Getting thrown out

There is a number of fun and exciting ways to get thrown out of a bar. Some are simple and expected, some kind of nasty.

This is simply a list of what I've seen people get tossed for. Because I'm lazy. Starting on the simple ones, getting more rare.

1. The bar is closed
2. Fighting
3. Attempting to start a fight
4. Attempting to start a fight with a patron, then actually fighting with a bouncer
5. Starting shit with an employee
6. Smoking where you shouldn't
7. Smuggling booze into the bar 
8. Getting too drunk
9. Throwing up
10. Underage drinking
11. Stealing
12. Going into areas that are off limits to customers
13. Vandalism
14. Doing illegal drugs
15. Inappropriately touching another person
16. Having sex
17. Urinating where you shouldn't (seriously)

Setting things down at a bar

There are generally three things that will be set down at a bar. Drinks, trash, and money. Bartenders rely on non-verbal hints to deal with these things.

1. Money on the bar
This is a big one. Depending on how the money is set on the bar it means one of two, and only two things: "I need another drink", or "this is your tip".

The only time it means "I need another drink" is if the money on the bar is under a drink glass or bottle, or under a customer's hand. That's it. Also, it's really advisable to be looking in the same direction as the money.

If you set a twenty under your Bud Light bottle, then go to the bathroom, but have not ordered, don't expect to have another beer when you get back. Or a twenty.
If you have set a $50 bill midway across the bar with the intent of ordering a round, turned and conversed with your friend, that means that's a $50 tip for your bartender. Money unattended goes into one of two places: a tip bucket or an unsavory person's pocket.Your bartender is loathe to let the latter happen.

To sum up, don't set your money on the bar. Hand it to your bartender. You can wave it, fold it, whatever, but it should remain in your hand until you buy your drinks.

Granted, you may have an unspoken agreement with your bartender, which may negate some of these things, but never assume that carries from bar to bar.

2. Drinks left on the bar/ table. 

This applies anywhere drinks are served. Your server/ bartender likes to keep as few glasses out as possible. This means empties or what appears to be abandoned drinks will be taken care of as soon as possible.

Reasons employees will pick up drinks:

• It fills up the table/ bar
• It looks messy
• It takes up glassware that needs to be cleaned to serve other drinks
• To prevent someone from slipping things (e.g. roofies) into a drink
• To minimize spills and breakage
• To save time later

In other words, don't leave your drink sitting around and assume it will be there once you return. 

3. Areas of the Bar Top

This breaks down into two zones. Customer and bartender. 

This is normally about a 50/50 split of the bar top. However, some zones are ALWAYS bartender zones. 

In front of a register, on the bar mats, or a tip jar will always belong to a bartender. Messing about in 2/3 of these areas is a good way to be removed from a bar. 

Push a near empty drink into the 'Bartender' zone? It will get picked up and disposed of.

Set money in the bartender zone? It's a tip. 

Place what appears to be trash in the bartender zone? It will go away. 

Carry out

Yeah, I've been slacking. Shoosh. 

Carry out from a sit-down restaurant is one of those things where the etiquette still bugs me. 

I call in carry out orders fairly often. (3+ times a month) As such, I'm pretty familiar with the process. 

1. Look up a menu online

2. Call in an order

3. Wait 10 minutes 

4. Go to restaurant

5. Pick up food

6. Pay for food

So... What is the damn etiquette on tipping? 

Normally, you'd tip for being served. The act of getting carry out food takes about the same effort as ordering a drink from a bar, but often, the person delivering the food is not the one who took the order. Seems unfair to whoever doesn't get the tip. At the same time, I feel guilty not leaving something.

 

Sunday brunch

Wednesday night 8/19

Wednesday night, I went out with a couple of friends, Mandy and Laurie, for dinner and drinks. Expectations were high, as the restaurant is popular, busy and fairly expensive ($12-15 for basic entrees).

The good:

We were seated pretty quickly, and the server was quick to greet us.
The food was well prepared and delicious.

The bad:

There was some confusion as to what tables were available. Ended up following the hostess all over the restaurant only to be seated outside. Which was not a problem. Just seems there should be more communication with the host stand.
The appetizer we ordered never came.
Our drinks sat empty often.
The wrong entrée was brought out to one of my friends.
The server never checked to see how the food was.
We were sitting on a patio and asked for an ashtray which also didn't come until he noticed the empty pastic cup with several cigarette butts in it.

I was watching for our server. He had three tables, none with more than four people seated at it.
I can forgive inattentiveness if there is a valid reason. I didn't see one.
Forgivable reasons a server may be inattentive:
Entire section filled at once (double/ triple/ quadruple seated)
Sat with a large party (8+)
Has a very large section (5 or more tables)
Has an incredibly demanding table that keeps them occupied

The only other forgivable reason: They're new.
In this case I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt on this one, and still tipped a bit over 20%.


After dinner, we all went to a bar where we knew a lot of people, including the bartenders. We were quickly served strong drinks, and tipped very well on them. (Like 90%)

I have this odd feeling...

my posts are going to have no rhyme or reason to the order. I may categorize them later. For now, it's just as I think of them.

The Drive-Thru

The 'drive-thru' originally served two primary purposes: speed and convenience. It has grown to serve a third: "I'm a lazy, inconsiderate bastard who can't be bothered to get out of my car."

I am not a fan of fast food, but still find myself eating it about once a week. I almost invariably use the drive-through, which is the most convenient option for me as I'm often in a rush, driving alone, and want something simple.

Using the drive through is a crap shoot. Every once in a while you'll get behind four high school students in one car, each paying separately with piles of change, a harried mother with eight kids in her giant SUV, or the picky eater with such a customized order that it takes as long to check the order as to actually eat it. In two out of three of these situations, walking inside to order would have saved anyone behind them a substantial amount of time and wondering "What the hell did they order?". The third situation? Wouldn't making mac n' cheese for those eight kids been easier, healthier, less stressful and cheaper? I'm just sayin...

The primary difference between walking in to get food to go, and using the drive through is that people can go around you if you walk in. Granted, this really doesn't make the restaurant employee's life easier, but it makes every other customer a bit less stressed.