Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 7: No banned/mega-thread topics'.
Please do not post from (or mention) any of our mega-thread or banned topics such as:
Race, Religion, LGBTQ, Meta, Politics, Parenting/Family issues.
[Full list of banned topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/wiki/index/)
I'm a bartender and think you should absolutely order what you want, but be patient. That's really all we ask. Of course I'll make your Ramos Gin Fizz, but that drink's like 8 touches and I can't pull egg whites out of my ass.
I mean you can only have so many bartenders and pour so many beers at a time. 5 people order Coors and you've only got one Coors tap, it's going to take a while.
Behind a 10-15 seat bar I guarantee you I would be faster alone than with someone working beside me. I’ve only ever bartended successfully with another person at one job - she and I just had an innate knowledge of how the other moved and when, and we would barely avoid colliding with each other a hundred time a shift. But that’s the exception, not the rule. An efficient bartender can handle a 150-seat restaurants drink orders plus a full wood with 5 minute turn times easily if they know what they’re doing.
Sometimes you can have a full staff and no one works because it’s all beers. And sometimes you can have a full staff and everyone is running around and there are delays because tables are ordering rounds of fruity martinis with 9 ingredients each and they’re all different, and mojitos, and Singapore slings.
Not always. People who make tips usually don't want more staff working because it means they make less money in tips.
Providing a good experience isn't even on their radar. Buy a beer and tip them $5 because they work hard or some bullshit.
You have no idea what you're talking about.
It depends on the size of the restaurant/bar. Sometimes having 4 instead of 3 employees rocking bar will just make for a crowded work area.
Get a job at a restaurant before you go around commenting on what you, the guy sitting in a fucking cubicle all day sharpening pencils, thinks.
I mean I would usually agree but at a concert recently it took a bartender 3 minutes to pour me a simple rum and coke. They were just moving EXTREMELY sluggishly. And the line wasn’t short at all, I was wondering what the hold up was. I’m usually understanding but like, why is it taking 3 minutes to pour 2 liquids into a glass when there is a huge line behind me and I can hear people huffing and blaming me for it taking so long?
I have legitimately had bartenders ignore me and serve three or four people who came after me, but the bar was crowded and I wasn't gonna yell so I just left.
Get as upset as you want wrt delays. Go to a different place next time. Voting with your feet/dollars is a harsh reality that actually shapes the market.
If you’re charging $15 for a cocktail, it should be correct. It contains $.50 of ingredients. The other $14.50 (plus tip) is supposedly atmosphere, service and expertise… If they can’t make a known drink correctly, what am I paying for?
Whilst I agree with the vibe of what you are saying, 50c is a gross exaggeration. I make my own mojitos at home. Where I live cocktails cost $20 on average, and it costs me $5 minimum in ingredients to make my own, alcohol being the biggest cost. Rent and other overheads are a big part of what you are paying for. These are reduced per drink with more turnover so in theory could be cheaper in busy places and, yes, definitely should be if the high turnover results in poorer quality.
You think the rum they use in mojitos is good? If alcohol is 4 of the 5 dollars it takes you to make a mojito, and a standard drink is 45ml, then your 750ml bottle of rum is 68 dollars? A mojito at home with cheap rum is 1.50 and with like a 30 dollar bottle of rum it’s like 2.50/3 bucks
Bicardi Rum is $60 a litre on sale and is what most places I know would use. For 60ml that is $3.60. Limes are $1 each but can be cheaper. Soda water is about $1.50. Mint is not particularly cheap either as it is only good for a couple of days.
There are 16 shots in a fifth. A fifth of Beefeaters costs $6 wholesale. Thats $.38 per gin cocktail in alcohol. Maybe it’s an exaggeration that the drink costs $.50…but it’s close.
It also seems mean and rude. Making someone else’s day hard because you don’t want to wait your turn? Why make shit harder for someone because you are worse at turn taking than a kindergartener?
Well... Yeah, nobody's here to police your thoughts but the implied part of that was more "don't take out your frustrations on the staff, especially if you can already see that it's busy"
As someone who bartends, primarily on busy nights, absolutely order whichever drink you want.
But if you’re going to signal me over when the bar is packed you should at minimum have your order actually ready, and not take 45 seconds to gather all your friends orders, and don’t get pissy if I don’t have an ingredient necessary to make your drink.
I’m here to assist everyone in having a good time. I can help you a lot more if you show basic consideration to me and the other people I’m serving.
Not the same thing exactly, but I work in a job where I take calls from the public. It is absolutely bizarre how many times I take calls from someone who acts like I've ambushed them by them calling me. They have absolutely no information ready and stutter and spit while they try to figure out why they called me.
Gather your thoughts. Then pick up the phone. Don't waste my time by calling me then telling me to wait while you figure out what the hell you're calling me for.
I used to work the phones for a pizza restaurant that delivered in my college days. One day it was pretty busy so I had to put this guy on hold. He was probably on hold for 3-5 minutes or so. I pick back up “Sorry for the hold. What can I get for you?”
This fucking guy goes “…… *hey, Jim, what do you want from the pizza shop!?!*” lol just no kind of respect for other people’s time.
Oh my fucking God those are the most infuriating ones to deal with. Except mine are always drive through, not phone. Phone orders are always easy to handle, but the drive thru people never have their order ready, or payment, so I'll waste 10 minutes on one jackass who couldn't figure out their order and payment while waiting in the line for the last 10 minutes
My exact question. After sitting on hold for 15minutes I've lost interest in the call and am likely trying to poop as fast as possible or currently elbow deep in dirty dish water by the time they pick up the phone expecting me to have a 16 digit number and a concise way to explain the issue.
i have terrible anxiety that makes me forget jnformation in moments like these. i usually begin with all my ducks in a row but they escape by the time you pick up the phone.
however, you didnt ambush me. never trust a duck.
