Why Asking For An Extra-Strong Cocktail At The Bar Is A Total Insult

Going out to a nice bar or cocktail club can be extremely fun. Unfortunately, it's also pretty easy to rack up quite the bill. While it's totally understandable that you want to extend your dollars as long as you can, that shouldn't come at the cost of making your bartender's job more difficult. Trying to cheekily get your bartender to sneak a heavier pour into your drink is exhibit A of just such a behavior. There are some red flags to look out for when visiting a bar, but likewise, there are also red flags that bartenders look out for when serving clients. One of them is requesting to have a drink made stronger without the assumption of an extra cost. This is something you should never say at a bar, and reads as little more than a lack of respect for your bartender as well as simple ignorance regarding how transactions work. 

Most cocktail bars these days monitor their pours, and bartenders are supposed to use precise measurements for their drinks anyway. Asking for a strong pour is not only asking for an undeserved freebie from your bartender — you're also asking them to go behind the back of their employer to sneak extra liquor into your drink. Bartenders are completely aware that cocktail prices can run high, but they don't control pricing, and they appreciate it when you understand that fact without pressuring them for a gimme.

If you ask for your drink to be made stronger, without adding any extra to that request, your bartender might assume that you're just another one of those customers looking for a free, off-the-books pour that simply doesn't happen at any self-respecting cocktail bar. But it's also entirely possible that you do genuinely like your drinks on the stronger side, and merely want the bartender to be aware of your personal tastes. If this is the case, there are ways that you can articulate yourself to separate your order from those that are less informed.

It's first helpful to note whether you're ordering a cocktail or a mixed drink, as this can help you note how to alter your order. If it's a mixed drink, like a rum and coke or a vodka soda, then making it stronger is as easy as asking for a double. The second shot is usually cheaper than the first when ordering a double, so if you like stronger drinks, you're better off this way as opposed to ordering two singles. Concerning cocktails, you've got plenty of options. It might be as elementary as ordering a cocktail that's naturally more spirit-forward. Some of the most popular cocktails are quite boozy, so finding a strong drink might not even require any alteration to your order. If you're unfamiliar with strong cocktails, your bartender can help you find a suitable tincture — that way you get your strong drink and your bartender is still happy to serve you.