Professional cocktail bartenders, 'mixologists', tend to be an awkward lot and are a different breed to the rather pleasant girl behind the bar at the Dog and Duck. Professional bartenders are a rare type of person and good ones are difficult to find. They are born to the job, not trained. To them the notion of the customer always being right is entirely alien. They come from the same branch of the human family as chefs... only they prepare, create and serve exquisite cocktails and beverages, not gourmet cuisine.

Most bartenders are more like the aforementioned girl from the Dog and Duck. You still need to tread carefully when dealing with them though. These tips will help you deal successfully with both types of bartender.

Establishing Contact

When you approach a bar be cool. Respect the bar in the same way you would your equipment at work, or your expensive antique coffee table at home. Bartenders are famously defensive of their bars and can be prone to throwing ice when challenged. When you establish contact with your bartender, be patient and polite. Don't demand. Order your complete round with confidence. If people in your group cannot make up their minds, ask the bartender to recommend something nice (they like to flaunt their knowledge), or order drinks later for the tardy ones.

If the bar is quiet and you have a new joke, tell it to your bartender. They will probably return the favour by letting you in on a few of their own.

Tipping

In many countries tipping is encouraged¹ and bartenders give preferred service to those customers who tip big. A tip of 10% is normal, but more is always a bonus for the bartender and for you. If your tipping becomes legendary, you'll have the bartenders warring over you, just to have you come to their particular station so that they can serve you. When your evening comes to an end, leave a good tip and make sure to thank your chosen bartender by name. They will remember you next time you visit.

A Pleasant Experience

If you follow this simple advice you will have a more pleasant drinking experience and be able to enjoy the worlds of clubbing and pubbing without being served revolting drinks; being deliberately kept waiting; having bartenders maliciously ignore you or refuse to serve you at all; having to dodge ice and so forth. You will instead be promoted to the status of 'regular'. Your mere appearance at the bar should be enough to trigger their memories and have your drinks sliding along the bar top towards you as they continue to serve a dozen or so other customers.

A Few Do Nots

The quickest way to irritate a bartender is to start drumming your fingers or tapping coins on the bar counter, or worse, attempt to flag them down by waving small green pieces of paper in their face. It really cuts no mustard with them. They'll just keep you waiting there, looking slightly foolish. On no account - and this is an important one - argue with a bartender. The law is on their side and you've probably been drinking...

Here's a tip on how to get good service from a bartender; treat them as you would want them to treat you.