Ohio Bartender Reveals Clever Trick to Make Extra Cash During Last Call — And It “Works Every Time”

COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio bartender is going viral for sharing a bold behind-the-bar secret — how she turns those late-night “just one more drink” moments into major tip money. Her confident and cheeky method, she says, “works every time.”

TikTok creator Sydney Bruder (@Princessssyd), who normally posts lighthearted makeup videos and clips from her bartending shifts, gained attention after sharing how she upsells customers during last call. The video has already drawn thousands of views and plenty of reactions from fellow service industry workers.

“For me, I’m a sassy bartender. I give attitude — they love that,” Bruder said from her car in the viral post. “When it’s last call or past last call and they’re like, ‘Can I get one more shot?’ I say, ‘Sure… for 20 bucks.’”

Her casual, confident delivery — paired with just the right tone — is key to her success.

How Her $20 Trick Works

Bruder’s strategy relies on charisma and quick judgment.

“You’re gonna say it in a cute, fun, silly, sassy way,” she advised. “Not the time to be a jerk, but don’t be too nice either. You have to sound like you mean it.”

If the customer refuses? No problem.

“If they don’t want it that bad, you weren’t going to get it anyway,” she explained. “But if they do, you’re getting that $20, $50, or even $100. You have something they want — be confident.”

Her tip for beginners: use last call to your advantage.

“They’re drunk. They don’t know what’s going on,” Bruder joked. “You asked for $20, and he just pulled out a $100 bill. He’s lost.”

Fellow Bartenders Are Backing Her Up

The comments section quickly filled with support — and plenty of laughter — from other bartenders who said the tactic absolutely works.

“LITERALLY ME,” one viewer wrote. “I’m sassy and they eat it up every time!”

Another added, “You’re nicer than me — drinks after last call are $50.”

A veteran bartender chimed in: “The meaner I am, the more money I make. Nineteen years later, still true.”

Why the Strategy Works

Bartenders often play multiple roles — entertainer, counselor, and crowd control — and their confidence keeps the bar atmosphere balanced.

Bar manager Jeffery Morgenthaler once described bars as a kind of social sanctuary, where both staff and guests escape reality. “Hospitality is a two-way street,” he wrote in Food Republic. “Bartenders aren’t just serving drinks; they’re managing people’s moods.”

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That dynamic, experts say, explains why teasing and humor can be a powerful bartending tool. As Thrillist once noted, “You’re not paying a bartender for their time — you’re paying them for a way to waste yours.”

By mixing charm with authority, bartenders like Bruder strike that delicate balance between being approachable and commanding — and sometimes, that earns them far more than the drink itself.

A Reminder: It’s All About the Energy

For Bruder, the key to pulling it off isn’t manipulation — it’s energy.

“Keep the mentality that you have something they want,” she told viewers. “You have to be confident.”

Her playful tactic might not make the next economics textbook, but for bartenders navigating long nights, it’s a reminder that personality pays — literally.

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