May 21, 2025 at 8:48 am

Bartender Has An Interesting Perspective On How To Tell When A Recession Is Coming

by Michael Levanduski

Bartender and beer

Shutterstock, TikTok/hellqueencocktails

The economy is an extraordinarily complex thing that impacts every aspect of our lives.

Many people think they have effective indicators to show when a recession is coming, including this bartender on TikTok.

She recently made a video that asked the question, “Are we in a recession?” in the caption, and she got right into it by saying, “Bartenders can absolutely predict a recession, and I’m here to tell you, we are in one.”

Burnette woman talking

TikTok/hellqueencocktails

Wow, that’s a bold statement.

She goes on to say, “March and April are usually our highest months here in Scottsdale. Our peak and when I tell you that yesterday we made it through an entire shift cutting one of our bartenders.”

It sounds like they were pretty slow, and it wasn’t just a one night thing.

Burnette woman talking

TikTok/hellqueencocktails

She goes on to say, “It’s not even just the volume of people that are not out about the same way. It’s also the tips overall in general. I average over 20% in tips regularly. Probably closer to like 25%, but when I tell you I’m struggling to get even 20%. Holy Crap!”

That must be hard to rely so heavily on tips for a living.

Burnette woman talking

TikTok/hellqueencocktails

She wraps up the video talking about another thing, the opening of new restaurants.

She says, “The amount of new restaurants opening up. I don’t know if it is just the market that I’m in, because I know Phoenix is a hustling and bustling city, everyone’s coming to Phoenix. 45 over the last couple of weeks have opened up in the valley.”

Honestly, I would think new restaurants opening is the opposite of a sign of a recession, but apparently not according to this bartender.

Recessions are hard to predict, but does she have a point?

Check out the full video below to see what you think.

@hellqueencocktails

Bartenders can predict a recession #hellqueencocktails #bartender #bartendertiktok #serviceindustry

♬ original sound – HellQueen Cocktails

The people in the comments have a lot to add, check them out.

This person says the drinks are just too expensive so they stopped drinking at restaurants.

Comment 1 8 Bartender Has An Interesting Perspective On How To Tell When A Recession Is Coming

This is a good point; lots of people are quitting drinking.
Comment 2 8 Bartender Has An Interesting Perspective On How To Tell When A Recession Is Coming
These drinks cost too much.

Comment 3 8 Bartender Has An Interesting Perspective On How To Tell When A Recession Is Coming

Who knows what is causing people to tip her less, and whether it is an indicator of a recession?

Bartenders do see trends very early, so she might be right.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this guy’s helpful tip to get free tools at Home Depot without buying anything.

Senior Contributing Editor, Workplace & Community

Michael Levanduski is a veteran journalist and digital culture specialist with over 15 years of professional writing and research experience. While his background spans emerging technology and complex technical subjects, Michael specializes in analyzing workplace ethics, property disputes, and viral interpersonal dynamics across modern digital forums.

Since joining TwistedSifter in 2024, Michael has authored some of the publication’s most widely read coverage on corporate policy, malicious compliance, and neighborhood relations. Rather than simply aggregating online debates, he brings rigorous research, organizational context, and an empathetic editorial voice to everyday human dilemmas—transforming raw forum discussions into insightful, highly engaging narratives.

When he isn’t covering internet culture, Michael enjoys traveling, keeping up with tech trends, and spending time with his family. Connect with Michael on LinkedIn and Facebook.