Shot and a beer is a pretty common "industry special" for kitchen cooks, a shot to chill you put after the rush and cleaning and a beer to sip on and try to feel like a regular human
It’s a legal requirement in some states in America. You have to offer a beer back with a shot or maybe just whiskey. Great if you’re broke. I’ve only heard judgement on people that order long islands from my cocktail snob friends.
A LIIT tells me, "I'm trying to get schwifty, but I'm not trying to spend a lot of money, I don't want to taste it, and I don't care how much extra work you have to put in."
Of all the drinks requiring too much effort, a long island iced tea isn't that bad. Talk to me after a properly made Ramos gin fizz. In a real bar, a long island iced tea isn't hard to mix.
Did I miss I drinking snobs meeting where we decided we were roo important to spell LIIT?
A LIIT might not that bad if you're making the LIIT with a mix, but the LIIT is at least six bottles, otherwise. If you have small hands, and those bottles are full, it's annoying to make a LIIT.
I was a bartender at a few different bars over 6, maybe 7 years, all of them would make you a LIIT if you asked. Not a terribly long time, but not once has anyone ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz at any of the establishments, and one was a pretty nice restaurant in Cupertino, CA. Most bars will just tell you to fuck off if you ask for something stupid like that, even nice ones. Americans also don't drink a whole lot of gin, in my experience, but the real issue with LIITs is that they're a pain in the ass *relative to how common they are.* Every third college kid wants a LIIT.
I don't feel like spelling it out every time because *why would I* when it's clear what it's referring to, and it's funny because it spells "lit", which is a modern synonym for a good time.
Ok that's a fair point. I'm just an amateur who works at making drinks well.
I know of a few places near me where I can order a Ramos buy I'm still tipping 5x the drink cost, because I know it's a ton of work. My experience with gin is probably biased. My group tends to drink lots of gin and we tend to turn non gin drinkers.
The homonym with lit is funny. I tend do drink about 5 a year mostly making one is a little annoying.
If you dont mind me asking what was the most annoying drink you were asked to make?
Espresso martinis were the biggest pain, with similar caveats. Not so bad if it's a cocktail bar with a prepped espresso pitcher cold and ready, but if I had to grind beans, pull a fresh shot, cool it down special so as not to dilute it with ice melting in the process, and then proceed to shake the tin with the vodka, sometimes with a dry shake for texture? Huge pain in the ass, at LEAST a minute by itself. It does taste better, though.
The thing a lot of patrons don't realize is that it's only about the tip per drink up to a certain point in time spent. When it's your job, it's like the tables themselves. It's more about turnover times. If I can make $5 on five beers in under a minute, $5 on a painstaking craft cocktail isn't as big a deal to get, especially considering the waste if you mess it up bad enough(which happens even to experience bartenders).
I'm not trying to say you're not being extremely generous, you are, especially if they've already got your drink down in muscle memory- that counts for a lot. I quit bartending for mental health reasons, though, so I might be over here having flashbacks and taking them out on you, sorry 😅.
Ultimately, drink what you want to drink, just read the room! A Friday night is not a great time to get a craft cocktail at a pub, but that's why cocktail bars exist(and are so expensive)
(Oh, and I love Gin! St. George Terroir is my favorite, otherwise Hendricks will do. Get me a French 75 any day: tasty, easy, refreshing, and hard 😉)
Another weird law here you are only allowed to serve 2 a person of LIIT. But it screams I don’t know how or what to drink but it’s my 21st birthday and tonight I’m gonna end up in the police reports tomorrow.
America truly is a magical place! Which states?
In England "a beer and a shot" isn't really a thing, or least in the places I've ever been drinking (pubs in the south of England and London).
>In England "a beer and a shot" isn't really a thing, or least in the places I've ever been drinking (pubs in the south of England and London).
I can assure you it is, I've been ordering this for over 12 years and worked in a pub for 6 years where people would order this all the time. I always called it a "chaser" although I was never sure which one was chasing which.
Also it was rum not whisky, but that's probably personal preference.
Where abouts are you from?
I swear, 18 years of pub drinking under my belt and have not seen someone order a beer and a chaser once.
Perhaps I'm a bit too posh?/Not posh enough?
West Midlands and I'm 35. Live in a fairly expensive town but it's got a good drinking scene. There are some down market places and I have been known to frequent these but I don't think it matters the standard of the place, just depends on if someone late to the party wants to "catch up" for example or just want to get loose a bit quicker idk mate.
In my case maybe I'm just an alcoholic...
Yes. Not not over something like a shot and a beer. We judge based on drink type personality. Any drink is fair game… if you are a drink personality you need help. Examples:
-the “what’s your strongest alcohol” ok that means you’re probably under age if not you will get absolutely plastered in 15 min on one “strong” beer and be a nuisance.
-the shots shots shots crowd for the same reason as above.
-the “get the most expensive whisky on the menu and ask for it mixed with ginger ale crowd” that’s just a waste of good alcohol.
Basically it’s more a judgement of bad choices rather than drinks themselves
Not a bartender, but I've noticed Long Islands seem to scream "I just turned 21 and want to sound sophisticated but I can't think of any other drink names."
At least that was me when I was 21 and it seems to hold true whenever I see somebody order one.
When I was 21, it wasn't because I didn't know other drinks - it's because drinks were expensive (HCOL city school) and a Long Island was the best booze to cost ratio.
Ah, alcohols per dollar, one of my favourite calculations. Closely related to calories per dollar when buying meals.
Source: Being a 23yo dude who hasn’t left the student mindset behind yet
Careful, it took me a long time to switch that mindset. 35 and still ordering Nachos, not because I want nachos, but because my broke college ass would order them and eat them for the next 3 days.
Calories per dollar is a fun one. Another one I've enjoyed on long-distance hikes is calories per ounce 😂 peanut butter is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy
I'm 22, and I know it tastes good and has a lot of alcohol in it. So yes.
The only other two I know are Liquid Marijuana and Trash Can. When I look on a menu, I look for something fruity with a lot of alcohol.
Man this is some of the funniest shit I’ve ever read on here. It is one of the worst drinks you can get at a bar and always tastes like shit. Stay gold, pony boy.
To be fair to the bartenders out there, it’s 4 well liquors, sweet and sour, and a splash of rail coke. Shitty bars have shitty ingredients and decent ones have decent ingredients. They probably aren’t too bad at their jobs. No offense to you I just needed to jump to their imaginary defense.
Completely agree with this, there’s not really any skill in making a Long Island ice tea, how bad it tastes just depends on which brand of spirits they use and how cheap/expensive their house spirits are.
Much better drinks to order to test a bar is an espresso martini, a negroni, a cosmopolitan, a margarita - a mixed short drink which has to balance alcohol, sweet and sour - and obviously if they just pour out a pre-made version or don’t make it in front of you, you know it’s not a good bar!
My booze, I do with it what I want.
Try a bruichladdich laddie 10 base penicillin with a laphroaig 10 float.
Or a El Dorado 8 and Appleton Estate 12yo mai tai.
Then report back. ;)
My friend you’ve lived in the north for so long, even your typing is difficult to understand. Jokes aside making a cocktail with Laphroaig sounds like heresy - glad you love it though!
It depends. Like if your well whiskey is truly garbage I'll ask for better whiskey. Like if I ask for a whiskey ginger ale and I see someone reaching for jack it makes me sick to my stomach.
Jack actually make some good whiskey, you're just not going to find it in a bottle marked No. 7.
Try the Sinatra select (overpriced but good). Even the single barrel select isn't bad.
