We asked bartenders the worst things you can do while ordering at the bar

Can you please not whisper your order, sir

| UPDATED

Being a bartender low key sucks. You realise this when you ask any bartender what they hate most about people’s ordering habits, and no matter how long they were bar staff for, or how long ago they had the job, there is a deep pool of untapped rage within them, ready to burst out. If there was an oil deposit as big as the rage bartenders reserve for the people they serve, we’d be rich forever.

It’s a job that requires constant one on one, close contact with drunk people. It’s a wonder that bar staff don’t have the self importance and unprovoked anger of bouncers, honestly, they have to deal with just as much shit and don’t even get the sexy high vis vests to go with it.

Everyone knows that there’s nothing fun about drunk people when you’re sober. Everyone knows this, yes, until they get drunk. Then they’re incapable of thinking about how they come across to bar staff and think it’s super chill to playfully reach across the bar, shout for service or – God forbid – ask for a Guinness last. If you’ve worked in a bar and want to feel your rage validated, or if you’ve never been a bartender in your life and just want tips on how to not be a dick, you’re in the right place.

Any kind of leaning across the bar

“When people signal to come closer so they can talk to your ear and literally lean over the bar and try to TOUCH you, like ordering drinks isn’t that hard please don’t touch me.” – Emma

“People leaning off the bar and sticking their hands out thinking that you’re going to serve them faster. Nah mate, it’s the opposite.” – Henry

“Standing over the bar and then leaning and waving… so rude.” – Hannah

Basically being on your phone at any point

“People going on their phone is a big no. I would refuse to serve people. Insanely rude.” – Josh

When people think they can determine the order of who gets served

“When people push to the front of the bar then claim that ‘I’M NEXT’ like no you’re not hun, don’t be rude and wait like all of us.” – Emma

Ordering each drink one by one

“Ordering every drink one by one is so annoying because they order a new drink every time you come back to the bar, instead of ordering the whole round in one so you can just whiz through it.” – Rosie

Whispering your order

“People come to the bar and fully whisper their order, my skills in lipreading are good but oh my fucking God please speak up hun.” – Emma

Picking ice out of the drink

“When a customer tells you EXPLICITLY that they want ice and lemon in their drink and then they… pick it out anyway. And leave it on the bar.” – Immy

Ordering a Guinness last

“I could go on all day about this. You have to pour it in two goes, so you fill up about 1/3, then it sits for a minute or so to settle. Then you fill it up to the top otherwise it’s all wrong and frothy. So when someone’s already ordered sooo many drinks then decides to order a Guinness last – because they think it’s better to order them one by one like you can’t remember anything – you have to pour it then when you could have done it first and let it settle. Ugh.” – Devon

Being impatient

“Impatience. Beer only pours at one speed, I can’t fast-forward pouring a pint.” – Lizzie

Not being specific with your order

“I worked in a beer pub with like a billion different beers and then people would come up to the bar and say ‘a beer please’. WHICH ONE???” – Kit

Asking for the same again

“Saying ‘I’ll have the same again please’ when I’ve served like 70 people since you last came over.”

Putting the cash on the bar

“You hold your hand out for the cash and they look you in the eye and drop it in a puddle on the bar.” – Asher

Ordering an excessive amount of shots or jagerbombs

“Ugh when rugby boys come in on sports night and are like ‘right, I’ll have thirty jagerbombs’ like are you kidding me. Whenever its a long order I ALWAYS double check so if they ever say that I can say ‘well I double checked’, they can’t backtrack. And then I make them pay hehe.” – Emma

Hitting on the person serving you

“When people forcefully hit on you when it’s clear you’re not interested (i.e I’m 30 years younger than them.) Also I regularly have to pretend to be my female colleagues’ boyfriend to make creepy guys go away.” – Max

Arguing with another customer over who should be served first

“It’s super annoying when customers argue with who was first, even if they’re doing it in a nice way. It just wastes time, like they could both be served in the time it took them to debate that.” – Meera

Critiquing how anyone pulls a pint

“Don’t comment on how I pull pints, I know I’m shit I don’t need to hear it from you.” – Hannah

“Anyone critiquing how I pull pints I automatically hate.” – Gina

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