirements, so if the staffing is changed since the initial quote was given, the travel fee may be automatically changed as well.
Event Disclosure Policy
Providing all the necessary information to plan a party is crucial to the success of your event.
Mr. Bartender must be informed of all event details requested via the Mr. Bartender booking form. Especially important details include, but are not limited to: Reason for the Event, Accurate Guest Count, Accurate Event Start Time, Accurate Guest Arrival Time, Layout of the Event Space, use of Glassware vs Plasticware, Multiple Bar Locations, Logistical Obstacles to Setup and/or Service (stairs, elevators, hills, security doors, long distances between service points, poor dolly access, etc.), if other Bar/Serve Staff is Also Hired, and if the Bar will be Under Direct Sunlight or is outside when it is cold.
Failure to fully disclose event details, providing inaccurate information, or providing intentionally misleading information may result in an additional fee of up to $150/bar staff & $75/serve staff serving your event, depending on the severity of the results due to misleading information. (Like the time a bartender was put out into the rain despite weather warnings days prior, leading to the bartender getting sick the next day)
Tipping Policy
Tipping is required for all Mr. Bartender staff.
You reserve the right to choose how you would like the staff to be tipped. You can either choose to allow a tip jar or to provide a hosted tip (where the host tips the bartender). If you would like, you can even do both. Bartenders, servers, and bar backs that work events make a large sum of their pay in tips. Mr. Bartender does not receive any amount of the tips; all of the tips go to the staff. You can tip before, during, or after the event. You can either hand it straight to the staff, or you can tell the staff to reach out to management, so you can leave a tip on your credit card.
**Bare Bones**
This section explains the best way to tip if you’re getting the Bare Bones package, which is when you hire staff a la carte, as opposed to our all-inclusive package.
-Hosted Tip-
If you decide to go with the hosted tip, as a guide, the average suggested minimum tip is $2-$3/Guest for the bar staff & $1-$2/Guest for the serve staff at regular events; and $3-$4 /Guest for the bar staff @ $2-$3/Guest for the serve staff at weddings or long/large events. A long event is defined as any event that runs 5 hours or longer (this does not include setup or breakdown time). A large event is defined as any event with 200+ guests.
These numbers can change if the job is particularly long, requires more than what their job is supposed to entail, or if there were more staff hired to ensure a smooth event.
If you decide on a hosted tip and do not tip, your credit card will be charged a standard hosted tip ($3/Guest for the bar staff & $2/Guest for the serve staff for regular parties and $4/Guest for the bar staff & $3/Guest for the serve staff for weddings and long/large parties). This policy/recommendation is cut in half for “Beer & Wine Only” or parties less than 2 hours long. This policy/recommendation is increased by 25% on minor holidays & 50% on holidays. Which holidays are considered minor or major is defined below under the Holiday Policy.
Choosing a hosted tip means the bartender will not display a tip jar anywhere on the bar and will not expect patrons to tip. Choosing a hosted tip does NOT mean the staff cannot accept tips if patrons insist on tipping the bartender. If the bartender accepts a patron’s tips, and you have chosen a hosted tip, that does NOT mean you can avoid tipping the staff.
Whatever you decide to tip the staff that night is final. You are not allowed to request a partial refund because you changed your mind the next day.
If you did not hire serve staff from Mr. Bartender, you can ignore any mention of tipping the serve staff in this policy.
-Tip Jar-
We expect our staff to make at least a combined $3/Guest for the bar staff & $2/Guest for the serve staff, if their tip jar is out at regular events. If you choose to allow a tip jar, and the tip does not amount at least to a combined $3/Guest for bar staff & $2/Guest for serve staff ($4 & $3 respectively for weddings or large/long events), your card will be charged for the difference. For example, if the party size is 100 guests, and the bartenders’ tips only come out to $150, your card will be charged the difference of $150 (excluding the credit card processing fee). This only applies if you chose a tip jar, as opposed to a hosted tip. This policy is to make sure our staff is not taken advantage of (like the time a party of 500 tipped a total of $22). This policy is cut in half for “Beer & Wine Only” parties and short parties (events that run 2 hours or less). This policy is increased by 25% on minor holidays & 50% on holidays. Which holidays are considered minor or major is defined under the Holiday Policy.
