The Unspoken Rules and Etiquette You Didn't Know About At a Local Irish Pub. Learn About Them NOW!
When you travel, it’s not just about the food and culture you have immersed yourself in; there are instances wherein you would also want to experience the nightlife. One of the main attractions for travelers is visiting local pubs. In Ireland, we are known to have iconic and even simple pubs that surely grab your attention. These Irish watering holes may seem like your typical bar or club; then again, there are a few unspoken rules that you should know about to avoid being taken as rude or disrespectful.
We aren’t all lucky enough to have locals take us to the pub; we would sometimes go there alone and look like a fool or get embarrassed since we wouldn’t know how to act or move in such a scene. Luckily for you, we have been to a few pubs with locals, and on our own, we have learned these unspoken rules and etiquette and are now sharing them with you.
Buy A Round
There are instances in an Irish pub, no matter how small or big, you will encounter a moment wherein someone buys you a drink. They would buy one round for a specific group of people as a gesture of hospitality and friendship. DO NOT, and we mean DO NOT, skip your game. Most tourists think that it’s a way to get free drinks. However, once you are given a match, you are expected to return the favor. Couples aren’t counted as one person; you each get a drink and have to buy a game.
Should you follow this practice by the night's end, you would leave with a handful of friends and a stomach filled with alcohol. Cheers!
Guinness Needs Patience
You will notice that Guinness is poured in two stages; there are ample minutes between locations before your pint is filled to the rim. Allow your bartender to serve the pint to you when it's ready. Many tourists tend to complain or start a fuss when they notice their pint not being filled right, or they would reach over and try to snag it earlier. Besides the idea of allowing Guinness to reach its full potential, it’s rude not to let your bartender serve it to you.
Ask Before You Take A Seat
Some cultures allow you to take vacant stools at the pub since no one is sitting on them. “Finders Keepers,” as some may connote to such a practice; then again, in the Irish Pub scene, you would have to ask around before taking a vacant stool; it’s to avoid looking like an arrogant buffoon. The number of people at a pub and the seating capacity will always vary; it wouldn’t hurt to ask around before taking something to avoid an uproar or feud over a stool.
Tips
Tipping is arguably one of the most confusing practices in different cultures; it sometimes becomes confusing and tricky. Whether under or over-tipping, the rule of thumb in Irish cultures is 10% -15 % at the night's end or by the time you choose to leave. It isn’t expected nor required. However, it is appreciated. Some locals or tourists would invite the bartender for a drink or two to thank them for their service. Tipping is all up to you, but if you had a great time, giving a few as a sign of gratitude wouldn't harm you.
Drinking At An Irish Pub Isn’t A Race
Irish pubs are filled with laughter, stories, music, and even dancing. To enjoy the scene or have a good time, you would need to drink steadily. Some tourists think drinking more and a lot will make them seem cool. Irish people drink as much as they can slowly to enjoy the experience. You aren’t drinking at a pub to get wasted; you drink to enjoy your time. Getting wasted is just a plus.
These Irish Pub etiquettes are something that you would practice at your local pub. It’s because we all want to have a good time and must respect and value each other’s practices. One of the things that Irish people cater to and nurture is the values that they were taught growing up. Therefore it would be evident that such values and practices are exemplified in places and things that they take part in.
If you have other Irish Pub etiquettes that weren’t mentioned, please leave a comment below; we would love to learn from your experience and practice.
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