10 Things That Secretly Annoy Your Bartender, According to Reddit

Dining and drinking out is one of life’s simple pleasures, but not every guest experience is a walk in the park for servers and bartenders. From horrible tips to borderline out of control requests from patrons, hospitality can be a tough gig, and sometimes, service staff needs to air out their grievances — no matter how petty. So when we stumbled across a Reddit post from r/bartenders asking members of the trade to share their weird pet peeves on the job (that aren’t worth complaining about), our attention was piqued.

While some annoyances, like one Redditor’s disdain for customers thanking them when they place a candle on the table, are a bit ridiculous. Others however, like throwing garnishes directly onto a bar counter, have a bit more validity to them. Interested to see if you do anything that may be pissing off your bartender? Check out 10 of the top petty annoyances from bartenders, according to Reddit.

Requesting a menu without responding to your server’s greeting.

It seems like it should go without saying, but when your bartender or server comes up to greet you, saying hello back before making any demands is generally the polite thing to do. While you may be in a rush, or excited to see the list of cocktails, remember that your server is still a human being, and therefore deserves a bit of decency before requests are fielded and orders are placed.

Snatching away a coaster before your bartender sets your drink down.

We understand the impulse to have your drink as close to you as possible, but when a coaster or cocktail napkin is placed before you, make sure your bartender has time to set your actual drink down before pulling it closer to you. Oftentimes, bartenders and servers are carrying a number of drinks at once and place coasters in the easiest spot for them to reach so drinks don’t go toppling into your lap. Have some patience and allow for your drink to wind up on the table before adjusting its position.

Tossing unwanted garnishes on the bartop.

This one’s worth complaining about. We get that cocktail garnishes may not be desired by everyone, but getting rid of one by throwing it onto the bar itself is unruly behavior. If you don’t want a garnish, be brave and tell your bartender you don’t want one. And if your drink comes with one that you don’t want, ask for a cocktail napkin to set it on rather than just setting it on the bar. Come on now.

Asking if there is a bathroom / where the bathroom is.

Some bars and restaurants can have a confusing layout and it may be necessary to ask where the bathroom is so you don’t wind up in the kitchen instead. But if you’re in a relatively small space, it’s pretty likely that you can figure it out yourself, and bartenders are getting tired of you asking for directions.

Putting anything but liquid in your drinking glass.

While it may seem like a nice idea in theory to clean up your table by putting everything in your glass so it’s easier for wait staff, this is really more trouble than it’s worth. When your glasses head to the back to be washed, all of the contents must be emptied out, so filling it up with napkins and wrappers can make for a pretty nasty cleanup. Just let your bartender handle it and leave your glass empty when your drink is drained.

Asking if a bar is open when it’s slow.

We get it, an empty bar during opening hours can be confusing. But if the door is unlocked and there’s a person behind the bar, it’s probably safe to assume that the bar is open, and it’s probably not worth checking with the bartender to make sure. Just order a drink.

Ordering macro lagers… at a craft brewery.

This is just strange. If you’re going to a local brewery, or a taproom offering craft beer selections, you should probably order one of their beers, not a macro lager available all over the country. Not only is it a strange request when there’s plenty of other beers available, but it’s also possible that the brewery doesn’t even carry it anyways. If they do, you may run the risk of paying a premium. Experiment a bit, you may just find your new favorite brew.

Over enunciating the “T” in Tito’s.

Petty annoyance indeed, but the vodka brand is called Tito’s, not tea-toes.

Complaining about prices.

In the age of inflation, prices can sometimes be eye-popping. But trust and believe that complaining about them to your bartender is not only annoying, but it’s useless. They don’t control the prices, they just serve you the drink. If you don’t want to pay the price, drinking at home is significantly cheaper.

Requesting the bartender alter a drink on the menu for your specific likes and dislikes.

If you’re paying a good deal of money for a cocktail, it’s fair to expect it to be in accordance with your palate. However, bartenders and beverage directors spend a tremendous amount of time perfecting each and every drink on their menu for optimal flavor, balance, and alcohol volume. Not only do requests like “make it less sweet” annoy bartenders, but it can also cast judgment on their command of ingredients. Try the drink as is. If you hate it, order something else next time.