**The Works**
This section explains the best way to tip if you’re getting The Works package, which is all-inclusive, and we decide the appropriate number of bar staff & setup/breakdown time. The tip structure is different here for 2 reasons: 1) We tend to over-staff the bar for the most efficient service, so tips get divided amongst more people than it usually would, and 2) We tend to largely oversupply liquor/beer/wine/ingredients to make sure there is a very low chance of the bar running out of anything, which leads to a much longer setup/breakdown time & a lot more carrying heavy boxes.
-Hosted Tip-
If you decide to go with the hosted tip, as a guide, the average suggested minimum tip is 10-15% of the total bill. If you decide on a hosted tip and do not tip, your credit card will be charged a standard 15% (excluding the credit card processing fee).
-Tip Jar-
For The Works, we expect our staff to make at least a combined $4/Guest for the bar staff & $3/Guest for the serve staff, if their tip jar is out at regular events. If you choose to allow a tip jar, and the tip does not amount at least to a combined $4/Guest for bar staff & $3/Guest for serve staff ($5 & $4 respectively for weddings or large/long events), your card will be charged for the difference. For example, if the party size is 100 guests, and the bartenders’ tips only come out to $250, your card will be charged the difference of $150 (excluding the credit card processing fee). This only applies if you chose a tip jar, as opposed to a hosted tip. This policy is cut in half for “Beer & Wine Only” parties and short parties (events that run 2 hours or less). This policy is increased by 25% on minor holidays & 50% on holidays. Which holidays are considered minor or major is defined under the Holiday Policy.
“The Works” Policy
Our all-inclusive package nicknamed “The Works,” is designed to be a completely unlimited open bar (regarding everything it is meant to supply) for the planned number of guests for the planned number of hours. In fact, we account for more in case you wish to extend your event or if your crowd are slightly bigger drinkers than the average crowd (the average crowd is estimated at 1 Drink/Guest/Hour, and even that is usually more than most parties drink). We account for 1.25 Servings/Guest of each cocktail on menu, which is far more than is usually consumed. If your party time is significantly extended, your guests are far more voracious drinkers than the average crowd, and/or your guests favor some ingredients heavily over others, Mr. Bartender is not liable for any ingredients running out. We may be able to have more delivered to you if it is logistically & financially feasible, but we most likely would not be able to deliver more craft cocktail ingredients because those are made in-house well before the event and only a specific amount. If you suspect your crowd are really heavy drinkers, please let us know and we will plan & charge accordingly.
Liquor License Policy
Most private events do not require pulling a permit to use a liquor license. If your event is closed to the public & there is no direct sale of liquor, you do not need a permit. Some venues do require you to pull a permit regardless, but that is just their policy and not the law. Pulling a permit might be subject to a fee of up to $500.
For events that require pulling a permit, please book up to 30 days before the actual event to allow for enough time to file the proper paperwork. For events that require pulling a permit booked with less than 30 days’ notice, you may be subject to a rush fee of $100-$500 depending on the timeframe & complexity of the event.
All The Fixin’s Policy
Our all-inclusive mixer package nicknamed “All The Fixin’s,” is designed to be a completely unlimited open bar (regarding everything it is meant to supply) for the planned number of guests for the planned number of hours. In fact, we account for more in case you wish to extend your event or if your crowd are slightly bigger drinkers than the average crowd (the average crowd is estimated at 1 Drink/Guest/Hour, and even that is usually more than most parties drink). If your party time is significantly extended, your guests are far more voracious drinkers than the average crowd, and/or your guests favor some ingredients heavily over others, Mr. Bartender is not liable for any ingredients running out. We may be able to have more delivered to you if it is logistically & financially feasible, but we most likely would not be able to deliver more craft cocktail ingredients because those are made in-house well before the event and only a specific amount. If you suspect your crowd are really heavy drinkers, please let us know and we will plan & charge accordingly.
Holiday Policies
All staffing & bar rental rates are 50% higher for major holidays & 25% higher for minor holidays. This does not apply to craft ingredients, product, or other rentals. Major Holiday dates include: October 31st, November 24th & 25th, and December 24th, 25th, & 31st.. Minor Holiday dates include: January 1st & July 4th. These policies are based on how common events are & how difficult it is to find staff on those days, and not on the importance of these or any other holidays.
