RETAIL : Hiring for Newport’s Hard Rock Cafe May Cause a Stampede of Applicants

As bartending jobs go, mixing margaritas at the new Hard Rock Cafe in Newport Beach would probably be considered among the best.

So thousands of prospective Tom Cruises (remember the movie “Cocktail”?) are expected to storm the parking lot of Fashion Island on Monday to apply for the 150 jobs at the chain’s latest restaurant.

“We are looking for energetic, upbeat people who are personable and service-minded,” said Jim Rees, a vice president for Hard Rock America in Los Angeles, which manages 12 Hard Rock Cafes.

Applications will be taken between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Employees at the Hard Rock in Los Angeles’ Beverly Center say they enjoy the star-gazing that is a benefit of the job. The chain also has a reputation for being concerned about the environment.