Servers Explain What Different Drink Orders Say About Customers

If you've ever wondered whether or not bartenders judge you based on your drink order, they do. How could they not? I mean, whether you order a Long Island iced tea or a scotch on the rocks definitely says something about you. At the very least, it gives us a peek into your palate for booze. Often, it's a positive assessment, but not always. Even when it's not, it's all in good fun, though, right? Regardless, if you've ever wondered what bartenders are thinking when you order a specific drink, I've got you covered.

As someone with 10 years of bartending experience, I've had ample time to clock different guests and what their drink orders say about them. I don't speak for the entire community, though, so I also checked in with a few additional experts: Art Thorne, a bartender at Gatsby's Cocktail Lounge in Las Vegas, Brian "Jun" Juntarashine, the head bartender at KEI New York, Luke Slater, the resident Beer and Whisky Connoisseur at The Cask Connoisseur, and Amby Estevez, the lead bartender and beverage consultant at Caspian's in Las Vegas. All together, we'll give you a peek behind the curtain, or should I say the brain of the people who serve up your tasty adult beverages. Fingers-crossed we don't hit any nerves along the way. A little ribbing never hurts, but offending customers isn't our objective. After all, it is the service industry.

When someone approaches the bar and orders a Long Island iced tea, it's an immediate red flag. Why? Well, they are often an inexperienced drinker who wants to get wasted fast, and while that isn't always a bad thing, it might be a reason for concern. Whenever I encountered a customer ordering a Long Island iced tea, I instantly started evaluating their mannerisms and trying to determine their level of inebriation. After all, who knows how many they had before they reached me? I certainly wouldn't serve someone more than a couple of them, either. They may go down easy, but they sure pack a punch.

As bartender Brian "Jun" Juntarashine told me, Long Island iced teas are for "when you want to do a speed run on a night out." So, yeah, it's someone looking to get drunk quickly. He also notes that the same thing can be assumed of anyone who orders an Adios Motherf*cker, Tokyo Iced Tea, or Long Beach Iced Tea because they are variations on the classic recipe.

Whether it is brunch time or not, ordering a Bloody Mary is a sign that you quite possibly had a little too much fun the night before. As bartender Brian "Jun" Juntarashine put it, "It's giving, 'let me wash away my sins from last night while still being a functioning father and a loving husband.'"

Bloody Marys aren't always so dramatic, though. Luke Slater told me, "This drinker may want to use the excuse of having this drink to cure a hangover, but they also might be one who enjoys going to brunch and enjoying savory flavors." Either way, Bloody Marys are a classic cocktail that, depending on how many garnishes are added, can almost be an entire meal in and of themselves. So, even if it sends a signal to bartenders that you enjoyed yourself the night before, they are still a tasty standard.

A classic cosmopolitan martini will forever remind me and many other bartenders of "Sex And The City." How could it not? With this in mind, Amby Estevez told me, "When someone orders it, I know they want that same mix of sexy, confident, and fun. It's crisp, stylish, and always a little wink to Carrie Bradshaw."

Art Thorne reaffirmed bartender assumptions about the cosmopolitan, "A cosmo screams fun-loving socialite that enjoys a strong drink. Confident, flirty, and ready for a night out with friends." Sound like anyone we know? Yup, Carrie, and just like her, classy also comes across as a main trait when someone orders a cosmopolitan. Feel free to lean into this and make sure to drink it with your pinky up.

Even if you never got swept up in the "Sex And The City" obsession (it's not too late), Thorne also told me, "It's a go-to for those who want something sweet, tart, and effortlessly chic," so don't let the show's association with the drink turn you off.

Espresso martinis are having a moment in the sun right now, and I, for one, am here for it. It's certainly a step up from vodka with Red Bull. However, it still says something about you when you order one. Unfortunately, its popularity can hint that the person ordering might be basic and trendy, or possibly wanting to post a pic on the 'Gram. Still, it could indicate something else entirely.

As Amby Estevez said, "The espresso martini is the ultimate late-night power move. It's for the guest who wants the glamour of a cocktail and the energy to keep going until closing time. Half cocktail, half pick-me-up, it basically says, 'I'm not slowing down anytime soon.'" Luke Slater backed this up by saying you often find the person who orders espresso martinis is the last one standing at the end of a night. He also told me, "Work hard, play hard springs to mind." Whether you fall into the trendy crowd or the one who wants to fuel their fun for an extended period of time, a good espresso martini is never a bad thing.

A hazy India Pale Ale, or IPA as most of us call them, used to be a lot trendier than they are today. However, for people who have developed the acquired taste, they often can't help but sing its praises. Art Thorne told me, "An IPA order stands out as the mark of a craft beer enthusiast. Hop-obsessed, opinionated about brews, and likely to chat about IBUs or local breweries," and I tend to agree. He also mentioned that if you order one, "you're probably a trail-running adventure seeker that can't stop talking about their last trip to Banff."

