All bartenders unite here

[crashhelmet]

That said I thoroughly enjoy being able to go the bar in my local and watch as the barmaid pours my drink without me even having to ask for the usual!

--erk, i've just realised how alcoholic that makes me sound! No, i only go to the pub once a week with my friends, its just that we've been going on the same night every week for years...

It's actually quite common for a bartender to remember what you drink rather than remember your name or use it to remember you if you've got a common name.

I used to have quite a few different Bobs that came into my bar. There was Bud Light Bob, Coffee Bob, Captain (Morgan) Bob, Old Bob (He also only drank coffee), and Bobby (O'Douls brown bottle with a chilled pilsner glass)

Any one of these customers I knew what they wanted and would have it for them before they sat down.

CH

[bunnyboy]

I'm surprised the people responsible for that debacle haven't been lynched yet.

CH

Only reason why is they left THEN announced... though in all technicality if Seattle wanted a team they could just use the name.

[tamezin]

-"I'll have a vodka cranberry, heavy on the vodka"
-"I'll have a rum and coke, more rum than coke"
-"I'll take a gin and tonic, you can make it strong"
-"I'll take a bourbon with a splash of coke"

Your prices aren't set by the shot? Becuase these are doubles, maybe even triples, so they should be charged more. Isn't that standard?

[KiaKat]

Oh no. See, when they're saying that, they don't mean "give me a double." They mean "give me ALMOST a double, but don't charge me for it."

[Alpha Strike]

3. I'm sure all of you bartenders have heard these common phrases:

-"I'll have a vodka cranberry, heavy on the vodka"
-"I'll have a rum and coke, more rum than coke"
-"I'll take a gin and tonic, you can make it strong"
-"I'll take a bourbon with a splash of coke"

I will usually charge these customers double.

I'm not a drinker and haven't been to a bar in years, so forgive what may be a stupid question but why is this considered a bad thing to do? That is, if someone likes a drink a certain way, don't you want them to tell you upfront? And if they're asking for extra alcohol in their drink, isn't it assumed you're going to charge them for it?

[KiaKat]

See my post directly above yours for the translation from Idiot-to-English.

It's wonderful when a customer says "Vodka/Cranberry, doubleshot" or "double bourbon and Coke." But to say "make it strong" or "heavy on the X" implies the bartender doesn't know how to make a drink, or that the customer wants the bartender to help the customer steal by making the drink stronger than it should be.

Basically, they're trying to get booze for free. It's all about the specific phrase used, and the way it's said.

[missbartender]

See my post directly above yours for the translation from Idiot-to-English.

It's wonderful when a customer says "Vodka/Cranberry, doubleshot" or "double bourbon and Coke." But to say "make it strong" or "heavy on the X" implies the bartender doesn't know how to make a drink, or that the customer wants the bartender to help the customer steal by making the drink stronger than it should be.

Basically, they're trying to get booze for free. It's all about the specific phrase used, and the way it's said.

Exactly, I love it when people ask for doubles because it's showing me that they know and are expecting to pay the higher price.

For the other situations, they just want me to make it strong for them without charging them, and they are generally the people who don't tip either.

At my bar, we are instructed to do a 3 second count of liquor, and the rest juice, soda, or whatever else they want. I usually do 4 seconds. One time I literally had a guy tell me to "keep going with the liquor" when I stopped after 4 seconds. I said, "ok, do you want to make that a double?" His reply, "if it still costs the same, then sure."

Ummmmmmm....no.


Here's another phrase bartenders HATE TO HEAR:

"What's the strongest, cheapest drink you have?"

[KiaKat]

Only a 3-second count? Huh.

I was always taught that 4 seconds is a standard shot. Though the spouts we had were old, worn-out, and always poured a bit too much. So I tended to eyeball it instead. Found that to be a bit more accurate.

And OH GOD YES THE HATRED.

You want cheap? PBR. You want strong? Long Island. You want cheap and strong? Go buy a bottle of Georgi at the store across the street and take it home to chug.

[missbartender]

Only a 3-second count? Huh.

I was always taught that 4 seconds is a standard shot. Though the spouts we had were old, worn-out, and always poured a bit too much. So I tended to eyeball it instead. Found that to be a bit more accurate.

And OH GOD YES THE HATRED.

You want cheap? PBR. You want strong? Long Island. You want cheap and strong? Go buy a bottle of Georgi at the store across the street and take it home to chug.

Hahaha you are my new favorite person!

But yeah, I tend to eyeball it as well. When someone doesn't give me a tip the first time, I do a strict 3 second count. But when my friends or nice tippers come to me, I give them a little extra and will typically do 5 seconds. But for first time customers, I do 4.

I guess the bar where I work is just cheap considering they told us only 3 seconds

[EricKei]

Sure! We have cheap and strong! It's called GROG. You'll have to drink it fast, though, that stuff can eat thru a metal cup in about ten seconds flat...

(cookies shots for the reference)

[AccountingDrone]

Only a 3-second count? Huh.

I was always taught that 4 seconds is a standard shot. Though the spouts we had were old, worn-out, and always poured a bit too much. So I tended to eyeball it instead. Found that to be a bit more accurate.

And OH GOD YES THE HATRED.

You want cheap? PBR. You want strong? Long Island. You want cheap and strong? Go buy a bottle of Georgi at the store across the street and take it home to chug.

Actually I sort of like the taste of a LITea ... though I rarely 'drink for effect' when out because I am the designated driver most times =)

I'm the one that orders a weak gin and tonic and am happy with half shots...or I will order a brandy and spread it through about 6 coffees over the course of an evening

[Ironclad Alibi]

That said I thoroughly enjoy being able to go the bar in my local and watch as the barmaid pours my drink without me even having to ask for the usual!

That's the difference between a restaurant and a pub.

When you go into a restaurant, they say "What you would like to drink?"

When you go into a pub, they say "Here's your drink."

[crashhelmet]

Only a 3-second count? Huh.

I was always taught that 4 seconds is a standard shot. Though the spouts we had were old, worn-out, and always poured a bit too much. So I tended to eyeball it instead. Found that to be a bit more accurate.

Depends on how fast you count. Some bartenders learn to 4 count it so that they can accurately count a half ounce with a 2 count. I was taught a 3 count, but have learned to eye it.

What really gets me about the people that ask for heavy pours are the ones that claim that they're bartenders or used to be bartenders.

SC: C'mon! I'm a bartender. I know that's not a full shot!
Me: Then as a bartender, you should know that I have to pour how the house tells me to pour, not how the customer thinks I should.

The biggest thing about this is that it's very common for the house to get 36 shots out of a 33 ounce bottle. How, you ask? most shot glasses and pour spouts are set for only 7/8 of an ounce.

CH

[missbartender]

URGHHHHHHHHHHH just got home from a horrible night. I had not 1, not 2, but 3 people complain about their tabs tonight (the highest of the 3 tabs was $24). What is it with people who expect not to pay for their drinks?? I just don't get it.

[MoxisPilot]

Speaking of the "splash of x with my y", had a tequila sunrise last night, and I swear, the bartender went apeshit with the tequila.

I don't want to taste liquor in my liquor.

Welcome to the boards. Hope to hear more from you!