The Customer Behavior Pro Bartenders Are Sick Of Seeing In 2026

The profession of bartending can be both a sheer pleasure and a grueling experience. When you're able to give a customer the perfect cocktail or are in the flow with a fellow bartender, the job can be incredibly rewarding. On the other side, there's the long hours and constant motion, juggling multiple drink orders at once, and often dealing with drunk people, which can wear on you. Relatedly, there's a trend pro bartenders are sick of that makes the job harder and that they'd like to see end: poor customer etiquette. I'm not talking about customers making mistakes when ordering drinks at the bar (which can be annoying) but rather nitpicking their bills. Arguing over the cost of the drinks or not understanding why an automatic gratuity is added (typically) to parties of six or more has become common, according to Curtis McMillan, creative director of talent and beverage at The Down Low.

"Money is tight, and we are seeing many more customers scrutinizing their bills, not just to ensure accuracy, but to justify the value of the experience," he told us. This isn't a new phenomenon. Even as a bartender working in high-end Manhattan restaurants in the aughts and tending bar in New Orleans before that, I had customers who would argue over the price of their drinks (always after they'd already imbibed them). But with the high cost of living these days, it seems to be getting worse.

Here's the thing: It's not like restaurants are trying to hoodwink you. Drink prices are typically listed on menus, and if not, just ask. Your server or bartender will be happy to tell you. When it comes to automatic gratuities, which are usually around 18%, restaurants tend to have this spelled out on menus, and yes, you're legally obligated to pay them. I've witnessed customers pointlessly haggling with servers over their bill. If you try this, you're not likely to get an exceptional experience from irritated staff. 

The price of your cocktail may seem high, but there are a lot of costs, some obvious, some hidden, that are involved. There's the ingredients, including the alcohol, which has become more expensive of late, as have the various other components, like juices and garnishes (as you well know if you've been to the grocery store recently). The less obvious costs include labor, rent, utilities, credit card fees, and taxes.

"At the end of the day, a bar is a business, and now more than ever, we must make sure that our costs are really well respected in order to ensure our viability as a business," renowned bartender Kate Boushel told us. With this in mind, if you're planning on having a few cocktails at a nice restaurant or bar, be prepared for the cost. And definitely look over your bill to make sure it's correct, but please don't needlessly complain about clearly marked prices and automatic gratuities.