When there’s drinking involved, your bad habits tend to be amplified.
As one bartender told Business Insider, “We are people too. How would you feel if we came to your job and did the things you do to us?”
If you have any sympathy for your bartender, you’d make an effort to do better.
To help you out, we asked bartenders everywhere to share the annoying things they wish customers would stop doing, and more than 30 were happy to chime in.
Here are 19 things you may not have even known you were doing wrong this whole time.
'Say excuse me, politely putting your hand up without waving it in the air. Just wait your turn. We see you, I promise. Never snap your fingers.'
'You're not the only customer in the bar, so we'll get to you when we get to you, especially if its busy.'
'The finger wave must have originated in the 7th circle of hell.'
'We see you. No need to wave or do weird hand gestures.'
'Don't yell at us if you have been waiting for more than a minute to be served.
'If you are looking like you're about to vent your frustrations on us, then we will ignore you until we are calm enough to handle your attitude.
'You shouldn't wave money at us, stand on chairs and lunge all the way over the bar top to try and grab us, and you definitely shouldn't be screaming 'HEY' followed by your drink order.'
'Stop bringing strollers into the bar. Just stop.'
'It's annoying when customers say, 'I don't know, make me anything to drink.' I say, 'OK great! I'm going to make you my favourite cocktail.' And then, 'Oh, you don't like gin?''
'Just because we both like the same team, went to the same college, or you displayed normal human decency over the past three hours, doesn't mean you're getting free drinks or a discount.'
'Running credit cards is more time consuming than a cash transaction, and the tiny tip from one drink is not worth my extra time.'
'If you're worried about leaving your card or getting too drunk to remember it, it's a safer bet we keep it than you. Just come back the next day and we will happily give it back with an itemized receipt.'
'Don't have me make a margarita, then order your buddy a beer only to realise his girl wanted a margarita, too.'
'Stop hitting on your bartender! The bartender does not want to date you.'
'Keep looking up and not on your phone posting photos on Instagram.'
'Please stop reaching dirty hands into fruit trays to eat garnishes! And don't leave your chewed, unwrapped wad of gum on the bar.'
It's dirty enough as it is.
'Most of the places I've worked ins more than 10 drafts, bottles, and cans of beer.'
'We're people -- please treat us as such.
'I love interacting with bar patrons most of the time, but occasionally I'll get someone who seems to think I'm a drink-making robot whose only role is feeding booze to them and them only.
'Eye contact, greetings, please and thank you -- I'll respond in kind, and we'll all have more pleasant interactions.'
'No, I will not charge your phone!'
'Not all bars are the same, and they differ greatly from city to city, not to mention country to country. A dive bar in New Orleans may make a killer piña colada, but one in NYC probably won't. Try to be aware of your surroundings.'
'Don't say, 'Um, what's that drink called again? I got it before. It's lovely. It might have vodka in it. Umm...''
'Seriously, make up your mind or you're having vodka Coke.'
'Tip based on price, plain and simple. A dollar per drink doesn't always cut it. A cocktail that has multiple steps and intricate ingredients costs $US14 for a reason. It takes time and effort. Tip accordingly.'
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