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$1 is Not Enough

Steve Lunden | Bartender Stories

Real stories from behind the bar. Bad tips, worse customers, and 25 years of things you're not supposed to say out loud.Bartender and host Steve Lunden, creator of The Cynical Bartender, shares unfiltered stories from the hospitality industry. From nightmare customers and outrageous restaurant stories to terrible tips, clueless management, and the everyday insanity of working in customer service, nothing is off-limits.Solo rants, guest bartenders, and the conversations that only happen after last call. If you've ever worked a shift, you'll feel this. If you haven't, you'll never look at your bartender the same way again.

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S1 · E20
Monday · 28 min
The Tip Isn’t Always Money
Send us Fan Mail Episode 20: The Tip Isn't Always Money | 25 Years Behind the Bar Six zero-dollar tips in a row. Four more blank tip lines. And one generous soul who left me fifty fucking cents. Welcome to another episode of $1 Is Not Enough, where 25 years behind the bar has taught me that stupid never takes a day off. This week, I'm sharing the story of a particularly frustrating night behind the bar. Between two bartenders, we rang up $3,600 in sales, walked away with $240 each, and collected enough zero-dollar tip receipts to start a very depressing scrapbook. But this episode isn't another rant about how nobody tips anymore. Because that's simply not true. Most customers are decent. Plenty are generous. And after 25 years in hospitality, I've learned that the occasional cheap bastard is just part of the business. What doesn't get talked about enough is the emotional side of bartending. When you spend your career making people laugh, giving them shit, remembering their stories, and turning an ordinary night out into something memorable, you take pride in that connection. And sometimes, a handful of customers can make you question whether any of it matters. But just when I was ready to write off the entire evening, a young couple reminded me why I still love what I do. In this episode, we're talking about: The ridiculous streak of zero-dollar tips and the infamous fifty-cent gratuity. Why bad tipping experiences can affect even veteran bartenders. The difference between making great drinks and being a great bartender. Why personality, humor, and genuine connections matter in hospitality. How one unexpected compliment can completely turn around a terrible shift. Why appreciation matters, even though it doesn't pay the fucking electric bill. After 25 years behind the bar, I've learned something: Sometimes the tip that stays with you the longest isn't the one written on the receipt. Join the Conversation Hospitality workers, have you ever had a night where customers made you question why you still do this job? And has one incredible guest ever turned the whole thing around? Tell me your story in the comments. Subscribe to $1 Is Not Enough for unfiltered stories, hospitality humor, customer stupidity, and 25 years of experience behind the bar. Follow The Cynical Bartender on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. And remember, the drink might be free, but the bartender isn't. Until next time, keep your glass full, your tips heavy, and don't settle for a dollar that isn't enough. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E19
October 19 · 13 min
Work Friends... Until You Quit?
Send us Fan Mail Your coworkers are your family. Until somebody quits. Then apparently, you never existed. If you've ever worked in a restaurant or bar, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You spend more time with your coworkers than your actual family. You survive brutal Friday nights together, grab drinks after closing, share secrets, celebrate birthdays, and build friendships that feel like they'll last forever. Hell, some of these people become such close friends that they end up at your wedding. And then somebody leaves the restaurant. Suddenly, the people you saw five nights a week become people you haven't spoken to in five years. So what the hell happened? In Episode 19 of $1 Is Not Enough, I'm digging into one of the strangest parts of working in hospitality: the incredibly strong friendships we build behind the bar and on the restaurant floor, and how quickly some of them disappear when we stop working together. I'm sharing some personal experiences, including friendships that meant enough to me that those people attended my first wedding, yet somehow faded away after we stopped working together. Were those friendships ever real? Were we just friends because we were trapped in the same building together? Or is this simply what happens when life moves on? Maybe it's a little of everything. This episode is about the people who helped us survive the chaos, the friendships we thought would last forever, and the strange reality of leaving your restaurant family behind. YOUR TURN: Have you ever had a coworker you considered a lifelong friend, only to completely lose touch after one of you quit? I'd love to hear your story. $1 Is Not Enough, a bartender podcast about the people, the bullshit, and everything that happens behind the bar. 25 years behind the bar. I've seen enough. For Tim, Paige, Mary, and Sherman Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E18
October 13 · 17 min
You Had All Day to Cut the Damn Limes!
