The final post in our Britannia in Brief series is a fantastic article from co-author William Mullins about how to behave in a British pub. I’m glad he decided to write about this as I’ve experienced the confusion of being a pub for the first time. Be sure to check out the rest of the posts for Britannia in Brief Week.
It should be straightforward – I mean, you’ve got bars here in the US – but I’ve always been struck by the trepidation that fills visitors to Britain the first time they have to step up to the bar at the pub and navigate the strange ritual of British pub etiquette. Quite understandably, no one wants to make a public fool of themselves in that inner sanctum of British culture, the public house.
In our book Britannia in Brief my wife Leslie, who blogged here on Anglotopia on Tuesday, and I explain the different kinds of pubs you’ll encounter, what they’ll serve in different parts of the country and how to navigate the culture. Following are a few tips which will help maximize your own pub-roving travels!
Do’s
- Go to the bar to order drinks. Only very smart establishments, (i.e. not pubs,) will have table service.
- Order beer by the pint (men) or half-pint (women); never by the bottle.
- Pay for your drinks when you’re served, and expect to pay in cash.
- Offer to buy drinks for all your party rather than just slipping off to bar on the quiet. The British tend to drink in rounds - etiquette of rounds can get complicated,) so if your offer is taken up, don’t be alarmed – you’re off the hook until everyone’s had a turn. (Though if you want a glass of water or a packet of crisps, or some such, as well as a drink go get that yourself.
Don’ts
- Tipping will cause confusion. If you must, offer to buy the bartender drink which they may chalk up for later, but most Brits would only go to this extreme if the publican had just single-handedly rescued him and his family from a burning car.
- Don’t be afraid to bring a child to the pub during the day, especially in the country. Unlike America, this won’t have social services coming to take your child away!
- The pub is not the place to order frou-frou drinks. No self-respecting publican will serve Long Island Ice Tea, Buttery Nipple shots or Espresso Martinis. This isn’t to say there aren’t pubs that will serve these, it’s just that they’re not the sort of pubs any self-respecting tippler should frequent.
- Don’t ask for or expect the bar staff to pour you a particuarly large measure of liquor. Though prices vary between pubs, measures do not and are strictly regulated by law. For spirits the standard serving is 25ml, the EU having done away with the wonderful old measures: 1/6th of a gill in England and 1/4th of a gill in Scotland.
- Be a little more reticent about drumming up conversation than you would be at home. It’s not that people don’t want to talk to you, it’s just that they’re a little taken aback when someone they’d never laid eyes five minutes before suddenly sticks out their hand and introduces themselves as Tim from Topeka. To the Brits this sort of bumptiousness is annoying and plays to all their stereotypes of the loud American. Break the stereotype, be yourself, be patient, don’t try to hard, go with the flow and you’ll find yourself welcomed and appreciated by the natives!
Britiannia in Brief – The Scoop on All Things British – was written by Leslie Banker and William Mullins. It’s the ultimate guide to Britain for Anglophiles! To purchase Britannia in Brief: The Scoop on All Things British – click here
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Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia was started to get us back to the UK for a trip and it did that in 2009. Now, the goal is for Anglotopia to make our dreams of traveling to the UK whenever we want a reality.
The last bullet point under the Don’t(s) is a good one. I’m sorry to say that in my part of the country this type of behavior is also met with a distrusting look or one that says “why are you bothering me?” I would also add when you’re at the bar not to call out to the bartender to get his/her attention. This is a no-no. With cash in hand, place your arm on the bar or make eye contact with bartender and perhaps nod your head. Either one is acceptable. Don’t worry, they’re good at knowing who needs serving next.
Good point, Smitten! I was going to mention about not getting too pushy at the bar but didn’t i) for space, ii) in the hope that it’s a universal rule! and iii) I wanted to focus more on the Do’s rather than the Don’t's – I don’t want to frighten people away from the pub. Thanks for the feedback.
This is great! The Pub Culture was one of my most confusing experiences when I first moved here. I would add that returning the empties to the bar is polite and might help you get served sooner if you’re up for another round. But this does vary from pub to pub!
As a Brit pubs have always been part of life, after reading this I suddenly realised how daunting they must be to ‘foreigners’. Never really felt that about US or European bars – starting me searching & lo someone has written a thesis on it – a sort of labour of love. http://www.sirc.org/publik/ptpintro.html
As for my tip, it is well worth searching out ‘locals’ rather than tourist or chain pubs…& if you can find a sporty local pub during a Rugby international – go for it!
Thanks for the link Andy. It was very helpful!
I love this…I’m English, I live in a very cultural city, suffice to say the only real pubs left are out in the country, we must have hundreds of “bars” in our city, rules of thumb here are q for half an hour to get in, elbow your way to the front of the 6 deep bar, wait for another half hour to get served, shout your order at the barman 73 times in increasingly louder voice, finally get served, if you are lucky it will be what you ordered. Begin the journey to find a half foot square spot where no body else is standing, jostle through crowds of people wearing too much make-up, too much perfume and not enough clothes, hopefully find your friends and hopefully manage to get to them without spilling all of your drink on a 6ft 3 hairy bloke who thought it was a pick up line!
