Queuing at the bar

[joe_lloyd99]

Went to a nice bar last night that had a queue of about 6 people deep. I'm second in line and this guy (mid 50s) walks from nowhere right to the front holding his card out trying to get the barman's attention...

As I got to the front the guy tried to get the bar mans attention and I had to say pretty firmly 'I'm next'. I was so outraged that I went further and said and these lot behind me are before him. The guy started saying 'Have you ever been to a bar before?' 'You lot are all in the way' 'That's not how you queue'. We got into it a bit with each other and I ended up giving him plenty back. I called him a dinosaur and told him where to go.

I know that in your local boozer there's no such thing as queuing but this was very much a bar and the queue was obvious. I imagine that opinion will be split but I wondered what anyone's thoughts might be.

I went a bit over the top TBF and he walked out. I went over to clear the air with him and even offered to buy him a drink  but he was having a fag.

Anyway, are us Brits too polite?

Happened in Chester.

[mr.bluesky]

Went to a nice bar last night that had a queue of about 6 people deep. I'm second in line and this guy (mid 50s) walks from nowhere right to the front holding his card out trying to get the barman's attention...

As I got to the front the guy tried to get the bar mans attention and I had to say pretty firmly 'I'm next'. I was so outraged that I went further and said and these lot behind me are before him. The guy started saying 'Have you ever been to a bar before?' 'You lot are all in the way' 'That's not how you queue'. We got into it a bit with each other and I ended up giving him plenty back. I called him a dinosaur and told him where to go.

I know that in your local boozer there's no such thing as queuing but this was very much a bar and the queue was obvious. I imagine that opinion will be split but I wondered what anyone's thoughts might be.

I went a bit over the top TBF and he walked out. I went over to clear the air with him and even offered to buy him a drink  but he was having a fag.

Anyway, are us Brits too polite?

Happened in Chester.

He sounds an arrogant prick . If everyone did that there would be mayhem. 

[j_181]

Don't think you'll get much split opinion on this, the guy was a bellend and you were correct to take him to task.
Even in the local there may not be a formal queue, but everyone knows who was waiting first and most people tend not to jump.

[King Nuts]

Don't think you'll get much split opinion on this, the guy was a bellend and you were correct to take him to task.
Even in the local there may not be a formal queue, but everyone knows who was waiting first and most people tend not to jump.

Well, us punters generally know, but it's the barman's job to know too. I hate being asked 'who's next' when it's fucking obviously me, when there's only two of us waiting and I've been waiting a lot longer. If the barman knew his job, he wouldn't need to ask.

This is the downside of being in a minimum wage business where serving drinks is regarded as a chore and not as a profession.

[lamboman]

I had a similar thing yesterday,queued at the bar with a guy right behind me for probably 2 or 3 minutes.
Got to the bar and the barman asked who's next to which the guy behind shouted his order before I had a chance.
I asked him how on earth he was next?
There's some ignorant pricks around,you've got to know who to pick a fight with though.

[PepeMAGA]

By the description he may be a member here

[lillythesavage]

Went to a nice bar last night that had a queue of about 6 people deep. I'm second in line and this guy (mid 50s) walks from nowhere right to the front holding his card out trying to get the barman's attention...

As I got to the front the guy tried to get the bar mans attention and I had to say pretty firmly 'I'm next'. I was so outraged that I went further and said and these lot behind me are before him. The guy started saying 'Have you ever been to a bar before?' 'You lot are all in the way' 'That's not how you queue'. We got into it a bit with each other and I ended up giving him plenty back. I called him a dinosaur and told him where to go.

I know that in your local boozer there's no such thing as queuing but this was very much a bar and the queue was obvious. I imagine that opinion will be split but I wondered what anyone's thoughts might be.

I went a bit over the top TBF and he walked out. I went over to clear the air with him and even offered to buy him a drink  but he was having a fag.

Anyway, are us Brits too polite?

Happened in Chester.

Had this, ahem  , conversation many a time, just pure ignorance and a sign of the times, more than once had words with bar staff not using eyes and brain. Pointed out disagreements would not happen if they just looked for the next customer.

Most would not mind queueing and waiting when there is rhyme and reason to the service provided.

Rarely happens in Ireland, where working a bar is still seen as a profession and they are able to serve others while waiting for the Guinness to settle, except maybe Temple Bar at the weekend 

[Adoniron]

If he'd done that in some of the pubs I go in he'd have been knocked out by someone. Seriously just wait your turn. I don't push in (if someone was there before me I would tell the bar staff) but nor will I let anyone push in front of me.

