3 Shot Orders That Are Red Flags For Bartenders

As the wise sage Fergie once said, "A little party never killed nobody." But if you're partying at the bar and have poor shot-ordering etiquette, you can definitely kill the vibe. We don't want that for you, so we consulted Lexi Parker, the lead bartender at Poka Lola Social Club in Denver. She gave us some exclusive tea on types of shots bartenders loathe to pour.

Like Liam Neeson in "Taken," bartenders who are good at what they do have a very specific set of skills. Among the most important is the ability to quickly read people and situations, as this helps with navigating an inherently unpredictable work environment. Bartenders are on high alert for things that have the potential to cause disruptions. College kids, for example, might come with fake IDs, have trouble holding their liquor, or show poor tipping habits. "I think the only way someone is going to look like a college kid is when they order a shot is if they're ordering some silly college kid shot," Parker tells us.

Sure, there are some tired concoctions that bartenders are begging you to stop ordering, but that doesn't mean you have to shoot whiskey or nothing. Parker says there are still tasty mixed shooters you can order that are made with quality ingredients. "The only shots I'm going to side eye someone for ordering are something silly like a ... buttery nipple," she says. Requesting a Scooby Snack shot might also draw less-than-positive attention.

If you're trying to find the reason the bartender is looking at you like they hate you, we first must ask: Did you order layered shots? As Lexi Parker explains, this is generally considered a no-go if the drink menu doesn't specifically mention them. "In full honesty, there aren't any layered shots that someone can order that a bartender isn't going to be annoyed to make," she says, throwing in a good-natured "lol."

Layered shots use physics to create a cool visual effect that has less-sugary ingredients suspended above more-sugary (denser) ingredients. What we're trying to say here is there are several ingredients involved — some of which, like whipped cream, might need to be tracked down. You also need to know how to use a bar spoon like a pro to pull it off. These elements can make crafting layered shots more time-consuming, which is not conducive to a high volume bar. "In general, unless you're at a college bar that specializes in these types of shots, and you're worried about being annoying to the bartender, I'd just say to skip ordering a layered shot," Parker advises.

Look, we get it. There are bound to be some bar etiquette rules you didn't know you were breaking (like requesting drinks after last call) that may cause bartenders to internally roll their eyes. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, they're typically happy to serve you whatever you please — as long as you're respectful. Plus, as Lexi Parker points out, one of the most egregious things you can do to annoy your bartender boils down not to what you order, but how you order it. That's right, people. It's 2025 — time to wake up to the realities of ordering in a group!

"The only time I'm going to be annoyed by a shot order as a bartender is if you make me shake up a mixed shot only to ask for more individually each time I'm finished making them," Parker explains. That kind of situation might come up when a group wants the same drink — but they place each order separately. We understand that there might be an inclination to wait and see how a friend's drink looks before asking for the same thing. But seriously, don't do that. According to Parker, "It's easy to sling a bunch of mixed shots all at once, you just need to order them all together, so the bartender isn't making the same shot ten times individually."