A New York City bartender called out these customers who sat at the bar and barely ordered anything. Now, commenters are divided about who’s in the right. Is it the bartender who thought they should order more and take up a smaller table, or the patrons who did consume something (even if it was small)?
In a trending video with more than 49,000 views, bartender Mike Gomez (@mr_mikegomez) warns people about being these types of customers at a bar.
In the video, Gomez explains that two customers walked into his bar and sat down but never ordered anything. His co-worker noticed this and assumed that maybe they didn’t know that they needed to order their drinks or food at the bar, so he sent Gomez over.
“’Can you go remind them that they have to come to the bar to order?’” he was told.
“So I go over. And I’m like, ‘Hey, guys. Just remember you gotta order at the bar.’ And they looked at me like…,” Gomez recounts, pausing as if reliving the incredulous looks on their faces.
“And I was like, ‘Yeah. You gotta order something. Food, drink, whatever, but you can’t just sit,’” he recalls.
Eventually, one of the men placed an order—a single ginger ale.
That’s when Gomez gave his candid take.
“Bars are not public spaces. They are not like parks. You can’t just come in and sit. You have to order something, please. Thank you. Love you,” he says.
Additional Context
In a comment (replying to someone pointing out that not everyone drinks alcohol), he added that his issue was that the pair only ordered one item. And it took him explicitly telling them to order something.
“So actually only one person of the two paid for something,” he says.
To make matters worse, the pair sat at a four-person table for at least three hours during peak service. Effectively taking up a prime spot that could have been used by a larger party that could have consumed more.
How Is Bar Culture Different In NYC?
New York City has its own set of unspoken rules when it comes to bar culture, largely driven by the fact that space is at a premium and costs are high. Unlike more spacious bars in other cities, where lingering with minimal orders might be more tolerated, NYC bars are constantly juggling space, turnover, and profits.
In many NYC bars, the expectation is clear: you occupy space, you contribute. That can mean ordering a drink, food, or both. It’s not about policing patrons’ personal choices (like if they’re sober) but running a sustainable business.
@mr_mikegomez Not in this economy #bar #bartender #nyc #fyp #storytime
Commenters React
“Mmm I agree that they need to order something, but a ginger ale is something. Some people don’t drink alcohol,” a top comment read.
“Do people in the comments not have context comprehension? 1. They sat WITHOUT ordering anything or acknowledging the bartender 2. they had to be TOLD they had to order something 3. THEN they ordered the ginger ale. If they had walked in ordered a ginger ale and sat down this wouldn’t be an issue,” a person said.
“people in the comments fail to understand how precious space is in NYC. losing a 4-top to two people sharing one drink for THREE hours during peak service is HORRIBLE bar behavior! I commend staff for not just flat out asking them to buy more or leave!” another pointed out.
“U can order a ginger ale. This thought is not right for people who don’t drink. Bars are places to meet people and mingle. Not just consume constantly,” a commenter wrote.
BroBible reached out to Gomez for comment via TikTok direct message and comment.