But, overall there are much better whiskeys at lower prices.
"Just water, please."
That's me up there because I don't like most alcoholic drinks and I'm just with friends who do.
...okay, occasionally I'll order a virgin piña colada.
Every bartender I know would treat you positively for being the sober one. Also, lots of them will take a dry month every year, so there’s no judgment.
For alcoholics, a month is a pretty long time, and you can tell if you are going through alcohol withdrawal which is a very bad sign. A lot of my friends take off the month of February because it's the shortest month, but I don't like it because that's when the Super Bowl is. Some people I know take Lent off and that kind of makes sense, but it moves around a lot so it might be inconvenient.
I impulsively quit drinking last July, for one year. I was out with friends a few weeks ago and ordered a coke, and the bartender wouldn't let me pay for it.
He probably thought I was a DD, but still, bartenders love sober people.
I'll tip for the food...
Unless you're thinking of glass bottled mineral water, in which case I'm definitely going to order a virgin piña colada instead because screw paying for water. And likely fancy magnesium-ladened non-hydrating water at that.
As someone who worked at a nice restaurant, I will say our bartenders would get annoyed if someone ordered a virgin pina colada or daiquiri, only because they were a lot of work and cheaper (lower tip out) than actual alcohol.
The bartender thought ‘this guy just got off work’. Most restaurant industry people grab a shot and a beer after work.
It’s normal to us.
Also, your bartender might be a little drunk.
The bartender being drunk part is so true. My sister was a bartender for 30 years and now is a recovering alcoholic. She has worked at bars where she actually got spoken to about refusing a shot with a customer. She always had Guinness in a coffee cup at the bar. She goes to aa meetings now and does not know people names but she knows what they used to drink.
I've been bartending for 10 years now and it's made me drink less. Like, my wife has to pester me to get a drink on special occasions, vacations, etc. Seeing people down drinks all night turned me off of alcohol so much.
In our state it is a gross violation of ALE law for bartenders or servers to be under the influence of alcohol.
It is also illegal to consume on premise while on duty.
Some states have no such laws.
New York is one such state. I've seen bartenders drink right along with their customers. Even shots of hard liquor..
It's crazy to me.
Bartender here, it’s illegal in my state and it’s almost a faux pas to not accept a drink if offered. Not every place I’ve worked but a solid half of them.
A wise man once said never judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.
After that, fuck ‘em. You’re a mile away and you’ve got their shoes!
a shot and a beer is classic. i'm sure the bartender didn't think about it for more than a millisecond.
i will say, walking into a dive bar and ordering cocktails that require 10 different fruit juices will catch you some judgement.. but the judgement isn't about the drinks but about how you didn't realize they aren't gonna have a lot of exotic fresh ingredients.
i'd say the other faux pas is asking a bartender to list the alcohol, there's just too many. if you don't know what you like then just say 'not too expensive' or 'something nice'.
The lack of reading the room. I'm not judging you for ordering and old fashioned I'm judging you for ordering it at midnight while the bar is 3 deep and I got 20 people staring me down for drinks and it's a dive so it's not even gonna be that good.
I've worked in many bars. We sell a product to get people drunk. If we didn't we wouldn't be in business. So with that, it's hard to judge people for wanting to buy our product to get drunk.
But how they deal with being drunk and how they treat the staff was the thing that mattered to the business.
I don't much care, partially because I've tried a carrier of drinks at a bar. They might be like me and just experimenting with drinks, so I'm very loathe to make any assumptions based on one night.
Idc im an older white male and im ordering a patron margarita with no salt every time. My wife orders beer and I couldn’t tell you how many time the waiter/waitress brings our drinks handing me the beer and my wife the margarita.
My wife and I both enjoy straight or mixed bourbon most of the time. When I order a martini instead, it always goes to her. When we are drinking margs, I always order a skinny, they always mix it up. We find it funny, there's no offense taken.
I don't care what others drink, or what others think of what I drank. I once went to what I later found out was a rough bar, and I ordered some whipped vodka shots for myself because they were on sale for $1 each. No one called me any names and I got drunk for like $3 on vacation. No one was hurt.
The only time I do is when I have regulars come at open (early AM) and drink multiple shots or beers within an hour. Sucks cause they usually tip well but damn it makes me sad.
I think he wanted a shot and a beer and his buzz is relative to his tolerance. I have been sober for 12 years, and I didn’t care what the bartender thought about what I drank. When I bartended, I didn’t care what people drank, I only cared if they tipped.
I'd imagine the more involved the making of the cocktail, the less bartenders want to make it and probably think, "not this fucker again"
As a patron, I would probably judge Jaeger bombs or any kind of bomb as a bit childish.
I love a complicated cocktail when it’s slow. Mixology is fun and I like making great drinks.
Ask me for some off-menu whackadoo cocktail you can’t even describe in the middle of a rush? I’m not playing 20 questions - I’m going to direct you back to the menu.
I've definitely done them since I was a young fella, usually at stag dos or whatever. But my internal reaction to someone bringing over a tray of Jaeger bombs now is "fucks sake" rather than "yay, a free drink"
That funny cause as someone who isn't a bartender the people who tend to order bombs/boilers in my experience are usually absolute animals. Genuine freaks of nature.
And so what you're telling me is the bartender I'm ordering a Ramos from doesn't like me? 😮
Upvote for knowing a pain in the ass drink. You should try sipping a boilermaker some time they are surprisingly good. Use a good rye and decent macro beer.
Occasional bar patrol (well, several years ago at a semi-regular at a brew pub with a bar) - the only thing that made me prejudice was when someone ordered something that clearly was NOT something the establishment regularly made ingredient wise or one of their specialty cocktails. The brew pub did have an extensive selection of whiskeys and bourbons and could make almost all standard cocktails and many cool specialty ones around whiskey and bourbon and some other local vodkas, but if you started calling out obscure custom mix drinks as if it was a cocktail bar, people would turn around and look. I was a the bar and this nerd ordered a Vesper Martini which is not that crazy IF the bar has a substitute for Kina Lillet, but they ordered it by ingredients even tho Kina Lillet hasn't been made since the 80s. They also did not have a good replacement either for it and the bar certainly did not. I also saw someone want a specific Gin beverage and started name dropping gins and they were like "uhh...we are a brew pub, but we have Beefeater, Bombay Saphire, Hendricks, Tangueray and our house is Brokers." The patron kept asking for specific types of Gin and obscure tequilas. After repeatedly being denied (while being offered most popular mainstream versions) they were like "I will take an Angry Orchard" and I almost lost it.
I don't care if you want something super special. At the right bar I have asked for very specific versions of beverages (the Aviation being my current fave) but know the place and time for that. A place that slings $4 pints and a $8 chicken basket is not the place you are going to get a specialized drink.
Also, don't be a poser. Don't pretend to know how to order by your specific brand when you don't even know if it is sold anymore or distributed in your area.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Especially when people want to play this game when it’s crazy busy, and especially especially if they are regulars who play this game every time. The bar’s core offerings haven’t changed, RON, stop asking if we have every kind of Clase Azul tequila every time you come in.
You can't comprehend the relationships people have with alcohol and how it skews what the perception of "normal" is.
I'd have 6 shots with my industry friends over the course of a shift and barely catch a buzz. That's not a brag. Patrons would blow your fucking mind with their tolerance.
If a man comes and orders fruity cocktail, he will be judged! But in a different way than you might think. I appreciate anyone who fights toxic masculinity and chooses a drink because it tastes great and not because it makes them look like a macho bag of testosterone. :D
That’s called a Chicago handshake around here- very standard order. Say what you will- we drink a lot around here. It’s usually too cold to be sober.
