Am I allowed to order the bartender a drink?
Buying a drink or shot for your bartender is always a nice gesture, but there are obviously some important things to keep in mind before you do. The first is what your intentions are. If you’re buying a drink as a way to hit on the person behind the bar, ask for your bill, pay your tab, and leave. No one wants to be hit on while they’re at work — though trust us, this happens a lot — so don’t try to be all smooth. If your bartender is interested, let them make the move, not you.
If, however, you’re buying them the drink as a thank you for the wonderful drinks and service, tell them so. A simple way to handle this is by saying something like, “I’ve really had an awesome time hanging out with you and would love to treat you to a drink. What would you like?” It’s as simple as that. Then, the bartender can let you know if they are allowed to accept a drink from you or not, as some bars may have rules about allowing them to drink while working, and can also choose what they like to drink. If they have to refuse the drink, the nice thing to do would be to add the cost of the drink to your overall tip.
My friend thinks he knows everything about wine and he’s usually wrong. Where should I tell him to check his facts?
If I switch from beer to wine (or wine to spirits or white wine to red wine or something) will I get a hangover?
While you’ve probably heard the saying, “liquor before beer in the clear, beer before liquor never sicker,” you actually aren’t more likely to get a hangover based on the order in which you consume different alcohols. You are, however, more likely to get a hangover if you drink a lot, no matter the substance or order. So practice drinking responsibly, and this will never be an issue for you.
