Why Bartenders Hate When You Ask For A 'Strong' Drink

At the end of a long day, there's nothing wrong with wanting a little extra sauce in your drink. Drinks like the Manhattan were designed for this very task because the components of the drink are all liquor with a dash of bitters. Even with strong-by-design cocktails like the Manhattan, some people still want a bit more kick in their drink.

According to Vinepair, customers should keep in mind that adding more liquor to a drink can alter its flavor. Bartenders use a particular ratio of ingredients and often know better than the customer when it comes to flavor. In the same article, the author recounts a time when their friend asked the bartender to remove the simple syrup from a drink so it would taste "stronger" and they were not happy with the results. In this case, an ingredient was removed from the cocktail, which bartenders take no issue with. However, asking for a strong drink and not fully understanding what that entails is where bartenders take issue.

On Buzzfeed's list of behaviors that annoy bartenders, asking for a strong drink is first on the list. Wanting a drink with more booze is not what bartenders take issue with — it's the implication that they will add more liquor free of charge. This is a hot topic on Reddit, where bartenders share their stories of people asking for strong drinks. "We all get orders like this one a lot, extra vodka, a splash of soda, low ice. Then they're like 'why is my glass half full?' So you want a double? Nothing is free, my dear," wrote u/Lucibean.

Instead of arguing, the bartender will most likely make the drink with extra liquor and charge extra. There would be no drama if the customer just paid their tab, but they are often surprised when they receive the bill. u/Danysco described this exact situation on Reddit: "'Add extra vodka to my drink' I give them the bill. 'Why are you charging me for extra alcohol?' Idiot." According to Buzzfeed, drinks come with 1.5 to 2 ounces of liquor (depending on the bar's regulations) and if you want more, it's best practice to order a double. If you're nervous about ordering at a bar, ordering a double instead of asking for a strong drink will give you that nod of approval from the bartender that you've always wanted.