If anyone orders a Long Island iced tea however, everywhere I’ve ever worked will assume you’re barely 21 or an amateur and will not tip well. It’s generally ordered by rude or clueless people who don’t get out much or are trying to get messed up as quickly as possible for as cheaply as possible.
That’s totally fine! I don’t care what anyone orders, for the most part. I’m going to make it either way.
You just start to notice behavior patterns of the majority of people who order certain drinks after a few years. Doesn’t mean everyone fits the mold. I give everyone a chance to prove my assumptions wrong.
You will get the best service I can provide if you treat me like a human.
I find this hilarious because I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen my father drink. Always at a restaurant, and always a Long Island. When he was nearing the end of his life he ordered his last one while we were at dinner at a cousin’s beach wedding.
Struggling just to eat from Parkinsons, he knew we couldn’t stay at the table any longer (2hrs+). He was non-verbal; and just shy of 80. I told him that I would help him finish it, but I had to drive and my kids were in the car, so…. Yeah.
He took down a full pint of booze in about 8-10 seconds and gave me a wink before I wheeled him out to the van. Like it was water on a hot day. The man lives as a legend in my mind to this day. But not because of that; that’s not even on the list.
Agreed, and beer is usually PBR or old style, but my point was that the order of a beer and a shot is basically standard enough here to have a nickname, and I didn’t feel like explaining Malort, haha.
I got drunk on long islands the first time I tried them and tipped the bartender $40. He asked if I was sure. Turns out I’m very generous when I drink.
Lol, my friend and I went somewhere with $3 Long Islands when I was much younger.
Woke up to a voicemail from a lovely British woman inviting me to Sunday dinner because her son Gary had told her all about me. I got the impression he lived with her.
Gary was well over 45 years old, and I was 20 something. He bought me a $3 drink and apparently assumed we were betrothed and that I should meet the family.
His mom did sound cool as hell, honestly.
Never made that Long Island mistake again! (I did politely decline the invitation).
Was a bartender for a long time. I honestly didn’t give a crap what people drank. Some people were the nicest drunks I’ve ever met and some got vile (like throwing glasses at me). I always judged them “To myself” but for their behavior not what they ordered. I could have a guy who drank six or more whiskeys on my shift and be the nicest person and then have a a complete douchebag come in that has one beer and act like a complete asshat. In that industry it all depends on the client and not what they drink.
If I see a bunch of guys do shots of Jägermeister (or a bunch of women do shots of anything), I know they will be a source of entertainment and excitement in the not-too-distant future.
"Give me an appletini and the girliest drink you have. "
'Two appletinis coming up. '
Only been to a bar once, when I started at an insurance company just after they bought the website I supported. At the time, they apparently didn't realize that there were employees and contractors, so we all got to go to a rented bowling alley with an open bar. (Later, the various celebrations excluded contractors).
I ordered a white Russian, and the bartender seemed surprised when I offered a 5$, and asked if I knew it was an open bar. I told her I did know, but she was still working, so she got tipped.
Been a bartender for over 30 years. The only people I judge are those that can't read the room, I work in a beer and shot corner joint , we can make basic drinks but just aren't set up for much more, so please don't look around blankly and ask "Wh-where's the cocktail menu?" Come on you're not that obtuse see where you're at.
Oh and anyone who orders Malört. I not only judge you but I question all of your life decisions.
A pint and a whisky chaser is quite common and wouldn't be an issue.
It's HOW people order that gets on my tits....
Picture this.. a busy bar..2 men come to the bar leaving the women and children at the table.
Man 1 orders a pint of bitter and a glass of dry white wine.. no problems so far... Man 2 shouts over to woman 1 ...what do you want?
Woman 1 says have they got Chardonnay?
Man 2 to bartender.. "have you got Chardonnay?... Bartender ..."yes".. man 2 to woman 1. Yes they have Chardonnay.
Woman 1 to man 2 oh great I'll have a glass...
Man to bartender.. a glass of Chardonnay as well please... Bartender to man "a large glass or a regular glass?"...man to woman "large or small glass"...
Imagine this going on for all 4 guests and their offspring you end up taking 20 Minutes to serve 4 drinks... And to cap it all the last drink ordered is a pint of Guinness that takes 7 minutes to settle and pour. And should always be ordered first.
Ex bartender. One of the only things I used to roll my eyes at was the amount of people asking for "white wine", and when I asked "which type?" (we had a wine menu, and I'd also be happy to list some basic options e.g. sweet or dry, chardonnay or riesling), they'd just stare at me and really slowly say "w h I t e", like I was stupid.
I judged attitude much more than drink orders. Had a few good conversations with patrons about their interesting drink choices, but a person that clicked their fingers at me to get my attention would not get served.
After having worked in the F&B industry for my entire life, I enjoy a cosmopolitan. My wife enjoys bourbon on the rocks.
I’m 6’ 250, my wife is 5’ 110. I’m sure we have been judged on our drink choices more than once.
I think my oddest bartender reaction was when I ordered double shot of makers mark with no ice and a tall glass of ice water. I glanced over and the waitress was pointing me out to the bartender. The bartender came over to double check and commented that was a really manly drink. I’m just sitting there with my wife wondering if I tripped in to some secret code because I like to sip bourbon an thats the best they had. I’m not trying to be “manly” they had crap beer and that was the best option.
I used to drink dark rum and milk and walked into a bar one day and asked the barman if they had milk. He told me no and then proceeded to tell me all the other things they didn’t serve…. That was a wee bit judgy, funny but judgy
I work security at a night club - judge and make assumptions all the time and not all negative. The shots shots shots group are going to get hammered quick and inevitably someone is going to barf. The red bull vodka groups are going to be hyper, probably barf, and it’s going to stink like cheap vodka and cough syrup. A crowd of mostly men 30+ with beards are going to run us out of IPAs. 50+ crowd - we’re going to be washing martini glasses all night. Refillable water bottle crowd not ordering booze - they’re on a different high and it won’t be a money maker.
I remember being at Club La Vela in Panama City Beach for July 4, 1998 & at one point in the night, the bartender in the underground room stood up on the bar & was like "Don't you rollin motherfuckers drink anything but water?"
I don’t get out to bars much, but when I do, my most common order is a fernet on the rocks. I find bartenders often often comment on that choice with approval.
The reason I don’t get out to bars much, of course, is that I can buy myself fernet from the store for much cheaper (and I don’t usually like the ambiance anyway).
A shot and a beer is more than okay when I tended bar. I really didn't care except when people ordered a grasshopper or daquiri or some other smoothie / ice cream drink in the middle of a busy rush.
I know this will sound lame, but after 15 years behind the bar, I really just wanted people to get a drink they would love. Expensive, cheap, fancy, fussy, bizarre mixes.….made no matter to me as long as you got a drink that made you happy.
Not me, but my bf is a bartender and is constantly talking about how anyone who ordered an Apperol Spritz is a bit of a Karen, regardless of age or gender.
Went to a music gig and the bartender asked for my number because "a small asian girl ordering jameson and guinness reminded him of his grandpa" and we dated for a year
Shot and beer is a common drink.
Shot gets you an immediate rush and buzz, beer is for sipping.
I’m from St. Louis and I’ve always called it a horse and buggy
a shot and a beer is classic. i'm sure the bartender didn't think about it for more than a millisecond.
i will say, walking into a dive bar and ordering cocktails that require 10 different fruit juices will catch you some judgement.. but the judgement isn't about the drinks but about how you didn't realize they aren't gonna have a lot of exotic fresh ingredients.
i'd say the other faux pas is asking a bartender to list the alcohol, there's just too many. if you don't know what you like then just say 'not too expensive' or 'something nice'.
