Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: Mixed Plate

Media Credit: Courtesy of Metro creative graphics Honolulu has some of the best hotspots in the pacific. If it's your first time or just brushing up on the basics, good etiquette is key.

As with any activity worth engaging in, a night out comes with its own set of rules and/or obligations that makes it more pleasant for all parties involved. Thus, a section calling itself 'The Weekender' would be remiss to not address some of the finer points of drinking in public, with the first of these topics being bar etiquette.

Operating correctly in a bar environment can not only add to your enjoyment, but it can make the jobs of those serving you easier. So I begin with a few notes on how to engage your intermediary to the world of spirits: the bartender.

As many posted signs indicate, bartenders are under no obligation to serve you, so the way that you go about being served upon entry into a drinking establishment can set the tone for the evening. Here are several simple rules to follow.

1. Be patient: Operate under the assumption that as soon as you get up to the bar, the bartender can see you. Being fidgety, waving money or your hands - or really anything - is a great way to be taken care of last.

2. On the first round, tip huge: This is an easy one. In any bar that has a free-pour system where pours are not electronically monitored, consider this 'drink insurance.' As the arbiter of how weak or strong your drink is, a bartender will remember those who tip well and will pour accordingly. This practice also increases the likelihood of items disappearing from your tab.

3. Cash only, please: After all, you aren't at Wal-Mart. If you have to use a credit card to run a tab, go ahead, but when the tab is due, try to cash out. The lion's share of money made by bar staff is in the form of tips, and one of the perks of the industry is that cash tips are untraceable, so keep that in mind.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of rules, and there will be more to come later. With that in mind, however, embark on your next evening out with your mind not only on your enjoyment, but on those who serve you as well. Cheers.

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