I had another customer walk in and in front of the 20 taps ask what kind of beer we had. I gave him a pass though since he and his hot girlfriend were from Switzerland.
Don’t recall if I ever told this story here before, but, sometime in June 2006 or October 2007…
At a wine shop/bar on Place Carnot in the old town of Beaune (I’ve forgotten the name, though I remember it was one of the few shops that carried wines with age - mostly all Burgs, naturally, with a smattering of Bdx), I was browsing through their bottles beside the bar (manned by 2 bartenders), a very tall fellow (American from his accent) asks in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear: “Do you have any pinot noir? I want a glass of pinot noir!” One bartender looks stunned for about half a second, then proceeds to pour him a glass before he starts speaking to the other bartender. I listened in, I have to admit, but, to their credit, they made no condescending remark of any kind.
Best,
N
My only input is that if the taps are behind the bar, most of the time my old eyes can’t make out what is what.
Agree with the surprise, if Im sitting there watching, Im paying my bill and leaving without a tip.
When it is busy, you should know what you want prior to stepping to the bar. I have no patience for unprepared people. And by the way he left $2.00 on a $10.00 tab. 
Bar Nazi!
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You’re welcome to believe that but the interaction wouldve rubbed me the wrong way even if not directed at me. Nice of him to tip you.
Is this for real? or are you being sarcastic? I can’t quite tell. .
If it’s for real, wow. I mean…what if he’s someone who doesn’t frequent bars? that’s how you treat new customers?
Thats no way to treat ANY customer. No tip from me. Nothing worse than a bartender who’s too cool.
Remind me to never frequent this bar when you are working. Like it on not Mike, YOU are in the service industry. If I was your manager and overheard this exchange, you would sternly be told that if you every treat a customer like that again, you will be looking for new employment.
Absolutely +10
Too cool for me.
“When it is busy, you should know what you want prior to stepping to the bar. I have no patience for unprepared people.”
No patience?Find another job that doesn’t involve civility…
Ugh. Another service industry people versus non-service industry people. Mike isn’t saying he’s flip with every customer. He’s just telling you about instances where customers can be really dopey or a PIA. Remember these the next time you feel your hide chaffed because someone made you wait a couple minutes longer than you wanted to for service. A bar operates much differently than a restaurant in most cases. Don’t go into somewhere with the expectation that the customer is always right. That is a fantasy.
As a bartender on a busy night where we would have three people deep down the length of the bar. I would try to get to everyone in the order they came to the bar. If someone waited five minutes for me to come take their order and when I do they turn around to ask what their party of eight wants, I move on. There are people ready to order who have been waiting just as long. Its a bar. You know why you are there. You basically know what they have. Work with the staff instead of trying of making their job difficult. I would try to serve everyone as quickly as possible.
Again, bars operate differently and in most places its just fine to do that. Bartenders are allowed more leeway when it comes to how they operate in comparison to wait staff. The dynamic and customer approach is different.
I hear where you are coming from, but if there are people 3 deep at the bar, then perhaps management should have more bartenders working during those times. Still, that is no excuse to be snarky with a customer. Also, Mike made no reference to the bar being busy or not.
And, why are bars allowed to be so busy that customers have to order like its a speed round on Jeopardy and this is considered SOP that customers have to accept? Would you frequent a restaurant that only had 3 waiters for 50 tables?
If the chicks were hot enough…
How did you know I eat lunch at Hooters ??
Again, different dynamic. If they had a bartender to make sure everyone is served immediately they wouldn’t make money. Bars just get busy that way. Ebb and flow. If it is too busy for some customers then they will find a scene more to their liking. Many people want to be in a happening bar. A lounge in a high end hotel would be a different dynamic of course. That is where individual service would be paramount.
for the record, I am not that sarcastic which each peson. More often than not, about 98% of the time I am cordial gentleman. However when someone asks an absurd question they are going to get a sarcastic remark. Hey its NYC, you dont like the service than move along to the next watering hole. Also keep in mind that there are no managers where I work, since I am the oldest working then suffice it to say that I am the manager. We use an old style cash register and nothing is computerized. Whetsone was correct, in that come bartenders have more leeway. If you barhopped enough you would see, especially here in NYC, where there are almost 31,000 alcohol liqour licenses.
And Dale I would serve you and be nice about it. But if you were a shoddy tipper then you would be 86’ed!!!
There is no excuse for being a dick to a customer. Weve all done it but we’ve all been wrong. No such thing as too busy to be professional. And in this case the customer just didnt “order right.” Christ we’re petulant enough about wine… Long time ago I bartended too. This position is just not defensible. Funny thing is that because I’ve been on that side of the counter I never tip less than five bucks or 20% whichever is higher. Mike. Wouldve gotten stiffed.
I see your point Cris, but none of it is of any importance in this scenario. The interaction should have gone:
Gimme a shot.
“A shot of what, sir?”
or
“A shot of what, sir? We have a fine selection of spirits. If you’d like to try something new, I’d be happy to make a suggestion.”
Regardless of the dynamic, being a prick isn’t necessary on first contact.