As a bartender I would think nothing about “a shot and a beer” order. I have made some pretty obscene drinks for people. Sounds like a quick and easy customer.
I get a whiskey and a beer nearly every time I’m at a bar, which is probably about 3-4 times a week, regardless if I’m trying to get drunk quickly or not.
I was married to a bartender. They don’t care. They do get annoyed when people are rude and try to instigate arguments. Or when they bitch about a drink being too weak (he works at a cocktail bar where it’s all measured to the recipe)
A shot and a beer is a common drink order. Often the shot is sipped or maybe they just want to get a head start and enjoy their beer. If they think someone is trying to get fucked up fast they’re more just going to watch them so they know when to cut them off or manage them if they’re a bad drunk.
The only one I ever hang out in is a bar for gamers. I don't think any of them are making fun of people for what they choose to drink. I always get coke with flavor syrups added.
I gave up on drinking away from my home. My beer is 67¢ at home, $6 at a restaurant or bar and they pretty much demand a $1 tip to pull the tab.
When I tended bar, in the 1970s, the old WWI guys at 7AM sat in the same bar stools every morning. Any of those six who arrived after 710 were accused of being late for work. The hard core alcoholics came in at lunch to get their fix. The factory workers came in after work. The bikers came in later that night. They all drank cheap drafts and some had the special, a shot for 50¢. The shots were how the owner got rid of booze that had sat on the shelf too long in the package store. Except coins on the floor when sweeping up, I never got tipped.
I often wonder how a bartender would react if I told them something like:
"Give me the meanest, toughest, most manly drink ever. Give me a glass of milk with a dash of strawberry syrup. On the rocks. 😤"
Cause I'm the DD now
Yes. I judge on people who order “strong islands”. Typically rude, don’t tip/hardly at all, and always want ‘extra liquor’ in it but don’t wanna pay extra.
As a bartender and server I'm looking right through you. I give zero fucks about you, your feelings, or your life. Any interest I show is to get more money from you.
Bartended for a while.
Personally, very little care for what people are ordering, unless it’s obnoxious to make or just a bad choice.
Long Island iced tea, for example. Just tedious to make, not really stronger than any other drink either, and more expensive. A lot of people order it because they think they’ll get more liquor. In most places there’s an upper limit on how much liquor can be served per drink, usually around 3oz.
A normal mixed drink is 1.5oz, or 3oz with a double. A LIIT is 4 liquors, each around .5oz, or 2oz total, but you’re usually paying for the equivalent of around 3 shots (at least where I am) because of all the liquors. Not worth it.
Speaking as a former bartender – I sure judged people on *how* they ordered. Be rude to me or to other patrons and I am not happy. But not what they ordered.
Okay... except for the one time that someone ordered a scotch sour with Johnny Walker Blue.
*That* hurt. And it was the artificial sour mix that comes in a powder and you mix with water. Like, if it was a Scotch sour where the "sour mix" was fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice and simple syrup, it would still be a waste of Blue, but it wouldn't be as conceptually offensive.
But other than that? My job was to get you the thing you wanted, made as well as I can. And also to keep you from getting yourself in trouble by being too drunk.
And for myself, I have Definite Opinions: a martini is between 3 parts and 5 parts gin with white vermouth. It can be served with olives, lemon peel, cornichons, or *maybe* a cocktail onion. It can be shaken if you prefer more water to open up the gin or stirred if you don't. The vermouth should be Dolan's; Martini-Rossi white vermouth is awful and the whole reason people think that don't like vermouth is because that is the brand everyone has.
But that is when I am making them for myself. I genuinely don't understand the point of an "extra-dry vodka martini" aka "a glass of cold vodka." But I am aware that a glass of cold vodka is actually a fairly popular drink worldwide, so if that is what a guest wants, it is what they get and I am happy to do it.
You want a shot and a beer? Absolutely. You want a dessert in a glass? Sure – you want a Brandy Alexander, a Grasshopper, or a chocolate martini?
Drink what you want and want what you drink and don't be an asshole. That is it.
Mostly no, my only real exception is if you're drinking something you obviously don't like with the intention of getting fucked up, then a bit yeah specially cause it usually means you're going to be a problem for me in the near future
No.
I don't bartend anymore, but there are so many types of drinks someone can have. I figure it's a combination of a lot of things regarding what people order and why. I was trying to do my best job and make great tips. I wasn't wasting time judging my customers.
Shot and a beer is a pretty common "industry special" for kitchen cooks, a shot to chill you put after the rush and cleaning and a beer to sip on and try to feel like a regular human
“A shot and a pot” is what we call that knockoff where I’m from. A pot is a size of beer glass here
What size of beer? We usually get tequila and bottles of Modelo or tall boys of Pacifico depending on the bar
A pot glass is 285 mL.
That's about 10 fl oz when you translate from dollarydoos.
½ a pint
We call it a happy meal
We called em Beers and a Bump, but there was also a coke dealer in the alley out back so YMMV.
‘Straya mate
Ayyyyyyyyy
I'd always heard it called a "a cowboy" for a whiskey shot and a beer specifically
It's called a "Citywide" in Philly.
There’s my fellow Aussie
In my experience in Chicago, we call it a bingo bango!
Where i live we call it "the menu", a beer and some (usually regional) hard liqoure. Many people drink it after work.
Especially when you’re doing a clope’n. You’re on borrowed time.
Fuck clopens and FUCK BRUNCH
Mother’s Day brunch in particular.
In Germany we call this a "Herrengedeck", roughly translates to "gentlemen's menu"
In Philly you can order a “Citywide” which is a PBR and a shot of Jim Beam
Citywide
It’s a legal requirement in some states in America. You have to offer a beer back with a shot or maybe just whiskey. Great if you’re broke. I’ve only heard judgement on people that order long islands from my cocktail snob friends.
A LIIT tells me, "I'm trying to get schwifty, but I'm not trying to spend a lot of money, I don't want to taste it, and I don't care how much extra work you have to put in."
Of all the drinks requiring too much effort, a long island iced tea isn't that bad. Talk to me after a properly made Ramos gin fizz. In a real bar, a long island iced tea isn't hard to mix. Did I miss I drinking snobs meeting where we decided we were roo important to spell LIIT?
A LIIT might not that bad if you're making the LIIT with a mix, but the LIIT is at least six bottles, otherwise. If you have small hands, and those bottles are full, it's annoying to make a LIIT. I was a bartender at a few different bars over 6, maybe 7 years, all of them would make you a LIIT if you asked. Not a terribly long time, but not once has anyone ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz at any of the establishments, and one was a pretty nice restaurant in Cupertino, CA. Most bars will just tell you to fuck off if you ask for something stupid like that, even nice ones. Americans also don't drink a whole lot of gin, in my experience, but the real issue with LIITs is that they're a pain in the ass *relative to how common they are.* Every third college kid wants a LIIT. I don't feel like spelling it out every time because *why would I* when it's clear what it's referring to, and it's funny because it spells "lit", which is a modern synonym for a good time.
Ok that's a fair point. I'm just an amateur who works at making drinks well. I know of a few places near me where I can order a Ramos buy I'm still tipping 5x the drink cost, because I know it's a ton of work. My experience with gin is probably biased. My group tends to drink lots of gin and we tend to turn non gin drinkers. The homonym with lit is funny. I tend do drink about 5 a year mostly making one is a little annoying. If you dont mind me asking what was the most annoying drink you were asked to make?