Send us Fan Mail The day shift clocked out. The night shift got screwed. Sound familiar? There's a special kind of frustration that comes with walking into a busy Friday or Saturday night shift only to discover that the morning bartender apparently forgot they had a job to do. No cut fruit. Empty beer coolers. No backup liquor. Half-stocked supplies. And somehow, the person responsible for getting everything ready has already grabbed their tips and headed home. Fantastic. Thanks for nothing. In Episode 17 of $1 Is Not Enough, we're tackling one of the biggest sources of resentment behind the bar: lazy shift handoffs and bartenders who leave their coworkers hanging. After 25 years behind the bar, I've seen what happens when one bartender's lack of preparation becomes everyone else's problem. We're talking about: Why proper bar prep matters, especially before a busy weekend night. The unwritten responsibilities of morning bartenders. How empty coolers, missing garnishes, and poor stocking can destroy the night shift before it even starts. The difference between legitimately being too busy to finish prep and simply being lazy. Why a bad shift handoff affects service, customers, teamwork, and ultimately everyone's money. Who should actually be held accountable when the bar isn't ready. Because here's the thing: Your shift might be over, but that doesn't mean your responsibilities magically disappear. Whether you're a morning bartender, a night bartender, a server, or a bar manager, you've probably been on at least one side of this argument. So let's hear it: Is bar prep primarily the morning bartender's responsibility, or should the night shift stop complaining and handle it themselves? Drop your opinion in the comments. I want to hear from both sides. 25 years behind the bar. I've seen enough. Now it's time to talk about it. $1 Is Not Enough. A Bartender Podcast. Behind the bar. Telling it like it is. #BartenderPodcast #ServiceIndustry #BartenderLife #HospitalityIndustry #BarLife #ServiceIndustryProblems #OneDollarIsNotEnough Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E17
October 5 · 18 min
The Service Charge Scam
Send us Fan Mail Episode Show Notes What exactly is a 20% service charge, and why do so many customers assume it is the tip? In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, Steve breaks down one of the most confusing trends in restaurants right now: service charges, automatic gratuities, hospitality fees, employee wellness fees, and the growing pile of extra charges showing up on the check. From a bartender's perspective, the issue is not just whether restaurants charge the fee. The bigger problem is transparency. Where does the money actually go? Does the server or bartender get it? Is the customer still expected to tip? And can a mandatory 20% service charge actually hurt experienced bartenders who normally earn more? This episode covers: The difference between a tip and a service charge Why customers understandably think the 20% is already the tip How restaurants may use service charges for wages, benefits, or other expenses Why automatic charges can hurt strong bartenders and servers The problem with adding a tip line after a mandatory service fee Why restaurants keep adding fees instead of simply raising menu prices Whether getting rid of tipping would actually improve hospitality pay The simplest solution: tell the customer exactly where the money goes If restaurants want to change how hospitality workers are paid, fine. But making customers and employees guess what a 20% "service charge" actually means is a terrible way to do it. The drink might be free, but the bartender isn't. Until next time, keep your glass full, your tips heavy, and don't settle for a dollar that isn't enough. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E16
September 28 · 18 min
Why Good Bartenders Quit
Send us Fan Mail Why do good bartenders leave jobs they were once loyal to? Usually, it is not because bartending is too hard. It is because being dependable, experienced, and good at the job slowly turns into more work, more responsibility, and more pressure without much in return. In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, Steve breaks down why strong bartenders burn out, why unreliable employees often create more work for everyone else, how bad scheduling drives good people away, and why experienced bartenders so often become unofficial managers without the title or pay. We also get into what happens when management mistakes silence for satisfaction, why money only makes up for so much, and how restaurants can lose years of experience because they ignored problems that were obvious for months. If you have ever been the person everyone calls when someone else screws up, this episode is probably going to feel familiar. Topics include: Why competence often gets rewarded with more work The cost of constantly covering unreliable coworkers Bad scheduling and burnout Becoming the unofficial manager Why good employees stop complaining before they quit Why strong bartenders are harder to replace than management realizes What actually pushes experienced hospitality workers out the door If you work in restaurants, bars, or hospitality, subscribe and follow $1 Is Not Enough for more conversations about the industry, the customers, the chaos, and the people behind the bar. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E15