It's not all shade, though. According to Luke Slater, "The people who drink IPAs are quite sociable and want to have a good time." Amby Estevez also added, "IPA drinkers tend to be bold personalities. They like strong flavors, strong opinions, and a little friendly debate to go with their hops." As a bartender myself, I can say we love these kinds of customers. We may have a little fun teasing, but who doesn't want a rousing conversation on a night out?

Okay, white zinfandel is by far the worst variety of wine. It's sickeningly sweet, and with all the yummy rosé wines out there, why settle? Seriously, whenever someone ordered one from me (if we even kept it stocked), I would always wonder, "Why even order wine? You obviously don't like it."

Head bartender Brian "Jun" Juntarashine had a slightly different take on white zinfandel drinkers, but I actually laughed out loud when I heard it because it is so spot on. He said white zin drinkers give "fun soccer mom's vibes from Montana who would drive their 2009 Honda Odyssey to their kids' practice and have a glass of white zin with the girlfriends while screaming 'wooooooooooo!'" We're not encouraging drinking and driving, but he nailed it.

All of the bartenders I asked about Chartreuse agree (myself included) that if you have what it takes to order Chartreuse straight, you're not only adventurous, but you're likely a service industry pro. I'd even say you worked in a bar that employs mixologists, because it isn't very well known, and its recipe featuring 130 herbs is shrouded in mystery. Either way, you like your drinks extra-strength, and you don't come to play.

As Art Thorne told me, anyone who orders Chartreuse is "probably a bartender who just got off a long shift." He also said, "I'm definitely asking how this became your go-to order; there's bound to be a great story here."

Amby Estevez again confirmed that "Chartreuse is the ultimate bartender's spirit, so if a guest orders it, I instantly know I'm talking to an insider. People who order it usually want to show they're in the know — and I respect that flex." This isn't an invite to order Chartreuse and pretend to be an insider, though, so don't get any wise ideas.

As someone who has regrettably ordered more than anyone's fair share of Rumple Minze in my early 20s, I can tell you this is the drink for people looking to get trashed on a budget. It's 100 proof, so it packs a wallop, and it's relatively inexpensive. Plus, it's chilled and it tastes like Christmas, so it goes down smooth.

Head bartender Brian "Jun" Juntarashine said the person who orders Rumple Minze is, "The bringer of a fun, chaotic, and unforgettable night out. Good results may not always be guaranteed with whoever insists on this is the drink of choice for the night, but at least we will all have fun while we are still conscious." Plainly put, it's a surefire recipe for a hangover, but oh man, will it be a wild ride. Consider yourself warned.

Champagne is synonymous with celebrating; you don't need a bartender to tell you that. However, it's nice to know that's the signal it sends, right? Nothing snarky about it, either. Whenever someone ordered it from me, my first question was, "What are we celebrating?" Then, "Can I join?" Bartender Art Thorne backed me up on this and said, "You're celebrating something. Unless they are ordering a rare vintage, that's the customer I want to hang with."

As if we needed any more confirmation, Amby Estevez further cemented what Thorne and I said, "Ordering Champagne is a lifestyle choice. It's less about the bubbles and more about the message: 'I celebrate, even if it's Tuesday.”' She also told me, "A Champagne drinker has refined taste and doesn't need an excuse to elevate the moment." Enough said.

The first word that comes to any bartender's mind when someone orders a PBR (aka Pabst Blue Ribbon) is hipster. It doesn't matter if you are wearing a dress, suit, whatever; it puts a giant neon sign above your head that screams hipster. There's no getting around it. I'm not the only one who thinks this, either. Art Thorne backed me up on this and said, "You're definitely a hipster." Brian "Jun" Juntarashine took it a step further and told me a PBR drinker is "a vinyl collecting, post punk enthusiast, and a Venice Beach frequenter."

All stereotyping aside, Amby Estevez took a gentler approach, "PBR is more than a beer — it's an icon. Cheap, classic, and always cool in its own ironic way." She also noted that "ordering one usually means the guest enjoys the humor of drinking something so simple in a world of over-hyped craft brews." Think of it like Coors or Bud Light, but for cool kids, because it is slightly stronger yet just as straightforward.

Mezcal is an acquired taste, and if you order it, liking an abundance of smoky flavor is a prerequisite. As such, the bartenders I asked about mezcal drinkers told me it indicates someone adventurous, exploratory, edgy, and far from mainstream. Art Thorne, specifically, also said people who drink mezcal could have a taste for the wild side. And, Amby Estevez told me, "it's not the safe choice, it's the 'tell me a good story while we drink this' choice."

