That's totally fine, not weird.

I mean, the trick here is they are hooking you up, so they want you to save money, but you want to reward them for hooking you up. I've always found this a sort of difficult calculus. I would say your bill would have been ~$30, and you are only charged $8, I would leave maybe $25? Counting tip, you're still saving 10-15 buck in that scenario.

That seems like a good way to have handled it to me.

CQ - whats your take on organized gambling in bars? I always enjoy buying squares, partaking in strip cards or betting on horses in bars. It seems to be the bartender often is the one organizing this. Do you organize any type of gaming/gambling while you work? (I guess this is more prone to sports bars/dive bars than a club type deal). (One local bar here had a shake-a-day where you would roll 5 dice for a dollar, if you got a Yahtzee you won the pot. My buddies dad won like 2K one night on this. Its been shut down since)

Also cool thread

Google informs me that it is a shotglass of Cointreau dropped into a glass of Red Bull.

Hi Omar,

Usually very easy. The tip-off is usually having no ****ing idea what to order. Also not understanding how tabs work and that you need to leave a cc is a giveaway.

It is annoying as dicks (to me) when people want to leave it up to you. Htf do I know what you like? Invariably, you make something and it's too sweet, or whatever. **** that--be an adult, know what you want, and order it.

Solo drinkers I've got no problem with, although there's a higher correlation there with people who are needy timesucks. But in general, I feel like one ofthe great things about bars is that they're a neutral social meeting place where people w/out friends or new in town can go and meet people, or just get drunk, so I'm all for solo-style.

Define "stealing." I and my coworkers would usually drink some after a busy shift. Taking more than the free draft beer, but w/e. Try to serve $3000 worth of drinks without doing a shot yourself afterward. Never took a bottle of booze home with me or anything.

Employees got half-price, and hooked up on the reg. Significant others got half-price as well.

Is it annoying that I order "beam & diet" ? I feel like 25% of bartenders look at me lost for a second before realizing what I want, or say "what and diet?"

Maybe I need to start saying "Jim Beam / Diet Coke w/ a lime" !

Taking bottles/items from the establishment home.

Couple of hundred probably. On an insanely busy night, it wasn't unusual to throw money in and out of the register. My boss was a friend, though, and knew I wouldn't rip him off, thankfully.

Thanks! Gambling was illegal where I worked, so we actually had to discourage people from visibly playing cards for $$. We actually ran a bingo night for a little while, but we provided prizes so it wasn't for cash.

Hi JL,

No not annoying. Maybe try going to places where the bartenders aren't ******ed? Idk, that's not a crazy order by any means. Although yeah, maybe "Jim Beam and diet" would be a little clearer.

Clare,

I too have always been in the business! Ever come up to Portland? We're pretty good, though I'm afraid it seems to be going to everyones head as a whole.

Happy,

I love Portland. Trying to think of places I've been there. Shanghai Tunnel, is that what it's called? Underneath the sushi joint. Berbati's Pan is near there. Also went to the Alibi for karaoke.

Can you recommend some places?

hypothetical -

somebody orders two beers that cost $8.50 and hands you a 20

how are you giving them their change back?

Thoughts on flavored/infused vodka? JD honey?

A friend of mine is an alcohol distributor and since I don't drink much, he's always giving me this gimmicky stuff. They are usually pretty good tasting, but does any self respecting man ever order a vanilla vodka & root beer? lol

Lol, nice edit from $9, that was easier to answer. I'm still going to say I'll give back a five, six ones, and fitty cent. The reason being that not only do I want to ideally be tipped a dollar a drink, but a lot of people want to as well, and if you give back a ten and $1.50, some not insignificant amount of the time they'll ask for change for the ten, which is a PITA. If I'm really busy, though, I might just grab a ten and $1.50.

vanilla vodka and coke zero is amazing

that said, i'd never in a million years order it in public

I love steeped/infused vodka--we used to make our own horseradish vodka, just put horseradish root in there for a week or two. Super tasty, esp. in bloody maries. Or as a sinus-clearing shot. Dill vodka is also very good.

As far as Absolut Citron or Bluberi (lol) or w/e, my feeling is girls gonna girls. And I mean, if you're a dude and you really want a Raspberry Stoli and tonic, then by God, get it. Just be prepared to endure some good-natured mockery by the bartender and your friends or gf.

wow i'm gonna have to make my own horseradish vodka

sounds amazing, love bloody marys

Nah, you're thinking of KJS. I did a book reading at his bar.

Why do so many bars have then beer taps where I can't read them and don't have a list? Then I feel like a jerk if I have to ask what they have.

horseradish vodka does indeed sound amazing

you can also make your own vanilla extract using vodka.

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how...nilla_extract/

Bar taps generally have to go wherever there's space, which isn't always where they're easiest to see. If there's more than 4 or 5, they should probably have a menu/list. If you have to ask, it might be easiest to specify what kind of beer you like, as in "what kind of IPAs do you have on tap?"

i had a serrano pepper infused vodka martini a couple months ago that was quite tasty.