Parking Policies
The host is responsible for supplying all staff with convenient parking. You are responsible for all parking fees for all staff. If you violate this policy, you will be charged an extra $50 per Staff Member. If the lack of convenient parking leads to the staff’s inability to setup on time, they reserve the right to keep the bar closed for the allotted setup time until they are ready to serve.
Staff Safety Policies
The bar cannot be located in an area of direct sunlight during the summer months, and/or wherever the temperature is higher than 80 degrees, for extended periods of time. Please plan accordingly. When the temperature is below 55 degrees, any bar located outside must have a heater. Bars, servers, barbacks, and bartenders must be provided protection from wind, rain or other harsh environmental conditions, should the conditions arise.
The event host must disclose the location details of an outdoor bar prior to the event. For any event where the bar(s) is located up/down hills, on rooftops, anywhere with excessive stairs, or more than 150 feet from the main event location, additional setup time is required.
All staff are entitled to a safe & comfortable work environment, safe from any physical or emotional real or perceived danger. This includes, but is not limited to, exposure to animals, inclement weather, sexual harassment, threats, or violent behavior.
Failure to comply with Mr. Bartender’s Staff Safety Policies may result in the cessation of work (without refund) and/or a $150 charge per staff member working the event.
Set Up & Breakdown Policies
Standard setup time for all staff is 1 to 1.5 hours for regular events, so all staff will arrive 1 to 1.5 hours before guest arrival time unless discussed prior. We charge a ½-hour breakdown for regular events after the bar closes.
There is a 4 hour minimum for all staff, and the setup/breakdown time is included in that 4 hour minimum.
Weddings and other large/long events will require a 2-4 hours setup and a 1-3 hours breakdown most of the time. Large events (in regards to setup/breakdown time) are any events with 150+ guests. Long events are any events with 5+ hours of service time.
Additional bar setups (Positioning bar stations in different areas) will require an additional half hour or more of setup time. If you fail to inform us of additional bar setups, you will be charged an additional $100 fee for every extra setup. The use of glassware (as opposed to disposable) might be subject to an extra 0.5-1 hour of setup time, particularly for larger parties. This applies to whether glassware is rented from Mr. Bartender or not. The renting of additional items from us such as, but not limited to, canopies, chairs, tables, coffee & tea bars, and heaters, may be subject to additional setup & breakdown times.
If you choose to for-go the recommended setup time, you accept the fact that the staff might not be ready to serve guests when you require them to. The staff is allowed to deny service until the bar is fully setup within the recommended setup time.
If you choose to for-go recommended breakdown time, you accept that the bar will be left “As Is” (unemptied trash, un-mopped bar area, bottles unorganized and uncapped, etc.) when the bartender’s shift is over.
You are not allowed to for-go the recommended setup or breakdown time at dedicated event venues.
All of this would be discussed prior to booking. Some larger events may require longer setup and breakdown fees. Those will be discussed and agreed upon prior to the event.
As the planning process progresses & staff/rentals/product details are added & removed from the event, the setup & breakdown time requirements may change.
At times, the setup & breakdown times may be more or less than previously quoted after the event information is given a closer look. You are free to for-go the new recommended setup time, but the above policies would still apply.
If it takes the staff considerably longer to breakdown and leave due to certain circumstances, you may be billed the difference in breakdown time. These circumstances may include, but are not limited to; bartenders having to search for & collect glassware for an event if there is no bar back/busser/server on site or if the glassware is spread out due because of the layout of the venue,, logistical obstacles, or if you require the staff to pack away any remaining product somewhere that would make their breakdown process considerably longer.
All setup & breakdown time is billable at the standard staff rates.
Craft Ingredient Policy
When requested certain drinks, we will assume you want the drinks created correctly, according to our recipes, and using fresh ingredients (unless told otherwise), so craft ingredients will automatically be added to your order, and you will be billed accordingly.
Branding Policy
We reserve the right to have our & others’ business cards, branded matchbooks, & branded menus displayed at every event. If at any point, you do not wish to have the business cards, branded matchbooks displayed, or branded menus you may be subject to a fee of $5 per guest. If you have certain comments, questions, or concerns regarding this policy, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Changing Policies
Mr. Bartender reserves the right to change policies at any given moment. If you have booked prior to the new policy change, you will be notified of the new changes and be obligated to follow them.
