13 Things Your Bartender Won't Tell You

Reader s Digest Magazine

By Bridget Nelson Monroe

Bartenders share their secrets, tips and best etiquette advice.

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1. Yell, whistle, or wave money and I'm going to make you wait. Make eye contact and smile, and I'll come over as soon as I can. Know what you want and have your money ready. Don't create a traffic jam.

2. Start a tab. If I swipe your card five times this evening, that's five times as much paperwork I have to do
at 4 a.m.

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3. You want a drink made "strong?" Then order a double-for double the price. 4. Liquor sales in bars and restaurants were down 2.2 percent last year. Even beer sales are slow. But people scrimp on food first, drinks second.

5. A lot of bars have comp tabs, which allows me to give away drinks. It's smart business and helps build a base of regulars.



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6. Bars that don't have regulars (in hotels, airports) have started using wireless gadgets that measure how much is poured and automatically ring up each shot. They're meant to prevent overpouring and to cut losses, but I don't like them-neither do customers.

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7. If your tipping guideline is still "a buck a drink," listen closely: That doesn't fly if you order a $12 cocktail. Tip at least 15 percent.

8. At some bars, the sliced fruit garnishes sit out until they're gone, sometimes for days. Munch accordingly.

9. The smoothest guys compliment a woman, then walk away-it's very nonthreatening.

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10. I have the police on speed dial, and I never hesitate to call.

11. Don't order a round of drinks after last call. Last call applies to everyone-even you.

12. Some of us get a cut from the cab company when we call a taxi for a tipsy patron. Not that I've ever done that, of course.

13. Last week, a couple had a little too much and got into a dumb argument, then asked me to choose the "winner" of the fight. There isn't a tip big enough to get me involved in that situation!

Sources: David Craver, president, National Bartenders Association, and anonymous bartenders in Boston, Kentucky, Florida, California, and Illinois.