Bartenders criticizing beer choices

Ha. I see what you did there.

As far as complaining, we never used to say anything, figuring we just never go back and who cares anyway. Plus everybody makes mistakes or have a bad day/night. Maybe because the little woman and I are getting older, we have become less tolerant of rude service, poor food, or untidy places. We also watch Food Channel a lot...we now joke about whether William Jack Degel would approve or not and whether the kitchen would pass the Irvine test for cleanliness. It still isn't that often we complain, and we also compliment good service via the controversial tipping method and mention to the manager. But customers can truly be assholes too...I know I wouldn't have the patience to be a server.

I figure a constructive complaint might help people learn and possibly helps out the "next victim". Training varies, commitment varies, and some possibly don't understand that for better or worse income (personal and for the establishment) is tied directly to attitude and cutomer service. I've only once gotten to the point of an actual argument...I ordered St. Louis style ribs and was served baby backs. Leftover nuked baby backs, no less. Waitress got chippy, words were said, things escalated verbally...confess it went way beyond constructive criticism and not a proud public moment for me.

Short version, I think you need to make the effort and speak to someone without being a dick about it. Could be any number of reasons for poor service and some can be easily corrected. I've gone as far as talking rationally to the owners. If it remains a problem don't go back.

 

Service in Europe is NOT the same as service in North America (and specifically the US).

Tipping is less and often included in the bill, and waiters traditionaly tend to leave you alone, to let you enjoy the meal or the conversation. If you want something while eating/drinking in a restaurant in Europe you usually have to flag them down, where as in the US it's important and good etiquitte for a server to be checking in on you and working for their tip and being courteous, or doing that extra little bit of something for a nicer tip.

Also in Europe.. you pretty much have to ask for the check every time at the end of the meal. If you don't you'll be waiting there forever.

It's just different neither good nor bad, it's just the way things are done in different places...

 

No but my non-craft savvy friends have criticized me for ordering beers that come in "girly glasses".

Even if a bartender did criticize my beer choice I would take solace in the fact that I almost certainly know more about beer than they do.

 

I've never had a bartender warn me off something, condescendingly or otherwise, but the nice woman who runs a bottle shop near my office once spied me looking at some cheapo-looking English bitter, slowly shook her head, and said in a low and insinuating voice, "Noooooooooooooooo. No."

I picked up something else instead.

 

some bartenders are ignorant...nuff said

 

A bartender chastised my friend for ordering hard cider when the rest of us ordered beer. Her tip was increased accordingly.

 

I'd tell her to blow it out her ass and give me the goddamn drink. No tip for you!

 

Who cares what beer it was, it could have been Bud Light for all that matters, I would get up and walk out from any place where a bartender was going to disrespect me or my party in such a way.

 

Her response was sexist. You would hope that as a woman herself she would have a bit more perspective on the issue. I guess not. I know plenty of men that enjoy Lindeman's Framboise and I know plenty of women that enjoy DFH 90 min. Taste buds don't care what kind of genitals you have.

 

Over the years whilst working in bars and festivals I have on occasion given advice to people who have appeared uncertain as to what to order but I've never disparaged someone's choice once they've made it. When it came to regular punters who's taste I knew from spending time with them either side of the counter I would recommend a beer or give a taster but rarely dissuade someone. After all, who knows when that perfect pint might be discovered?

 

My reaction would boil down to what I thought the intent was. There's ball-busting and there's douchery. Even a failed attempt at ball-busting wouldn't be met with hostility. Some people just can't pull it off without seeming like a dick. Otherwise, I find a nice "just pour the fuckin drink, hunny" seeps deeper into one's skin than aloe vera.

 

Several months ago I had a bartender (manager at a great beer spot in NYC) talk me out of ordering (and trying) Old Chub.

... Later on, two of my coworkers came in, ordered Old Chub from another bartender, and let me sample it. It's been one of their favorite beers for years. I loved it.

 

No. Alpha males don't get criticized, bro.

Kidding. Has never happened to me before though. I probably just go to bars that want my money and don't give a damn what I buy.

 

The best response for a situation like that is to give her a stone cold stunner over the bar and then chug two beers.

 

as mentoned many times before it is sad when most Bartenders don't know squat about craft or Imported beer and can't even give you a brief description, many usually rely on customers to tell them about the beer and hopefully they make mental notes
they should all have to taste every beer on tap and be able to give some details of it IMO

 

This would make more sense if he was a regular and the bartender knew what he liked and didn't like.

This is a case of shut your mouth and give your customers what they order. Or at the very least offer him a taste of the beer.

 

If the Bartender walked away after that comment, you need to change your avatar. nuf ced.

 

I once was out for lunch with a co-worker and we each had a drink. He ordered a martini (don't ask why). The bartender jokingly said "Are you sure you don't want a beer? Thats a girly drink" (Again, don't ask why.. I'm not sure how straight booze is considered girly) but my co-workers response was priceless: "Oh yeah? Show me a girl who can drink 4 of them and I will have her in my bed after work". The bartender (chic) was a bit offended and I laughed my ass off.

 

Every couple of months these "Us VS. Them" threads pop up in bunches... Always seems to have the same mean-spirited, entitled feel. Can't help but feel a whole lot of resentment/hostility dressed up as consumer outrage. If you spend your entire time out at bars or restaurants as Watch Dogs for the delicate sensibilities of patrons your probably not having that great of a time, regardless of service, and would be doing yourself and everyone else a solid by just staying the fuck home.

Cheers!

 

This happened to me last night.

The story actually starts out funny anyway. So the place I went to is not a craft beer bar by any means and they usually only have 6 taps, 4 of which are BMC and 2 of which are typically Boulevard Wheat and Pale Ale. So, yesterday I guess they decided to change things up a bit and had 3 saisons instead of BMC. I ordered a Saison-Brett, and the bartender was like "Are you sure you'll like that? It's pretty weird and doesn't really taste like beer." And I was like YES DAMMIT