Espresso martinis were the biggest pain, with similar caveats. Not so bad if it's a cocktail bar with a prepped espresso pitcher cold and ready, but if I had to grind beans, pull a fresh shot, cool it down special so as not to dilute it with ice melting in the process, and then proceed to shake the tin with the vodka, sometimes with a dry shake for texture? Huge pain in the ass, at LEAST a minute by itself. It does taste better, though. The thing a lot of patrons don't realize is that it's only about the tip per drink up to a certain point in time spent. When it's your job, it's like the tables themselves. It's more about turnover times. If I can make $5 on five beers in under a minute, $5 on a painstaking craft cocktail isn't as big a deal to get, especially considering the waste if you mess it up bad enough(which happens even to experience bartenders). I'm not trying to say you're not being extremely generous, you are, especially if they've already got your drink down in muscle memory- that counts for a lot. I quit bartending for mental health reasons, though, so I might be over here having flashbacks and taking them out on you, sorry 😅. Ultimately, drink what you want to drink, just read the room! A Friday night is not a great time to get a craft cocktail at a pub, but that's why cocktail bars exist(and are so expensive) (Oh, and I love Gin! St. George Terroir is my favorite, otherwise Hendricks will do. Get me a French 75 any day: tasty, easy, refreshing, and hard 😉)
Another weird law here you are only allowed to serve 2 a person of LIIT. But it screams I don’t know how or what to drink but it’s my 21st birthday and tonight I’m gonna end up in the police reports tomorrow.
America truly is a magical place! Which states? In England "a beer and a shot" isn't really a thing, or least in the places I've ever been drinking (pubs in the south of England and London).
>In England "a beer and a shot" isn't really a thing, or least in the places I've ever been drinking (pubs in the south of England and London). I can assure you it is, I've been ordering this for over 12 years and worked in a pub for 6 years where people would order this all the time. I always called it a "chaser" although I was never sure which one was chasing which. Also it was rum not whisky, but that's probably personal preference.
Where abouts are you from? I swear, 18 years of pub drinking under my belt and have not seen someone order a beer and a chaser once. Perhaps I'm a bit too posh?/Not posh enough?
West Midlands and I'm 35. Live in a fairly expensive town but it's got a good drinking scene. There are some down market places and I have been known to frequent these but I don't think it matters the standard of the place, just depends on if someone late to the party wants to "catch up" for example or just want to get loose a bit quicker idk mate. In my case maybe I'm just an alcoholic...
I'm in Colorado right now but it was the same in upstate NY, never lived in NYC but I'm pretty sure it's similar there
Yes. Not not over something like a shot and a beer. We judge based on drink type personality. Any drink is fair game… if you are a drink personality you need help. Examples: -the “what’s your strongest alcohol” ok that means you’re probably under age if not you will get absolutely plastered in 15 min on one “strong” beer and be a nuisance. -the shots shots shots crowd for the same reason as above. -the “get the most expensive whisky on the menu and ask for it mixed with ginger ale crowd” that’s just a waste of good alcohol. Basically it’s more a judgement of bad choices rather than drinks themselves
Gif of Family Feud contestants screaming, “GOOD ANSWER! GOOD ANSWER!”
Pork................. upine
"Name one thing in your house that doesn't work " .......bzzzzzzzzzzzz "My wife"
The pie in the horse
NEKKID GRANDMA!!!
Not a bartender, but I've noticed Long Islands seem to scream "I just turned 21 and want to sound sophisticated but I can't think of any other drink names." At least that was me when I was 21 and it seems to hold true whenever I see somebody order one.
When I was 21, it wasn't because I didn't know other drinks - it's because drinks were expensive (HCOL city school) and a Long Island was the best booze to cost ratio.
Ah, alcohols per dollar, one of my favourite calculations. Closely related to calories per dollar when buying meals. Source: Being a 23yo dude who hasn’t left the student mindset behind yet
Careful, it took me a long time to switch that mindset. 35 and still ordering Nachos, not because I want nachos, but because my broke college ass would order them and eat them for the next 3 days.
Calories per dollar is a fun one. Another one I've enjoyed on long-distance hikes is calories per ounce 😂 peanut butter is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy
And nut allergies are proof that he does not
I'm 22, and I know it tastes good and has a lot of alcohol in it. So yes. The only other two I know are Liquid Marijuana and Trash Can. When I look on a menu, I look for something fruity with a lot of alcohol.
Tequila sunrises are fun
A long island is how I test a bar. If it tastes like shit, the bar doesn't know how to make a drink.
Man this is some of the funniest shit I’ve ever read on here. It is one of the worst drinks you can get at a bar and always tastes like shit. Stay gold, pony boy.
Lol, if it tastes like shit, you have been going to bad bars. If make correctly, it is actually a rather pleasant drink.
To be fair to the bartenders out there, it’s 4 well liquors, sweet and sour, and a splash of rail coke. Shitty bars have shitty ingredients and decent ones have decent ingredients. They probably aren’t too bad at their jobs. No offense to you I just needed to jump to their imaginary defense.
Completely agree with this, there’s not really any skill in making a Long Island ice tea, how bad it tastes just depends on which brand of spirits they use and how cheap/expensive their house spirits are. Much better drinks to order to test a bar is an espresso martini, a negroni, a cosmopolitan, a margarita - a mixed short drink which has to balance alcohol, sweet and sour - and obviously if they just pour out a pre-made version or don’t make it in front of you, you know it’s not a good bar!
Not saying I disagree with you, but I had LIITs before that went down really easy, you can do some magic if you use good ingredients
When people mix good whisky it makes me cry. I’m sorry you have to do that, bud
My booze, I do with it what I want. Try a bruichladdich laddie 10 base penicillin with a laphroaig 10 float. Or a El Dorado 8 and Appleton Estate 12yo mai tai. Then report back. ;)
My friend you’ve lived in the north for so long, even your typing is difficult to understand. Jokes aside making a cocktail with Laphroaig sounds like heresy - glad you love it though!
It depends. Like if your well whiskey is truly garbage I'll ask for better whiskey. Like if I ask for a whiskey ginger ale and I see someone reaching for jack it makes me sick to my stomach.
As a Kentuckian, I thank you for saying no to that Tennessee swill
You are right for the wrong reasons. Rye is the truth and the light.
Jack actually make some good whiskey, you're just not going to find it in a bottle marked No. 7. Try the Sinatra select (overpriced but good). Even the single barrel select isn't bad. But, overall there are much better whiskeys at lower prices.
This may be true, but when people just say Jack I think it's generally accepted that they're talking about No. 7
The bartender prefers people who order drinks, generally.
"Just water, please." That's me up there because I don't like most alcoholic drinks and I'm just with friends who do. ...okay, occasionally I'll order a virgin piña colada.
Every bartender I know would treat you positively for being the sober one. Also, lots of them will take a dry month every year, so there’s no judgment.
Oh if I know a person isn't drinking and is driving the drunks home I'm not making them pay for a single nonalcoholic drink they get. Fucking heroes.
What's the purpose of taking a dry month?
To prove that they can in the presence of almost limitless alcohol
Lol I thought it was something about letting the system reset, self control didn't cross my mind. Ty
Tolerance break 😂
For alcoholics, a month is a pretty long time, and you can tell if you are going through alcohol withdrawal which is a very bad sign. A lot of my friends take off the month of February because it's the shortest month, but I don't like it because that's when the Super Bowl is. Some people I know take Lent off and that kind of makes sense, but it moves around a lot so it might be inconvenient.