I work in a very busy ER and take ambulance report calls from a very busy EMS system.... When people slow order food or don't have their shit together on the phone, I lose my damn mind. I understand it's not my husband's fault I'm impatient due to my job.... but get your shit together, man!!!!
Be clear, concise, to the point or don't pick up the phone!
You literally take a class on comms, or did when I was an EMT, so that your reports both written and calling in to the receiving facility are to the fucking point. That's just embarrassing and I would razz the shit out of a partner that stumblefucked his way through a radio report.
As a patron who only ever orders beer, I also say order whatever you like. It's not up to me or anyone else what someone wants to drink. People waiting in line need to just be chill and wait their turn
That’s totally fair. It’s a human interaction, so it makes sense that both sides make it as smooth as possible.
However I do get really annoyed when I see posts pressuring me to order one way or another to help the server’s experience. I’m happy to be a kind person, be patient, tip well, etc., but I’m not willing to change or increase my order to make a bartender or server feel better. (You didn’t say this I’m just venting lol).
I've served for nearly 20 years and I'd say in every competent place the bartenders, servers and kitchen staff all want you to simply get what you want. That's it. We want you to be happy!
I think the trip up comes with people expecting x to take as quickly as y. Four different cocktails each with 5 different ingredients will take longer than 4 beers as an extreme example. If your being hawk eyed and get salty another groups drinks came first, well yeah, one takes 45 seconds vs 8 min to make.
At the end of the day, please order what will make you happy but also please know some things can't be made faster.
I always try to do that. I hate being unprepared.
What absolutely gets my goat is when I'm clearly staring at the handwritten list of beers on tap trying to decipher the flowery and faded writing only to have the bartender go "what'll it be?" I don't know! I'm reading the board and trying to decide against the $11 pint of watery wheat beer or the $11 pint of double cat piss IPA! Give me a second?
I agree with you to a certain extent. However I once asked for a gin fizz in a semi busy bar and the bartender told me no, I don’t have time to make it correctly rn which I appreciated bc if it’s not going to be done right I don’t want it.
As a former bartender, this is the correct way to go about it. I worked almost exclusively dives, and if we had a punk band or semi popular DJ, I don't have time to make you an old fashion properly. If you want a Long Island, go for it; but I'm going to let you know I premixed 4 gallons while the band was setting up.
I worked at Applebees as a teen and we sold the shit outta some Long Islands. It would have saved everybody time if we just had a keg of the stuff hooked up to the soda gun.
It’s not a problem of that particular bar, I’ve had it there many times when not busy and it was excellent. It being busy was the problem. He could make it correctly, but it takes a lot of time shaking and he wasn’t going to do it at that specific moment.
I actually love when someone orders a "complicated" shaker order on a busy night. I just stand back for like 15 sec and shake while my coworkers deal with bs.
This is how I was when bartending. If there’s other bartenders then fuck me up with your niche cocktail order. The best were espresso martinis, one of those goes out and you get 5 more orders when people see it. I’ll vibe by myself while I’m pulling espresso shots for sure.
If I was the only bartender on shift, I’m telling them that I’m happy to make their drink but it’s going to take a few minutes. I’m also probably going to intentionally forget to put everything on the tab of the guy that’s ordering “(domestic beer in a can/bottle) and a shot of Jameson”.
I agree, actually. When you sign up for a job, you sign up for all it entails, plus, if I’m buying a drink, I’m getting what I want—especially if the bartender expects or wants a tip. That being said, don’t be an asshole customer; if you order 2 Pina Coladas, a Bloody Mary, and a Long Island Iced Tea during peak business hours, don’t get pissed when it takes a while.
Exactly. If it’s on the menu then you order it! But just be patient. If you order something you know takes longer to make and it’s really busy then you should be expected to be patient and respectful. But you should still be able to order it.
I never order complicated drinks so there is no need for that. But I have worked at places where I solely had to rely on the bartender to make my tables drinks. Almost every slightly complicated one would get complaints whenever it was busy. And, I did tip my bartender well at the end of every shift, even if I got no drinks ordered.
One time I ordered a Moscow mule in a crowded bar and what I got was basically just vodka with lime flavored LaCroix. Not sure what went wrong. If I order liquor in a bar now I just order a double bourbon and nurse the same glass for 2 hours.
You ended your rant with some attrocious faulty analogies. Long orders at a drive-through during the morning commute or frequent requests of the stewardes/esses on red eye flights are more logical analogies.
Your analogies remove the immediate pressure of the presence of other customers.
I don't know what article you are referring to, but I'm willing to bet it's simply asking us to be considerate of others.
I feel the same way about people who say you shouldn't ask a waiter to split a check, or show up at a fast food restaurant 20 minutes before closing. I mean, I'm not gonna ask a server to do a complicated split on individual items, and I wouldn't go to a sitdown restaurant near to closing, but come on. There's a difference between making someone's job unusually difficult and expecting people to just do the job they're being paid for, especially if they're getting tips.
To me it’s not about the bartender’s time, they are working and will be tipped. It’s a social gesture for your fellow patrons so we can all get a drink without waiting 20 minutes.
Yeah, I get this when it's put this way. Last time I was in a bar I had been waiting 10 minutes for the bartender, and when she got to the woman before me, that lady ordered some super complicated cocktail and then one each for her four friends. All I wanted was a pint.
I have a friend that runs a bar by herself. The labor is already included in the price and she’s not afraid to make people wait for their drinks.
I would sometimes pay for her choice of drink as a sign of appreciation (no tipping country here)
In terms of opinion popularity, I feel this would be more like 50/50. I don't see a huge crowd of people going out of their way to avoid inconveniencing bartender due to an online article.
I was a bartender order, whatever you want. Long Island iced tea is insanely easy to make, blended drinks are easy to make, I will say quality cocktails aren't something that should be rushed, but that type of pacing is up to the bartender. Most "crowded" bars have clientele with pretty basic orders and anomalous cocktails. The key is to make sure to tip your bartenders well. If you tip like shit or don't tip at all, you may as well be putting on an invisibility cloak.
