Day 2 of my A to Z Challenge. B is for Bar Etiquette.
If you don't
know how this works, I've posted the link back to the rules of the challenge at the end
of this, along with a link to yesterday's post. If you want to ready my full alphabet, just keep following the links. Each day has a link back to yesterday's post.
As some of you may know, I work as a bartender. I do enjoy it, and for every customer who acts like an idiot, there's maybe 50 who don't, but as with anything, it's the idiots who tend to stick in your mind. So I have put together 10 rules of Bar Etiquette. Follow these rules and you will never be THAT customer in any bar :)
1. Know what you want
This applies
to the people who stand in a queue bitching that they have to wait (and I’m
talking 2-3 minutes here not the 20 they’d have you believe). Then it’s their
turn and they start yelling over the packed pub to their table “Dave what you
having?”, “Margaret do you want vodka or gin?”, etc and just when they’ve finally
got the order sorted, I’ve made the drinks, and I think it’s over, they decide
they want to try something new but don’t know what. This is why we have queues!
2. Say please and thank you
Something I wouldn’t have
believed would have to be included (bearing in mind everyone in the place is an
actual adult) until I started working in a bar – it’s not that hard people!
3. Never ever whistle, snap your fingers or bang on the
bar at me
Unless of course you enjoy waiting while I serve literally everyone
else, go to the loo and touch up my lippy, have a smoke break, make a coffee,
drink the coffee, file my nails, pop outside to see if anyone wants to come in, collect all the glasses and wash all the tables whether they've been used or not. I really can’t stress this one enough!
4. Order all your drinks at once
It
makes it quicker for everyone – you, me and the queue behind you if I do all 3
of your vodka and cokes in one trip rather than one at a time. I do this every
day. I can and will remember your 6 drink order.
5. Don’t be arsey if I ask you for
ID
Not only is it my job, it’s the law – if you are underage and I serve you
alcohol, not only will the pub and I get fined, you will too. Take it as a
compliment that you look under 21 (we do challenge 21). I have to say though it
does give me a laugh when I ID someone and they make a massive show of eye
rolling, moaning and all the other stuff they insist on doing, then show me ID
that says there were 18 like 3 days ago.
6. Have some money to hand
I’m not insisting you have
the exact change, or have the money ready the second I ask, but have it were it
is easy to access. You know like a purse or wallet, in your hadbag or pocket
not at the bottom of a locked suitcase. You know you have to pay, be getting it
ready while you stand in line moaning about waiting!
7. Don’t argue about the price
I
don’t mean if you genuinely think there’s been a mistake. I mean the person who
asks, for example, “How much is a pint of Carling?” I say “£2.30” and they then
say “I’ll give you £2”. Erm no. No, you won’t. Also when buying a packet of
crisps, telling me they are cheaper in Asda doesn’t mean I can magically lower
the price just for you, but congratulations on your observation skills!
8. Don’t blame me for your mistake
If you ask for a
vodka and coke and you meant vodka and lemonade, don’t make out I’m an idiot
that made the wrong drink. Admit that you made a mistake ordering it. I am much
more likely to switch it for you based on you being a reasonable person who
made a mistake than an arsehole yelling at me.
9. Don’t assume buying me a drink means you’re somehow
“in”
I’m not one of those bartenders that thinks every customer has some sort
of obligation to buy me a drink. For those that do, I do appreciate it, but I
don’t think I’m somehow entitled to it. If however, you do choose to buy me a
drink, I think of it as a thank you and by accepting it, I am accepting your
thanks, not agreeing to go on a date with you/sleep with you/push you in the
queue/sneak you an extra measure or any of the other things some people seem to think
it means.
10. Don’t tell me how to do my job
I don’t care that you ran a
chain of pubs for 17 years (read here was a glass washer for a weekend and
couldn’t handle it). Unless I am on your payroll, I will be doing it my
manager’s way, not your way. And for the record, you are not paying my wages,
the owner of the pub is. If you don’t come in, I will still get paid believe it
or not!
Can you think of any others that should be added? Or how about what bartenders do that drives customers up the wall?
Where it does annoy me though is when they talk about the other barmaids who take it personally and get upset. The regular customers know who will be upset by their rumours and yet it doesn't stop them spreading them! 
