Pub Etiquette in foreign countries

[Spinko]

I've just planned a trip back to Brussels and it reminded me of my last visit. I went to the famous Delirium Cafe with a friend and sat at the bar, having around 8 or 9 bottles from all over the world. Of course, you don't pay on each round like you do here. However at the end of the sesison they asked us what we had had Well I could reember the last 3, and knew I'd had another 3 more, but they were all different ones and my friend had had different ones too, so there was no chance I could remember all of them. I think we just said we'd had 12 and the barman tried to figure it all out. I think we paid for about two-thirds of what we had, looking back.

Belgian pub etiquette is the most difficult to fathom. Some you sit down and wait to be served, and others you can go to the bar..where sometimes you may be asked to pay and sometimes you may get a tab started.

All very bizarre!

[Rex_Rattus]

It's very unusual for bar staff not to keep count of what they've served, but it does happen. I remember being on a Club 18-30 holiday (it was some years ago!) somewhere in Greece where a number of us were camped in a bar all evening, with people joining and leaving all evening, leaving cash to pay for their share of the drinks. At the end of the evening the barman asked those of us remaining what we had had, apparently seriously expecting us to remember. I guess that between us we must have had well over a hundred drinks! He got a fair bit of money, but I'm sure it can't have been the right amount. I've drunk in bars all over the world, and my default is to sit down, wait and see what happens but keep my eyes open to see what is going on.

I still occasionally see tourists in London sit down in a pub and wonder why no-one is coming over to take their drinks order. I always tell them when I see it happening, but it irks me when I see bar staff that can't be arsed to walk over to overseas customers to tell them the drill.

[gillhalfpint]

We have started going over to Belgium quite a bit these days, and my worry is that I might get up and leave a bar forgetting to pay. I like the practice of getting a chitty with each round that happens in most of the bars as that is a good reminder. If I don't get one, I tend to keep a bit of paper with my own tally on. I need something to remind me to pay.

If I order beers at the bar, they tend to bring them over, and I rarely pay for drinks as I order them. The practice seems more to pay when you finish.

Off to Belgium for Xmas so may not be around on here as my phone won't accept my password to let me onto the forums.

[Strongers]

Some time ago I was told that there was no service at the bar in here and to get a drink I had to find a table and wait for a waitress. I waited for almost two minutes before being asked to leave for pointing out the stupidity of two rushed off their feet waitresses slaving away whilst the barmen stood chatting. I’ve had no such problem in continental Europe as my backside hasn't normally hit the chair before being asked to leave.

[AlanH]

I went into a German pub. There were people at every table but some with free spaces. I didn't know if it was like an English pub where you would politely ask if the spaces were free, or an English restaurant where you would stand until a table came free. As virtually everyone were just drinking, I decided it was a pub and went over to a couple and said "ist hier frei?" She was most upset and said "Nein! Nein! Nein!" waving her hands about. I tried a man sitting on his own reading a paper who just glanced up and said "Ya". As soon as we sat down and ordered, the couple at the other table left!
So I am still not sure of the etiquette in this type of place.

In Belgium we were sat drinking in a pavement bar at about 1.30am, when various other people came into the bar only to be told "sorry, closed". We thought "last orders" has gone so we would be leaving when we had finished our drink, only for us and the other half dozen in the bar to be asked if we wanted more to drink. We were the first to leave about 2.45. I still don't understand these bar rules either.

[Farway]

No experience of continental bars, unless you include Isle of Wight, but I like the US [Florida] system, sit at bar, plonk money on counter, order drink, barman / woman takes the cash as you order from the counter dosh

Only Florida experience, maybe vastly different in say Texas, perhaps they shoot you if you get up to leave?

[hondo]

tipping can be an issue as well
Attachment 685

[NickDavies]

I still occasionally see tourists in London sit down in a pub and wonder why no-one is coming over to take their drinks order. I always tell them when I see it happening, but it irks me when I see bar staff that can't be arsed to walk over to overseas customers to tell them the drill.

On the other hand much amusement can be had in countries like Italy when a group of (usually) Brits go into a place and acquire a round of drinks, then wonder why someone chases after them gesticulating wildly when they try to take them to sit at the tables outside. The Italians think they're trying to avoid paying about three times the price to sit outside. I doubt it ever crosses the Brits' minds that that is how it works.

[ROBCamra]

I like the US [Florida] system, sit at bar, plonk money on counter, order drink, barman / woman takes the cash as you order from the counter dosh

Only Florida experience, maybe vastly different in say Texas, perhaps they shoot you if you get up to leave?

That's how they do it in New York and Toronto as well. But they don't in San Francisco, Seattle or Vancouver for example.

See what others are doing is the key. Or getting a good guide book is another idea as many of them mention the local customs.

My favourite line in a guide book was about Paris Casino in Las Vegas.

They said it was "Just like the real thing. Overpriced and full of Americans".

It was too.

[Old Blue]

tipping can be an issue as well
Attachment 685

I often get confused about tipping when abroad. Once propping up a bar the USA I forgot it completely. The young barman eventually asked "Am I doing something wrong sir? Only I've served you three drinks so far and you haven't tipped me at all". Obviously I apologised profusely for my mistake, and I mentioned that in the UK when we appreciate our bar staff, what we do is buy them a drink, so I bought him a drink. He thought this was such a nice idea that he bought me a drink back later, thereby leaving himself with no sort of tip at all!