Pub etiquette- cost of poor manners

[TVC]

Pet peeve of mine are people queue jumping at the bar.
When you walk up to a bar you can see who is already waiting, but if the staff are busy they may not see exactly who is next, so when they say " who's next?" it's poor form to say you when you know it isn't!
I pointed this out to a guy recently who attempted to ignore me, the barman however took my point and served me first. Bloke had a fit and left. Barman - who turned out to be the manager- said he didn't want people like that in his pub anyway and I got a pat on the back from the guy who was after me in the queue.

A couple of weeks ago I was at the bar, first to be served with one slightly shy looking bloke next to me. This lad comes to the bar, tenner in hand, spreads his elbows and leans forward. The barmaid comes from the other room where she had been serving, smiled and scanned us. Youth raised his money holding fist and opened his mouth. I piped up, 'this guy's before me' and gestured to the timid fellow. I would have had no problem in making sure I got served first, but I wasn't going to let the lad push the other bloke out, so I gave up my turn to ensure that he had to wait.


I am so British.


Fans of Dave Gorman may be aware of bar etiquette and the art of barlowing.

 

[subaqua]

You have a point, but a good bar tender should be able to serve multiple customers at once without upsetting anyone who has been made to feel as if they are being ignored.
It's the modern pub way though. It winds me up that the staff don't seem able to add up the price of two drinks, but they have to return to the pre-programmed till to input the drinks ordered, and the till will add it up for them. They don't seem capable of doing two things at one time, i.e. while a pint of Guinness is settling, serve another customer FFS..
In my day (yawwwwn) when I worked in a pub, I knew my 55 X table (price of a pint of lager), or 53 X table (pint of Tartan Special ). I could also add up the cost of a large round of drinks in my head - and still can!

i know all mine up to 10x10 rote ( actaully 12x12 rote but not needed ) . armed with that i don't need to fill my brain with any others as it can all be worked out very quickly.
helps when you have to score darts and play 5s n 3s

 

[martint235]

If you want to get served fairly quickly in a very busy pub, "I'm next" won't work if the bar staff are good. However pointing to the person next to you and saying they are next will result in you being served second. Always worked for me well except in sh*te Wetherspoons

 

[swee'pea99]

Hah, You've missed out on the delights of the Meanwood Arms where the tables were screwed to the floor...

Tables eh? Posh joint.

 

[slowmotion]

[QUOTE 4178621, member: 45"]Anyone remember McDonald's ash trays?[/QUOTE]
The ones like aluminium foil pie trays?

 

[Cuchilo]

I'm afraid the art of getting a pint out of a busy bar first has been perfected by myself and a mate .
During a rugby day all you need to do is moor up outside the Barmy arms in Twickenham and light a BBQ on the steps leading down to the river . The waft of the cheap birdseye burgers will draw the rugby fans towards the BBQ and have them leaning over the railings saying " its £10 for a burger down the road " at this point you hand them a free burger and they go to the bar and buy you a free pint . Soon they all hear about it and you end up shitfaced for less than a fiver

 

[Tin Pot]

In a busy pub waiting to be served when the barmaid decides to serve the local who has just arrived


Guy next to me stops her and points out that there are at least ten people waiting to be served before him.... and the order they should be served

She continues, so the guy points out that if she continues he will leave

Barmaid continues, guy asks to see manager who turns up.... states that he needs to keep locals happy

Guy points out that a customer is a customer and that this will be the most expensive point that they will pour this evening
Bemused manager..... guy points out that he is with a group of twelve who would have had a few pints, and a meal, but due to the poor service and attitude that will no longer be the case

Walks across to his group who all walk out


All because one muppet couldn't wait his turn and the pub condoned his actions

I remember when it was courtesy to wait your turn and polite to point out if someone wax before you if you were offered service


Attitudes like this muppet are another nail in the coffin of the pub as we know it

I'm not sure if you are supporting the local or the visitor?

 

[ClichéGuevara]

If you want to get served fairly quickly in a very busy pub, "I'm next" won't work if the bar staff are good. However pointing to the person next to you and saying they are next will result in you being served second. Always worked for me well except in sh*te Wetherspoons

I've used that a few times.

Not quite on the same vein, but a working man's club up here had a coach load in from down south that were stunned at the price but still felt the need to try to show they were 'lads' by trying to con the bar staff.

One regular pointed out to the world weary bar maid, that the lads were ordering 7 pints, taking some to the table and the insisting she'd only pulled 6 to blag a free one. Barmaid said 'aye, I know, that's why I've been charging them for nine'.

 

[Drago]

Our local pub is like the OPs. If it weren't for the drug dealing In doubt they'd stay in business.

 

[Globalti]

There's lots on the web about British pub etiquette, which includes the skill of the barman/maid in knowing who to serve next. Mostly it's aimed at foreign visitors but it's important stuff.

 

[wheresthetorch]

I once arrived at a busy bar at the same time as someone else. When the stressed barman eventually got to us, it was a case of "After you," "No, after you"". The barman's response was "F*** this", and he went off to serve someone else, leaving us red-faced and feeling very British!

 

[fossyant]

A skilful bar person would slip the local a beer in the middle of pulling pints for the others. I remember when one local was rammed with locals, no so any more - it's empty.

 

[slowmotion]

I'm afraid the art of getting a pint out of a busy bar first has been perfected by myself and a mate .
During a rugby day all you need to do is moor up outside the Barmy arms in Twickenham and light a BBQ on the steps leading down to the river . The waft of the cheap birdseye burgers will draw the rugby fans towards the BBQ and have them leaning over the railings saying " its £10 for a burger down the road " at this point you hand them a free burger and they go to the bar and buy you a free pint . Soon they all hear about it and you end up shitfaced for less than a fiver

Class!

 

[Fnaar]

Bar etiquette is important, however, most accounts don't recognise that these days the staff are often 18-ish, and haven't got a farkin' clue.
One of mine worked in a pub for a year, and I schooled her in bar etiquette.
In Newcastle, I find that most customers are more schooled in it than the staff, and respect each others' bar-boundaries.

 

[slowmotion]

Has anybody written a learned paper on the subject? It's a very complicated and delicate social interaction. Seconds before "Time", getting right it can be the difference between having a lifetime mate and getting a glass in the face.
Tricky.