[The0neAnd0nly]

Well, us punters generally know, but it's the barman's job to know too. I hate being asked 'who's next' when it's fucking obviously me, when there's only two of us waiting and I've been waiting a lot longer. If the barman knew his job, he wouldn't need to ask.

This is the downside of being in a minimum wage business where serving drinks is regarded as a chore and not as a profession.

+1 - was a barman for over 10 years and any one worth their salt should have a rough idea of whose next and been queuing the longest. Yes you might not be able to track absolutely everyone especially if its 6 deep, but 99 times out of 100 people sort it out themselves.

My biggest gripe is where people walk into a bar an go to the closest part of the bar from the entrance to queue for a drink. I always go to the furthest end of the bar and get served much sooner as just common sense. People seem to lose their sense after a few drinks 

Yeah the guy was in the wrong OP. Sounds like he was trying to be Billy Bigbolloxs. Something similar happened to me recently the petrol station and I'm normally quite genial but the guy knew what he was doing. Told him to get to the back. After a bit of chuntering he did  he saw the look on my face when he tried getting me to back down.

[suttonporksword]

Anyone who waves a card or notes towards the bar staff is a class a prick.  Worked at a busy bar many moons ago and anyone who did that were served last. I think you did the right thing taking him to task

[lillythesavage]

If he'd done that in some of the pubs I go in he'd have been knocked out by someone. Seriously just wait your turn. I don't push in (if someone was there before me I would tell the bar staff) but nor will I let anyone push in front of me.

Sums it up, most back down when challenged, some need more persuasion 

[J56$]

The bar can be a cruel & unforgiving place at times.

Someone will look at you dead in the eye, know full well that you were there before they were & still jump in front of you with no conscience.

Don't get me started on hot girls cutting you up like they own the place.

I try to be nice and respect the queue, but nice guys finish last. Sometimes if you can't beat em, you gotta join em.

[JontyR]

Well done for calling him out. The other thing I used to do in a situation like that was to point out to the server who was next in the queue, once I'd been served.

That being said, the amount of times I used to see someone asked what they wanted after a lengthy wait and then they start having a discussion as what to order. Arrrrgggggh!!

[Punterperson1971]

It’s not just bars though is it? People have no respect or manners nowadays,I see them push in bus que regular  regular seen it today woman with pushchair come from no where even teen age kids try it on,so it’s not just bars,a lot of people are selfish wankers really make it female.
And talking of bars it winds me up when your wiring and a group of women push in and the barman automatically goes to serve them,I remember my friend once stopped the barman from serving them by saying’ if I had a pair of tits would you serve me first’

[sir wanksalot]

Anyone who waves a card or notes towards the bar staff is a class a prick.  Worked at a busy bar many moons ago and anyone who did that were served last. I think you did the right thing taking him to task

I agree but..........on a Friday night when the bar man/woman are being run ragged they rarely remember who is next or 2nd next.

I have often been waiting that long that I've had time to contemplate the meaning of life whilst I'm waiting my turn. Actually, "turn" doesn't exist-it's just whoever catches the barman's eye first.

[Jomoore]

I went a bit over the top TBF and he walked out. I went over to clear the air with him and even offered to buy him a drink  but he was having a fag.

Really?  Why?

[joe_lloyd99]

To give some more context…

It was a single queue of 6 deep across a bar about 8ft wide early in the evening (6pm ish). I’ve been there plenty of times and people have always queued that way. I appreciate the reassurance from this thread and the other people in the queue were all appreciative of what I said as well.

I went over to clear the air because I just saw red and I wsasnt sure if I’d gone too far.

[Punterperson1971]

To give some more context…

It was a single queue of 6 deep across a bar about 8ft wide early in the evening (6pm ish). I’ve been there plenty of times and people have always queued that way. I appreciate the reassurance from this thread and the other people in the queue were all appreciative of what I said as well.

I went over to clear the air because I just saw red and I wsasnt sure if I’d gone too far.

Good for you to clear the air but nowadays you have to be careful no matter what,far to many wannabe hard men who will hit first regardless and you can’t be sure now if anyone is drunk/drugged up or tooled up nowadays everyone’s a hard man when carrying a weapon or with their mates.

[sir wanksalot]

Good for you to clear the air but nowadays you have to be careful no matter what,far to many wannabe hard men who will hit first regardless and you can’t be sure now if anyone is drunk/drugged up or tooled up nowadays everyone’s a hard man when carrying a weapon or with their mates.

That's actually a VERY good point.

It's dangerous enough in the relatively safety of everyday life but when you're confronting someone in a pub then you're looking at potentially alcohol/drug fuelled rages and it's really not worth it.