September 21 · 11 min
Your Bad Day Isn’t My Tip
Send us Fan Mail Your Bad Day Isn't My Tip We've all had bad days. Your boss pissed you off. Your relationship is a mess. Your rent went up. Your car broke down. Maybe you're just in a terrible mood. But why does the bartender end up paying for it? In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, Steve talks about one of the most frustrating parts of working behind the bar: customers taking their frustrations out on the person serving them. We talk about: Why the bar isn't your personal therapy session Why drink prices aren't the bartender's fault The emotional roller coaster of the tip screen When a $1 tip becomes more than just a dollar The difference between bad service and an expensive drink Why bartenders shouldn't be the punching bag for a customer's bad day What bartenders actually control, and what they don't Remembering that there's a real person behind the bar Because your bartender didn't cause your bad day. They didn't set your rent. They didn't piss off your boss. They didn't ruin your relationship. And they probably didn't set the price of that $16 cocktail either. So have your bad day. Complain about it. Tell your bartender about it. But don't make them pay for it. Your bad day isn't my tip. Follow $1 Is Not Enough If you've got a bartender story, a ridiculous customer story, or a tipping experience that needs to be heard, send it in. $1 Is Not Enough Real talk for the people behind the bar. The drink might be free, but the bartender isn't. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E14
September 14 · 21 min
You Tipped Me. Then I Tipped Everyone Else.
Send us Fan Mail You Tipped Me. Then I Tipped Everyone Else. You leave your server a $20 tip. You walk out feeling like you took care of them. But what about the bartender who made every drink for your table? In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, Steve digs into one of the most complicated and controversial parts of the restaurant industry: tip-outs. In Minnesota, employees generally cannot simply be forced by their employer to hand over their tips, and there are specific rules governing tip sharing. But legality isn't the only question. What about hospitality? What about teamwork? What about the bartender who helped generate the sale that produced the tip in the first place? Steve takes a hard look at the server/bartender relationship, the arguments on both sides, tip fatigue, and the question that a lot of restaurant workers have probably argued about at one point: If the bartender made the drinks for your table, shouldn't they get something? In this episode: How tip-outs actually work Why servers and bartenders frequently disagree about tips The difference between being legally required to tip out and voluntarily recognizing someone's contribution Why sales-based tip-outs can be particularly controversial Whether bartenders should receive part of a server's tip when they make the drinks Why support staff compensation creates another layer of complexity The growing problem of tip fatigue Where Steve stands on voluntary tip-outs Real-world hospitality experiences from behind the bar The "$1 Test": Is one dollar enough recognition for someone who helped you earn your tip? The question for you: If you're a server, should you voluntarily tip out the bartender when they're making drinks for your tables? If you're a bartender, how does your restaurant handle it? And if you're a customer, did you ever realize what happens to your tip after you leave it? Let's argue about it. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E11
September 11 · 9 min
Special Episode: ”Twenty-Five Years” | A September 11th Tribute
Send us Fan Mail Twenty-five years ago, the world changed in a single morning. Not gradually, not over time. In one morning. In this special episode, Steve steps away from the bar stories to do something a little different. A tribute to the people we lost, the people who ran toward it, and the way a country full of strangers became something else, even if just for a moment. This one isn't funny. It isn't supposed to be. In this episode: What that morning felt like and why our brains never let it go The question we all carry: do you remember where you were? What happened in the bars and the living rooms and the firehouses in the days after What twenty-five years really means, and what we owe the people who weren't there yet Why grief doesn't have an expiration date To everyone who lost someone that day. To everyone who ran toward it. To everyone still carrying it. This one's for you. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E12
September 9 · 20 min
Dad + Mini-Me
Send us Fan Mail This week I brought in a very special guest -- my 11-year-old son. He asked to be on the show, so here we are. We talk about what it's actually like growing up with a bartender for a dad, what he thinks about tipping (spoiler: he gets it), and what he'd say to the customers who don't. Unfiltered, honest, and maybe the best episode yet. What We Cover What his friends think dad does for a living His take on tipping -- in his own words The hard parts of having a dad who works nights and weekends Whether he'd ever work in hospitality His message to the bad tippers Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E10
September 8 · 14 min
The Four Most Dangerous Words at a Bar