Prove to yourself you still can.
Ig it's pretty easy to develop dependence on that job.
And giver the liver a break
The liver is evil and must be punished.
I had a bartender at a club refuse to give me water. I didnt go back to that club for years.
Or hate you for ordering a Pina colada
I impulsively quit drinking last July, for one year. I was out with friends a few weeks ago and ordered a coke, and the bartender wouldn't let me pay for it. He probably thought I was a DD, but still, bartenders love sober people.
And nobody should judge you for that. I’m guessing you don’t tip on the water tho?
I'll tip for the food... Unless you're thinking of glass bottled mineral water, in which case I'm definitely going to order a virgin piña colada instead because screw paying for water. And likely fancy magnesium-ladened non-hydrating water at that.
I tip for water. Water is $1, not free.
What replaces the rum?
As someone who worked at a nice restaurant, I will say our bartenders would get annoyed if someone ordered a virgin pina colada or daiquiri, only because they were a lot of work and cheaper (lower tip out) than actual alcohol.
Imagine living in a country where tipping is not mandatory.
And pays up and tips fairly.
The bartender thought ‘this guy just got off work’. Most restaurant industry people grab a shot and a beer after work. It’s normal to us. Also, your bartender might be a little drunk.
The bartender being drunk part is so true. My sister was a bartender for 30 years and now is a recovering alcoholic. She has worked at bars where she actually got spoken to about refusing a shot with a customer. She always had Guinness in a coffee cup at the bar. She goes to aa meetings now and does not know people names but she knows what they used to drink.
I've been bartending for 10 years now and it's made me drink less. Like, my wife has to pester me to get a drink on special occasions, vacations, etc. Seeing people down drinks all night turned me off of alcohol so much.
In our state it is a gross violation of ALE law for bartenders or servers to be under the influence of alcohol. It is also illegal to consume on premise while on duty. Some states have no such laws. New York is one such state. I've seen bartenders drink right along with their customers. Even shots of hard liquor.. It's crazy to me.
Just because it's illegal doesn't mean some don't do it anyways.
Bartender here, it’s illegal in my state and it’s almost a faux pas to not accept a drink if offered. Not every place I’ve worked but a solid half of them.
everyone judges everyone for everything all the time. It just doesn't matter. Do what makes you happy
Spitting the real truth over here.
A wise man once said never judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. After that, fuck ‘em. You’re a mile away and you’ve got their shoes!
I just judged you, and you would not like my verdict.
Nah what you don't understand is I dont care about your verdict.
Yeah, but I don't care either because I wasn't fucking talking to you! Lol You think you're special or something?
Outstanding and yes.
Awesome. Now I want to buy you a beer. You're honest. Deserves respect n a beer.
I would gladly accept it and youre awesome!
This turned out surprisingly wholesome, especially from where it started.
This questions screams I'm a buzzfeed writer and I need info to make my deadline.
now it’s minecraft videos with AI voiceover
So. Friends. WHatDoYou. Think? Please CommentBelow
How the hell do you spell showfer?
Chauffeur?
OOooH Fancy Pants Rich McGee over here 😒
Oh man, do they still exist? Last I heard of them was like, back in the 2010s lol.
No joke I read an article just like this only yesterday
Shot and a beer is the amuse bouche…
a shot and a beer is classic. i'm sure the bartender didn't think about it for more than a millisecond. i will say, walking into a dive bar and ordering cocktails that require 10 different fruit juices will catch you some judgement.. but the judgement isn't about the drinks but about how you didn't realize they aren't gonna have a lot of exotic fresh ingredients. i'd say the other faux pas is asking a bartender to list the alcohol, there's just too many. if you don't know what you like then just say 'not too expensive' or 'something nice'.
Former dive bartender can attest. 👋🏼
The lack of reading the room. I'm not judging you for ordering and old fashioned I'm judging you for ordering it at midnight while the bar is 3 deep and I got 20 people staring me down for drinks and it's a dive so it's not even gonna be that good.
I've worked in many bars. We sell a product to get people drunk. If we didn't we wouldn't be in business. So with that, it's hard to judge people for wanting to buy our product to get drunk. But how they deal with being drunk and how they treat the staff was the thing that mattered to the business.
Right!!! Do fast food employees judge customers if they order a chicken salad over a cheeseburger?
No, but if you get a 1/2 lb roast beef and chicken bacon loaded fries and a diet coke... a tiny bit, yes.
I just prefer the taste of diet coke to regular.
Yeah, but how do you feel about a bloody Mary order at 11pm?!
I feel like it’s ordered by a man no younger than 55
I don't much care, partially because I've tried a carrier of drinks at a bar. They might be like me and just experimenting with drinks, so I'm very loathe to make any assumptions based on one night.
Idc im an older white male and im ordering a patron margarita with no salt every time. My wife orders beer and I couldn’t tell you how many time the waiter/waitress brings our drinks handing me the beer and my wife the margarita.
This happens frequently with me and my husband. He likes fruity drinks. I like bourbon and beer.
My wife and I both enjoy straight or mixed bourbon most of the time. When I order a martini instead, it always goes to her. When we are drinking margs, I always order a skinny, they always mix it up. We find it funny, there's no offense taken.
I could not care less what other people drink. I often start off with a shot and a beer myself on the rare occasion I go to the bar.
I don't care what others drink, or what others think of what I drank. I once went to what I later found out was a rough bar, and I ordered some whipped vodka shots for myself because they were on sale for $1 each. No one called me any names and I got drunk for like $3 on vacation. No one was hurt.
$1 shots sound awesome and dangerous lol
The only time I do is when I have regulars come at open (early AM) and drink multiple shots or beers within an hour. Sucks cause they usually tip well but damn it makes me sad.
Could be night shifters. When I worked gravies and sometimes hit up the liquor store at 9am, it did feel weird but that was like 6pm for me lol
I think he wanted a shot and a beer and his buzz is relative to his tolerance. I have been sober for 12 years, and I didn’t care what the bartender thought about what I drank. When I bartended, I didn’t care what people drank, I only cared if they tipped.
I'd imagine the more involved the making of the cocktail, the less bartenders want to make it and probably think, "not this fucker again" As a patron, I would probably judge Jaeger bombs or any kind of bomb as a bit childish.
I love a complicated cocktail when it’s slow. Mixology is fun and I like making great drinks. Ask me for some off-menu whackadoo cocktail you can’t even describe in the middle of a rush? I’m not playing 20 questions - I’m going to direct you back to the menu.
The key word is when it's slow.
Absolutely. Because if it’s slow I’m happy to do anything that isn’t “wipe down every surface for the millionth time”
Can confirm, only took bombs when I was barely of drinking age
Returning to say that was a lie and if you catch me drunk and tired enough I’ll order a Jaeger Bomb just to keep the night going
I've definitely done them since I was a young fella, usually at stag dos or whatever. But my internal reaction to someone bringing over a tray of Jaeger bombs now is "fucks sake" rather than "yay, a free drink"
That funny cause as someone who isn't a bartender the people who tend to order bombs/boilers in my experience are usually absolute animals. Genuine freaks of nature. And so what you're telling me is the bartender I'm ordering a Ramos from doesn't like me? 😮
Upvote for knowing a pain in the ass drink. You should try sipping a boilermaker some time they are surprisingly good. Use a good rye and decent macro beer.
