Bartenders usually just stick to serving drinks and making light conversation with the customers, but sometimes they don't stick to to the script. These bartenders should take a course on customer service and try again, but this time with way less attitude!
If You Want A Glass, You Better Tip
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“I was at a bar one time and ordered a pitcher of beer for myself and my friends and needed a few glasses, obviously. So the bartender gave me the pitcher and I was waiting for the glasses. And waiting. And waiting, but she was doing other stuff.
So I said, ‘Hey, can I have some glasses please?’ She turned around, looked me dead in the eye, grabbed the tip jar, and banged it up and down.
What?! I mean, give me basic service, first! I’m not going to tip you for doing half of your job! Heck, I don’t even owe you a tip for doing 100% of your job!”
His Drink Choices Were Too “Complicated”
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“I was at the Cosmopolitan in Vegas at a cocktail bar and ordered an Old Fashioned. The bartender said, ‘Not making that, pick something else,’ so I ordered a Manhattan. He then replied, ‘Buddy, we’re slammed and it’s just before closing, pick a well drink or leave.’ I chose to leave.
The funny thing is, they were the furthest from crowded I’ve ever seen a Vegas bar, it was 1 am and right after me he made a girl a martini.”
Dumping Drinks Isn’t Cool, Lady!
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“It was the Superbowl, which happened to be on my birthday, and I was out at the Irish pub down the street with my girlfriend.
I was sitting at the bar drinking a beer, and I had maybe an inch of beer left in my glass. Bartender comes by, grabbed it and dumped it before I could say anything.
Ok, whatever. She made a mistake, there wasn’t much left. No big deal. I ordered another beer.
And she does it again, but this time, the glass was maybe 40% full. It’s crowded and busy, but I was finally able to get her attention and tell her she dumped out my drink. Twice.
She had the manager come talk to me, I explained, and they brought me a new beer, but they kept giving me mean looks the rest of the night, and the bartender wouldn’t even make eye contact. Seriously? I’ve worked in so many restaurants, don’t act like I’m being a jerk customer, cause I know I’m not.”
She Gave Her Card Away, Then Had The Nerve To Blame Her For It
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“The worst bartender I ever encountered gave my card to someone else. I had a tab open, but was away from the bar most of the night because there was an open mic comedy night going on in the upstairs part of the bar. When my boyfriend and I went down to order another round, he cashed out his tab, and I figured I would do the same. The bartender said, ‘I already cashed you out, you were sitting right there.’
I told her, ‘No, I haven’t been sitting at the bar all night.’
Her: ‘Well, I’m not stupid.’
Me: ‘I never said you were, but I have not cashed out my tab.’
At that point, she rolled her eyes, and I asked to talk to the manager. He apologized, and I guess I ended up not having to pay for the two drinks I had ordered because I reported my card as stolen to the bank the next day. It’s not ok to just give credit cards to the wrong person, and even worse that the bartender acted like it was something I had done wrong. Even though the manager apologized, I really would have expected him to at least comp both of our tabs, give me a gift card, or something other than just ‘Sorry our bartender is incompetent and caused you the inconvenience of having to get a replacement card.’ Paraphrasing, he didn’t actually acknowledge the fact I had to go a week without the only card I use.”
He Just Wanted A Quick Drink, But He Just Got Ridiculed Instead
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“I had 20 minutes before my next appointment across the street, so I decided to grab a drink. I asked for a rum and coke. The guy gave me 95% rum, 5% coke. I couldn’t drink that in 15 minutes. I said, ‘Hey man, sorry to bug ya, but this is a bit too harsh for me, can you dilute it a bit?’ I had drunk enough to leave room for more coke to be added.
‘Sure, here you go…wimp.’ All the bar patrons laughed at me. Yeah, I’m definitely coming to this place again, thanks guy.”
He Got Real Snippy About The Tip
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“I spent the evening buying $7 gin & tonics, tipping $3 on each for my friends and myself. At the end of the night, after something like 6 rounds, I had exactly $7 left, so saw it as fate and ordered one last drink.
As I counted out my last seven $1 bills, the bartender saw I wasn’t going to tip him this time. So he glared at me and said, ‘Hey, if you don’t have the money, you don’t go out, jerk.’
I’d probably tipped him close to $70 up to that point.”
It’s Normal To Check IDs, But Not That Often!
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“He asked for my ID every time I ordered a drink. I understand you need to be careful about this sort of thing. I understand if I’m getting a drink from a different bartender. I understand if it’s busy and you can’t remember my face.
What I don’t understand is when it’s a slow night and you have already served me a couple times, I’ve been sitting at the bar the whole time drinking, and you insist on seeing my ID in a condescending tone before serving me another. Trust me, in the time between this drink and the last, I did not get any younger.”
She Knew Something Was Off From The First Sip
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“This happened last week:
Me: ‘Hey, what kind of beer is x beer?’
Bartender: ‘Oh, that’s a German hefeweizen. Very wheaty.’
Me: ‘Great. I’m just in the mood for a hefeweizen.’ I take a sip. ‘Oh, my God, is that grapefruit?’
Bartender: ‘Yeah! It’s half grapefruit and half hefeweizen!’
Me: ‘Why didn’t you mention the grapefruit? I’m allergic to it!’
Bartender: ‘Oh, I’m so sorry! Do you want another drink?’
Me: ‘God, yes, anything without fruit juice in it.’
Bartender: ‘OK, here you go. That’ll be $14 for both drinks.’
Me: ‘Nope. Peace.'”
“He Called Me Buddy. Don’t Call Me Buddy”
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“I ordered a drink and handed over my license. The bartender handed it back to me and asked for a second form of ID. And, to me, a second form of ID is usually understood as a birth certificate, social security card, or passport, which of course, I didn’t have on me.
So I told him, ‘No, why would I have a second form of ID?’
He gave me the dirtiest look and said, ‘You don’t have ANYTHING else with your name on it to verify that this is you?’
I said that I had a credit card. His response was, ‘Well buddy, does your credit card have your name on it?’
I said, ‘Yeah it does, but that’s not what you asked me for, you asked me for ID. I wouldn’t consider a credit card ID, sorry.’
I handed it to him, he compared the name to my license (which are the same), and then he told me to leave, that he didn’t trust me, and he wouldn’t serve me.
I’ve worked in restaurants, I’ve served alcohol, I understand being serious about carding, but there’s no need to be a giant douche about it. And he called me buddy. Don’t call me buddy.”
God Forbid You Order Something Off The Menu
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“I have bartenders get visibly annoyed when I order anything more complicated than a bottle of beer. Yes, I know that mojitos are time-consuming to make, but this is a beach town, most of your customers are on vacation, you have a huge bowl of mint right on display, and if you didn’t act like I just demanded that you pay off my student loans, I would have given you a bigger tip to compensate for the time you took to make my drink that you could have been serving someone else. If it’s that difficult for you to make complex cocktails, don’t put them on your menu.”
The Bartender Thought Insulting Them Was The Right Way To Treat Customers
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“I was at a Bachelor party in San Francisco. A bunch of us decided to get every shot mentioned in the ‘Shots’ song by LMFAO and went to a bar. After Jaegarbombs and Lemondrops, we ordered Buttery Nipples. The bartender shook his head and, in a very condescending way, said, ‘You guys are ordering shots like college girls.’ Do your job, Tom, and pour me a freaking Buttery Nipple!”
“Long Islands Aren’t Pink.”
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“I went to a local bar and ordered a Long Island. This place was popular in town for not using a pre-made mixer, but making it with the individual ingredients. I hadn’t had one in awhile and wanted something tasty, but traditional. What I get served was some pink-colored monstrosity. I asked the bartender, ‘Excuse me, but I think you gave me the wrong drink.’
Her response: ‘No, you ordered a Long Island, right?’
Me: ‘Yeah, but this is pink. Long Islands aren’t pink.’
Her: ‘I put grenadine in Long Islands. That’s how I make them.’
Me: ‘That’s not what I ordered, though.’
She eventually made me a proper drink, but acted as though I was a complete idiot for asking for the thing I wanted. I went back the next night, (just to make sure that wasn’t like a special thing that bar did) and ordered a Long Island from a different bartender. He makes me a real Long Island. No grenadine. Serve what I ask for. I don’t care if you personally like/do it a different way. If I’m paying for it, I should be getting the drink I ask for; no special twists or additions unless it’s something your bar actually advertises. Even then, if I ask for a drink without looking at the drink menu, ask me if I want it the right way or not.”
That’s Not An Order They’d Expect From Someone Like Him
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“I was at Applebee’s with my buddies for a drink, and most of them got beer. I happened to be feeling particularly classy this evening, and ordered a Manhattan. I don’t think the waitress had ever had someone order one, because she put it in the computer and then had to come back and ask me what kind of bourbon I wanted (no problem at all, I’m sure they don’t get it much).
The bartender came up to our table a few minutes later and asked if someone ordered a Manhattan (again, not a concern because I doubt it’s popular), and then said, ‘I just wanted to make sure, because normally only 80-year-old men order this.’ I’m 25, so screw you, and enjoy being a bartender at Applebee’s while I graduate with my EE degree.”
He Dared To Take A Sip From Her Drink
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“I ordered a pint, and the glass was dirty. Obviously dirty. I could feel that it was dirty in my hand, I could see that there was stuff in my drink that should not be in my drink. Ever been handed a glass with lipstick still on it? I have.
If I put the drink back on the bar (or walk up to the bar with it, if someone else has bought it for me) and say, ‘Sorry mate, this glass is dirty – mind sorting me out another?’ there is a short list of things that I expect to happen:
1) I get a brief expression of regret that my pint is unsatisfactory. You don’t have to formally apologise to me, you could just say, ‘Aw shoot, that happens sometimes – let me just sort that out for you,’ and I will be satisfied.
2) I get a fresh pint
3) In a fresh glass
4) Without paying any more money.
I do not want you to pour my contaminated pint into a clean glass. I do not want to buy another pint. I do not want you to imply that I have for some reason rendered my pint undrinkable in order to get a new one. Why would I do that? Why would I want a new full pint in exchange for a different full pint of the same thing? I also do not want you to take a mouthful and say, ‘It tastes fine,’ and put it back on the bar in front of me.
I have had all these things done to me. Particularly when I was a short, young, blonde woman. I don’t think people expected short, young blonde women with sweet faces and big boobs to make succinct and well-worded complaints to their managers.”
This Bartender Thought They Could Decide Their Own Tip
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“I paid for a couple drinks with two $20 bills. There should have been $14 in change. The bartender walked in my direction, then suddenly turned around and threw my $14 in the tip jar. It took me 10 minutes to get her attention again and when I asked why she hadn’t given me the change, she sarcastically said, ‘Sorry, you left.’ I literally hadn’t moved. Bartenders usually don’t even get tips where I live. They’re paid a lot better than waitresses/waiters and get a cut from the servers’ tips.”
This Female Bartender Has Real Issues With Tipping
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“I kid you not, the other night I was at a bar and tipping $1 for every $3 beer I got. After my third round, the bartender asked why I kept tipping her, so I said, ‘Because that’s what you’re supposed to do?’
She then told me, ‘Well then, I’m not going to serve you anymore.’
I was rather blown away, and she was dead serious. Then some dude even started calling me ‘Big Tipper’ in a sarcastic tone. I figured $1 per beer was adequate at a not so nice bar…maybe she thought I was trying to hit on her, but I wasn’t even talking to her and was with another girl. I’m telling you weirdest night of my life. “
He Took His Drink, Then Argued With Him About It
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“Do NOT pick up my glass and take it from me if it’s still got some left in it. I actually had a bartender sit there and debate with me on whether there was any drink left. I don’t mind you asking, that’s good service. But if I want to keep my drink, don’t argue with me about it being almost empty. Seriously, what’s wrong with you? Give me two more minutes with it. I actually had a crazy bartender sit there and debate with me on whether there was any drink left.”
He Waited For So Long Before Finally Taking Things Into His Own Hands
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“I went at a bar once that had maybe 5-6 people already there, but the bartender was nowhere to be found. After about 10 minutes, the bartender still wasn’t back. I put my $5 behind the bar and began to pour myself a beer when one of the guys at the bar started barking at me to stop. Turns out he was the bartender. I explained that I’d been waiting a while and had paid for the drink (and tipped, pints were only $4). He then said to me, ‘Yeah I know, I saw you waiting. I was waiting to see if you’d try to pour your own drink.’
I realize that that is a big ‘no-no’ for a patron, but when you’re a jerk about it, I don’t really care.”
Apparently, That Was A Trip Too Far For Him
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“One time, I had a bartender give me attitude for ordering a beer from the tap that wasn’t immediately within reach. There were two sets of taps, one behind him, one like 8 feet away. The beer I wanted was on the latter. He made the most annoyed face and handed it to me with an attitude. In his defense, it was a college bar on a busy night, but still, he definitely did not receive a tip.”
He’s A Friendly Guy, But Definitely A Scammer
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“There’s a bar I frequent and one of the bartenders is a friendly dude, like, overly friendly. He’s a scammer. You go up to the bar after you’ve been there a while and he’s all, ‘Oh hey man! Good to see you! Hey, try this one out, I’m experimenting!’ and hands you a pre-made cocktail. Something with a lot of weird crap in it. Sets it up so you think he’s just giving you a drink on the house, since it’s an experiment and all, then at the end of the night there’s an extra $11 on your tab. Typing it out now in the broad daylight it sounds crazy anyone would fall for it, but you know how it is when you’re out and having fun. All the other employees there hate him for it, but the owner doesn’t care because it brings in money.”
It’s So Annoying When Pals Of The Bartender Get Special Treatment
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“The other day, I walked into a bar alone and there were two stools open. As I was pulling one out to sit, the bartender ran over and went, ‘Uh, my friends are gonna sit here, do you mind taking a table?’ I just left. There was also the time the bartender was obviously serving their friends free shots in front of me and other patrons. It’s ok sometimes to give your buddies free stuff where you work, but don’t start screaming ‘SHOTSIES ON DAH HOUSE,’ and cheering each other when everyone else is waiting with their money.”
Way To Shame A Paying Customer, Jerk!
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“I went to the bar once with a friend who was just passing through, I ordered two beers and just had enough to pay for both of them.
So when the bartender saw that I only put down the exact amount of money and no extra for tip, he took away one of the beers.
I told him that was all I had, he didn’t believe me, and I didn’t have time to argue so I just took the one beer for my friend and left no tip.
Nice bar, but that type of entitled attitude just ticks me off.”
