An Amusing Start for 2012

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Regarding the Italian one... spent quite a bit of time over there as a child, with my fathers side of the family. That is not only not common, it'd usually be ground to get you hit over the head with something ('less of course you were a regular and actually found yourself a little short. Then you'd just get a smack and told not to do it again). Never ran into what Cecil did - but different areas are just that - vastly different.

Sure they are.
Mind, I'm not saying that people I saw doing that were successful in it. But entitlement whores are sure cheekier there than I've seen here (Scotland).

[Jester]

So, whereas I do perfectly understand your surprise and anger, believe me - yes, it is customary. For rude people.

Well, that description would certainly fit these morons.

[QUOTE=Dilorenzo;1018132]That is not only not common, it'd usually be ground to get you hit over the head with something ('less of course you were a regular and actually found yourself a little short. Then you'd just get a smack and told not to do it again).

Things are different for regulars. Well, GOOD regulars. Not asshole regulars. But let's say Regular Rhonda orders some drinks, and then suddenly realizes she doesn't have the money she thought she did. Well, Rhonda's a good egg and always takes care of us, so in the rare instances this happens, we will take care of her. It's happened, and it's no big deal.

But again, one should never PRESUME this to be the case. The good regulars would never presume such, whereas the asshole regulars almost always do. One of the key differences between them, actually.

One last point. Sometimes I fancy whiskey sour. Don't like a cherry in it. Just want a whiskey sour, not a whiskey sour with some red.

Generally speaking whiskey sours (and sours in general) come with an orange and a cherry, or in some places, just a cherry.

You just want a whiskey sour without the frills? Easiest way to get this at any bar is to simply order a "whiskey sour, no fruit." I promise you, if you order it like this, you'll almost always get it the way you want it. (I say "almost" because there are occasional airhead bartenders, and sometimes we do stuff purely out of habit, having a momentary brain fart despite the customer ordering it correctly. I know I've been guilty of this from time to time myself...)

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

if you order it like this, you'll almost always get it the way you want it. (I say "almost" because there are occasional airhead bartenders, and sometimes we do stuff purely out of habit, having a momentary brain fart despite the customer ordering it correctly. I know I've been guilty of this from time to time myself...)

Sorry if I flog a dead thread, but I can't check the forums as much as I'd like to... and I have a wee curiosity.
In case you realise you have had such a brain fart (or if the customer tells you in a civilised way), what do you normally do?

[Jester]

Depends on the fuck up and the customer. If they really hate cherries, and they're not douchebags, and they had clearly said no cherry, well, I'm an idiot, and I'll remake it for them. Most of the times, with minor mistakes like this, the customer will simply remove the offending fruit and get on with the drinking, as I have been known to do when a bartender puts a disgusting olive in my bloody. (To be fair, I never said "no olives," as it is not always a standard practice, I don't really think about it, and it being in there is no big deal to me, and sometimes a joyous boon to my olive-loving drinking buddies.)

However, if it was a more egregious error, like putting OJ in a margarita when the customer clearly said (as I always do), "no OJ," well then, I'll remake the damn drink. Ditto with salt when they say no salt, or any other thing that it's not as easy as picking out an offending cherry.

Look, if you order it the way you want it and the bartender screws up, it is pretty much on the bartender to fix it. Just the same as if a customer ordered a sandwich without something due to an allergy or a religious belief, and the kitchen screwed up and included the offending item, or overcooked it, or whatever. We screw up, we fix it. That's my philosophy, both as a bartender and as a customer. The better places generally have that philosophy.