Send us Fan Mail Four words. That's all it takes to make every bartender within earshot silently lose their mind. In this episode, Steve breaks down the phrase no bartender wants to hear, who's actually saying it, why it sets off every alarm in our heads, and what it really costs the people on the other side of the bar. In this episode: The tell-tale signs that give you away immediately A full taxonomy of the types (college summer guy, we see you) Why this phrase is never just information, it's a negotiation The real damage it does to a shift, a section, and a tip What we actually want from you instead Whether you've said it yourself or you've heard it a hundred times, this one's going to hit. $1 is Not Enough is a podcast about bartending, bad tippers, and the stories the hospitality industry never gets credit for telling. New episodes every [DAY]. Follow and leave a review if this show has ever made you feel seen. And remember, the drink might be free, but the bartender isn't. Copyright 2026 Lunden Media, LLC, All Rights Reserved Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E9
August 31 · 31 min
The Weekend, Double J & Dave
Send us Fan Mail Some weekends are memorable for all the right reasons. This was not one of them. In Episode 9, I take you back to a weekend shift featuring Double J and their husbands, where the drinks were flowing and things got progressively stranger as the night went on. Double J got a little too comfortable with the alcohol, while Dave decided the best way to spend the evening was apparently hitting on other women right in front of their husbands. Because apparently reading the room is no longer a required life skill. And then there was the really weird part. Dave disappeared outside with a female server for a couple of minutes. They came back in, she was suddenly moving at warp speed, and then it happened again. Let's just say I had a pretty good idea what was going on, and I strongly suspected Dave wasn't just stepping outside for fresh air. Plus, I get another chance to vent about young, clueless kids working expo, the seemingly complete lack of situational awareness, and the phenomenon I like to call being professionally brain-dead. It's another collection of bad decisions, questionable behavior, and stories that could only come from behind a bar. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E8
August 26 · 21 min
Broke in Theory
Send us Fan Mail You know the coworker. They spend every shift telling anyone who will listen how broke they are. Bills. Rent. Gas. The whole thing. But the second an actual shift opens up and you offer it to them? Gone. Silent. Left on read. In Episode 8, Steve breaks down one of the most universal phenomena in the service industry: the coworker who is broke in theory but mysteriously unavailable in practice. Twenty-plus years behind the bar means twenty-plus years of watching this play out, and today it all comes out. In This Episode: The four types of Broke in Theory coworkers (and how to spot them) The Professional Complainer, the Conditional Worker, the Ghost, and the Audacity Regular The specific story that finally pushed Steve over the edge and made him record this episode War stories from 20+ years in the industry The psychology behind why people do this (it's more human than you think) A callout for YOUR stories, because we know you have them Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Connect: Website: onedollarisnotenough.com Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Email: steve@onedollarisnotenough.com Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's the fastest way to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes a difference. Thanks for being here. $1 Is Not Enough is a comedy and commentary podcast about life in the service industry. Listener discretion advised. Some stories have been modified to protect the guilty. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E7
August 15 · 16 min
Things You Learn That Nobody Teaches You
Send us Fan Mail Twenty years behind the bar teaches you things no training covers. In Episode 7 of $1 is Not Enough, Steve breaks down the unwritten rules of bartending: how to read a room before something goes wrong, the right way to cut someone off (and why "I can't serve you anymore" is the wrong phrase), how to handle the friends who push back harder than the drunk person does, and the quiet social contract that regulars and bartenders share without ever talking about it. Real stories, real talk, no filter. Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E1
August 14 · 3 min
Welcome to $1 is Not Enough
Send us Fan Mail Meet your host, Steve Lunden. 20-plus years behind the bar, thousands of stories, and zero filter left. In this first episode, Steve breaks down what this show is, why it exists, and what you're in for. If you've ever worked in the service industry, welcome home. If you haven't, buckle up. 🌐 onedollarisnotenough.com 📩 Got a story? stories@onedollarisnotenough.com Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E2
August 14 · 12 min
A Dollar a Drink
Send us Fan Mail I posted a TikTok about tipping and the Internet had opinions. Let's talk about the dollar-a-drink myth, the comments that proved my point, and the time someone left me thirty-seven cents on a hundred dollar tab. 🌐 onedollarisnotenough.com 📩 Got a story? stories@onedollarisnotenough.com Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E5
August 14 · 13 min
