I know this is one of the most hotly debated questions ever asked in the bartending job. “Should a bartender really ever be annoyed, after all, he/she is in the service industry?”’ Well, some will still be annoyed by the subject and others will be annoyed by the things that annoy buy bartenders.

At the end of the day, we bartenders, are human and it is in our human nature to be annoyed.

So, what annoys us as bartenders?

1. Be Specific-Know What You Want

Trust me, I was hired one for my ability to be creative and my ability to come up with drinks just for you and in this line of business, the statement “help me help you” plays an important role. Even when you do not know what you want, trust me your taste buds will always want something. So, a statement with, “I don’t mind having something with a gin in it” is a step towards the right direction.

2. Flashing Your Money So That You Get Served

Trust me, I see you when you get in the bar. Ad I have a memory who gets in the bar and in what order.  Like any other self-respecting thing, I would like to be done to me also, is to serve the people in that particular order as well. This will not make me give you any faster treatment or circumnavigate you miraculously to the start of the line.

3. Snapping Your Fingers To Get Their Attention

Before proceeding, remember to always keep calm in the bar.  It is important, not only for me but also for everyone else. Anything that goes in with trying too much to get my attention, trust me it is in this list, this includes a whistle, a shout and anything that you would not like to do in the real world.

4. Ripping Napkins And Bottle Labels Into Small Tiny Pieces And Leaving Them On Them Scattered On The Table

The napkins and coasters play an important role in keeping the bar clean. Please also not chew on the straws.  These are also not meant to put in your olive pits on them. This as well goes to trash you put in the glass as well.  This will have to come out before it goes to the dishwasher. By all means be responsible enough to put the trash in the bin and also exercise some self-control and not chew the straws or tear up napkins and bottle labels into confetti.

5. Trying To “Persuade” Them For A Drink After-Hour

Unless you do not care if I spend a night or so in jail, by all means, go ahead. But I will need to remind you that there are laws that are against this kind of request. But I really do not want to spend the night in a jail somewhere.

6. Ordering A Drink And Taking It Back Saying It Is Not What You Wanted Or It Does Not Taste Right

If the drink is not what you ordered, by all means, I will accept my mistake and take it back. In the case of the drink is the right one but it does not taste a little bit different compared to what you had the last you were here, then something definitely has to do with your taste buds. I will not take that back.

7. It’s My Birthday, I Want Free Drinks

The easiest way not to get a free drink is to ask for one. This goes for “it is my birthday” statement. It is someone’s birthday every single time. I will be glad and very happy to wish you a birthday but kindly also remember I am working and also trying very hard to make a living. We are also human, at the end of the day, if I want to give you a free drink, trust me, I will. It will eventually come if you are a good customer. After all who doesn’t like a freebie?

8. Trying To Negotiate The Price

Never ever has it ever worked like this, when a drink is $5 then that is the price, do not pull the “what is that the best offer?” For me, I serve and ask the price as indicated in the menu or as dictated. This is the price that everyone else is charged.  My apologies if the price does not suit you. This also goes also to you who waits until I make the drink then starts scrambling into your wallet or pull out some crumpled bills to pay when I am done with making the drink. That is why I tell you the price before it starts making it

9. Make It Strong, There Is A Good Tip For You

True, I will not deny it, I do love big tips but there is a certain number of drinks that my bottle needs to make.  So if you ask me to put in less ice or put your drink in the tallest glass available or generally anything related to making it strong for you, the same amount booze goes into it.

10. Sexual Harassment Is A No No

I think there are laws everywhere that protect you against sexual harassment at the workplace. Just because I work at a bar does not mean I am not working, this is my workplace and not a place for me to date. There are available people in the bar who are already drunk and ready to be hit on. Why of all people would you choose to hit on the sober one?

How to not annoy your bartender? Remember we are all humans and yes, the bar is a place to have fun and let loss but that does not mean that your manners need to be left at the door once you get in the bar. Let us make the world a better place by treating each other nice and have a good time.