Forget Ebonics, Pig-Latin, and Redneck...learn to speak Cocktailese!

Barback/Apprentice Bartender - The bartender's assistant, responsible for making sure the bar has enough beer, ice, fruit, etc.

Bar porter - The person who makes sure the bars are clean.

Beer back - Just means they want a beer in addition to another drink, usually a shot, such as, "I'll have a Jack Daniel's with a beer back."  This is really just another way of ordering two drinks at a time, which is not allowed.

Breaker - An employee who works in another employee's station while that employee goes on break.

Call-off/Call-in - To call before your shift starts that you won't be coming in to work.

Claimer - someone who checks the coin trays on the slot machines for coins or tokens, like what people do at pay phones.

Coke back - like a beer back but with, obviously, a Coke.  Some people want the alcohol on the side, kinda like ordering a salad with the dressing on the side, so they'll order a shot with a Coke back.

Comp - "Complimentary" or free, as in, "Our meal/room/show was comped."

Day Shift - Shifts that are during the daytime hours, usually 6 AM-2 PM to 3 PM-11 PM.

Dice - Craps.  As in, "She's working dice today."

Double-back - To have only 8 to 14 hours between shifts.  For example, if I work 6 PM-2 AM, then have to work 10 AM-6 PM the next morning, I would be doing a double-back.

E.D.O. - Extra Day Off.  As in, "Please submit your E.D.O.'s at least a week beforehand."

E.D.R. - Employee Dining Room.

E.O. - Early Out.  This means when someone leaves early from work, such as, "I'm taking an E.O." or "Who wants an E.O.?"

Extra Board - Employees who are on call.  These are not considered full-time employees because they work only when full-time employees take vacations, E.D.O.'s, or call in sick.

George - Big tipper. Old-timers used to also say "Cousin."  Who is considered a george?  Generally someone tipping $20.00 a drink or more.  Even though $5.00 and $10.00 a drink is awesome, you won't find waitresses doing back flips for it.  If it's slow and you're the only $5.00 tipper, you will get the best service.  Now here's the thing, if there's someone tipping more than you, say $100.00 a drink, and you're giving "only" $25.00, it's just your bad luck because now even though you're still a george, you'll be treated more like a georgie.  (I just made that up, there's no such thing as a "georgie.")  The point is, it's all relative.  But in normal, everyday casino life, tipping $20.00 a drink or more will get you red carpet service.

Graveyard - Shifts that start usually from 9 PM-5 AM to 5 AM-1 PM.

Juice - This usually refers to a connection an employee has with a bigwig in the company.  It can be used like, "I heard he's got juice with so-and-so," or "He was juiced in."  Gossip is rampant in a casino, and everyone has to know everyone's business, and it's always interesting to know if someone got hired based on who they know rather than what they know.  Sometimes it's an a-ha moment, like, "So that's why Joe Dumbshit hasn't been fired," kinda like, "So that's why they let Yoko Ono sing."

L.O.A. - Leave Of Absence.  There are many different types of leaves of absences.  There's maternity leave, (which seems to be an epidemic right now!), personal leave, which can be approved by the department head, and family and medical leave.

Local - Someone who lives in Vegas.  Some casinos are referred to as a "local's" casino, which is usually not on The Strip.  There are a lot more video poker machines because locals seem to like those.  The odds are better, but it takes a little know-how.  It's taken me years to understand just regular Draw Poker, but I still have to ask my boyfriend, "Which cards do I hold?"

Must be - Means that when a certain premium brand of alcohol is ordered, it "must be" the real thing.  For example, sometimes when a waitress orders Grey Goose, a super premium vodka, the bartender will give her a less expensive brand such as Absolut or even generic vodka.  But if the waitress says, "Grey Goose, must be," then the bartender will give her the real thing.  Sometimes the bartender is a dick and will still refuse, but that doesn't happen that often, especially if the waitress requesting it is known for being a good tipper.

