Who Sets the Bar When It Comes To Cocktails: Democrats or Republicans?

Beam Global Spirits Wine, Inc. ^ | 08-18-2008 | Kate Laufer & Nicole Chardavoyne

[lilylangtree]

Washington, D.C. – August 18, 2008 – While there is no ballot box at the bar, DC’s best bartenders can identify political preference by cocktail selection and bar behavior. According to a survey released today, Democrats are seen as better tippers, have better pick-up lines and give better toasts. Republicans heavily outweigh Democrats when it comes to ordering their drink straight up. Parties are at a stalemate over drinking hours, with Republicans edging out for the first to arrive a happy hour and Democrats being the last to go home.

The survey was issued today by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO)], a global leader in premium spirits, in collaboration with Clarus Research Group. Approximately 100 bartenders in the Washington, DC area were surveyed on their opinions of patrons’ cocktail preferences.

“According to the survey results, bartenders in Denver should know that they’ll hear better toasts while the bartenders in Minneapolis won’t need as much ice with their patrons ordering drinks straight up,” stated Bobby “G” Gleason, master mixologist for Beam Global Spirits & Wine.

http://www.beamglobal.com/cs/news/news_detail?pressrelease.id=1134

[Clemenza]

I tip bartenders, waitstaff, bellmen, and parking lot attendents. I am sick of seeing tip jars at coffee shops and fast food joints, however.

[ovrtaxt]

I’ll have to pass on the Anejo. Tequila and I have a very checkered past, and that’s all I have to say about that! lol

[mplsconservative]

Those tip jars are annoying. I generally throw my change in those, unless of course it’s from a one hundred dollar bill. LOL!

[mort56]

Democrats better tippers? BS!

I’ve owned restaurants for thirty years and most of the Democrats I have had the “pleasure” to serve were only generous when they used other people’s money. On their own dime they were ten percenters at best.

[R. Scott]

I’ll agree with the Republicans (well, conservatives) preferring their drinks straight up, although many of the younger ones are starting to go for the fancy mixed drinks.
I vehemently disagree that liberals are better tippers. The few I have observed seldom tip, and when they do it ain’t much. Maybe if I hung out where customers were on an expense account I’d see something different.

[Ditto]

I would have loved to have served Teddy Kennedy.

I actually talked to a bar tender who has served him (and other Kennedy clan members) many times. His rule was to get a credit card imprint before he even served the first drink because they are as likely as not to not only stiff him on a tip, but to also walk on the check.

[weegee]

I know a number of angry lib bartenders. If it is just their own “estimates”, then it is not “scientific”...

[keepitreal]

Okay, your cheapos were worse than mine!!

Teeth in a glass? Yuck.

[lilylangtree]

You definitely have my sympathies. Too bad you couldn’t discard his false teeth when he wasn’t looking. What a slob!

[rwilson99]

One can not have both the best pick up lines... and be the last to go home.

[MEGoody]

Democrats are seen as better tippers

Well, of course, because they submit it on their expense report.

[ViLaLuz]

“maybe in DC, not anywhere i’ve bartended. republican patrons tip far and away better. “

Same here. Libs in general are huge tightwads.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Crown royal on the rocks. And I tip well as long as I get good service.

[ViLaLuz]

“Who is more likely to order a fruity (pink) drink?”

Lindsey Graham?
Barney Frank?

Don’t forget the Silky Pony.

[philled]

I was more than a little surprised by the tipping comment as it ran counter to my own experience. While in college, I waited tables at one of the two good off-campus eateries. I really enjoyed the job, respected the owner and took it seriously. Faculty members would often eat/drink there.

There was an art history professor (Dukakis pin on his man bag)who would be the biggest pain and would never leave a tip. One time he sent his meal back because the presentation "wasn't symmetrical enough" for his liking.

The head of the military science/ROTC and his wife would come in every week. They were very pleasant but not especially friendly. They always left 20%.

There was a history prof who would try to impress people with his Phi Beta Kappa key but always seemed to feel two dollars was sufficient- whether his bill was ten dollars or one hundred.

The absolute worst were the drama faculty. They were always obnoxious and in a group. They'd smoke and snap their fingers and trust that the one of their group would get the tip. Sometimes one did but it was usually for their portion of the bill.

There was a computer science prof that always left exactly fifteen percent. It was pretty funny because I assumed if he could carry out the decimal or write fractions of cents down he would have!

Among the best was a chemistry professor. He frequently came with his wife (a nurse) but he'd also come in by himself and read, eat appetizers, and drink decaf coffee. I assumed that these were times when his wife was working. He had two stickers on his Jeep Cherokee- "It's Amino World without Chemists" and "Reagan". He was always nice and a good tipper. One night after we had about half of a large party not show up we had an abundance of cheesecake. After he'd cashed out, I brought him a plate of it. He was pleased and needed more coffee. After he left, I found that he'd left approximately 20% of the price of the dessert.

[livius]

One time he sent his meal back because the presentation "wasn't symmetrical enough" for his liking.

LOL! And I thought the false teeth in the water glass was bad!

[livius]

Too bad you couldn’t discard his false teeth when he wasn’t looking.

We (the waitresses) actually discussed doing this once! But we chickened out. He was a financial columnist for a major newspaper, btw. In other words, somebody you thought might have known better. Just shows, I guess.

[wac3rd]

I think Edward “Teddy” Kennedy skews the study with his massive liver-destroying thirst of alcohol.

The study didn’t say if the bartenders were male or female..if the latter, even more Kennedy tips.

[boop]

"Chivas on the rocks. Is that Conservative enough?"

Nope, conservative is Jack Daniels, neat. Or right from the bottle.

[boop]

I used to wait tables. Blacks are the worst. Followed by women, especially in groups. Japanese are either the best, or they stiff you. (In Japan tipping is usually not done).