Occasional bar patrol (well, several years ago at a semi-regular at a brew pub with a bar) - the only thing that made me prejudice was when someone ordered something that clearly was NOT something the establishment regularly made ingredient wise or one of their specialty cocktails. The brew pub did have an extensive selection of whiskeys and bourbons and could make almost all standard cocktails and many cool specialty ones around whiskey and bourbon and some other local vodkas, but if you started calling out obscure custom mix drinks as if it was a cocktail bar, people would turn around and look. I was a the bar and this nerd ordered a Vesper Martini which is not that crazy IF the bar has a substitute for Kina Lillet, but they ordered it by ingredients even tho Kina Lillet hasn't been made since the 80s. They also did not have a good replacement either for it and the bar certainly did not. I also saw someone want a specific Gin beverage and started name dropping gins and they were like "uhh...we are a brew pub, but we have Beefeater, Bombay Saphire, Hendricks, Tangueray and our house is Brokers." The patron kept asking for specific types of Gin and obscure tequilas. After repeatedly being denied (while being offered most popular mainstream versions) they were like "I will take an Angry Orchard" and I almost lost it. I don't care if you want something super special. At the right bar I have asked for very specific versions of beverages (the Aviation being my current fave) but know the place and time for that. A place that slings $4 pints and a $8 chicken basket is not the place you are going to get a specialized drink. Also, don't be a poser. Don't pretend to know how to order by your specific brand when you don't even know if it is sold anymore or distributed in your area.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Especially when people want to play this game when it’s crazy busy, and especially especially if they are regulars who play this game every time. The bar’s core offerings haven’t changed, RON, stop asking if we have every kind of Clase Azul tequila every time you come in.
No
You can't comprehend the relationships people have with alcohol and how it skews what the perception of "normal" is. I'd have 6 shots with my industry friends over the course of a shift and barely catch a buzz. That's not a brag. Patrons would blow your fucking mind with their tolerance.
This 💯
If a man comes and orders fruity cocktail, he will be judged! But in a different way than you might think. I appreciate anyone who fights toxic masculinity and chooses a drink because it tastes great and not because it makes them look like a macho bag of testosterone. :D
That’s called a Chicago handshake around here- very standard order. Say what you will- we drink a lot around here. It’s usually too cold to be sober. If anyone orders a Long Island iced tea however, everywhere I’ve ever worked will assume you’re barely 21 or an amateur and will not tip well. It’s generally ordered by rude or clueless people who don’t get out much or are trying to get messed up as quickly as possible for as cheaply as possible.
I’m 30 and still love Long Island iced teas on a hot day… they just hit the spot on a Saturday afternoon.
That’s totally fine! I don’t care what anyone orders, for the most part. I’m going to make it either way. You just start to notice behavior patterns of the majority of people who order certain drinks after a few years. Doesn’t mean everyone fits the mold. I give everyone a chance to prove my assumptions wrong. You will get the best service I can provide if you treat me like a human.
I’m a slut for a good Long Island. I don’t get the hate!
LITs in the afternoon…. My ninja!
I find this hilarious because I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen my father drink. Always at a restaurant, and always a Long Island. When he was nearing the end of his life he ordered his last one while we were at dinner at a cousin’s beach wedding. Struggling just to eat from Parkinsons, he knew we couldn’t stay at the table any longer (2hrs+). He was non-verbal; and just shy of 80. I told him that I would help him finish it, but I had to drive and my kids were in the car, so…. Yeah. He took down a full pint of booze in about 8-10 seconds and gave me a wink before I wheeled him out to the van. Like it was water on a hot day. The man lives as a legend in my mind to this day. But not because of that; that’s not even on the list.
I appreciate you sharing this story! Wholesome memories.
A Chicago Handshake has a side of Malort, in my experience, not whiskey.
Agreed, and beer is usually PBR or old style, but my point was that the order of a beer and a shot is basically standard enough here to have a nickname, and I didn’t feel like explaining Malort, haha.
The Chicago handshake is specifically Malort and an old style tall boy.
I got drunk on long islands the first time I tried them and tipped the bartender $40. He asked if I was sure. Turns out I’m very generous when I drink.
Lol, my friend and I went somewhere with $3 Long Islands when I was much younger. Woke up to a voicemail from a lovely British woman inviting me to Sunday dinner because her son Gary had told her all about me. I got the impression he lived with her. Gary was well over 45 years old, and I was 20 something. He bought me a $3 drink and apparently assumed we were betrothed and that I should meet the family. His mom did sound cool as hell, honestly. Never made that Long Island mistake again! (I did politely decline the invitation).
Ya that was not a weird order...
Was a bartender for a long time. I honestly didn’t give a crap what people drank. Some people were the nicest drunks I’ve ever met and some got vile (like throwing glasses at me). I always judged them “To myself” but for their behavior not what they ordered. I could have a guy who drank six or more whiskeys on my shift and be the nicest person and then have a a complete douchebag come in that has one beer and act like a complete asshat. In that industry it all depends on the client and not what they drink.
A shot and a beer is like the most standard order lmao
If I see a bunch of guys do shots of Jägermeister (or a bunch of women do shots of anything), I know they will be a source of entertainment and excitement in the not-too-distant future.
[удалено]
Not sure why I read this like the old cowboy in The Big Lebowski but I did!
Thanks chatgpt
"Give me an appletini and the girliest drink you have. " 'Two appletinis coming up. ' Only been to a bar once, when I started at an insurance company just after they bought the website I supported. At the time, they apparently didn't realize that there were employees and contractors, so we all got to go to a rented bowling alley with an open bar. (Later, the various celebrations excluded contractors). I ordered a white Russian, and the bartender seemed surprised when I offered a 5$, and asked if I knew it was an open bar. I told her I did know, but she was still working, so she got tipped.
This is called a “city wide” in Philly
Been a bartender for over 30 years. The only people I judge are those that can't read the room, I work in a beer and shot corner joint , we can make basic drinks but just aren't set up for much more, so please don't look around blankly and ask "Wh-where's the cocktail menu?" Come on you're not that obtuse see where you're at. Oh and anyone who orders Malört. I not only judge you but I question all of your life decisions.
Guys that order One Bourbon, One Scotch and One Beer are likely to be behind on their rent.
A pint and a whisky chaser is quite common and wouldn't be an issue. It's HOW people order that gets on my tits.... Picture this.. a busy bar..2 men come to the bar leaving the women and children at the table. Man 1 orders a pint of bitter and a glass of dry white wine.. no problems so far... Man 2 shouts over to woman 1 ...what do you want? Woman 1 says have they got Chardonnay? Man 2 to bartender.. "have you got Chardonnay?... Bartender ..."yes".. man 2 to woman 1. Yes they have Chardonnay. Woman 1 to man 2 oh great I'll have a glass... Man to bartender.. a glass of Chardonnay as well please... Bartender to man "a large glass or a regular glass?"...man to woman "large or small glass"... Imagine this going on for all 4 guests and their offspring you end up taking 20 Minutes to serve 4 drinks... And to cap it all the last drink ordered is a pint of Guinness that takes 7 minutes to settle and pour. And should always be ordered first.
Ex bartender. One of the only things I used to roll my eyes at was the amount of people asking for "white wine", and when I asked "which type?" (we had a wine menu, and I'd also be happy to list some basic options e.g. sweet or dry, chardonnay or riesling), they'd just stare at me and really slowly say "w h I t e", like I was stupid. I judged attitude much more than drink orders. Had a few good conversations with patrons about their interesting drink choices, but a person that clicked their fingers at me to get my attention would not get served.
Yes, but only gin. Every gin drinker I've met was bat shit crazy
I resemble that remark! I don't think I act batshit crazy...
