When you’re out for a night on the town, you want to be a polite and perfect patron. But some well-meaning habits can annoy bartenders without you realizing it. We’ve gathered tips from various sources to highlight these habits. Knowing what to avoid can help you enjoy your night while making the bartender’s job easier.
Grabbing Your Drink Before It’s Served
It is understandable that you are eager to start drinking, but a lot of thought and effort goes into presenting a drink. From garnishes to cleaning the rim to simply placing the drink on a coaster, bartenders like to go the extra mile for you. By prematurely grabbing the drink, this process might be interrupted and even come across as impatient or rude. Letting them finish their work and present the drink to you is a small but significant gesture.
Cleaning Up Spills Yourself
Accidents happen, and spilling your drink can be embarrassing. While your first instinct might be to clean it up yourself quickly, bartenders and barbacks are trained to handle these situations safely and efficiently. Broken glass and spilled liquids can create a safety hazard, especially in a crowded bar. Plus, it’s part of their job to maintain a safe and clean environment, so you’re helping them by letting them do it.
Stuffing Trash Into Glasses
After finishing a drink, you might think you’re helping by tidying up your space and putting napkins or straw wrappers into the glass. However, this increases the number of bartenders working. They have to remove the soggy paper and other debris before the glass can be washed, which is more time-consuming and unpleasant than simply picking up the trash from the bar. Instead, leave your used napkins and wrappers on the bar where they can easily be collected and disposed of properly.
Ordering a “Surprise Me” Drink
Asking a bartender to surprise you with a drink is a fun way to try something new, but it can be a burden, especially during busy times. When you leave the choice up to the bartender, it forces them to take extra time to consider your preferences and create something on the spot. This can be challenging, mainly if the bar is crowded and they have other orders to fulfill. Instead, giving them guidelines is better—mention your favorite spirits, flavors, or cocktail styles so the bartender can quickly whip up something.
Insisting on Doing a Shot
Offering to buy your bartender a shot might seem like a friendly and generous gesture, but it’s usually not appreciated. Two third of the American states have strict regulations against bartenders drinking while on the job, as consuming alcohol can impair their ability to do their job effectively. Instead, if you want to show appreciation, a better option is to add the cost of that shot to their tip or simply thank them for their service.
Requesting Complicated Custom Drinks
Customizing your drink is fine, but asking for a complex, off-menu cocktail during peak hours can frustrate bartenders and slow down service for others. When the bar is busy, they need to keep orders moving quickly. If you want something unique, it’s best to ask during slower periods when they have more time to accommodate your request.
Paying Them a Stack of Cash
Giving the bartender a lump sum of cash might seem convenient, as it lets them handle the bill and tip, but this approach can lead to issues. Bartenders often find themselves short-changed when customers hand over a crumpled wad of cash with vague instructions to keep the change. Even if your intentions are honest, miscalculations are easy to make in a busy environment, leading to misunderstandings. When paying with cash, hand the bartender a precise amount, wait for them to count it, and then close out the bill.
Chatting During Busy Hours
During busy hours, bartenders are focused on serving multiple customers. They are trained to serve around 60 to 90 customers in an hour. Engaging in long conversations can slow down service and frustrate others. Chatting during quieter times or when they have a break is best. Remember, respecting their time helps keep the bar running smoothly.
Helping Yourself with Things
Even if you see something you need behind the bar, like a straw or a lemon, it’s important to avoid reaching over or behind the bar yourself. The space is already crowded, and bartenders organize things in a specific way. Reaching in can disrupt this organization and contaminate items, like fruit, which may need to be discarded. Instead, signal a waiter or busser to clear your table and ask the bartender for any items you need.
Hovering at the Bar
When a bar is packed, space is at a premium. After placing your order, stepping back and giving others a chance to get to the bar and order their drinks is courteous. Hovering at the bar blocks other patrons from ordering and makes it harder for the bartender to move around and serve efficiently. Your drink will reach you when it’s ready, and in the meantime, you can socialize or find a spot to enjoy your evening.
Splitting Bills in Detail
Splitting a bill among friends is a common practice, but it can be a real headache for bartenders, especially when it involves detailed itemization. Asking them to charge each drink to a different card can slow down service, particularly during busy periods. To make things smoother for everyone, consider splitting the bill in a straightforward way, like dividing the total evenly or using apps designed for this purpose. Around 47% of U.S. adults using peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, and Cash App split bills for restaurant meals and bar tabs.
Flirting with the Bartender
Bartenders are often friendly, which can sometimes be mistaken for flirtation. However, their job is to provide good service rather than entertain romantic advances. Flirting, incredibly if persistent, can create an uncomfortable environment. If you’re interested, a more respectful approach is to leave your number discreetly after paying. Their interactions are part of their job, and respecting their boundaries is essential.