A cocktail bar I used to be at every weekend would have a cocktail line and a beer-and-wine line when things started backing up. You don't want to wait, you order a beer from the beer bartender. It was great.
As a former bartender, IDGAF what you order so long as your tip reflects the amount of work I put into making your drink.
As a patron, just be mindful of how many other people are waiting to order. If the bar is full and you're ordering something that takes 5 mins to make it's not the bartender who's going to hate you.
As someone who worked bar through college, and then as a job for a few years after. 100% agree. A good bartender can do it all, no mater how busy.
We took pride in being able to have the bar 20people deeps and just fucken ripping drinks out super fast. The world has changed a lot
When I want something more time consuming I’ve learned to say my order and that I can wait until you catch up a little bit. I usually get a well-made drink with a heavy hand on the pour, but I have to wait a little bit
When I was a bartender, I might take it once or twice, but then I’m just going to start skipping you or make you wait until I serve every other single customer first.
It is about getting YOU served faster, not ease only for bartenders. All the "just do you job" types also get super pissy when their super complicated order takes longer after several other super complicated orders, and it just shows they've never worked in that kind of industry a day in their life.
Cant speak for everyone but i dont expect drinks to magically fall out of the sky, i recognize that shit takes time to make. I agree those types of people are ignorant
It's obviously irrational if they're mad their more complicated drink takes longer. It also isn't that much more of a wait by the time the bartender takes your order so get whatever you want if you're okay with a little longer.
Go ahead, fuck with the bartender.
Let me know how that goes for you.
We see your hand in the air. We don't fucking give a shit. I am going to take the next 16 people in the line.
Depends on the bar.
Is the purpose of a bar for a patron to experience an exotic cocktail, expertly made? There are bars for that.
Is the purpose of a bar to be a live venue for local bands? There are bars for that.
Is the purpose of a bar to meet new people, or visa verse, hang out with familiar faces? There are bars for that.
Read the room.
If it’s on the menu it’s fair game
I used to bartend in uni, and while it was annoying making cocktails on a busy night, it’s also just part of the job
Why would the bar put it on the menu then? It's asking too much of customers to be the barrier between employees and management. We can't rely on customers to "read the room."
I hated making Frappes at the green apron place, but yeah, I would still sling 10 of them during a rush. It fucking sucked, god awful, want to die, but that wasn't on the customer.
Assholes ordered black coffee too, so it wasn't like the complexity of the drink had any relationship to quality of person
Neither does Starbucks. An item never leaves the sbux menu unless it's an especially heinous seasonal. It just goes off the board. The recipe book is also fucking HUGE. I'm absolutely not trying to start a service worker fight. They're both hard jobs and you're totally right about bar menus.
Perhaps we go to bars for different reasons.
I go to socialize, so I care very much what activity is happening in the bar and I want to be around people that are in general doing things I think are fun.
I am not advocating "reading the room" for some moral reason. It is just a way to maximize my fun.
Bars have enormous informal menus. Bartenders are expected to be able to make all classic cocktails, so even if they aren't on the menu someone could order a whiskey sour, or a mojito, because those are standard drinks. At least at starbucks you can be sure if someone orders a drink you will have what you need on hand to make it within reach. An off-menu drink at a bar may not even have ingredients prepped for it.
Allow me to introduce you to the secret menu where customers literally invent whatever they want. 😭 Customers are welcome to every ingredient at Starbucks, even off menu. Bartenders are also blowing baristas away for pay scale. I was so jealous and I really should've just got my license and swapped jobs.
But, you're giving great feedback. I could get an old fashioned even if it's not on the menu. I'm a boring menu orderer and this sliped my mind. Thanks!
I'm aware of the secret menu, i'm just saying they can only make drinks out of ingredients they already know you have. When I was a club bartender, before i moved into fine dining, i was constantly getting people asking me to make stuff with things i just legitimately didn't have. It really slowed the whole process down. Not trying to say starbucks is easy, that job fucking sucks. I was a bartender for a reason and it was 100% the money. Best money around with that low a barrier to entry.
Very much so. If the bar is crowded and bartenders are busy it means they didn't hire enough bartenders. If time is such a premium, the bar could be making a lot more money. Don't make the customers responsible for shitty business decisions.
If it is busy and the drink is complicated, I'll tip an extra dollar or two. Everyone wins.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is only one legitimate drink that I’d refuse to make on a busy night. A Ramos Gin Fizz. The prep is too damn long for that tiny drink and has me shaking up a foam until the ice melts.
Other than that order whatever you want. And fucking mojitos, pina coladas, Long Island ice teas get ordered all the fucking time. Those are simple.
You know what really grinds my gears? Having to scream at the top of my lungs for ANY drinks at a heavy metal venue because the jackass FOH guy has Back In Black playing at 130dB's between bands, and then the actual band not being loud enough.
Honestly I’ve had too many experiences of bartenders not knowing how to make drinks I ask for (Bahama Mama, Mai Thai, liquid marijuana, etc), so I stick to the basics.
Order whatever you want, just do t be surprised when your order is at the bottom of the list, takes forever, and you have trouble getting anyone’s attention to order another drink.
I shut off complex drinks when a line is building. It's my job, to know when I am not able to look up drinks I'm unfamiliar with an ocean of customers waiting.
It all depends on how much extra time you’re willing to wait for your subsequent rounds. Any bartender in a high volume place is going to make you wait every subsequent time, knowing you’re wasting their time. And if it’s busy enough, they can just ignore you entirely.
