Dirty Glassware at a Bar

[BlackDog]

I don't mean to be dramatic, but there are few things on earth that I find more revolting than being served a glass with some woman's lipstick on it. This just happened to me a couple hours ago. My wife and I were out running a few errands, and we decided to get an early dinner while we were out. We went to a popular upmarket Chinese "chain" restaurant. I ordered a Newcastle, which was served to me in a shaker pint with pink lipstick on the side and rim. How on earth does this make it past the dishwater, bartender, and server? I sent it back and they replaced it with no problem, but I still can't fathom how careless people must be for something like this to get past 3 people. I wonder how dirty the rest of their plates, dishes and silverware are?

I remember one time at Red Lobster I got completely used silverware, I dont even think they made an attempt to wash em. The scariest part is sending it back, you might have been drinking something worse than the original lipstick on it.

[Skywalker]

Yuck!!!

[eber]

Originally Posted by Pauly Walnuts

I remember one time at Red Lobster I got completely used silverware, I dont even think they made an attempt to wash em. The scariest part is sending it back, you might have been drinking something worse than the original lipstick on it.

I think that people watch movies like "Waiting" and think that this stuff happens all the time (spitting in food etc...) for the most part unless you are a complete jerk to the staff you dont have to worry about sending something back especially for dirty silverware/barware

Originally Posted by eber

I think that people watch movies like "Waiting" and think that this stuff happens all the time (spitting in food etc...) for the most part unless you are a complete jerk to the staff you dont have to worry about sending something back especially for dirty silverware/barware

I don't know, Ive worked at a Dennys and it was somewhat like waiting. All I'll say is there are some truly disgusting people out there.

[nayslayer]

Any chain type restaurant is sketchy. Service usually sux, i don't know if it's My luck, or the people working there just suck. Getting orders wrong, bringing out entre's our right after getting our appitizers. Numerous issues. I try to support the non-chain eating establishments, they care about their customers, and food is generally better

[icehog3]

Was she a hot bartender? Maybe she was trying to hit on you.

[lightning9191]

Are we sure it was a woman's lipstick? We had it happen to someone in a group of us in a Waffle House....of course it is expected in Waffle House.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by lightning9191

Are we sure it was a woman's lipstick?

Was there a drag queen review dining earlier?

[eber]

Originally Posted by nayslayer

Any chain type restaurant is sketchy. Service usually sux, i don't know if it's My luck, or the people working there just suck. Getting orders wrong, bringing out entre's our right after getting our appitizers. Numerous issues. I try to support the non-chain eating establishments, they care about their customers, and food is generally better

I always try to go to locally owned places if I can as well they almost always have better service and better food

Originally Posted by icehog3

Was she a hot bartender? Maybe she was trying to hit on you.

[Don Fernando]

I have been a barkeeper for 10+ years, and it just happens. Lipstick is hard to get off a glass and with the limited light in a bar you just don't see it all the time, especially when it's busy.

[cort]

Wipe it off and drink it. Come on

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

I have been a barkeeper for 10+ years, and it just happens. Lipstick is hard to get off a glass and with the limited light in a bar you just don't see it all the time, especially when it's busy.

Have to agree here.

[BlackDog]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

I have been a barkeeper for 10+ years, and it just happens. Lipstick is hard to get off a glass and with the limited light in a bar you just don't see it all the time, especially when it's busy.

Originally Posted by Cort

Wipe it off and drink it. Come on

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Have to agree here.

I strongly disagree, You are condoning unsanitary glassware because it's inconvenient to ensure it's clean? I can't think of any other industry where that attitude would be tolerated. You'd freak out if there was, say, hair under the plastic wrap of the meat you buy in the supermarket. Why is this different? There are obviously steps that can be taken to prevent this from occurring if the bar owner cared enough to ensure he was serving in clean glassware.

Unless you're drinking some pansy-a$$ drink at the bar, the sheer alcohol content of your drink will sanitize the glass.

Then again, given the unsanitary conditions of the surface of the bar itself, the glass is the least of your worries.

Think about the bar towels.....

[Don Fernando]

Warren, I don't say it's tollerated, but it happens. Every glass at my bar was cleaned, I don't know how it works in the US, but in Europe you have a sink with a constant stream of clean water with 3 brushes standing on the bottom, and you clean all the glasses. Lipstick is very hard to get off, and if you don't see the lipstick due to the limited light at the bar, or maybe because its very busy, sometimes lipstick remains on the glass.

It just happens, and if it does, just ask for another glass, no bartender would refuse, but don't be a drama queen about it. I bet you aren't flawless at your work, nobody is.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

Warren, I don't say it's tollerated, but it happens. Every glass at my bar was cleaned, I don't know how it works in the US, but in Europe you have a sink with a constant stream of clean water with 3 brushes standing on the bottom, and you clean all the glasses. Lipstick is very hard to get off, and if you don't see the lipstick due to the limited light at the bar, or maybe because its very busy, sometimes lipstick remains on the glass.

It just happens, and if it does, just ask for another glass, no bartender would refuse, but don't be a drama queen about it. I bet you aren't flawless at your work, nobody is.

In NL, don't you have a seperate tub for the green sanitizer wash after it is rinsed? Or is that before it's rinsed?

I'll buy the most expensive "by the glass wine" drink half of it, have my girlfriend get lipstick on it and then tell the waiter there's lipstick on my glass and I could I have another glass...

No, I don't actually do that, just throwing that out there for you budget savers in this tough economy...

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

In NL, don't you have a seperate tub for the green sanitizer wash after it is rinsed? Or is that before it's rinsed?

One tub, and we add sanitizer to the water.

[Salvelinus]

I'm with Don here. It happens. I find the hair in food much more revolting, especially when it takes about six inches of withdrawing your hand from your face to pull it all out of your mouth.

[Tenor CS]

Another former bartender here. Yes, it does happen. Yes, it's kind of gross. Proper procedure, if a guest brings it to your attention, is to apologize profusely and comp their drink.

In the bar area, the setup is what Don Fernando described. In the back, the glasses are put into racks and then run through a system with a conveyor belt, kind of like a car wash.

Problem is, neither of these methods is really effective at cleaning the OUTSIDE of the glass, or really scrubbing the lipstick, which is waxy, off. The temperature of the water and the chemicals used DO do an effective job of killing the germs.

Of course, if the women would just use the damn straws we give them in the first place ...