Margaritaville Jobs
An Interview With Michael Kopczynski
By Steve Gillman
Michael Kopczynski has worked as a bartender at a number of
bars and restaurants around the country. I decided to ask him
specifically about his Margaritaville jobs because I've heard
there are some real benefits, including better pay than the average
bar and a fun environment. Mike has worked in two of Jimmy Buffett’s
Margaritaville restaurants, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and
Glendale, Arizona.
How did you get started working
for Jimmy Buffet?
I had just moved back to Myrtle Beach from Nashville, I had
years of bartending experience. and a friend of mine was bartending
there already. He informed me that since it was spring, they
were getting ready to hire a bunch of people for the summer season.
Putting in an application with a good referral and plenty of
experience I liked my chances.
What are some of the benefits
of working at a Margaritaville restaurant (insurance, vacation
pay?), and what did you like best about your time there?
The benefits were outstanding, Blue cross heath, vision, and
a decent dental plan. Vacation time is paid after one year of
continuous employment, and they have one of the best 401K plans
that I have ever seen.
I understand you invented a drink
that became popular. What is it called, and what's in it?
It is called "Bama Breeze" it's named after one
of my favorite Buffett songs, It's a simple recipe really, Cruzin
Vanilla and orange rums, Mango and Pina Coloda mix as well as
a splash of OJ. It was fun actually, Jimmy Buffett has a large
fan base and when they are sitting at the bar and find out you
created the drink, it was a lot of fun selling and signing collector
menus.
Now, I understand that a bartender
can do well staying behind the bar, but had you wanted to work
your way into other positions, including management, was advancement
a possibility?
Of course, There are always opportunities for advancement.
Especially at Margaritaville. A bartender I worked with in Myrtle
Beach has recently been promoted to bar manager in Pensacola
Beach, FL, A bar manager from Orlando was my General Manager
in Glendale. those are a few examples but the stories are all
around the place.
What would you recommend for those
who want to get hired at a Margaritaville restaurant? Are there
positions that are pretty much open to anyone--like dish washing,
for example? And if a person wants to tend bar, what kind of
previous experience is Margaritaville likely to look for in your
opinion?
I would recommend being yourself. The greatest thing in my
opinion that Margaritaville does is to let you be who you are.
I'm sure you wouldn't need much experience getting a dish washer
job, that's pretty much an entree job into any restaurant. Once
in, you can be a busser, then a server, and then bartender and
on from there. If getting right in as a bartender is what you
want to do, you really do need some bar experience, Margaritaville
requires knowledgeable bartenders, there is a rigorous testing
period to get through when you first get hired.
What's the most you have made
in one day at Margaritaville?
There was one day I will always remember, I was scheduled
to open Margaritaville in Glendale AZ, and ended up working a
double shift as a bartender had called out. I bartended from
11 am till 2 am. that day I had brought home over $700 in tips
and also collected 15 hours of pay at 4.25 an hour.
Is it a fun place to work?
It was an absolute blast. It hardly ever felt like I was working.
I was simply showing up to have fun every day.
Mikes email: jerseymike75 @ aim.com
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