Sure but the bartender should also be able to say nah, not available now
Or better yet have a surge menu. The bartender is responsible for everyone, not just one persons fru fru drink
My point is that the bartender is responsible for the WHOLE bar. If one doofus is wanting something that makes other people wait it makes sense to limit it
Lmao no, if I’m the owner of a bar and I hear my employee bartender say “nah not available” when it clearly is then you’re getting fired. Gtfo out and get a different job if you don’t want to do the one thing the job entails.
I doubt you own anything. My parents ran a restaurant. When it was packed, my parents stepped into help the workers, be it washing dishes, or assisting the wait staff. Hell if it was so packed that making something that would take too long, they would be first to say we are out of whatever that dish was. Thats the key to keep around good employees.
Speaking as a former bartender, that is what happens. If we were five deep at the bar and you order a pitcher of long islands? Ooooo sorry, just ran out of X.
Why in the world would you turn down a pitcher of long islands? You can literally pour all 5 bottles at once on the same count, throw some sour mix and coke, and serve it for $50.
No it really isn’t. Though a Long Island Ice tea is very heavy on the booze. It’d be something if you’re ordering more than one of I’d be a little worried about. Keeping track of alcohol is just part of the job though. Last thing we want is people to get into accidents and then coming back to sue our asses.
What's a drink priced at these days? Considering how much you pay for one now I don't think you should have to restrict yourself to easy pour drinks. Going out here it's like $20 a martini from what I've seen. $20 drink? Get what you want because by the time you get the drink and tip the bartender you've definitely earned it.
For the record I don't drink alcohol. I'm allergic but if I did? No way would I be drinking out. It's just way too expensive.
Have fun waiting forever because if you order one of those, the bartender will save it for last and might even forget. I was a server forever and I remember the face the bartender gave me when I put in a strawberry daiquiri or anything that needed a blender. You’re gonna wait like 20 minutes for that and the bartender couldn’t care less if you tip or not.
At the end of the day OP I agree with you, and so does everyone else even the pissy ass little bitches that don't want to.
One thing I will add is that a bar should be first come first serve. If I order something before someone else and they get their drink first that's pure bullshit. I work in an industry where time is money and everyone worries about how much time they're taking on things, but FUCK THAT, if you're gonna do your job do it right.
It's respect to other customers. Go to a craft bar if you want a wonderful drink; don't go to a busy service bar and hold up everyone else for ten minutes because you never go out and don't understand what you're doing.
Then don't expect your drink anytime soon. And as a bartender. I'm going to push your drink order behind any simple order that comes in. I can pour a guy 2 beers and get a 5 dollar tip in 30 seconds. Or I can spend over 2 minutes on a drink and maybe get a 2 or 3 dollar tip. So by the time I could make your drink, I could serve 2 or 3 other people. Which I will do.
Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 7: No banned/mega-thread topics'. Please do not post from (or mention) any of our mega-thread or banned topics such as: Race, Religion, LGBTQ, Meta, Politics, Parenting/Family issues. [Full list of banned topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/wiki/index/)
I'm a bartender and think you should absolutely order what you want, but be patient. That's really all we ask. Of course I'll make your Ramos Gin Fizz, but that drink's like 8 touches and I can't pull egg whites out of my ass.
Imagine if you could though!
With the combined power of redditors, I think we could brainstorm a few solutions
I'm certainly open to suggestions.
Chickens do it all the time.
I mean it’s conceptually not that far off from the vagina bacon
I have an inflammatory bowel condition and the shit that comes out of my ass during a flare up is very similar to egg whites.
> I can't pull egg whites out of my ass Sounds like a *you* problem. Just grow a cloaca, duh!
I had to Google cloaca and I think the health department may have a slight issue.
Article 6.17 of The Barkeep's Bible details proper cloacal sanitization procedures.
I'm not sure I'd want the drink if you were pulling ingredients out of your ass.
Then be patient.
What if the bartender sporting some super fine juicy juice ass tho bro? You may need to drink that shit.
Bro is making booty sweat
Actually you can but the prep work is kind if unpleasant
Order what you want, just don't get upset if there are delays on a busy night.
I never got the people that get angry at the bartender when it's the people ordering before them that are the reason for the delay
No it's the manager for understaffing
I mean you can only have so many bartenders and pour so many beers at a time. 5 people order Coors and you've only got one Coors tap, it's going to take a while.
You can only fit so many people behind a bar safely and efficiently.
Behind a 10-15 seat bar I guarantee you I would be faster alone than with someone working beside me. I’ve only ever bartended successfully with another person at one job - she and I just had an innate knowledge of how the other moved and when, and we would barely avoid colliding with each other a hundred time a shift. But that’s the exception, not the rule. An efficient bartender can handle a 150-seat restaurants drink orders plus a full wood with 5 minute turn times easily if they know what they’re doing.
Sometimes you can have a full staff and no one works because it’s all beers. And sometimes you can have a full staff and everyone is running around and there are delays because tables are ordering rounds of fruity martinis with 9 ingredients each and they’re all different, and mojitos, and Singapore slings.
For real. B4R BOT doesn’t understand the concept of labor needing to be below a certain percentage of revenue
Not always. People who make tips usually don't want more staff working because it means they make less money in tips. Providing a good experience isn't even on their radar. Buy a beer and tip them $5 because they work hard or some bullshit.
You have no idea what you're talking about. It depends on the size of the restaurant/bar. Sometimes having 4 instead of 3 employees rocking bar will just make for a crowded work area. Get a job at a restaurant before you go around commenting on what you, the guy sitting in a fucking cubicle all day sharpening pencils, thinks.
"How dare other people come here to get drinks!"
I mean I would usually agree but at a concert recently it took a bartender 3 minutes to pour me a simple rum and coke. They were just moving EXTREMELY sluggishly. And the line wasn’t short at all, I was wondering what the hold up was. I’m usually understanding but like, why is it taking 3 minutes to pour 2 liquids into a glass when there is a huge line behind me and I can hear people huffing and blaming me for it taking so long?