Insurance
Mr. Bartender carries $2 Million General Liability Insurance and $1 Million Liquor Liability Insurance. If your venue requires to be put on as an additional insurer or to just have a copy of our insurance, please let us know, and we’d be happy to comply. If you or your venue have any highly specific insurance requirements that we’d have to add as an additional cost, you will be billed for that cost. This has only happened in incredibly rare instances, so you don’t usually have to worry about any additional charges for insurance.
Bartender Job Description
The Bartenders at Mr. Bartender are highly skilled drink slingers trained in the art of craft cocktails and have years of hospitality experience. They are NOT servers. Bartenders work behind the bar, making sure you get delicious drinks as fast as possible while keeping your guests entertained. If you think you’ll need a server, feel free to ask about requesting one of our many servers for your party. They will be glad to help you with anything else you might need. Bartenders have a 4 hour minimum. There may be times when one of the bartenders might be in training & seem a little rusty. These are still not amateur bartenders. They are either highly skilled & just new to our staff, so they’re not fully aware how we work, or they have a decent amount of experience, but need to be trained up more on cocktail catering service. Please know we only send these bartenders out when there are at least 2 or more other bartenders staffed and only on events that we deem they can handle.
Bar Back Job Description
A Bar Back is essentially a bartender's assistant. They assist in keeping the ice, garnishes, beer, wine, and alcohol stocked so that the bartender does not have to break from making cocktails to do these things. They also assist in trash disposal and bussing of bar glassware. Basically, they help out with anything behind the bar. In a pinch, Bar Backs can help the bartender when demand is very high at the bar, by pouring wine, and opening beers for guests, while the bartender focuses on cocktails. Bar backs have a 4 hour minimum. They are not responsible for bussing tables of anything besides glassware.
Busser Job Description
A Busser can be hired if your event has a fair amount of people and/or non-disposable glassware and dinnerware. Their job is to clear all trash and dinnerware/glassware from the event, as well as wash it if required.
Server Job Description
A Server can be hired to help you with anything you might need to make sure your event runs smoothly, and so you won’t have to concentrate on every little detail during your party. They can tray pass out drinks and food, cleanup after guests, buss glassware, and pour wine and champagne. If there is something not listed above, please let us know, so we can see if we can help. You will also need to clearly communicate to the servers exactly what you want them to do. Servers have a 4 hour minimum. A captain server is required if 4 or more servers are hired.
For Weddings & Large Events with Dinner: If Mr. Bartender is the only staffing service handling the table service for your event, you will need at least 1 Mr. Bartender Server per 20 guests. Table service incorporates setup of place settings with plates and/or glassware, plating food for guests, clearing dirty plates and glassware from seated guests, and/or setting up and managing a buffet. If you do not hire enough servers, or fail to disclose the true guest count at your event, you will be charged $100 per additional server that was necessary to meet the minimum of 1 server per 20 guests. You will need to hire a Captain Server if you have 4 or more Servers hired.
For Example: If your event has 150 guests, there is no other staffing service besides Mr. Bartender providing serving staff, and the event requires table service, you will need to hire 8 Mr. Bartender Servers. If you only hired 4 servers, that means you are 4 servers short of our minimum. You will be charged a penalty of $400.
Host Job Description
A Host can be hired to direct your guests towards the event and deliver any instructions you may have for them. They can also manage a coat room, facilitate check-ins, direct vehicles towards nearby parking lots, and are just there to elevate the experience of your guests. They may periodically help bus tables if the other staff needs it, but they are not required to. Hosts have a 4 hour minimum.
Event Captain Job Description
An Event Captain is highly recommended when an event has 10 or more staff. They act as a liaison between the entire team and the event planner and are there to make sure the beverage & service part of your production perform at the highest caliber. We usually charge for (at least) one hour of setup and half an hour of breakdown. Event Captains have a 4 hour minimum, which does include the setup & breakdown time.
Captain Server Job Description
A Captain Server is required when an event has 4 or more servers. They are essential to organizing the serve staff and making sure service runs smoothly. We usually charge for (at least) one hour of setup and half an hour of breakdown. Captain Servers have a 4 hour minimum, which does include the setup & breakdown time.
MR. BARTENDER AND ITS STAFF ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGED AND/OR LOST ITEMS DURING THE COURSE OF THE EVENT.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE AT ANYTIME.
CATERER’S LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID BY CUSTOMER.