A newsletter for the industry pro (or aspiring pro).

Cocktails

Tip Your Bartender

March 24, 2020

Story: Punch Staff

art: Nick Hensley

Cocktails

Tip Your Bartender

March 24, 2020

Story: Punch Staff

art: Nick Hensley

We're making it easy to give back to your favorite bartenders across the country.

As the hospitality industry faces an uncertain future, PUNCH is dedicated to supporting the bar teams who inspire us on a daily basis and allow our publication to exist. As a way of giving back, we’re launching “Tip Your Bartender,” a social initiative connecting you, our readers, directly to your favorite bartenders across the country via Instagram. 

Pull up a stool at our virtual bar as the nation’s top drink-makers offer up recipes live from our Instagram feed during our daily happy hour (5 p.m. ET). Tipping is encouraged, and goes directly to the featured bar team via Venmo. For every dollar tipped, Bacardi Limited has generously committed to matching it with an equal gift to Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation. 

These contributions will help provide our community of bartenders with much-needed resources while their job security hangs in the balance. Even though you may not be able to sidle up to your favorite bar right now, you can still raise a glass to ensure a future moment when you can.

How to Participate

Please see our call for participation to submit your information. PUNCH will select featured bars on a daily, rolling basis.

Featured bar teams will be offered a $1,000 participation fee and be asked to provide a short introduction video, the recipe for their featured cocktail, their bar logo and information about their bar team. One member of each participating bar team will be asked to participate in a Instagram Live session scheduled on a weekday at 5:00 p.m. ET in which they provide instruction on how to make the featured cocktail. See our FAQ section below for the full requirements.

How to Support

Follow along on PUNCH’s Instagram (@punch_drink) for Instagram Live sessions with the featured bar, weekdays at 5 p.m ET. Watch your favorite bartenders prepare a recipe live and send a “tip” directly to their Venmo account.

FAQs for Bar Teams

How do I submit my bar team for consideration?
Please see here for the information request form. 

What are the requirements?
Featured accounts will be asked to provide the following:

  1. One introduction video (:30-:45 seconds) about your bar and your team
  2. The recipe for your featured cocktail (including specs, directions) 
  3. Your bar’s logo 
  4. Information about your bar team 
  5. Agree to participate in a scheduled Instagram Live session scheduled on a weekday at 5:00 p.m. ET

Can I participate as an individual?
For now, we’re asking for bar teams of two or more bartenders to participate in order to maximize the impact of this social campaign. 

How many bar teams will you feature a week?
PUNCH will feature five bar teams per week, and will continue the program through May 29, with the option to extend depending on the continued level of need. 

How will I know if we’ve been selected to participate?
PUNCH will contact you directly at the email address provided in your request for information. Given the large number of submissions, we may not be able to respond to every form. Please submit only one form per bar team.  

What does my team get for participating?
Featured teams will receive a $1,000 participation fee for content creation, the “tips” sent to the provided Venmo handle, your recipe on PUNCH and an Instagram Live on @punch_drink.

What if I don’t have Venmo?
One member of your bar team will need to have a functional Venmo account to collect contributions. See here for instructions for how to set up an account (you’ll need access to a mobile device with iOS or Android, a phone number and email address and your bank account info, you may also be required to provide your social security number for verification purposes).

Are you featuring international bar teams?
Not yet! While we hope to make this program available internationally, at this time Venmo is only accessible within the United States. If you are an international bar team interested in participating, please drop us a line at editorial@punchdrink.com.

FAQs for Donors

How do I give?
On mobile, look up the Venmo handle listed in each “Tip Your Bartender” Instagram post caption. “Tip” any amount you’re able (no amount is too small) directly to the bar team featured to help support them in this financially uncertain time. 

Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Not at this time, as contributions are going directly to bartenders in need. If you would like to give to a 501c3 non-profit, we suggest giving to the following organizations:

  1. Donate to Restaurant Workers Community Foundation. RWCF is a New York-based 501c3 non-profit that is directing contributions to organizations leading on-the-ground efforts in the restaurant community, providing zero-interest loans to businesses to maintain payroll and establishing a relief fund for individuals experiencing economic hardship.
  2. Donate to the United States Bartender Guild. The USBG’s National Charity’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program is collecting donations to support their philanthropic grant program providing assistance to bartenders and their families in need. (Recipients of the grant do not need to be members of the USBG. For more info on how to apply for a grant see here.)
  3. Donate to One Fair Wage. OFW’s Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund provides cash assistance to restaurant workers, car service drivers, delivery workers, personal service workers and more unable to work in 11 states. (For more info on how to apply for a grant see here.)


What if I don’t have Venmo?
See here for instructions for how to set up an account (you’ll need access to a mobile device with iOS or Android, a phone number and email address and your bank account info, and you may also be required to provide your social security number for verification purposes). For those unable to set up a Venmo account, we also recommend giving to one of the three non-profits listed above via their web platforms. 

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