Ever notice how some people seem to get their drinks faster at crowded bars? Here’s the thing nobody tells you: certain drink orders instantly mark you as “that customer” in a bartender’s eyes. While most bartenders will smile politely and make whatever you ask for, some drinks create genuine frustration behind the bar. These orders can slow down service, require ingredients that might not be fresh, or demand techniques that simply don’t work during busy nights. Smart bar-goers know which drinks to avoid when the place is packed.
Long Island iced tea screams trouble
That innocent-looking glass of what appears to be iced tea actually contains five different types of alcohol: vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and triple sec. Bartenders know exactly what this order means – someone wants to get extremely drunk, extremely fast. The combination of multiple spirits plus the sugar from cola and triple sec creates a perfect storm that will leave anyone feeling terrible the next morning. Most experienced drinkers learn this lesson the hard way during their early twenties.
When someone orders a Long Island, bartenders immediately start monitoring that customer more closely. They know this person will likely need to be cut off after one or two drinks, and they’re watching for signs of overserving. The staff might even start discussing whether this customer should be limited to ordering other drinks later. Nobody wants to deal with someone who gets sloppy drunk, and this cocktail practically guarantees that outcome.
Ramos gin fizz takes forever to make
This classic cocktail requires shaking for up to fifteen minutes straight – not exactly ideal when there’s a line of thirsty customers waiting. The Ramos gin fizz earned the nickname “Bartender’s Nightmare” for good reason. Made with gin, egg white, cream, citrus, and simple syrup, it demands constant, vigorous shaking to achieve that perfect frothy texture. Even skilled bartenders can mess this up when they’re under pressure during busy shifts.
The timing issue becomes even worse later in the evening when bars might be running low on fresh ingredients. Many bartenders compare working behind the bar to running a kitchen – popular items sell out as the night progresses. Finding fresh eggs, cream, or quality citrus juice at 1 AM can be challenging. Even when everything is available, asking someone to spend fifteen minutes on one drink while twenty other customers wait is pretty inconsiderate.
Mojitos require too much muddling
Sure, mojitos taste amazing with their refreshing combination of rum, lime, sugar, mint, and soda water. The problem is getting those mint oils properly released through muddling. This isn’t just a quick garnish situation – the bartender needs to spend serious time crushing those mint leaves to infuse the drink with proper mint essence. During busy periods, this extra step slows down everything behind the bar.
The crushing process can’t be rushed without affecting the drink quality. Fresh mint requires several solid seconds of pulverizing to really release those essential oils that make mojitos special. While the bartender is spending all this time on mint preparation, other customers are getting increasingly impatient. Many bars now batch mojito mix ahead of time, but that defeats the purpose of having fresh, properly muddled mint in each individual drink.
Anything with egg whites slows everything down
Egg white cocktails create that beautiful silky texture and foamy crown, but they’re absolutely terrible to order during rush periods. These drinks require much longer shaking times, and then the bartender has to carefully clean all the equipment to prevent cross-contamination. What normally takes thirty seconds to prepare suddenly becomes a two or three-minute process when egg whites are involved.
The cleaning process after making egg white cocktails creates additional delays that affect everyone waiting. Raw egg residue requires thorough sanitizing, and bartenders can’t just rinse the shaker and move on to the next order. During busy nights, this extra cleaning time multiplies quickly when multiple customers order frothy drinks. Smart bar-goers save these requests for slower periods when bartenders have more time to focus on technique.
Espresso martinis need fresh coffee
The recent espresso martini craze has created problems for bartenders who don’t always have fresh espresso ready. This cocktail combines vodka, coffee liqueur, simple syrup, and freshly brewed espresso, but that last ingredient causes major headaches. When bars run out of their pre-made espresso batch, bartenders have to run back and forth to the espresso machine all night long.
Smart establishments stock up on quarts of fresh espresso before busy shifts, but supplies run out quickly when these drinks become popular. Many bartenders end up removing espresso martinis from availability by the end of busy nights. Some bars now offer canned espresso martinis specifically to avoid this problem – the bartender just cracks open the can instead of dealing with fresh coffee preparation during rush periods.
Bloody marys after 4 PM are pointless
Bloody marys work great during brunch hours when bars are properly stocked with fresh tomato juice, horseradish, celery, and all the elaborate garnishes. Ordering one late at night or during evening hours means getting a drink made with ingredients that have been sitting around since the morning shift. That tomato juice might have been opened days or even weeks ago, and the celery garnish will be limp and unappetizing.
Most bars batch their Bloody Mary mix fresh for weekend brunch service but don’t restock these ingredients for evening shifts. By afternoon, bartenders have moved on to preparing for their regular dinner and late-night crowds. Asking for a Bloody Mary at 10 PM means getting a subpar drink made with whatever leftover brunch supplies might still be available. The whole point of this cocktail is fresh, quality ingredients – something that’s impossible to guarantee outside of proper brunch hours.
Vodka drinks are boring and flavorless
Experienced bartenders often roll their eyes at vodka-based cocktails because vodka contributes virtually nothing to the drink’s character. Unlike whiskey, rum, or gin, vodka is designed to be flavorless and odorless. This means vodka cocktails essentially become delivery systems for alcohol mixed with whatever other ingredients are included. A vodka soda breaks down to just ethanol, water, and carbon dioxide – hardly an exciting combination.
Professional bartenders know that almost any vodka-based cocktail improves dramatically when made with a more characterful spirit instead. Switching vodka for gin, whiskey, or rum adds actual complexity and interesting notes to the drink. While vodka cocktails remain popular with customers who want something neutral-tasting, bartenders prefer making drinks where the base spirit actually contributes something meaningful to the final product.
Dairy drinks use questionable milk
White Russians, grasshoppers, and other creamy cocktails sound delicious until someone considers how often the bar restocks their dairy products. Establishments that don’t regularly serve milk-based drinks might have cream or milk sitting in their refrigerator for weeks. Unless the bar specifically features these cocktails on their menu or has a restaurant kitchen with constant dairy turnover, those ingredients probably aren’t fresh.
The safest bet is ordering dairy-based drinks only at restaurant bars where the kitchen maintains fresh milk and cream supplies. Sports bars, dive bars, and brewpubs rarely have reason to keep fresh dairy on hand for their regular customers. Smart customers ask bartenders to check the expiration date before committing to any creamy cocktail. Nobody wants to risk drinking sour milk mixed with expensive liquor, and bartenders appreciate customers who understand this concern.
Complicated garnishes waste valuable time
Drinks requiring fresh grated nutmeg, flaming presentations, or elaborate garnish arrangements create unnecessary delays during busy periods. Painkillers traditionally get topped with freshly grated nutmeg, while some cocktails call for flaming alcohol or intricate fruit preparations. These theatrical touches work great at specialty cocktail bars during slow periods, but they’re impractical when bartenders need to serve dozens of customers quickly.
Fire-based presentations create additional safety concerns when bars are crowded with people pressed together. Working with flames requires complete attention and careful technique – something that’s difficult to maintain during hectic rushes. Most experienced bartenders will politely decline flaming shot requests during peak hours, and customers should respect this decision. The risk of accidents increases dramatically when bartenders are distracted by crowds and time pressure while handling fire and high-proof alcohol.
Understanding which drinks create problems for bartenders helps everyone have a better time at busy bars. Stick to simple, two-ingredient cocktails during rush periods and save the elaborate requests for quieter moments when bartenders can give proper attention to technique. This approach gets drinks in hands faster and keeps the bar staff happy – a win for everyone involved.
