Okay, is everyone ready? Put away the turkey leftovers, and put that
sweater back in the darkest corner of your wardrobe, where it belongs. It's hideous.
is upon us, people, and you know what that means: heading to your nearest
and getting totally plastered.
So you put on your finest outfit and hit the town, but once you get there, you realise that hundreds of people have had the exact same idea as you. Stuffing yourself and your friends into your favourite watering hole like too many sardines in a can, you slowly shuffle your way to the bar, elbows a-flailin', and attempt to order a drink.
The only problem? The bartenders working the dreaded graveyard shift are pretty overwhelmed, so you end up waiting in line for what seems like hours to order your drinks. By the time the fabled countdown begins, you're still about 15 minutes away from ordering that round of Jägerbombs, though you've been standing at the bar the entire time.
But don't worry! You still get that New Year's kiss. Sure, it's from a random stranger's armpit, but beggars can't be choosers, right? Right? Needless to say, this is a situation you'll want to avoid this New Year's Eve, but sometimes, it's less about finding a not-crowded bar, and more about what you do when you're in that crowded bar.
To help you out with that, personalised clothing company Banana Moon spoke to bartenders all across the country to find out the best way to get that bartender's attention when the line between a great New Year's outing and sheepishly texting that Random Armpit at 2pm the next day to ask if they want to hang out (spoiler: they do not).
Long story short: the best way to make sure you get served quickly is to make a positive impression with your bar staff on your first trip to the bar. Smile. Make eye contact. Be polite. And when you get your drinks at long last: make sure you tip!
Rachel Pountney, a bartender from Leeds, goes into a little bit more detail.
"If you tip the bar staff on your first drink, they'll recognise you for the rest of the night and will likely serve you a lot quicker. A pound well spent I think!"
Nicole Sykes, who's the Assistant Manager for The Voyage of Buck in Edinburgh, is equally positive about the effect basic human decency can have on your New Year's night out: "Just be nice! Say hello when you come in or when you come up to order and I’ll enjoy serving you a lot more."
If being nice to your bartender is a step too far, then there's one thing you should probably avoid, as revealed by
Tom Grummett, head buyer at London's Gin Festival. "One of the fastest ways to get your bartender to ignore you is clicking for their attention. I can guarantee the bartender has already seen you and knows what place you are in the queue!"
Does that all make sense, my New Year's partiers? Then I wish you the best of luck on Sunday evening. Happy New Year, everyone!