In reference to the 4th don’t; you can always ask for a double!
Or, depending on the pub, and how well you get on with the bar staff – a triple!
However, in recent years, it is illegal to serve quads or double bubbles (no double Black Russians for me – boo!)
Pints for men and halves for women? Stereotypical, offensive, and also wrong! Men who buy a half are more likely to be ridiculed than women, but the vast majority of both sexes buy beer in pints anyway.
I would add that wine in pubs is almost always unpleasant and expensive.
**Don’t be afraid to bring a child to the pub during the day, especially in the country. Unlike America, this won’t have social services coming to take your child away!**
They bloody well should! Kids are a pain at the best of times – at a pub (or the gym while Im going off on one) they are a complete nightmare.
I just found this on Stumble upon. I’m English as well.
I’d say this about sums up how to behave in a British pub. There is one addition i would make though, when in the toilets say nothing, not even if a friend is using the urinal next to you, do not speak and be sure top stare straight at the wall.
It should be noted that when you tell the barman ‘one for yourself’ that they wont take £3 out of your change. The normal amount taken is around 20p.
And really, these rukes should be seen as a loose guide. Dont go in there with a print out of this, following it intently.
Relax and enjoy yourself – we don’t bite.
My wifes a publican in a local.
Great way to find really nice pubs, although it is biased towards country boozers;
http://www.goodguides.co.uk/index.asp
Nice summary – I remember a friend coming over from the states and trying to tip the barman in every pub. Most looked completely confused like they’d given too much change and he was giving it back….I’m not sure who felt the most insulted him or the barman!
Another point – don’t just ask for a pint of beer. At least decide between a lager (cold light coloured beer) or bitter (warm dark beer).
Actually the rule about tipping doesn’t quite apply – it is the done thing to leave a tip for the kitchen staff if you’ve just had a meal.
I’m sorry: which part of 1956 do you live in?
Don’t ask for bottles? You will see *hundreds* of them behind the bar; they are not there for decorative purposes.
Women drink halves? Try that one and see what colo(u)rful phrases you are met with from most female British beer drinkers.
Anyway…
Your biggest problem is deciding which beer to have – there will be perhaps a dozen lagers, bitters and stouts (and possibly an IPA) on the pumps and many more bottled (mostly lagers, IPAs and light ales) behind the bar.
In general, avoid the lagers – lagers brewed in the UK are fit only for 19 year-olds who just want to get as much alcohol down their necks as quickly as possible. However, you should be able to get Czech and/or Belgian lagers by the bottle. A bottle of ORIGINAL Budweiser Budvar lager from The Czech Republic will make you weep when you compare it to the liquid horse waste that Anheuser-Busch slop into bottles.
If you like Guinness then you can take a bitter, otherwise try with caution – it is called “bitter” for a reason. Again, there will be at least three different types – ask the barman to recommend the smoothest.
For the genuine experience, ask for a “real ale” – that is beer, almost always a bitter, that is still active when it is drawn from the barrel (indeed, this secondary fermentation in the cask is essential to the taste of the beer) as opposed to “keg” beers which are sterilised and then artificially carbonated before being put in the cask.
Real ale barrels are kept in the pub’s cool cellar to keep the yeast alive but not too active (this is the origin of the “warm beer” reputation of British ales – in fact it’s quite cold in a pub’s cellar!). Keg beers are drawn by electric pump whereas real ales are still usually drawn with hand pumps (although the electric pump is often made to look like a hand pump just to confuse you, but the action is completely different in use as it takes two or three pulls on a hand pump to fill a pint glass). It will have much less of a “head” and be less gassy than keg beers as these are natural products of the fermentation process, not added afterwards with carbon dioxide.
Luckily for Americans, micro-breweries have sprung up all over the States in the last decade, so decent British style beers can often be tasted before departure. I therefore recommend as much practical research as possible into as many different kinds of beer as are locally available in the months leading up to your trip…
Cheers!
About 10 years ago we brought our 2 year old to eat at the pub on a very cold and rainy May afternoon. The places was empty. The barman or manager allowed the waiter to take our order then he came over and said because we had a child with us, we could not eat in the pub proper. He wanted to stick us in a drafty courtyard.
We left in amazement and annoyance. My spouse is British and it was a pub he had been to many times.
Maybe they have changed the rules now. I wonder at any place that doesn’t allow people to bring a baby into a place where they can get a meal. Neither of us drink by the way.
And they say Americans are ‘weird’ about things. Anyhow, I’m still an Anglophile but that pub…?!
I think it depends on whether or not the pub has a children’s licence.
This was a great read
Didnt realise people who wished to a have a drink in this country required do’s and dont’s lol. But then I guess I gew up with it.
My uncle owns a pub and I can see that almost every pub you go to in england will be a friendly environment and the locals would love a foreigner to come and have a chat.