[Punterperson1971]

That's actually a VERY good point.

It's dangerous enough in the relatively safety of everyday life but when you're confronting someone in a pub then you're looking at potentially alcohol/drug fuelled rages and it's really not worth it.

Yep look at how many random attacks there’s been and I think there’s stories of someone banging into somebody accidentally and knocked their pint over and they’ve been assaulted,also I’m sure there’s a recent story of a woman attacking her friend in a pub when she was drunk just can’t trust no one nowadays nobody settles their differences properly now it’s always involves more than the aggressor themselves they have to get the mates/crew involved and if there’s only you your fucked unless your Jackie Chan

[Steely Dan]

Like a barbershop. You don't sit in order.  When you arrive you look at who was there before you.  You don't know the order, but you are behind these.  As people come in, you look at them briefly.  You are in front of them.  After 20 minutes, when the free barber says 'who's next' you (and those behind you) know it is your turn.

[willie loman]

i imagine a bit of inexpensive technology could solve this problem, which can be an issue with very busy bars.

[lillythesavage]

Good for you to clear the air but nowadays you have to be careful no matter what,far to many wannabe hard men who will hit first regardless and you can’t be sure now if anyone is drunk/drugged up or tooled up nowadays everyone’s a hard man when carrying a weapon or with their mates.

So you stand back and let cunts do as they wish, just in case ?

No wonder society is going down the pan, the bullies are winning  .

[Punterperson1971]

So you stand back and let cunts do as they wish, just in case ?

No wonder society is going down the pan, the bullies are winning  .

No not really but most people are cowards and use their mouths more than anything but I still wouldn’t trust someone,one mistake from the person retaliating and they could be looking at a sentence and vice a versa,people don’t fight with fists so much now more with mouth and weapons or gangs not one on one

[Jomoore]

i imagine a bit of inexpensive technology could solve this problem, which can be an issue with very busy bars.

A baseball bat? 

[lillythesavage]

No not really but most people are cowards and use their mouths more than anything but I still wouldn’t trust someone,one mistake from the person retaliating and they could be looking at a sentence and vice a versa,people don’t fight with fists so much now more with mouth and weapons or gangs not one on one

Granted, but in a pub queue at the bar?

Cowards use weapons,  ,  But you cannot just let bullies take over and getaway with things, might as well curl up on the sofa and never leave the house.

[astra2100u]

Had that occurred in a Glasgow pub the nice gentleman would have had his teeth to take with him in a pint jar on his visit to the local A&E.
Admire your approach to him after the incident.Certainly not something i would have done .
You get knobs like that in all walks of life.

[Dave33ws6]

If there is a queue then you join the back of the queue. Like you do at a supermarket checkout or at a carvery for example. You don't push in like some inconsiderable idiot and think you can do what you want. He needs to learn some manners

[Punterperson1971]

Granted, but in a pub queue at the bar?

Cowards use weapons,  ,  But you cannot just let bullies take over and getaway with things, might as well curl up on the sofa and never leave the house.

Unfortunately it’s a sad way of life nowadays

[standardpostage]

Just to go off on a tangent a little bit.
I went to Italy a few years back and queueing at a ticket office, or at a bus stop was every man for himself.
I don't think they have the word queue in their vocabulary.
Unbelievable how much pushing and shoving goes on.
PS. It might be better now 

[WASA38]

Just to go off on a tangent a little bit.
I went to Italy a few years back and queueing at a ticket office, or at a bus stop was every man for himself.
I don't think they have the word queue in their vocabulary.
Unbelievable how much pushing and shoving goes on.
PS. It might be better now 

That's very much how it was in Germany when i worked there years back.

My host once observed with an interesting example of of stereotyping, 'The Scots are mean and the English stand in queues'.

[Matrix]

That's very much how it was in Germany when i worked there years back.

My host once observed with an interesting example of of stereotyping, 'The Scots are mean to the English who don't stand in queues'.

 

[Jomoore]

My host once observed with an interesting example of of stereotyping, 'The Scots are mean and the English stand in queues'.

Which goes to show most stereotyping has a basis in fact.

[jackdaw]

Stopped going in the local Wetherspoons because “queue management” there is non-existent.

We all expect some problems when pubs are jam packed, and servers understandably are not sure of order of service…but all the Wetherspoons I went in had problems if there were two or three people at the bar, and were chaotic if number ever reached dizzying heights of four, five, or six.

[Adoniron]

Stopped going in the local Wetherspoons because “queue management” there is non-existent.

