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FeaturesBars

19 Annoying Things Bartenders Wish You Would Stop Doing

By
Business Insider
Business Insider
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By
Business Insider
Business Insider
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November 20, 2017, 1:36 PM ET
Cocktail on Bar with Stirrer
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When there’s drinking involved, your bad habits tend to be amplified.

As one bartender told Business Insider, “We are people too. How would you feel if we came to your job and did the things you do to us?”

If you have any sympathy for your bartender, you’d make an effort to do better.

To help you out, we asked bartenders everywhere to share the annoying things they wish customers would stop doing, and more than 30 were happy to chime in.

Here are 19 things you may not have even known you were doing wrong this whole time.

Clicking or snapping your fingers at them

“Say excuse me, politely putting your hand up without waving it in the air. Just wait your turn. We see you, I promise. Never snap your fingers.”

Yelling at bartenders to get a drink made right away

“You’re not the only customer in the bar, so we’ll get to you when we get to you, especially if its busy.”

Waving to get the bartender’s attention

“The finger wave must have originated in the 7th circle of hell.”

“We see you. No need to wave or do weird hand gestures.”

For that matter, any obnoxious attempt to get their attention

“Don’t yell at us if you have been waiting for more than a minute to be served.

“If you are looking like you’re about to vent your frustrations on us, then we will ignore you until we are calm enough to handle your attitude.

“You shouldn’t wave money at us, stand on chairs and lunge all the way over the bar top to try and grab us, and you definitely shouldn’t be screaming ‘HEY’ followed by your drink order.”

Unless it’s kid-friendly, bringing your baby into a bar

“Stop bringing strollers into the bar. Just stop.”

Read more: Bartenders reveal what customers’ drink orders say about them

Asking for ‘whatever’ and not meaning it

“It’s annoying when customers say, ‘I don’t know, make me anything to drink.’ I say, ‘Okay great! I’m going to make you my favorite cocktail.’ And then, ‘Oh, you don’t like gin?'”

Expecting free drinks

“Just because we both like the same team, went to the same college, or you displayed normal human decency over the past three hours, doesn’t mean you’re getting free drinks or a discount.”

Using a credit card to pay for a single drink

“Running credit cards is more time consuming than a cash transaction, and the tiny tip from one drink is not worth my extra time.”

Closing your tab every time you order something

“If you’re worried about leaving your card or getting too drunk to remember it, it’s a safer bet we keep it than you. Just come back the next day and we will happily give it back with an itemized receipt.”

Not ordering everything at once

“Don’t have me make a margarita, then order your buddy a beer only to realize his girl wanted a margarita, too.”

Hitting on your bartender

“Stop hitting on your bartender! The bartender does not want to date you.”

Read more: A bartender says there’s a disgusting reason to order beer or wine over cocktails

Using your cell phone while ordering

“Keep looking up and not on your phone posting photos on Instagram.”

Spreading your germs

“Please stop reaching dirty hands into fruit trays to eat garnishes! And don’t leave your chewed, unwrapped wad of gum on the bar.”

It’s dirty enough as it is.

Asking, ‘What beer do you have?’

“Most of the places I’ve worked ins more than 10 drafts, bottles, and cans of beer.”

Treating your bartender like a robot

“We’re people — please treat us as such.

“I love interacting with bar patrons most of the time, but occasionally I’ll get someone who seems to think I’m a drink-making robot whose only role is feeding booze to them and them only.

“Eye contact, greetings, please and thank you — I’ll respond in kind, and we’ll all have more pleasant interactions.”

Asking for a charge

“No, I will not charge your phone!”

Read more: Bartenders reveal why they judge anyone who orders shots of top-shelf liquor

Not knowing where you are

“Not all bars are the same, and they differ greatly from city to city, not to mention country to country. A dive bar in New Orleans may make a killer piña colada, but one in NYC probably won’t. Try to be aware of your surroundings.”

Asking for that one drink you had that one time that you don’t remember the name of

“Don’t say, ‘Um, what’s that drink called again? I got it before. It’s lovely. It might have vodka in it. Umm…'”

“Seriously, make up your mind or you’re having vodka Coke.”

Not tipping well

“Tip based on price, plain and simple. A dollar per drink doesn’t always cut it. A cocktail that has multiple steps and intricate ingredients costs $14 for a reason. It takes time and effort. Tip accordingly.”

This article originally appeared on BusinessInsider.com

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