What Does a Budtender Do?

‘Budtender’ is a relatively new word in the world of cannabis, since up until the last couple of decades, recreational and medicinal cannabis dispensaries that now employ budtenders didn’t exist.

Now, budtenders are an essential part of any great dispensary— but what exactly is their role? In this post, we’ll explore exactly what budtenders do, how to find the right one to help you, and how budtenders will speak with you to provide the best possible service and recommendations.

What Does a Budtender Do?

A budtender is someone who works at a recreational cannabis store or medical dispensary, whose job is to work closely with customers to answer their questions, provide product recommendations, and help them be informed about a wide range of cannabis information. Their ultimate goal? To help customers make the most educated, safe, and enjoyable possible decisions about the cannabis products they buy and use.

How to Spot a Great Budtender

The best budtenders are much more than just employees who greet you at the door and help you locate products around the store. They can and should be powerful resources, helping guide you on your cannabis journey to the products, strains, and consumption types that will best suit your tastes and goals.

Here are some of the top traits that will help you spot a great budtender when you meet one.

Knows the Products

A great budtender has to know the products carried by their store or dispensary. If a budtender doesn’t know details about at least the majority of products they carry, how can they make smart recommendations to help you find the perfect product for you? Quality dispensaries take care to ensure that their budtenders are always informed about new product lines, inventory, emerging brands, and much more— not just their names, but relevant details about them, too.

Knows Their Limitations

While there are plenty of dispensaries that specialize in both recreational and medicinal cannabis, that’s not always the case. When customers begin asking about medical benefits of cannabis, a wise budtender will know enough to say “I’m not a doctor, so I can’t provide an official recommendation based on your medical needs.” There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging the limitations of a budtender’s position.

Listens First

The most important job of a budtender is to listen. Why? Because no two cannabis customers are exactly alike. What’s perfect for your friend may be completely wrong for you. That’s why great budtenders spend most of their time asking questions and finding out about your interests and goals for your cannabis experience— which leads to our next quality of a great budtender.

Asks Smart Questions

You want a budtender who will recommend products based on what you want, not what they like. That’s why it’s so important that they ask you thoughtful questions that will help them learn more about your interests so that they can ultimately choose the right product or products to recommend for you.

Questions Your Budtender Might Ask You

It’s best to come prepared with answers to some of the common questions you’re likely to get from your budtender. Here are some to think about before heading to the dispensary.

What’s your goal?

What do you ultimately want out of your cannabis? Are you looking for a smooth, relaxed high, or a high-energy, vibrant high? Maybe you don’t want to get high at all, but want to enjoy cannabis for its therapeutic benefits. Whatever you want, it’s a good idea to think about it in advance, before you get to the store.

What consumption methods do you prefer?

Do you prefer vaping, smoking, edibles, tinctures, oils, or some other form of cannabis consumption? Letting your budtender know how you like to avoid cannabis will help them send you in the right direction.

Are you looking for something psychoactive?

Do you want to get high? If not, let your budtender know! There are plenty of cannabis products with all kinds of benefits that don’t contain THC, the most common psychoactive compound in THC.

If you do want something with THC, how much do you want? Are you looking for a minor, pleasing buzz as you do chores around the house, or something that will let you fully unwind with an intense feeling of euphoria and relaxation?

How long do you want to be high?

Various doses and consumption types will not only affect the intensity of your high, but also how long it lasts. Let your budtender know if you’re looking for a long-lasting high or something that will fit in your lunch break while you stop at home during a workday.

Our expert budtenders are always ready and waiting to answer any and all of your cannabis questions. Already know what you want? Head to our cannabis menu to pick your products and place an order for pickup or delivery.