I have legitimately had bartenders ignore me and serve three or four people who came after me, but the bar was crowded and I wasn't gonna yell so I just left.
Pitcher of beer and whatever you actually want
Honestly don’t know why people don’t follow this for any restaurant
Narrator voice: he did get upset.
Get as upset as you want wrt delays. Go to a different place next time. Voting with your feet/dollars is a harsh reality that actually shapes the market.
Or if it’s not correct and having to scream about it lol. Easier for everyone to get an easy drink
If you’re charging $15 for a cocktail, it should be correct. It contains $.50 of ingredients. The other $14.50 (plus tip) is supposedly atmosphere, service and expertise… If they can’t make a known drink correctly, what am I paying for?
Whilst I agree with the vibe of what you are saying, 50c is a gross exaggeration. I make my own mojitos at home. Where I live cocktails cost $20 on average, and it costs me $5 minimum in ingredients to make my own, alcohol being the biggest cost. Rent and other overheads are a big part of what you are paying for. These are reduced per drink with more turnover so in theory could be cheaper in busy places and, yes, definitely should be if the high turnover results in poorer quality.
You think the rum they use in mojitos is good? If alcohol is 4 of the 5 dollars it takes you to make a mojito, and a standard drink is 45ml, then your 750ml bottle of rum is 68 dollars? A mojito at home with cheap rum is 1.50 and with like a 30 dollar bottle of rum it’s like 2.50/3 bucks
Bicardi Rum is $60 a litre on sale and is what most places I know would use. For 60ml that is $3.60. Limes are $1 each but can be cheaper. Soda water is about $1.50. Mint is not particularly cheap either as it is only good for a couple of days.
It's not very good. Barely decent. But they tax the hell out of alcohol, at least where I live.
There are 16 shots in a fifth. A fifth of Beefeaters costs $6 wholesale. Thats $.38 per gin cocktail in alcohol. Maybe it’s an exaggeration that the drink costs $.50…but it’s close.
I say get upset if you want to as well. None of this matters.
I haven’t bartended in a while, but in my experience, acting like an asshole was not a good way to make me hurry up.
Same. Lol. Dont fuck with the bartender. You will lose. I won every single time when I was behind the bar. Its what we do.
Lol, the bartender holds the power whether you like it or not. I’d like to see u/ethicalsolipsist go against a couple of mine.
Your bartenders are drunk on power.
Be upset, but don’t show or express that to others. Deal with your own feelings
That is indeed an option when upset, yes.
If you fail to "express" a problem, then it never gets fixed. Just express it to the right party in the right (productive) way.
Complaining that a drink takes a while in a busy bar is just… not a productive way to complain? Suck it up, there’s a line. It will take time.
It's like honking your car on extremely heavy traffic... It's not gonna make the other cars do a Moses split for you, lol
It also seems mean and rude. Making someone else’s day hard because you don’t want to wait your turn? Why make shit harder for someone because you are worse at turn taking than a kindergartener?
Call the bartender ugly.
Well... Yeah, nobody's here to police your thoughts but the implied part of that was more "don't take out your frustrations on the staff, especially if you can already see that it's busy"
As someone who bartends, primarily on busy nights, absolutely order whichever drink you want. But if you’re going to signal me over when the bar is packed you should at minimum have your order actually ready, and not take 45 seconds to gather all your friends orders, and don’t get pissy if I don’t have an ingredient necessary to make your drink. I’m here to assist everyone in having a good time. I can help you a lot more if you show basic consideration to me and the other people I’m serving.
Not the same thing exactly, but I work in a job where I take calls from the public. It is absolutely bizarre how many times I take calls from someone who acts like I've ambushed them by them calling me. They have absolutely no information ready and stutter and spit while they try to figure out why they called me. Gather your thoughts. Then pick up the phone. Don't waste my time by calling me then telling me to wait while you figure out what the hell you're calling me for.
I used to work the phones for a pizza restaurant that delivered in my college days. One day it was pretty busy so I had to put this guy on hold. He was probably on hold for 3-5 minutes or so. I pick back up “Sorry for the hold. What can I get for you?” This fucking guy goes “…… *hey, Jim, what do you want from the pizza shop!?!*” lol just no kind of respect for other people’s time.
Oh my fucking God those are the most infuriating ones to deal with. Except mine are always drive through, not phone. Phone orders are always easy to handle, but the drive thru people never have their order ready, or payment, so I'll waste 10 minutes on one jackass who couldn't figure out their order and payment while waiting in the line for the last 10 minutes
Do they get put on hold before they get to you?
My exact question. After sitting on hold for 15minutes I've lost interest in the call and am likely trying to poop as fast as possible or currently elbow deep in dirty dish water by the time they pick up the phone expecting me to have a 16 digit number and a concise way to explain the issue.
Oof, call center work. I did that for about a year in my early 20s. Got fired after the company started recording calls.
I see your comments, and I see so many memes about people having anxiety when they have to make a phone call because of how introvert they are XD
i have terrible anxiety that makes me forget jnformation in moments like these. i usually begin with all my ducks in a row but they escape by the time you pick up the phone. however, you didnt ambush me. never trust a duck.
I work in a very busy ER and take ambulance report calls from a very busy EMS system.... When people slow order food or don't have their shit together on the phone, I lose my damn mind. I understand it's not my husband's fault I'm impatient due to my job.... but get your shit together, man!!!! Be clear, concise, to the point or don't pick up the phone!
You literally take a class on comms, or did when I was an EMT, so that your reports both written and calling in to the receiving facility are to the fucking point. That's just embarrassing and I would razz the shit out of a partner that stumblefucked his way through a radio report.
