By Kate Krader

Getting a drink at a good bar. It’s one of life’s great pleasures. But not everyone understands good bar behaviour, because there are right and wrong ways to go about it. Jim Meehan, co-founder of PDT (Please Don’t Tell), the Manhattan hideaway that crystalised the modern speakeasy trend and won World’s Best Bar in the process, has strong feelings about how to behave when you’re getting a cocktail—at least at those places that don’t specialise in body shots or florescent drinks. Following are Meehan’s rules on being a bar pro.

1. Asking the bartender what’s good.

Did you come to the bar to have a shot of Fernet and a can of High Life? Well then, asking bartenders what they like to drink does not help. At any reputable bar their job is to fix a drink based on your preference, not theirs. Most will answer by asking a variation of the question: “What do you like to drink?” This is your chance to give them something to work with: “I like tequila,” or “Something tropical.” If there are spirits or cocktails you don’t like, tell them up front—just don’t make it a five-minute debate.

2. Adhering to your no-added-sugar diet.  

Here’s the way it works when a professional mixes a drink: Any cocktail that includes citrus or some kind of acidic ingredient needs a sweetener for balance. It’s what every bartender strives for, a balance among strong, sweet, and sour, and to completely cut out one of the pillars will create something you will not want to drink. Trust me. In the event that you are especially sensitive to sweetness or don’t want any sugar in your cocktail, say, “I take my drinks very dry” or order a highball, such as whisky soda or a gin rickey. Or a shot.

The Paddington cocktail from PDT. Photograph © Eric Medsker

3. Substituting your favorite spirit. 

If you prefer a Beefeater Martini or a Wild Turkey Manhattan, you’re more than welcome to request one—and I recommend it—in a classic cocktail. But “house” cocktails created by the bar staff are a different matter. That bartender specifically chose the gin, rum, mezcal, etc., for their creation. Asking the bartender to substitute your favorite bottle is the equivalent of a hasty move in a game of Jenga: It has the potential to topple the stack and ruin the drink. The one exception: If your last name is Beam or Daniels.

4. Sending back half-empty drinks.

You have every right to enjoy your $15 (and maybe $15+) cocktail. If it’s flawed in a way that will diminish your experience, you should ask for a replacement. Any good bar will respect your choice.

But there’s a right time and way to do this—as soon as you’ve tasted the drink, and by making eye contact with your server or bartender when they’re in your vicinity. It’s never fun to have a drink you mixed sent back, so be nice when you ask for something else, and don’t yell across any distance to get someone’s attention. If you take this route, order something you know you like, so there’s no repeat performance. No one wants to hear you didn’t like your cocktail twice in a row, or after you’ve finished half of it, which is the universal sign that it was satisfactory. 

5. Dissing the server.

Nothing is more demeaning to people who take pride in their work than assuming they don’t know the product they’re working with. If you have a technical question about a spirit, cocktail, or anything related, first ask the person who’s taking care of you. Many top cocktail bars, including mine, rotate their bar staff on and off the floor. If you’re at PDT, chances are you’re being served by a bartender. Remember the hashtag #respect.

The manual. Source: Amazon

6. Tipping $1 tip per drink.  

Tipping is personal, so I’m not going to tell you how much—or even if—you should tip. But I will say that the amount of elbow grease that goes into the juices, syrups, infusions, and preparation of your $15 Gin Gin Mule is significantly more than the bottle of Stella someone opened at your local. Most guests tip 20 percent for fancy cocktails. You don’t have to, but you should know what’s standard.

7. Guilt ordering a cocktail.

I stock four delicious craft beers and three local wines at PDT, and I take pride in making nonalcoholic cocktails. I even stock a German nonalcoholic beer that I’ll happily drink. More and more cocktail bars are upping their wine and beer games; if they aren’t, feel free to hold it against them. If you do want to drink booze but don’t see anything to your liking on the cocktail menu, don’t feel bad about requesting a classic that’s not on the menu, such as a Negroni or an Old-Fashioned, Daiquiri, or Manahttan. The bartender is there to give you what you want. Just remember Rule No. 1.

8. Overstaying your welcome.

Especially in high-rent cities such as New York and London, your seat at a popular bar or restaurant is a commodity with high overhead costs. Operators will be grateful if you treat it that way, which is best demonstrated by eating and drinking (i.e. spending money) while you’re occupying it and vacating within 20 minutes of finishing your drinks. If you’d like more time, you can always ask. Keep track: Three drinks per person, 30 minutes apart, is a good rule of thumb for a good night out.

9. Being that guy. 

If you’re wondering whether you’ve had too much to drink, you probably have. Many states hold bars and bartenders legally responsible for the safety of their guests after they leave the bar. If you sense you’re about to be cut off, avoid a fight you’re not going to win.

Read it at Bloomberg Pursuit

Like this? Read about the PDT pop-up we visited in Hong Kong

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