As a mezcal enthusiast myself, I can tell you: I'm not mad about what Thorne and Estevez said about people who enjoy mezcal. However, piggybacking off of what Estevez said, Brian "Jun" Juntarashine noted that when a person orders mezcal, it could also be "someone who probably went to Oaxaca and can't shut up about it." While I'm not guilty of this particular trait, I can't help but laugh at his assessment, because I've definitely encountered this bar patron before.

Our beer and whisky connoisseur Luke Slater is knee-deep in the world of scotch, so I just knew he would have an accurate insight into the mind of scotch drinkers and what ordering it says about someone. When asked, he told me, "These types of drinkers are often seen as confident, sophisticated, and maybe a bit serious. The people who order this type of drink normally know what they like and aren't ones to mess around." Dang, okay. Sounds like a bar patron I want to hang out with. Well, maybe except for the whole serious thing. And here I was thinking it was pretty much only ordered by older men who, for some reason, like the taste of Band Aids.

Art Thorne, on the other hand, combined Slater's and my thoughts perfectly, "Under 35? Trying to fit in with their dad's friends at the country club. Over 35? This person knows exactly what they want." So, as you can see, your average scotch drinker covers a lot of ground. What type are you?

Rosé, not to be confused with white zin (they are both pink, but that's where the similarities end), is largely ordered by ladies. However, it's become quite trendy lately, and guys are getting into the fun, as well. Speaking of which, rosé drinkers are often thought of as fun-loving and social. Of course, it also brings to mind the sentiment "rosé all day." According to Art Thorne, they, "often come across as laid-back, summery, and always happy."

Amby Estevez concurred and told me, "Rosé drinkers are here for a good time. It's the kind of order that says, 'I want something easy, light, and fun.' They don't overthink it, and that's the charm — it's laid-back but still feels celebratory." Luke Slater also stressed the easy-going and sociable vibes of rosé drinkers. So all around, it's a solid choice, especially if that's your energy for the day.

Hard seltzer is an interesting one. It isn't an unusual drink order, but it can indicate quite a few different things about the person who chooses it. First of all, hard seltzer is known for being a low-calorie, low-carb, low-sugar option, so many people who order it are viewed as trying to be health-conscious. At least relatively. We are talking about drinking, after all.

Luke Slater backed up this theory about the people who drink hard seltzers by saying, "For those who want something easy, refreshing, and slightly healthier, this would be their drink choice." He also noted that, "These types of people like being social, without making too much fuss. They probably don't drink beer or spirits either." Which, if you think about people who are trying to minimize carbs or sugar, makes perfect sense. So, if you want to come off as someone who likes a refreshing, simple drink, hard seltzers have your back.

If you don't already know, Aviation is one of several old school drinks that deserve a comeback, and oh man, is it tasty. However, since it's a throwback drink, not many people know about it, so it says something special about the people who order them.

According to Amby Estevez, "When someone orders an Aviation, I know they're adventurous and probably did some homework before walking up to the bar. It's a cocktail with history — violet, citrus, and gin all in one glass — and that choice usually tells me the guest is curious, maybe a little romantic, and definitely not afraid of something whimsical that makes people ask, 'What's that?'" He's not wrong about that, either. There's something about the beautiful purple hue of an Aviation that catches the eye of every bar patron in the room, and often causes them to order it for their next round.

There's a whole range of classic, booze-forward cocktails out there, and just like the other drinks we've discussed thus far, ordering one says something about you. When it comes to ordering a properly made old fashioned, Art Throne said these drinkers "are growing up in their whiskey adventure. Soon to be a bourbon on the rocks drinker." As a cocktail that infuses bitters, citrus, and sugar into the beloved brown spirit, it's kind of like a stepping stone to the hard stuff.

Another example is the negroni. According to Amby Estevez, "Negroni drinkers know what they like and don't mess around. Bitter, bold, boozy, and balanced — it's the cocktail of someone decisive who doesn't have time to look over a menu twice." The same can be said for other old-school, booze-forward drinkers. They aren't reinventing the wheel, but they know the classics won't let them down.

Considering many drinkers long for the time when they are off work and sitting at the bar all day long, you wouldn't believe how many of them show up only to have no clue what they want. Either they are looking for something new, or they simply can't make a decision. There's nothing wrong with this, but it can often lead to them saying, "Surprise me."

As Luke Slater told me, the "surprise me" request is "not really a drink, but it's certainly an order that I have had to deal with on a few occasions," and he's definitely not alone in this. As far as what this says about a person, he said, "The people who order this are either very adventurous or completely undecided. This drink order is a bit of a gamble for both the drinker and the bartender — but often leads to some new experiences!" So it's definitely not all bad, and if you are at a bar with a top-notch mixologist, it's a gamble that's worth taking. No complaining allowed if it isn't your favorite, though.