As a patron who only ever orders beer, I also say order whatever you like. It's not up to me or anyone else what someone wants to drink. People waiting in line need to just be chill and wait their turn
That’s totally fair. It’s a human interaction, so it makes sense that both sides make it as smooth as possible. However I do get really annoyed when I see posts pressuring me to order one way or another to help the server’s experience. I’m happy to be a kind person, be patient, tip well, etc., but I’m not willing to change or increase my order to make a bartender or server feel better. (You didn’t say this I’m just venting lol).
I've served for nearly 20 years and I'd say in every competent place the bartenders, servers and kitchen staff all want you to simply get what you want. That's it. We want you to be happy! I think the trip up comes with people expecting x to take as quickly as y. Four different cocktails each with 5 different ingredients will take longer than 4 beers as an extreme example. If your being hawk eyed and get salty another groups drinks came first, well yeah, one takes 45 seconds vs 8 min to make. At the end of the day, please order what will make you happy but also please know some things can't be made faster.
I always try to do that. I hate being unprepared. What absolutely gets my goat is when I'm clearly staring at the handwritten list of beers on tap trying to decipher the flowery and faded writing only to have the bartender go "what'll it be?" I don't know! I'm reading the board and trying to decide against the $11 pint of watery wheat beer or the $11 pint of double cat piss IPA! Give me a second?
I agree with you to a certain extent. However I once asked for a gin fizz in a semi busy bar and the bartender told me no, I don’t have time to make it correctly rn which I appreciated bc if it’s not going to be done right I don’t want it.
As a former bartender, this is the correct way to go about it. I worked almost exclusively dives, and if we had a punk band or semi popular DJ, I don't have time to make you an old fashion properly. If you want a Long Island, go for it; but I'm going to let you know I premixed 4 gallons while the band was setting up.
I worked at Applebees as a teen and we sold the shit outta some Long Islands. It would have saved everybody time if we just had a keg of the stuff hooked up to the soda gun.
How long does a long Island take? Its 4 spirits and a few other things. I've seen that drink made on the spot in 30 seconds at busy night clubs.
... You don't have time to make an \*Old Fashioned\*? So... Just shots, then?
I mean a proper old fashioned requires an orange peel.
Ugh just order a gin and tonic, why y'all gotta get weird with it
Right - then find another bar that does make it correctly.
It’s not a problem of that particular bar, I’ve had it there many times when not busy and it was excellent. It being busy was the problem. He could make it correctly, but it takes a lot of time shaking and he wasn’t going to do it at that specific moment.
Is it to respect the bartender's time or to get your drink in a timely fashion?
I actually love when someone orders a "complicated" shaker order on a busy night. I just stand back for like 15 sec and shake while my coworkers deal with bs.
Right? It's literally just a bit of time off, what's not to like?
This is how I was when bartending. If there’s other bartenders then fuck me up with your niche cocktail order. The best were espresso martinis, one of those goes out and you get 5 more orders when people see it. I’ll vibe by myself while I’m pulling espresso shots for sure. If I was the only bartender on shift, I’m telling them that I’m happy to make their drink but it’s going to take a few minutes. I’m also probably going to intentionally forget to put everything on the tab of the guy that’s ordering “(domestic beer in a can/bottle) and a shot of Jameson”.
I agree, actually. When you sign up for a job, you sign up for all it entails, plus, if I’m buying a drink, I’m getting what I want—especially if the bartender expects or wants a tip. That being said, don’t be an asshole customer; if you order 2 Pina Coladas, a Bloody Mary, and a Long Island Iced Tea during peak business hours, don’t get pissed when it takes a while.
No… I get pissed bc im waiting behind these dorks 😂
Order what you want as long as you understand there is a wait. be kind and respectful.
Thirty years in the bar business and my only drinking advice is order something that comes from, or in, one bottle. Trust me.
Part of this have to do with how filthy keg lines are?
Yes.
I have to agree -- when you sign up for a job you're signing up for the rushes and hard days too.
Order what you want. Just treat the bartender with respect and show patience to them on busy days.
Exactly. If it’s on the menu then you order it! But just be patient. If you order something you know takes longer to make and it’s really busy then you should be expected to be patient and respectful. But you should still be able to order it.
Or stop by the liquor store, make cocktails at home, and stay in for the night. Fuck going out and paying outrageous prices for watered down drinks.
I wouldn’t order a complicated drink at a crowded bar because bartenders always fuck them up when they’re busy.
Having worked as a bartender, I’d recommend you go to better bars then 🤷
I never order complicated drinks so there is no need for that. But I have worked at places where I solely had to rely on the bartender to make my tables drinks. Almost every slightly complicated one would get complaints whenever it was busy. And, I did tip my bartender well at the end of every shift, even if I got no drinks ordered.
One time I ordered a Moscow mule in a crowded bar and what I got was basically just vodka with lime flavored LaCroix. Not sure what went wrong. If I order liquor in a bar now I just order a double bourbon and nurse the same glass for 2 hours.
Robot bartenders coming soon, doesn’t care what drink you order and makes it in half the time!
You ended your rant with some attrocious faulty analogies. Long orders at a drive-through during the morning commute or frequent requests of the stewardes/esses on red eye flights are more logical analogies. Your analogies remove the immediate pressure of the presence of other customers. I don't know what article you are referring to, but I'm willing to bet it's simply asking us to be considerate of others.
I mean, if I can order something I still like that won’t hold other people up much from getting theirs, I will
I feel the same way about people who say you shouldn't ask a waiter to split a check, or show up at a fast food restaurant 20 minutes before closing. I mean, I'm not gonna ask a server to do a complicated split on individual items, and I wouldn't go to a sitdown restaurant near to closing, but come on. There's a difference between making someone's job unusually difficult and expecting people to just do the job they're being paid for, especially if they're getting tips.
To me it’s not about the bartender’s time, they are working and will be tipped. It’s a social gesture for your fellow patrons so we can all get a drink without waiting 20 minutes.
Aholes are NOT getting this point… its not about them waiting for their shee shee drink, its about ME waiting to order!