We all expect some problems when pubs are jam packed, and servers understandably are not sure of order of service…but all the Wetherspoons I went in had problems if there were two or three people at the bar, and were chaotic if number ever reached dizzying heights of four, five, or six.

The problem in Wetherspoons is obvious - there are never enough bar staff.

[king tarzan]

No point in getting in a scuffle over a queue at the bar..
Came out for a good time, not high blood pressure and bruising..

Just let it go...

Simpletto

[radioman33]

No point in getting in a scuffle over a queue at the bar..
Came out for a good time, not high blood pressure and bruising..

Just let it go...

Simpletto

Correct...plenty of people doing prison sentences for one punch assaults.

[Colston36]

Had that occurred in a Glasgow pub the nice gentleman would have had his teeth to take with him in a pint jar on his visit to the local A&E.
Admire your approach to him after the incident.Certainly not something i would have done .
You get knobs like that in all walks of life.

Doing that encourages arseholes.

Because I'm practically senile I recall one small but almost universal change in language.

We used to say "my friend and I" or "my wife and I". Now it's always the other way round: "Me and my wife".

Little things say a lot.

[Mr Sinister]

i imagine a bit of inexpensive technology could solve this problem, which can be an issue with very busy bars.

Yes it already exist table service, something positive from the pandemic was being able to order your drinks over the app without the need to queue at the bar. It's a shame many places have stopped doing it, ordering at a busy bar is a ball ache especially If there's no bird to chat too while you wait.

[Yankee21]

As someone who has part ownership in a few bars in London, the concept of queuing is defunct.
Found it better to have table service and a QR code menu and enable people to order through an app.

[Thephoenix]

As someone who has part ownership in a few bars in London, the concept of queuing is defunct.
Found it better to have table service and a QR code menu and enable people to order through an app.

Also it stops all the posers standing at the bar just to ogle and annoy the female staff.

[King Nuts]

As someone who has part ownership in a few bars in London, the concept of queuing is defunct.
Found it better to have table service and a QR code menu and enable people to order through an app.

Or waiting staff. They're great.

I hate ordering from an app.

Waiters can always upsell, or get you a second drink or whatever. Good ones are well worth the tip.

[king tarzan]

Or waiting staff. They're great.

I hate ordering from an app.

Waiters can always upsell, or get you a second drink or whatever. Good ones are well worth the tip.

I prefer student short skirt waitress 👅👅👅😋😋😋

[Yankee21]

Or waiting staff. They're great.

I hate ordering from an app.

Waiters can always upsell, or get you a second drink or whatever. Good ones are well worth the tip.

Staffing is hard enough in the hospitality trade without having to find bar wait staff.
Our data has found that if the ordering/paying and delivery of drinks is fast and efficient, people tend to stay for further rounds.
Food is tricky with an app - due to allergies etc. But then we have a specific area in the bar in which to order food 'in person'

[spiralnotebook]

At the IOM TT a few years ago a rather large friend was queuing at a packed bar in the dogs home when a German biker elbowed through the 4 deep madness straight to the front, the look on his face was priceless when a large hand grabbed his throat picked him up and threw him to the rear to the applause of the other reprobates.

[willie loman]

As someone who has part ownership in a few bars in London, the concept of queuing is defunct.
Found it better to have table service and a QR code menu and enable people to order through an app.

good to hear , though i was thinking of a simple ticket system that my local council uses, all that catching the barmans eye crap , its really a british problem we are a race of crazed drunks.

[Malvolio]

As someone who has part ownership in a few bars in London, the concept of queuing is defunct.
Found it better to have table service and a QR code menu and enable people to order through an app.

That's a proper pain - I don't want to have to download a new app every time I go to a new bar.

[jeanphillipe]

You guys don't know how good we have it here. I've got into many an arguement abroad not just in south Asia surprisingly Europe aswell. 

U.K might get the odd time or somone doing it without realising...

Queuing properly is one of the things I miss about the u.k when I'm away for extended periods.

[spiralnotebook]

I remember queuing for one of ‘Titsa’ local buses in Spain, as soon as the doors opened all sense of order disappeared and it was a mad rush as everyone and their dog tried to push their way in first. That was when I learned that queuing was a pretty alien concept to our continental cousins.

[Punterperson1971]

I remember queuing for one of ‘Titsa’ local buses in Spain, as soon as the doors opened all sense of order disappeared and it was a mad rush as everyone and their dog tried to push their way in first. That was when I learned that queuing was a pretty alien concept to our continental cousins.

It’s like that on public transport no one waits now it’s everyone for themselves