Things I’ve Learned About Getting A Drink From My Time On The Barstool
Getting a bartender’s attention in a packed bar can be frustrating, especially when everyone around you is trying to do the same thing. Years ago, after a particularly slammed Friday night, a bartender gave me four simple tips for getting served without being rude. I’ve been using his advice ever since.
It was the end of a Friday night, chairs were on the tables, the barstools were empty and all the patrons had left, leaving behind empty glasses, a floor that needed mopping and a bartender closing out his shift.
Because I was a regular patron of this establishment, which was one of busiest in town, he allowed me to stay to finish my drink, as long as I picked it up when he wiped the bar in front of me.
When he took a second to pause his activities, I asked him what is the best way to get a bartender’s attention when the bar is slammed. Just a couple hours earlier, I was facing that exact situation. It was so crowded, I had to stand sideways as there were so many people leaning in it was the only way to remain in place. It was actually interesting to watch them and him – people were trying all kinds of ways to get his attention.
Wanting to know the answer for future reference – I am, after all, an ever-curious reporter – I wanted to know the best way to get a drink from him and other bartenders without being rude. And he gave me these four tips that have served me well in my years at the barstool:
• Don’t ever yell at a bartender.”If you want to tick off a bartender, yell at one,” he said. “We don’t like it and we’ll ignore you.” He also said not to bang on the bar or do anything else loud and obnoxious. To prove his point, some time later, I had another bartender joke with me about his first night out after turning 21. He said he yelled at the bartender, banged on the bar and “did all the things you’re not supposed to do to get a drink,” he joked. “Rookie mistake.”
• Hold out your money, card or phone so you’re ready to pay when you get your drink(s). Make sure he or she sees it but don’t waive it at them to try and get their attention. That’s almost the same as yelling at them.
• Don’t order anything too complicated. By that he meant drink with a lot of ingredients. “Those are time-consuming drinks,” he said. “It slows us down and makes everyone else wait longer, so it’s best not to order them during busy times.”
• Don’t keep adding drinks to your order. Okay, this one I can definitely relate to because it drives the rest of us customers crazy, too. A person walks up with several orders, then turns back to his or her friends and keeps adding to it. Or worse yet, someone in the group changes thier mind – “oh make that four margaritas and three vodka Red Bulls” – which further slows down the process.
For proper etiquette, be respectful of the bartender. That’s common courtesy. That was all great and useful information but I die have one follow-up question:
• If I do all those things, then how do I know I have your attention?
His answer was quick and simple.
“A good bartender will acknowledge you. We’ll do a hand gesture or look at you with a little nod. When you see that, you can know we’ve seen you and will get to you shortly.”
He also added this verbal asterisk: “If a bartender does not acknowledge you then that’s not a good bartender and you’re better off going to another bartender or another bar.”
Those are all words to live by for those of us who go to busy bars.
The Nightlife Blogger is the bar columnist for PubClub.com, An award-winning journalist, Kevin Wilkerson has spent more than two decades covering bars, nightlife, destinations and events around the world, always searching for the stories and experiences most travelers overlook.
Next Stops On The PubClub Bars & Restaurants Party Bus
• The Nightlife Blogger: Some Bars & Restaurants Just Don’t Have Their Act Together
• The Most Annoying Things Bartenders Do That Drive Customers Crazy
• Top 10 Etiquette Tips For Bartenders
Leave a Reply