How to hire a bar back

How to hire a bar back, step by step

Here's a step-by-step bar back hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a bar back job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new bar back
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a bar back do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The bar back hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect bar back also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of bar backs and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Bar Back	Description	Hourly rate
   Bar Back	Food and beverage serving and related workers perform a variety of customer service, food preparation, and cleaning duties in restaurants, cafeterias, and other eating and drinking establishments.	$9-15
   Dining Room Server	A dining room server performs various tasks to give patrons a positive dining experience. Their job usually entails greeting customers and presenting the menu, taking their orders, answering inquiries, recommending products and other services, serving drinks and food, and handling concerns professionally and courteously... Show more	$11-17
   Room Service Server	A room service server is an employee employed in a hotel or lodging to provide various services to the room occupants in the hotel. They often deliver ordered food, drinks, or movies to the occupants' rooms... Show more	$8-18

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • BARS
   • Wine
   • Cleanliness
   • Bar-Back
   • Excellent Guest
   • Fresh Fruit
   • Drink Orders
   • Beverage Orders
   • POS
   • Bartending
   • Cocktail Servers
   • Customer Service
   • Ice Bins
   • Fine Dining

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage bar revenues/process orders on computerize POS system.
   • Serve as bar-back to staff bartenders.
   • Plan out the seating chart and organize the bar reservations.
   • Bar back and run food for this company in Tallahassee during college.
   • Clean tables and run food to tables while ensuring a good customer experience.
   • Charge with replenishing and cleaning keg coolers, liquor pump rooms and CO2 area.

   More bar back duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your bar back job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A bar back can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, bar backs' average salary in mississippi is 52% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level bar backs 42% less than senior-level bar backs.
   • Certifications. A bar back with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a bar back's salary.

   Average bar back salary

   $12.17hourly

   $25,316 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level bar back salary

   $19,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

   Average bar back salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$33,720	$16
   2	Massachusetts	$31,288	$15
   3	Washington	$29,855	$14
   4	California	$29,369	$14
   5	New Jersey	$28,967	$14
   6	Colorado	$27,761	$13
   7	Maryland	$25,158	$12
   8	Arizona	$25,023	$12
   9	Michigan	$23,967	$12
   10	Minnesota	$23,627	$11
   11	Texas	$23,297	$11
   12	Ohio	$23,245	$11
   13	Wisconsin	$23,185	$11
   14	North Carolina	$23,027	$11
   15	Florida	$22,694	$11
   16	Georgia	$22,508	$11
   17	Illinois	$22,173	$11
   18	Pennsylvania	$22,121	$11
   19	New Mexico	$21,677	$10
   20	Nevada	$21,569	$10

   Average bar back salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	El Camino High School	$32,753	$15.75
   2	Windmill Intl	$31,286	$15.04
   3	Legal Sea Foods	$31,187	$14.99	8
   4	Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants	$31,151	$14.98	87
   5	Hyatt Hotels	$29,737	$14.30	158
   6	Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts	$29,710	$14.28	33
   7	Interstate Hotels & Resorts	$29,135	$14.01	1
   8	Aramark	$28,228	$13.57	215
   9	Fairmont Schools	$28,075	$13.50	11
   10	Alkar Human Resources	$27,985	$13.45	2
   11	Compass Group USA	$27,946	$13.44	624
   12	Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise	$27,848	$13.39
   13	Live Nation Entertainment	$27,494	$13.22	47
   14	Marriott International	$27,285	$13.12	437
   15	Viceroy Hotel Group	$27,162	$13.06	1
   16	O'Connors Restaurant & Bar	$26,936	$12.95
   17	Center for Families & Children Inc.	$26,778	$12.87
   18	Smith & Wollensky	$26,775	$12.87
   19	Twin Peaks Restaurants	$26,665	$12.82	31
   20	The Black Sheep	$26,480	$12.73

4. Writing a bar back job description

   A bar back job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a bar back job description:

   Bar back job description example

   A Barback is responsible for preparing and servicing permanent and portable bars throughout the hotel in the hotel's continuing effort to deliver outstanding guest service and financial profitability.
   What will I be doing?
   
   As a Barback, you would be responsible for preparing and servicing permanent and portable bars throughout the hotel in the hotel's continuing effort to deliver outstanding guest service and financial profitability. Specifically, you would be responsible for performing the following tasks to the highest standards:
   
   Retrieve orders from storeroom, visually check stock and reconcile with written requisitions to ensure order accuracy and re-check stock upon delivery Prepare the bar by cutting, slicing and peeling perishable garnishes and fruits, mixing and pouring juices and storing back-up supplies in prescribed containers Check with and assist the bartender to stock and maintain the bar to include, but not limited to, paper products, straws and stirrers, condiments, glassware, ice and produce Transport taps and replace and perform routine maintenance on beer kegs Maintain cleanliness of bar area, beer lockers, refrigerators and storage areas in accordance with federal, state, local and company codes
   What are we looking for?
   
   Since being founded in 1919, Hilton has been a leader in the hospitality industry. Today, Hilton remains a beacon of innovation, quality, and success. This continued leadership is the result of our Team Members staying true to our Vision, Mission, and Values. Specifically, we look for demonstration of these Values:
   Hospitality - We're passionate about delivering exceptional guest experiences. Integrity - We do the right thing, all the time. Leadership - We're leaders in our industry and in our communities. Teamwork - We're team players in everything we do. Ownership - We're the owners of our actions and decisions. Now - We operate with a sense of urgency and discipline
   In addition, we look for the demonstration of the following key attributes:
   Quality Productivity Dependability Customer Focus Adaptability
   What will it be like to work for Hilton?
   
   Hilton is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For nearly a century, Hilton has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. Hilton is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Our vision "to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality" unites us as a team to create remarkable hospitality experiences around the world every day. And, our amazing Team Members are at the heart of it all!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right bar back for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with bar backs they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit bar backs who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your bar back job on Zippia to find and recruit bar back candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting bar backs requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new bar back

   Once you've selected the best bar back candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new bar back. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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