In the service industry, you're nothing without your customers. So bless them for saddling up at the bar and helping me pay my rent. But sometimes, the things customers say really crack me up. To the point where I question their thinking process. I mean really, it's just a drink.
It's interesting to see how some guy will react to certain cocktails and the glasses they're served in. I had a group of three guys sitting at my bar one night. Guy Number One ordered a specialty cocktail featured on our menu that is served in a martini glass. He took a sip of the cocktail and exclaimed how delicious it was. A satisfied customer. Guy Number Two ordered a beer. Bless him. So easy and fast. Guy Number Three looked at Guy Number One's cocktail in a martini glass and then at Guy Number Three's beer, looked at the menu, looked at me and then asked me if "said specialty cocktail on our menu" was a "girlie" drink? I asked him what about the drink he thought made it "girlie?" Then I asked him what makes any drink gender specific really. If he wanted to try the drink, then he should try it. A drink wasn't going to make him anymore of a man or anymore of a woman. He quickly apologized because he thought he had offended me. He didn't offend me. I just thought his question was stupid.
Then there was the lady who picked out the sweetest cocktail on our cocktail menu, easily dessert in a glass. When the lady ordered her cocktail, she proceeded to request that her drink have Amaretto omitted from it. The reason why? She thought the Amaretto would make her drink too sweet. The ingredients for the cocktail she ordered included: Kahlua, Frangelico, Amaretto, Baileys, a shot of espresso, half and half, chocolate sprinkled rim and Chantilly cream on top. Trust me, the subtraction of Amaretto would not have made the drink any less sweet. I made the drink per her request, minus the Amaretto, but I couldn't help but think how her request was just plain stupid. If you don't want a sweet drink then don't order a sweet drink.
Customers not only help me pay my rent on a regular basis, but they are quite entertaining in the process.
