Using the Word "Try" at a Bar

Patrons should clearly state their intent.

Patrons who try to "oversample" are jerks.

I am not a server.

 

Wow, really, is this what people rant about now on BA?

 

I love bars that have a sample/taster size option. This makes things easier for everyone, no? Bars are nice to pass you a free taster, but this way people can try more beers and they still make money. Without the confusion.

 

That's pretty much how I would figure "try"/"have" would work.

"I'll try [insert beer here]" = having a new beer, but going for a full glass of it. "I'll have a [insert beer here]" = having a beer I've already tried before. If I wanted to order a sample of a beer that I was really unsure of before going for a full glass, I'd specifically ask for a sample of it.

Usually if I'm trying a new beer though I won't just say something like "I'll try [insert beer here]" but more along the lines of "oh, you have [insert beer here], I've never tried that before. I'll have one of those." Or if they have several different glass/pour sizes advertised, I'd just go ahead and ask for 12/16/whatever ounces of [insert beer here]. Probably not much confusion there.

 

Have you ever considered taking to being proavtive (an over-used term, to be sure) and asking your clientele whether they'd like to try a small sample before deciding upon a full Libbey pint?

But I hear ya; A few of us older folks know what we want* and order by the pint -- what's the point of giving anything less than a pint a fair shake, eh? My experience with the majority of Craft Beer hobbyists today is that they're keen on sampler flights (with four 3 to 5 ounce pours... ) rather than full pints. Usually cheaper to get a buzz on those sampler flights, too!

*We don't have a lot of time to fool around in noisy bars, what with families to entertain and such back home.

 

I can't believe this is actually on a third page

 

If I want to see what a beer tastes like before buying a full glass, the words sample or taste generally work better than try.

 

Not a server, but it's a pet peeve when people use 'try' when they mean 'have.' Same with 'borrow' (as in, "Can I borrow a tissue?" No, you can have the tissue.)
If you're sampling, you're trying something. If you're ordering, you're having it.

 

Dumbest thread ever. Why wouldn't you just always clarify? Never assume- you know what that does.

Now as a patron/consumer (when I'm not the one doing the pouring) I always say "sample" just to clarify.

Jeez.

 

I don't ask to try sips of beer at a bar before I order a whole glass because I'm not a douchebag.

 

This issue is trying.

 

I get that a lot, and it has become second nature to clarify their request, but I do see it as a lack of communication. Even if I didn't tend bar, I wouldn't use the word try to order a beer. I understand the fact that some people are trying a beer for the first time, and their inflection usually supports that. At the end of the day, it is what it is. As a professional in the service industry, you just have to learn how to expedite better communication to the customer.

 

Not sure if you have the powers to do this, but how about suggesting a visible menu where you specify different pour sizes (i.e. Sample, Half Pour, Full, etc. etc.). I've seen countless bars do this and I doubt they run into this problem. But some people just aren't good with words and will screw it up regardless. I've been to places where they get really specific (i.e. 2 oz, 6 oz, 9oz, 12oz, 16oz, 20oz) and I've been with people that say "I'll try blank beer" and the server asks them to specify size. As others stated though, it's a dialect thing. I've heard "I'll try," "let me try," "give me a," "I'll take," "pour me a," etc. It's best to just ask the customer to specify what size they want to sample.