My Friday - "It's my Friday!" is always said with enthusiasm.  This simply means the end of our workweek.  Full-time employees work 5 consecutive days, but not necessarily Monday through Friday.  So if I work Wednesday through Sunday, then Sunday would be my Friday.  And my days off (Monday and Tuesday) would be my weekend.  So on a Wednesday if you hear, "Oh god, it's Monday!" don't attribute it to another ditsy cocktail waitress outburst.  "Super Friday" means the day before vacation.

Nickel - Five dollars.  As in, "He's a nickel a drink."  Now, this only applies in the pit.  In slots, pathetically, this same phrase has to be taken literally.

No-Time - When someone comes to work then leaves without actually working.  Sometimes if we're sick, or business is slow, we can take a no-time.

On the Rocks - Ice.  As in, "Martini rocks," or "Martini on the rocks."

Out - Means the end of a drink order.  For example, if I say, "Vodka tonic, Bloody Mary, three Coronas, out," the bartender knows that I'm done with my order.  This is to prevent him from having to ask, "Is that all?"  However, I've worked with a lot of bartenders who don't have a clue what that means, and they will still ask, "Is that all?"  This is just as annoying as when you're at McDonald's and you say, "A Big Mac and large fries, to go."  And they still ask, "Is that for here or to go?"

Pit - This refers to table games in a group, such as blackjack, roulette, or craps.  Sometimes there's a diva-like attitude with "pit girls," the girls who work the pit, because generally it's considered the best money-making station.

Progressive - Refers to slot or video poker machines where the jackpot increases as more people play.  Think of it like a pump at a gas station; the more gas you put in, the faster the numbers turn.  When someone wins the jackpot, it resets at a predetermined value that differs with each machine.

Red - Five dollars.  The value of casino chips can be recognized by color.  So, "He's a red," means, "He tips five bucks a drink."

Regular Coffee - If you order your coffee this way, it means you want coffee with cream and sugar.  But I find that most people don't know how to order, so what they usually mean is they want regular coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee.  This is retarded.  Please don't order this way.  Believe me, if you just say, "Coffee," the waitress is not going to think or ask, "Now, is that regular or decaf?"  And don't order in negatives.  Say, "Coffee with sugar," not "Coffee, no cream."  Say what you want, not what you don't want.

Shill - Someone who pretends to be a customer to lure real customers to gamble.  I'm not sure if shills are used anymore.  A shill can also be something, like putting a dollar on a tray, to let people know that tips are accepted.

Shopper - A rat.  Someone who pretends to be a customer but is really there to rate quality of service, products, and to verify that employees follow proper procedures.  Shopper reports carry a lot of weight and people have been fired from bad reports.

Silver - One dollar.  This is a slot token, and also used as dollars in the pit.

Slammed - means "very busy," or "too busy."  As in, "New Year's Eve is usually slammed."

Slots - Any gambling machine whether it's video poker, keno, or an actual slot machine.

Station - The designated area that a waitress works.

Stiff - Very important to know!  Stiff = non-tipper.  As in, "That guy's a stiff."  Or in true Cocktailese, "That guy's a fucking stiff!"  This one is used the most.  Waitresses tell each other about stiffs, so be forewarned!

Straight Up - A drink with no ice, and this could also be referred to as "straight" or "neat."  This is when cocktail knowledge comes in because customers generally will not tell us how they want their martinis, mudslides, or cognacs so we have to know what kinds of drink orders need to be followed up with, "Straight up or on the rocks?"

Swing - Shifts worked during the evening hours, usually from 4 PM-12 Midnight to 8 PM-4 AM.

Take you out - When a waitress asks another waitress, "Will you take me out?" it's not a request for a date, it means, "I want to go home early, will you take over my station?"  In the same way when a waitress says, "I'll take you out," it's not an offer to have a good time, it means she wants to make more money so she's trying to get another waitress to leave.

Tip o'clock - Refers to when it's near the end of a bartender's shift.  It's a well-known industry secret that bartenders can't stand cocktail waitresses, so when they say something like, "It's been great working with you lovely ladies...I'll see you tomorrow," it's just a euphemistic phrase for, "Show me the money!"

Toke - Another word for "tip."

Virgin - A non-alcoholic drink, as in a "virgin Pina Colada."

Well - The area where the waitress gets her order from the bartender.