To be fair, I probably make the same as a bartender here in the US. Blows my mind that people are easily making $120,000+.

This should be almost impossible to pull off, like are you that bad at programming? lol.

According to Indeed, for the high end of bartending in my state, I make less. So I guess I really suck at programming.

This is ignoring that there's profit driven enshittification replacing talent with overworked and cheap overseas workers. Increasingly higher salaries are being replaced by cheaper salaries, and the results show in quality.

The amount of money people give in tips is insane.

Yes, that's what economic equality means.

"But but but but my CV enlarging JS framework wankery for the spotify of deli meats is obviously so much more valuable to people than a bartender!"

I mean bartenders are unironically useless. If there was a machine that dispensed highballs I would much rather prefer that than leaning over the counter for 20 minutes waiting for my drink while the bartender flirts with some girl.

Well, you're going to the wrong bars!

Last weekend I got free beers for knowing the band on a bartender's shirt. We shot the shit about music while I waited for my friends. Made my day.

Pubs started as "public houses". What's the point if you don't know the regulars? Why go out?

Imagine Cheers with robo Ted Dansen. (Actually, that might be awesome, for very different reasons...)

Absolutely. I get comped drinks a lot at the places I go. In the past seven days, I have gotten five free drinks (three of them were mocktails) across four places.

I sit at my usual wine bar and chuckle watching across the street, people standing in line for 30 minutes to get into a loud club with mediocre drinks. Then again, that club is hugely profitable.

Being a regular (at any local business but especially bars) is an extremely fulfilling feeling. Also very good for ones social health to be active in their community.

A good day's work in software development delights the end-user to at least the extent of a well made craft cocktail. That seems like a good standard to hold for yourself. There just tend to be just a few more users for a software product than the capacity of a neighborhood bar on a given evening.

if I could make IT-level money bartending in the US I'd jump back to that tomorrow.