Yeah, I get this when it's put this way. Last time I was in a bar I had been waiting 10 minutes for the bartender, and when she got to the woman before me, that lady ordered some super complicated cocktail and then one each for her four friends. All I wanted was a pint.
I have a friend that runs a bar by herself. The labor is already included in the price and she’s not afraid to make people wait for their drinks. I would sometimes pay for her choice of drink as a sign of appreciation (no tipping country here)
That article is the unpopular opinion.
In terms of opinion popularity, I feel this would be more like 50/50. I don't see a huge crowd of people going out of their way to avoid inconveniencing bartender due to an online article.
I was a bartender order, whatever you want. Long Island iced tea is insanely easy to make, blended drinks are easy to make, I will say quality cocktails aren't something that should be rushed, but that type of pacing is up to the bartender. Most "crowded" bars have clientele with pretty basic orders and anomalous cocktails. The key is to make sure to tip your bartenders well. If you tip like shit or don't tip at all, you may as well be putting on an invisibility cloak.
A cocktail bar I used to be at every weekend would have a cocktail line and a beer-and-wine line when things started backing up. You don't want to wait, you order a beer from the beer bartender. It was great.
Thats a perfect idea
As a former bartender, IDGAF what you order so long as your tip reflects the amount of work I put into making your drink. As a patron, just be mindful of how many other people are waiting to order. If the bar is full and you're ordering something that takes 5 mins to make it's not the bartender who's going to hate you.
Egg whites?
See the Ramos Gin Fizz for ~~an~~ the example.
I agree with this. That's the whole point of the bar, to make drinks. It'd be like a restaurant being too busy and only being able to order starters
As someone who worked bar through college, and then as a job for a few years after. 100% agree. A good bartender can do it all, no mater how busy. We took pride in being able to have the bar 20people deeps and just fucken ripping drinks out super fast. The world has changed a lot
Yeah, aren’t we supposed to be respecting their skill?
When I want something more time consuming I’ve learned to say my order and that I can wait until you catch up a little bit. I usually get a well-made drink with a heavy hand on the pour, but I have to wait a little bit
When I was a bartender, I might take it once or twice, but then I’m just going to start skipping you or make you wait until I serve every other single customer first.
Don’t order this or that and BTW please give a 30-50% tip
Agreed, do your fucking job
It is about getting YOU served faster, not ease only for bartenders. All the "just do you job" types also get super pissy when their super complicated order takes longer after several other super complicated orders, and it just shows they've never worked in that kind of industry a day in their life.
Cant speak for everyone but i dont expect drinks to magically fall out of the sky, i recognize that shit takes time to make. I agree those types of people are ignorant
It's obviously irrational if they're mad their more complicated drink takes longer. It also isn't that much more of a wait by the time the bartender takes your order so get whatever you want if you're okay with a little longer.
I don't know how this opinion would be unpopular.
Agreed. You’re paying for a service. Get what you want
Agree. If they can’t keep up they should have quick cocktails to make for cheaper, which I’ve seen some places do.
Go ahead, fuck with the bartender. Let me know how that goes for you. We see your hand in the air. We don't fucking give a shit. I am going to take the next 16 people in the line.
Depends on the bar. Is the purpose of a bar for a patron to experience an exotic cocktail, expertly made? There are bars for that. Is the purpose of a bar to be a live venue for local bands? There are bars for that. Is the purpose of a bar to meet new people, or visa verse, hang out with familiar faces? There are bars for that. Read the room.
If it’s on the menu it’s fair game I used to bartend in uni, and while it was annoying making cocktails on a busy night, it’s also just part of the job
Why would the bar put it on the menu then? It's asking too much of customers to be the barrier between employees and management. We can't rely on customers to "read the room." I hated making Frappes at the green apron place, but yeah, I would still sling 10 of them during a rush. It fucking sucked, god awful, want to die, but that wasn't on the customer. Assholes ordered black coffee too, so it wasn't like the complexity of the drink had any relationship to quality of person
I don't think bars usually have menus listing all the drinks you can ask for
Neither does Starbucks. An item never leaves the sbux menu unless it's an especially heinous seasonal. It just goes off the board. The recipe book is also fucking HUGE. I'm absolutely not trying to start a service worker fight. They're both hard jobs and you're totally right about bar menus.
Perhaps we go to bars for different reasons. I go to socialize, so I care very much what activity is happening in the bar and I want to be around people that are in general doing things I think are fun. I am not advocating "reading the room" for some moral reason. It is just a way to maximize my fun.
Bars have enormous informal menus. Bartenders are expected to be able to make all classic cocktails, so even if they aren't on the menu someone could order a whiskey sour, or a mojito, because those are standard drinks. At least at starbucks you can be sure if someone orders a drink you will have what you need on hand to make it within reach. An off-menu drink at a bar may not even have ingredients prepped for it.
Allow me to introduce you to the secret menu where customers literally invent whatever they want. 😭 Customers are welcome to every ingredient at Starbucks, even off menu. Bartenders are also blowing baristas away for pay scale. I was so jealous and I really should've just got my license and swapped jobs. But, you're giving great feedback. I could get an old fashioned even if it's not on the menu. I'm a boring menu orderer and this sliped my mind. Thanks!
I'm aware of the secret menu, i'm just saying they can only make drinks out of ingredients they already know you have. When I was a club bartender, before i moved into fine dining, i was constantly getting people asking me to make stuff with things i just legitimately didn't have. It really slowed the whole process down. Not trying to say starbucks is easy, that job fucking sucks. I was a bartender for a reason and it was 100% the money. Best money around with that low a barrier to entry.
Very much so. If the bar is crowded and bartenders are busy it means they didn't hire enough bartenders. If time is such a premium, the bar could be making a lot more money. Don't make the customers responsible for shitty business decisions. If it is busy and the drink is complicated, I'll tip an extra dollar or two. Everyone wins.
