As the wise sage Fergie once said, "A little party never killed nobody." But if you're partying at the bar and you have poor shot-ordering etiquette, then you can definitely kill the vibe.
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00:00As the wise sage Fergie once said, a little party never killed nobody. But if you're partying
00:05at the bar and you have poor shot-ordering etiquette, then you can definitely kill the
00:09vibe. You don't want to be that person. So we consulted Lexi Parker, the lead bartender
00:14at Pocah Lola Social Club in Denver, who revealed the types of shots that bartenders absolutely
00:20hate to make.
00:21Like Liam Neeson in Taken, good bartenders have a very specific set of skills. One of
00:26the most important is the ability to quickly read people and situations. Bartenders have
00:31to be on high alert for potential disruptions, like college kids with fake IDs who are poor
00:36tippers and have trouble holding their liquor. As Parker notes,
00:39"...I think the only way someone is going to look like a college kid is when they order
00:43a shot, as if they're ordering some silly college kid shot."
00:47But this doesn't mean that you have to opt for whiskey or nothing else when you want
00:50a shot. Indeed, there are some tasty mixed shooters that you can order that are made
00:54with quality ingredients. They just probably won't have ridiculous names. The only shots
00:59I'm going to side-eye someone for ordering are something silly like a buttery nipple.
01:03If you're starting to suspect that your bartender hates you, you should ask yourself, did you
01:07order a layered shot? This is generally considered a no-go unless they're specifically listed
01:12on the drink menu.
01:13As Parker advises,
01:14"...in full honesty, there aren't any layered shots that someone can order that a bartender
01:19isn't going to be annoyed to make."
01:21Layered shots use physics to create a cool visual effect in which ingredients that are
01:25less sugary are suspended above more sugary ingredients. The point we're making is that
01:30there are several components involved in these drinks. Some of them, like whipped cream,
01:34might not be readily available behind the bar and have to be tracked down.
01:39Bartenders also must be able to use a bar spoon like a pro to pull these layered shots
01:42off. This can all make for a rather time-consuming process, which isn't exactly conducive to
01:47a crowded Friday night. As Parker details,
01:50"...in general, unless you're at a college bar that specializes in these types of shots
01:55and you're worried about being annoying to the bartender, I'd just say to skip ordering
01:59a layered shot."
02:00"...No! Layers!"
02:02It's understandable if you don't know every single bar etiquette rule, but in general,
02:07bartenders are happy to serve you whatever you want, so long as you're respectful.
02:11And one of the worst ways you can annoy a bartender isn't about what you order, but
02:14how you order. As Parker explains,
02:17"...the only time I'm going to be annoyed by a shot order as a bartender is if you make
02:21me shake up a mixed shot only to ask for more individually each time I'm finished making
02:25them."
02:26This situation could arise when a group wants the same drink, but each individual places
02:30their orders separately. We understand that you might want to see how your friend's drink
02:34looks before asking for the same thing, but this just isn't the time for that.
02:39According to Parker,
02:40"...it's easy to sling a bunch of mixed shots all at once. You just need to order them all
02:43together."
02:44So the bartender isn't making the same shot ten times individually. So figure out ahead
02:49of time which shot everyone wants, and your bartender will surely appreciate you.