In the Roman era, public drinking houses were a part of the society. China was also not far behind in this matter and there were also public drinking places or taverns for people to come together. Before the 15 century, majority of bartenders brewed and produced liquor at home. The earliest bartenders were mostly female inn keepers and also house/tavern owners. In the Western European regions including England, Ireland, France and Germany as early as 616, public drinking houses were the heart of the social world. Many professionals from investors to poets used public drinking houses for business purposes. Bartenders and owners were considered as members of the economic elite. They owned property and were the wealthiest trades of the time.

It is not too much to say that prohibition of early 1900's made bartending culture stronger than ever in the history. Gradually, bartenders were well paid and tipped for supplying the public with the illegal substance - alcohol. The mob and gangsters generally owned social clubs and gave bartenders an aura of mystery, elegance and power. These bartenders were able to experiment with the work of spirits blending and created some of the most ordered cocktails today such as the Long Island Iced Tea, Highball and Gin & Tonic.

'The Cocktail king' Constante Ribelague at La Florida in Havana is known as the creator of Daiquiri. His classic Daiquiri mixed with rum, syrup and lime juice was first mentioned in the book called This Site of Paradise by F Scott Fitzgerald in 1920. During the world war era, many bartenders enjoyed trying the new fruit cocktails. Don Beach from 1930's was known for many of his exotic cocktails such as the Zombie and the Mai Tai. Jonny Brooks in Stock Club, New York added a lemon twist in his Martini. A graduate of the Rainbow Room, Dale DeGroff, was one of the modern master mixiologists. He dedicated his life to rediscovering and reinventing what he considers to be the golden age of the cocktail as he worked at the Blackbird, New York. DeGroff has created the Whiskey Smash and his own Millennium Cocktail.

Today the liquor manufacturers and bar owners found a new marketing target, young drinkers. As they reached out to young drinkers, they succeeded in introducing the whiskey in the global market at the same time. Martini orders started to fade and Jack and Coke was ordered more. Overseas, drinking culture started to change as well. Japanese businessmen in the 80's spent couple of thousand dollars a night for a glass of scotch as they closed their multi-million dollar deals. In the 90's high school kids started to appear at the night scenes enjoying the fruit cocktails. Now Bartending is a respectable profession. Younger generation are opting for it considering it to be their career, which is very well paid. All major hotels and restaurants have the best of professional bartenders from various institutes. Professional Courses have come into existence in order to shape the future bartenders.

Now talking about the bartender, he should not only remember how to make drinks, a true professional bartender should know how to provide courteous and timely service. Competition in the bar business is extremely high. What makes the customer come back again is the way the bartender reacts with their guests. When they are friendly and efficient, the customer is most likely to return. People come in to socialise and the bartender is usually the first person for them to interact with. Bartenders who introduce themselves, suggest quality products and drinks and give efficient services are the ones that make the most tips. Wage increases are often given to those bartenders that perform well as they are recognise as a valuable asset to the company. The better the service, the higher the tip.