I Don’t Care If You Were Born Before 9/11, I Still Need Your ID
Send us Fan Mail "I was born before 9/11." That's nice. I still need your ID. In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, we're talking about one of the most common arguments bartenders hear: customers who get offended about being carded, and people who think a picture of their driver's license on their phone is somehow the same as carrying the real thing. I'll explain why bartenders ask for ID, why the rules exist, and why your convenience isn't worth someone else's job. If you've worked in bars or restaurants, you've definitely lived this conversation. Like, subscribe, and let me know your craziest "I don't have my ID" story in the comments. submit stories to stories@onedollarisnotenough.com Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E6
August 14 · 16 min
Long Weekend, Weak Paycheck
Send us Fan Mail A long weekend behind the bar sounds like a recipe for good business and good money. Not this time. In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, Steve breaks down a frustrating weekend behind the bar. Friday night looked packed, but the entire bar was essentially filled by one family. Saturday was steady, but the real fun started when the bartenders weren't getting tipped out by servers, while still being expected to help with their tables and clean up after customers in the billiards room. Two shifts. A whole lot of work. About $250 total. This is the reality of working behind the bar that customers don't always see. The cleaning, the running around, the extra work, the tip-outs, and the endless little things that somehow become the bartender's responsibility. After 25 years behind the bar, Steve has learned one thing: The drink might be free, but the bartender isn't. Welcome to $1 Is Not Enough, where bartending stories, customer insanity, workplace nonsense, and 25 years of experience come together for an honest look at what really happens on the other side of the bar. Subscribe, follow, and share your own bartender stories in the comments. #DollarIsNotEnough #Bartending #BartenderLife #BartenderStories #RestaurantLife #ServiceIndustry #BehindTheBar #Hospitality #BartendingStories #CustomerStories Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E4
August 1 · 13 min
Three Free Drinks
Send us Fan Mail What happens when 700 guests show up, everyone gets three free drink coupons, two bartenders call out, and nobody tells the bar staff until an hour before the doors open? Chaos. In this episode of $1 Is Not Enough, Steve takes you behind the bar for one of the most exhausting shifts of his career. Nearly $5,000 in complimentary drinks were poured during a VIP grand opening event, leaving six bartenders scrambling to keep up with nonstop orders. After hours of shaking cocktails, changing kegs, restocking bottles, and serving hundreds of guests, the night's payout was just $35. This isn't a story about bad customers. It's a story about poor planning, unrealistic expectations, and the hidden cost of "free" promotions on the people who make them possible. If you've ever worked in hospitality, you'll probably be laughing, shaking your head, or reliving a shift you'd rather forget. In this episode: The reality behind VIP grand opening events Why "free drinks" usually mean more work, not less How poor planning impacts bartenders' income What guests can do to support service staff, even when the drinks are free The story behind one unforgettable $35 night Whether you're a bartender, server, restaurant manager, or just someone who enjoys hearing what really happens behind the scenes, this episode is for you. Pour yourself a drink, preferably one you paid for, and let's get into it. Submit your stories to: stories@onedollarisnotenough.com Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...
S1 · E3
July 29 · 22 min
Make it Strong
Send us Fan Mail "Make it strong." Three words every bartender has heard a thousand times. Steve breaks down what it actually means, the types of people who say it, and why it tells your bartender everything they need to know about you before the drink even hits the glass. Plus, the "I'll take care of you" bribe, the send-back, the pour watchers, and the right way to actually get a stronger drink without making your bartender's eye twitch. This show isn't just about bad tippers. It's about everything behind the bar. 🌐 onedollarisnotenough.com 📩 Got a story? stories@onedollarisnotenough.com Support the show 📲 Follow the Show Instagram: @1dollarisnotenough Facebook: 1dollarisnotenough YouTube: @1dollarisnotenough 🛒 Merch onedollarisnotenough.com/merch Send Your Stories: Got a coworker who pulled this? We want to hear it. Email stories@onedollarisnotenough.com or DM us on Instagram. The best ones get read on a future episode. Support the Podcast Enjoying $1 Is Not Enough? Help keep the drinks flowing and the stories coming. If you want to support the show, you can become a monthly supporter through Buzzsprout. And if you donate $10 or more, I'll give you a shoutout in the next episode as a thank-you for helping keep this thing alive. Support $1 Is Not Enough Because apparently, producing a podcast costs more than a dollar. Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review wherever you're listening. It's one of the fastest ways to help new people find us, and it genuinely makes...

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