5 Things Women Should Know Before Ordering Drinks At A New Bar

Visiting a new bar must be an opportunity to meet up with your friends, unwind, or explore a new city’s nightlife instead of being paranoid or anxiety dictating the night. Stepping into an unfamiliar venue means walking into an environment where you don’t know anything about the crowd dynamics, attentiveness of the staff, or security standards. But not when unsobered is here to help you! We have listed 5 things every woman should know before placing an order at a new bar. 

Things To Keep In Mind As A Woman Before Ordering At A New Bar

1. Maintain Awareness Of Your Glass

• One of the biggest risks that women come across at bars is drink tampering. The most effective way to prevent it is to maintain strict awareness of your glass from the moment the drink is selected till it reaches your hand. This is known as the “chain of custody” in bar culture. 
• When ordering your drink, make sure you position yourself in a way that you can directly watch the bartender prepare your drink for you. 
• Generally, in high-volume venues, drinks are prepared at the central table, which is then carried to you by a server. For these few minutes, the drink is vulnerable to tampering. Hence, it is better to order directly from the main bar so that you can watch the entire process. 

2. Master Glass-Handling Techniques

Your awareness is not limited to the moment the drink is handed to you by the bartender; it goes beyond it. Mastering glass-handling techniques becomes your next level of security. Distractions happen naturally. Just like your friend calling you to dance on the floor when your favorite song comes up. 

• The Palm Shield: Hold your glass from the top rim, with your palm covering the open mouth of the glass while walking. This will prevent anyone from discreetly dropping substances into your drink. 
• Coaster Cover: Place a paper coaster over your drink to cover its open mouth, especially at a booth or high-top table. This acts like a physical signal for people that this drink is being monitored. 
• Abandon The Drink: If you lose line of sight with your drink even for a minute, make sure you abandon it immediately. Try and don’t leave your drink unattended even for a minute 

3. Recognize Signs Of Drink Tampering

Many substances used for spiking drinks are known for being odorless, colorless, and tasteless. This makes it difficult to know if your drink is spiked. But they mostly alter the physical chemistry of a cocktail in ways only if you know what to look for. Before taking a sip of your ordered drink in a new bar, make sure you inspect it first. 

• Unusual Cloudiness: If you have ordered a non-carbonated drink and see tiny floating bubbles or cloudiness, make sure you do not drink it. Remember, dissolving pills tend to release micro-bubbles.
• Off-Key Taste: If your drink tastes unusually more bitter, sweet, or salty than the ingredients should, then abandon the drink. 
• Rapid Ice Melting: Certain chemical additives tend to cause the ice cubes to melt at an accelerated speed as compared to the normal rate of melting. 
• Physical Reactions: If you begin feeling severe dizziness, disorientation, or sudden memory gaps after consuming a quantity of alcohol that usually does not affect you. Immediately inform a staff member or trusted friend and get help to reach home safely. 

Also Read: The World’s First Beer Was Brewed By Women Over 7,000 Years Ago

4. Understand Venue’s Code Word System

These days, nightlife establishments train their bartenders, door staff, and even floor crew about customer safety and active bystander intervention. Knowing the venue security and code words can help you make them your instant friend whenever you feel uncomfortable. Many bars also have some special code words that are mounted inside the women’s restroom that mention discreet ordering cues like:

• Angel Shot On The Rocks: Call a ride on my behalf.
• Angel Shots Neat: Escort me to the exit or my vehicle.
• Angel Shots With Lime: Contact venue security or call police

If the bar you have visited does not have any specific phrase or code word, you can surely ask for help directly. You can walk up to the bartender or the security and state your issue clearly. Remember that the hospitality staff is accustomed to handling such situations discreetly. 

5. Avoid High-Proof Drinks

When visiting a bar for the very first time, try to ensure that your first drink is a straightforward, transparent build like a Vodka Soda, a standard glass of wine, a bottled beverage opened in front of you, or a Gin & Tonic. Such drinks help you easily pace your intake and are always the safe options. 

Also, make sure that after every alcoholic drink you order a full glass of ice water. This slows down your consumption rate and eliminates the dehydrating effects of alcohol. 

Author’s Note

As we are talking about five things to be remembered and have covered all the important ones already, I would like to recommend one more which I personally follow. Whenever you are at a new bar, and a stranger offers to buy you a drink, never accept a glass carried over by them to you. Make sure you walk with them to the bar so you can see the drink being prepared and let the bartender hand it directly to you. If they object to it, consider turning the offer down. 

Summing Up

Here you go! We have listed some basic but most important things that you, as a woman, must keep in mind when you visit a new bar. By pairing basic awareness with clever ordering options, you can easily navigate any new bar with confidence and zero anxiety.