Ten things your bartender wants you to know

Bloomington’s a basketball town with a drinking problem. Or a drinking town with a basketball problem. Whatever the case, before you hit your favorite watering hole this weekend, read what Inside learned from local bartenders who offered some tips to being a better bar-goer.

1. Wait your turn.
“When it comes to people at the bar, the most annoying thing is people yelling at you, smacking the counter, or waving their money in the air at you. Basically, the bartenders see you, they know you’re there, and they’ll get to you. We want to help you. It’s our job.”
Jay McClurg, The Bishop

2. Be prepared to order when we ask.
“If I come over and you’re like, ‘Umm, well...’ and you have four or five questions, just know that 10 seconds in bartender’s time is an eternity. I probably already have four to five things I’m trying to remember from other orders, so know what you want.”
Brian Hettsmansperger, Yogi’s Grill & Bar

3. Don’t ask us to make your drink “strong.”
“Do you want a double? Do you want a single? You’re demanding too much. I’m not going to make your drink with extra alcohol unless you’re willing to pay for it.”
Jonathan Horne, The Root Cellar

4. Don’t get busy at the bar. 
“When there’s a couple sitting at my bar facing each other, touching, and making out, it makes it awkward for me to ask if you’d like another beer.”
Danny Starr, Nick’s English Hut

5. There’s no such thing as a free drink.
“People will come and say, ‘Hey, it’s her birthday, give us a round of shots.’ No such thing. Don’t have expectations that you’re entitled to free shots or drinks. That being said, if you’re a good regular who tips well, we’ll sometimes buy you a round and put it on our tab.”
Margaret Isham, Malibu Grill

6. Respect us just like anyone else.
“Treat us as you would the co-worker you’re out with. People sometimes have the misconception we couldn’t get a better job or we’re uneducated because we’re bartenders. In reality, I probably make more money than someone out working at a bank. You go into a restaurant, be nice, be polite, and we’ll treat you well.”
Samantha Minor, Yogi’s Grill & Bar

7. If you’re buying multiple drinks, just start a tab.
“If you close out for like 10 different drinks, and you didn’t start a tab, that’s 10 different little credit card receipts I have to keep track of. We have to ring it up, print a receipt, have you sign it, and hope we don’t lose the receipt. It wastes a lot of time, plus you tend to over-tip as a customer when you do it separately.”
Sean Dupree, Yogi’s Grill & Bar

8. Remember to bring your ID. 
“You look over 21 but under 40? I still have to card you. I don’t care, but it’s my job to check. I don’t have to accept your papers that say you’re waiting for your license. Also, your word vouching for someone else isn’t good enough. ‘She forgot her ID at home, she’s over 21, I promise...’ will not get your friend into the bar.”
Jonathan Horne, The Root Cellar

9. Be polite when we cut you off
“It happens. You’re supposed to get drunk at a bar. But if you have those kind of eyes right now, I’m not going to serve you. It’s never a good idea to argue with your bartender about it. Getting in my face screaming, ‘I’M NOT FUCKING DRUNK!’ is the biggest sign you actually are.”
Jonathan Horne, The Root Cellar

10. Not tipping is not acceptable.
“If you can’t afford to go out and tip 20 percent, you can’t afford to go out to eat or drink. Even Oprah said on national television that it’s OK to go out and tip 10 percent because of this economy, but that’s not true. When the food or drinks are more expensive, it’s typically because it’s better quality and we probably have to do more work. If you don’t tip us, we’re essentially working for free.”
Samantha Minor, Yogi’s Grill & Bar