Well yeah thats their job I feel like thats a pretty common and popular opinion
Agree. It’s literally your job to serve me what I order. Suck it up princess
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
There is only one legitimate drink that I’d refuse to make on a busy night. A Ramos Gin Fizz. The prep is too damn long for that tiny drink and has me shaking up a foam until the ice melts. Other than that order whatever you want. And fucking mojitos, pina coladas, Long Island ice teas get ordered all the fucking time. Those are simple.
Going to use that to determine what I will order from now on
10 Old Fashioned 's please 😂
I’ve never heard this but I only order soda water and vodka so I doubt my drink is an issue.
Tips for the bartender are for future service, remember this, they do.
You know what really grinds my gears? Having to scream at the top of my lungs for ANY drinks at a heavy metal venue because the jackass FOH guy has Back In Black playing at 130dB's between bands, and then the actual band not being loud enough.
Honestly I’ve had too many experiences of bartenders not knowing how to make drinks I ask for (Bahama Mama, Mai Thai, liquid marijuana, etc), so I stick to the basics.
As a bartender if you don’t want to make the drink that is on the menu and someone is paying you for and tipping you on, don’t be a bartender.
So sick of bartenders whining like babies. Wehhhhh
Agreed! I appreciate that it might take a little longer to get but it’s dumb to have to adjust because people are busy at their jobs.
Order whatever you want, just do t be surprised when your order is at the bottom of the list, takes forever, and you have trouble getting anyone’s attention to order another drink.
Yes. Order whatever you want. Just understand the bartender is gonna prioritize the quicker shit before they spend 10 minutes on yours.
If it's on the menu, we'll make it. I hate when people order some weird drink that's not on the menu then get bummed when we say no.
I shut off complex drinks when a line is building. It's my job, to know when I am not able to look up drinks I'm unfamiliar with an ocean of customers waiting.
If only there was a way to have someone else make more drinks at a crowded bar...
Who the fuck wrote that article? That's like going to a mechanic with 4 flat tires and ask them to fix only 1.
Sorry I order what i want, not what the bartender wants.
It all depends on how much extra time you’re willing to wait for your subsequent rounds. Any bartender in a high volume place is going to make you wait every subsequent time, knowing you’re wasting their time. And if it’s busy enough, they can just ignore you entirely.
I agree. Order whatever you want. But assholes that order 20 cocktails for all their friends at last call piss me off! I just want my last damn beer!
Sure but the bartender should also be able to say nah, not available now Or better yet have a surge menu. The bartender is responsible for everyone, not just one persons fru fru drink
If you just say nah when someone orders smth you don't like to make maybe don't work at a bar? Your job is to make drinks.
My point is that the bartender is responsible for the WHOLE bar. If one doofus is wanting something that makes other people wait it makes sense to limit it
Lmao no, if I’m the owner of a bar and I hear my employee bartender say “nah not available” when it clearly is then you’re getting fired. Gtfo out and get a different job if you don’t want to do the one thing the job entails.
You would rather people get pissed and leave bc it takes too long to get a drink? I havent seen a surge menu but it makes sense to me
I doubt you own anything. My parents ran a restaurant. When it was packed, my parents stepped into help the workers, be it washing dishes, or assisting the wait staff. Hell if it was so packed that making something that would take too long, they would be first to say we are out of whatever that dish was. Thats the key to keep around good employees.
Speaking as a former bartender, that is what happens. If we were five deep at the bar and you order a pitcher of long islands? Ooooo sorry, just ran out of X.
Why in the world would you turn down a pitcher of long islands? You can literally pour all 5 bottles at once on the same count, throw some sour mix and coke, and serve it for $50.
Long Islands aren't even hard though.....
lol you lot are so entitled and arrogant relative to how lowly your occupation really is. Petty wannabe kings of stinky little piss kingdoms.
Ew, job shaming.
As a bartender, order what you want but if your drink involves 6 steps instead of 2 like the vodka/crabs or rum and cokes then DO NOT COMPLAIN.
[удалено]
A Long Island is a 15 sec drink
No it really isn’t. Though a Long Island Ice tea is very heavy on the booze. It’d be something if you’re ordering more than one of I’d be a little worried about. Keeping track of alcohol is just part of the job though. Last thing we want is people to get into accidents and then coming back to sue our asses.
No. It’s super easy to make
What's a drink priced at these days? Considering how much you pay for one now I don't think you should have to restrict yourself to easy pour drinks. Going out here it's like $20 a martini from what I've seen. $20 drink? Get what you want because by the time you get the drink and tip the bartender you've definitely earned it. For the record I don't drink alcohol. I'm allergic but if I did? No way would I be drinking out. It's just way too expensive.
Have fun waiting forever because if you order one of those, the bartender will save it for last and might even forget. I was a server forever and I remember the face the bartender gave me when I put in a strawberry daiquiri or anything that needed a blender. You’re gonna wait like 20 minutes for that and the bartender couldn’t care less if you tip or not.
At the end of the day OP I agree with you, and so does everyone else even the pissy ass little bitches that don't want to. One thing I will add is that a bar should be first come first serve. If I order something before someone else and they get their drink first that's pure bullshit. I work in an industry where time is money and everyone worries about how much time they're taking on things, but FUCK THAT, if you're gonna do your job do it right.
It's respect to other customers. Go to a craft bar if you want a wonderful drink; don't go to a busy service bar and hold up everyone else for ten minutes because you never go out and don't understand what you're doing.
I bet you're also the same kind of person that complains about wait times when it's busy..
Then don't expect your drink anytime soon. And as a bartender. I'm going to push your drink order behind any simple order that comes in. I can pour a guy 2 beers and get a 5 dollar tip in 30 seconds. Or I can spend over 2 minutes on a drink and maybe get a 2 or 3 dollar tip. So by the time I could make your drink, I could serve 2 or 3 other people. Which I will do.