Managing pub chaos may be an essential part of being British, but pub owners need to take action to keep it that way. While increasingly regular queues are forming in front of bars across the country, venues are also being closed. hang signs I implore customers to avoid queuing single file.

This trend appears to be a result of young drinkers becoming overwhelmed by the idea of ​​jostling for their place along a bar. “Youngsters have gone from school to quarantine to the pub and probably had to queue in the canteen and everywhere else in the school,” says Kate Hayden, manager of The Snow Goose in Farnborough. “We had to tell them, ‘The whole bar is open, spread out.'”

Here, experts share tips on how to navigate the scrum to ensure you’re the first to get your beer.

Do not form a regular queue

“Come to the bar, don’t queue,” says Lee Walton, general manager of Ye Old Watling, a 400-year-old pub in the City of London and part of the Nicholson’s pub group. “Don’t hold back just because you think someone is ahead of you. There is plenty of space. “You don’t have to be quiet and shy and keep your distance.”

Walton, who has been running bars in the capital for two decades, explains that the “stand there” system of queuing means you’ll be waiting longer for your drink rather than being stuck at the bar. It also annoys the staff, he says, as they constantly have to shout “step forward” at customers. “We gotta go back to the old school way what is a pub – fun and hustle“says Walton.

Find a place on the edges of the bar

Be sure to use the full length of the rod, Walton says. Move towards the left or right side rather than the middle right as these are quieter.

Don’t wander around the registers as these areas are prone to congestion. “You don’t need to stand at the counter to get service. “This is not a shopping mall,” he says.

Consider tactical separation from your friends

It might be a good idea to tactically separate from your friends as this gives you a better chance of getting in front of the bar. “Then a person will be served faster,” says Walton, and friends can quickly check which drinks they want when they are served. “This isn’t a bad idea.”

But Hayden, who has worked in pubs for nearly 40 years and has run his own pub for five, says the move is frustrating for bar owners and staff. “This makes the bar look a lot busier than it is,” he says. “This causes new customers to look in, think ‘we’ll never get service’ and walk away.”

Arm yourself with empty things

Hayden says one guaranteed way to bribe the bartender into serving you quickly is with an armful of empty glasses.

“People don’t bring their glasses to the bar anymore,” he says. “They will sit at a table with 20 glasses around them, it’s like a recycling centre. Just bring back your glasses. “This is a sign of respect and we are grateful for that because you will receive faster service next time.”

This also means bar staff spend less time collecting glasses and therefore more time to serve customers. “The more people at the bar, the faster everyone is served. If they are constantly collecting glasses, it means they are not serving.”

Resist the temptation of your phone

“If you stand by your phone, we will not serve you. We’ll move on to the next person,” Walton warns.

Members of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) are particularly guilty, he says. being distracted by social media or messages and this is “one of the biggest frustrations of bar staff”.

Also, don’t forget to take photos when you need to order or pick up your drinks from the bar. “Everyone seems to want to take pictures of the queue or the beers at the bar,” which delays things, says Walton. “We need you to focus.”

Don’t give your money to the bartender

Anything perceived as rude will delay your wait for a drink. “Having money dangling in front of you is pretty nerve-wracking,” Walton says. However, it’s okay to hold your hand cash, card or phone ready he says to signal that you’re willing to pay.

Pay attention and make eye contact

“Chatting with friends and partially listening to bar staff – (it’s) just bad manners,” Hayden says. “You can’t expect service if you’re not even prepared to be a polite customer.”

Instead, speed up your order by paying attention to the staff in front of you. “What we’re missing a little bit is making eye contact with people,” Walton says. “Eye contact means you can recognize people and serve them. There don’t seem to be that many anymore.

“If someone isn’t paying attention, we move on to the next person.”

Moaning

It’s normal to wait a bit for your drink at a bar, but one way to guarantee you’ll wait longer is to complain, says Hayden.

“We are a very impatient society and we understand that no owner or manager would choose to be short-staffed; sometimes it can be a bit challenging,” he says.

“You’ll hear people in the bar swearing and moaning, and it won’t attract anyone’s attention. “At the very least, they will be intimidated and it will take longer for them to receive service.”

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