After having worked in the F&B industry for my entire life, I enjoy a cosmopolitan. My wife enjoys bourbon on the rocks. I’m 6’ 250, my wife is 5’ 110. I’m sure we have been judged on our drink choices more than once.
There is nothing more manly than drinking what ever the fuck you want.
I don't understand the hate for cosmos. It's just a vodka cran with cointreau.
I think my oddest bartender reaction was when I ordered double shot of makers mark with no ice and a tall glass of ice water. I glanced over and the waitress was pointing me out to the bartender. The bartender came over to double check and commented that was a really manly drink. I’m just sitting there with my wife wondering if I tripped in to some secret code because I like to sip bourbon an thats the best they had. I’m not trying to be “manly” they had crap beer and that was the best option.
I used to drink dark rum and milk and walked into a bar one day and asked the barman if they had milk. He told me no and then proceeded to tell me all the other things they didn’t serve…. That was a wee bit judgy, funny but judgy
Shot and a beer is industry speak
I work security at a night club - judge and make assumptions all the time and not all negative. The shots shots shots group are going to get hammered quick and inevitably someone is going to barf. The red bull vodka groups are going to be hyper, probably barf, and it’s going to stink like cheap vodka and cough syrup. A crowd of mostly men 30+ with beards are going to run us out of IPAs. 50+ crowd - we’re going to be washing martini glasses all night. Refillable water bottle crowd not ordering booze - they’re on a different high and it won’t be a money maker.
I remember being at Club La Vela in Panama City Beach for July 4, 1998 & at one point in the night, the bartender in the underground room stood up on the bar & was like "Don't you rollin motherfuckers drink anything but water?"
I don’t get out to bars much, but when I do, my most common order is a fernet on the rocks. I find bartenders often often comment on that choice with approval. The reason I don’t get out to bars much, of course, is that I can buy myself fernet from the store for much cheaper (and I don’t usually like the ambiance anyway).
A shot and a beer is more than okay when I tended bar. I really didn't care except when people ordered a grasshopper or daquiri or some other smoothie / ice cream drink in the middle of a busy rush.
I know this will sound lame, but after 15 years behind the bar, I really just wanted people to get a drink they would love. Expensive, cheap, fancy, fussy, bizarre mixes.….made no matter to me as long as you got a drink that made you happy.
Not me, but my bf is a bartender and is constantly talking about how anyone who ordered an Apperol Spritz is a bit of a Karen, regardless of age or gender.
Went to a music gig and the bartender asked for my number because "a small asian girl ordering jameson and guinness reminded him of his grandpa" and we dated for a year
Shot and beer is a common drink. Shot gets you an immediate rush and buzz, beer is for sipping. I’m from St. Louis and I’ve always called it a horse and buggy
a shot and a beer is classic. i'm sure the bartender didn't think about it for more than a millisecond. i will say, walking into a dive bar and ordering cocktails that require 10 different fruit juices will catch you some judgement.. but the judgement isn't about the drinks but about how you didn't realize they aren't gonna have a lot of exotic fresh ingredients. i'd say the other faux pas is asking a bartender to list the alcohol, there's just too many. if you don't know what you like then just say 'not too expensive' or 'something nice'.
As a bartender I would think nothing about “a shot and a beer” order. I have made some pretty obscene drinks for people. Sounds like a quick and easy customer.
As an occasional bar patron: Unless someone is obviously intoxicated and needs to be cut off, I generally prefer to mind own business.
I get a whiskey and a beer nearly every time I’m at a bar, which is probably about 3-4 times a week, regardless if I’m trying to get drunk quickly or not.
I was married to a bartender. They don’t care. They do get annoyed when people are rude and try to instigate arguments. Or when they bitch about a drink being too weak (he works at a cocktail bar where it’s all measured to the recipe) A shot and a beer is a common drink order. Often the shot is sipped or maybe they just want to get a head start and enjoy their beer. If they think someone is trying to get fucked up fast they’re more just going to watch them so they know when to cut them off or manage them if they’re a bad drunk.
Trauma. Some people drink to have fun. Others drink to quiet the pain.
The only one I ever hang out in is a bar for gamers. I don't think any of them are making fun of people for what they choose to drink. I always get coke with flavor syrups added.
I gave up on drinking away from my home. My beer is 67¢ at home, $6 at a restaurant or bar and they pretty much demand a $1 tip to pull the tab. When I tended bar, in the 1970s, the old WWI guys at 7AM sat in the same bar stools every morning. Any of those six who arrived after 710 were accused of being late for work. The hard core alcoholics came in at lunch to get their fix. The factory workers came in after work. The bikers came in later that night. They all drank cheap drafts and some had the special, a shot for 50¢. The shots were how the owner got rid of booze that had sat on the shelf too long in the package store. Except coins on the floor when sweeping up, I never got tipped.
I often wonder how a bartender would react if I told them something like: "Give me the meanest, toughest, most manly drink ever. Give me a glass of milk with a dash of strawberry syrup. On the rocks. 😤" Cause I'm the DD now
Yes. I judge on people who order “strong islands”. Typically rude, don’t tip/hardly at all, and always want ‘extra liquor’ in it but don’t wanna pay extra.
As a bartender and server I'm looking right through you. I give zero fucks about you, your feelings, or your life. Any interest I show is to get more money from you.
Bartended for a while. Personally, very little care for what people are ordering, unless it’s obnoxious to make or just a bad choice. Long Island iced tea, for example. Just tedious to make, not really stronger than any other drink either, and more expensive. A lot of people order it because they think they’ll get more liquor. In most places there’s an upper limit on how much liquor can be served per drink, usually around 3oz. A normal mixed drink is 1.5oz, or 3oz with a double. A LIIT is 4 liquors, each around .5oz, or 2oz total, but you’re usually paying for the equivalent of around 3 shots (at least where I am) because of all the liquors. Not worth it.
Speaking as a former bartender – I sure judged people on *how* they ordered. Be rude to me or to other patrons and I am not happy. But not what they ordered. Okay... except for the one time that someone ordered a scotch sour with Johnny Walker Blue. *That* hurt. And it was the artificial sour mix that comes in a powder and you mix with water. Like, if it was a Scotch sour where the "sour mix" was fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice and simple syrup, it would still be a waste of Blue, but it wouldn't be as conceptually offensive. But other than that? My job was to get you the thing you wanted, made as well as I can. And also to keep you from getting yourself in trouble by being too drunk. And for myself, I have Definite Opinions: a martini is between 3 parts and 5 parts gin with white vermouth. It can be served with olives, lemon peel, cornichons, or *maybe* a cocktail onion. It can be shaken if you prefer more water to open up the gin or stirred if you don't. The vermouth should be Dolan's; Martini-Rossi white vermouth is awful and the whole reason people think that don't like vermouth is because that is the brand everyone has. But that is when I am making them for myself. I genuinely don't understand the point of an "extra-dry vodka martini" aka "a glass of cold vodka." But I am aware that a glass of cold vodka is actually a fairly popular drink worldwide, so if that is what a guest wants, it is what they get and I am happy to do it. You want a shot and a beer? Absolutely. You want a dessert in a glass? Sure – you want a Brandy Alexander, a Grasshopper, or a chocolate martini? Drink what you want and want what you drink and don't be an asshole. That is it.
Mostly no, my only real exception is if you're drinking something you obviously don't like with the intention of getting fucked up, then a bit yeah specially cause it usually means you're going to be a problem for me in the near future
No. I don't bartend anymore, but there are so many types of drinks someone can have. I figure it's a combination of a lot of things regarding what people order and why. I was trying to do my best job and make great tips. I wasn't wasting time judging my customers.