6 Polite Things Bar Patrons Do That Bartenders Wished They’d Stop

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Despite the news showing the contrary every day, I still believe that most people try to be helpful when they can. It’s why we hold doors for others, help pick up things that someone’s dropped, or maybe even shovel the snow or mow the lawn for a neighbor who isn’t able.

If we’re traveling and at an establishment where we know the workers are particularly busy, we may do little things as a way we hope will help. Maybe we’ll try to organize the overhead compartment on a plane so there’s more space. Or save up all the tip money for housekeeping for the last day, so it’s a nice, big amount. Or re-use our plate at the ship’s buffet, to help save the crew from washing another dish.

The thing is, each of those things, although polite and done with good intention, is not all that great. And that’s why we’ve written in the past about things passengers do that flight attendants wish they’d stop. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the same thing can be said for the things guests do that hotel employees wish they wouldn’t. And yeah, there are plenty of polite things we do on cruise ships that, according to crew, we really shouldn’t.

So is it really surprising that the little polite or supposedly helpful things we may do at a bar – whether at the airport, restaurant, hotel or freestanding place – might be exactly what the bartenders wish you wouldn’t do? Of course it’s not.

Here are some examples:

Stuffing your napkin into your glass

You’re done and you want to help as much as you can with the cleanup. What better way to get rid of your napkin by crushing it into a ball and stuffing it into your glass, right?

Wrong.

Think about what happens if you’re at home and drinking something out of a glass. If you stuff your napkin into the glass, what are you eventually going to have to do? Take the napkin out so you can wash it. And if it’s a particularly tall, thin glass…and if the napkin sticks to the glass because it’s wet or because there’s still some liquid at the bottom of the glass, now you’re going to have to spend some time fishing it out.

The same thing happens at bars. No offense, but no one wants to fish out your used, soggy napkin. And even if it’s easy to get out, it’s still an extra step to pull the napkin out of the glass and throw it out.

If you really want to be helpful, take the napkin with you and throw it in the trash. Otherwise it’s OK to leave it on the bar/table. They’ll use it to sweep up that first round of crumbs before they clean the table “good.” 🙂

Buying a round of drinks

Buying a round of drinks always sounds like a good idea. I mean, you get to be the hero of the moment and everybody loves you, right?

Welllll, everyone except the bartender, that is.

The problem when you buy a round of drinks is when you do it without any sort of planning. It takes up a LOT of a bartender’s time while you (or they) determine what everyone wants to drink.

SO… if you want to buy a round and can figure that out ahead of time – talk to your group, figure out who wants what – and THEN approach the bar…THAT will make a bartender’s day.

Stacking everyone’s glasses

Again, it sounds like a helpful thing but it’s not. The way you stack them may not be the way they clear glasses from the bar or table.

If you want to have all the glasses be near each other so someone doesn’t have to reach across the table to get things, that’s fine.

Trying to clean up a broken glass

Glassware breaks. It happens at a bar. Daily.

But trying to clean up broken glass? ESPECIALLY if you’ve been drinking for a while and might be a little (or a lot) tipsy? Not smart…and a great way to cut yourself.

Restaurant and bar staff are trained in cleaning up broken glass safely and efficiently. Instead of trying to clean it up yourself, let the staff know and stay out of the way while they clean up the mess.

Using beverage napkins to clean up a spill

Just like glasswear breaking, people knock over drinks all the time. Again, it happens and it’s no big deal.

Know what is a big deal? Grabbing a wad of beverage napkins to try to clean up the mess. Honestly, those little things don’t suck up a lot of the liquid. Plus you can’t re-use paper napkins. So you’re wasting a bunch of the establishment’s money.

Let the bartender/server know that there’s been a spill and they’ll have some cleaning supplies available at the ready.

Asking them to “surprise” you with a drink

Asking a bartender to “surprise” you with a drink initially sounds like a great idea. The bartender gets to be creative and you get a drink that you may not have had before. Win-win, right?

Not so much.

Some people don’t like certain types of alcohol, and bartenders know this. So they have to stand there and figure out with you what type of drink you want. And, of course, if you don’t like what they make, they have to spend more time concocting something else that might be more to your liking.

Just pick your drink. Save the experiments for what you make yourself at home. Your bartender will love you for that! 😉

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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary