A week ago, Lance and I went on a bit of a bar hop--for research purposes, of course. I'm trying to pitch an article about salsa and Austin, so I've been pooling as much research as possible. We tried four downtown restaurants suggested to us, and... it was underwhelming.
Now, we work on the weekends, like a lot of bartenders do. Our work week is Wednesday through Saturday, so Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday have always been our weekend days. I think a lot of service industry people would agree that there are more service industry people going out for dinner on those slower days than on the busier weekend nights. So why did all our bartenders treat us so weirdly?
We only received appalling service at one bar. We received mediocre annoying service at two. The fourth place we visited actually had wonderful staff, but their food and drinks were so disappointing we couldn't bring ourselves to stay.
The purpose of this blog is not the bash these restaurants. If I wanted to bitch and moan about some bartender that ignored me or really gross drinks, I'd post on yelp. But I don't think that's constructive. What I do think is constructive is a conversation about manners and respect, and I think a lot of service industry people have lost their grip those two things.
Bartenders, I understand your job. I feel your frustrations. When I sit at your bar, you don't know me, but I am respectful of you and your space. I smile, I say thank you, I wait patiently without waving you down, I don't talk on my phone when you're trying to take my order, and I never never special order. Because I take the time to do these small things, I have a few small requests for you:
Please don't assume that I don't know anything about tequila, or scotch, or whatever you're trying to sell me. You are welcome to ask questions to get a feel for my level of knowledge, but for the most part I know more about tequila than any of you, because I literally wrote a book on it. I find it insulting when waiters or bartenders explain to me how tequila is made--especially when they get something wrong. The odds you will end up looking like a fool are much higher than the odds you will look smart.
Please don't assume that we are going to eat at your bar, but also please don't assume that we aren't. Ask if we'd like food menus and go from there.
Yes, I am a woman. Please don't assume that whatever you think "the ladies like" will be something that I would enjoy. If you insist on thinking that all women like the same drinks, then please don't say it out loud. Ever.
While I do understand that many bartenders drink while they work, especially near the end of the night, please make sure that your bar guests are taken care of before you throw back a shot with the wasted ladies at the end of the bar. Especially when the bar is slow. If you have time to take that shot, you had time to pour us the shot we'd been trying to order for five minutes. While you having a good time doesn't bother me, this makes you look like a twat. So quit it. I'm embarrassed for you.
My boyfriend smokes cigarettes during his shift, too. But he always asks his bar guests if they'll be okay while he steps out for a moment, or he asks someone to keep an eye on the bar. You're not getting paid to smoke. And for the love of God, grab a mint.
Some tequila bars have started serving a wide variety of "backs" with tequila shots. If you do have a variety, don't assume that we'd like one--especially when we order them "naked." And when we don't take part in your weird addition, don't explain to us after the fact that we should have followed the shot with your bland tomato juice. We get it. We don't like it.
Also, if you're having a fight with the other bartender, don't take it out on us. We didn't need menus to be thrown at us, nor did we need to see our basket of chips spin around 360 degrees as you tossed it on the bar in front of us. Kiss and make up or GET OVER IT.
I know that there are bartenders out there that don't do these things, so this is for the other half. Please, bartenders, please. We're happy to be at your bar. Don't make us feel like you aren't happy we're there.
Posts