As a barmaid, I’m going to add a few more to this:
DON’T:
a) Click / whistle / shout at the barmaid to try and get their attention. This will only annoy us and mean it takes longer for you to get served.
b) Don’t say I’m / he’s / she’s next – you’re next when I say you’re next! That said, if I have just said that you’re next and you let someone else go before you then that’s fine – and I’ll serve you after that individual.
c) Order several pints and THEN ask for a pint of Guinness – if you drink it, you’ll know it takes time to pour it properly.
d) Fire off eight different orders of shots and mixers, all with different permutations as to whether or not the pepsi is diet or not, and then expect us to remember them all.
e) Only tell us one drink at a time like we’re complete simpletons – there is a happy medium!
f) Ask the person stood behind a bar, in uniform, taking money “do you work here?”
g) Moan when you’re ID’d
h) Let your children run riot around the pub
DO:
a) Have some ID with you (drivers license or passport – your NUS card ain’t gonna work) if you think you look under about 25
b) Smile and be nice to the barmaid
Don’t be afraid to ask the barman (or barmaid) about the draught beers.
They vary hugely in strength and flavour and many British pubs still stock locally brewed beers that visitors wouldn’t be expected to know about.
If you explain what sort of beer you like, they’ll often be happy to suggest a beer that suits you. And in many good beer pubs they will even let you have a taste of it to see if you like it before ordering – but don’t ask for this.
I’m a woman and I drink pints sometimes and ask for bottles no problem. Also order what you like my fiance always drinks rum and coke no one cares as long as you pay!
Regarding children in pubs, I think a pub has to have a childrens licence to keep them out, these days at least. Prior to 2000 children were allowed in over the age of 14 or if they were having a meal. I think some pubs must make up their own rules which may not be quite legal!
Interesting about the “children in pubs” section and comments. I’m from a rural area of the northern Midwest, in the US, and it’s not only common to see children in taverns, it’s almost expected in some areas. Many of the rural taverns are still owned and operated by families…so kids take over the business and can start serving/operating at 18. It does vary state to state, but where I’m from kids can drink beer so long as they’re with their parents. It’s not that uncommon to see 16+ kids drinking with their parents in a tavern while a game is on.
One other point of etiquette I would add is when the barman/maid asks “who’s next?” and looks you in the eye, don’t ask for a drink if there’s someone who has been waiting at the bar longer than you! Very annoying, rude and generally not called for. Just point or nod to the person who IS next, this often results in a “cheers mate” and who knows, they may get you one in on their round.
The most important point that has been missed is that the drinking age is lower in the UK than the US and you can buy alcohol at 18.
16 and 17 year olds can drink with a meal if the drinks are brought by an adult
over 5s can drink in unlicensed premises (ah home with meal etc)
We’re talking about proper pubs here, in the country. Out here the drinking age is more of a guide than a rule depending on how local you are and how friendly you are with the police. If you’re a trackie wearing chav (or obviously 14) you won’t get served, otherwise you’re generally ok.
Something else to note, in my experience the American tourist doesn’t drink very much. Don’t be shocked if people drink more than 3 pints in an evening
If your lucky you may be left for the lock in, where the pub doors are closed and all manor of regulations are abandoned. Stumbling out at 4am with the fag smoke creeping out in the gap under the door is a good experience
Regarding real ale, any real ale pub worth its salt will let you taste the different ales before you buy a pint (especially if they have a lot of ales on and they are from small/unknown brewers). Just ask the bar staff if you can try whichever one you’re interested in.
However, you can expect a funny look if you ask to try one of the bland, mass-produced lagers by mistake (Carling, Fosters and so on) because most people don’t drink them for the taste!
Don’t expect this luxury if the pub is packed and the staff are frantically trying to keep up though.
Uhm
You actually cannot take your child with you into any pub
the pub needs the right license and/or a seperate room, or you need to order a meal – and those are just the most common regulations they vary between counties
I remember a pub in Dartmoor that had tables outside for the families!
Also even though last orders is not as common as its been since they offer new licenses with longer opening time, not every pub has bought into the new regulations on closing time – so it is possible that the pub closes at 10 or 11 pm
And with closing hour so early most English tend to drink very fast, which leads to a lot of drunken shenigans – and they keep to old habits pretty nicely
Was the dartmoor pub the plume of feathers in Princeton? because Princeton is full of prison guards and the type, it being next to a massive prison, so you wouldn’t get away with bending the rules with regards to children etc. That pub does an AMAZING mars bar cheese cake though
forget all of the above
go in, order a drink, have fun.
the barman will kick you out when its hometime
As an ex-bartender. If you are ordering a large round and the pub is really busy, DO get it straight before tying up the bar staff. There’s nothing worse, for a bartender, than getting four orders, adding up the order in your head, and then having the person who is conferring with the rest of the party change three of the order and then adding another three orders. You will be remembered next time you come back for another drink.
Ordering drinks in half pintsfor women is now considered very sexist and will very likely earn you a slap in the face. What century are you living in?
A Guide to pub etiquette:
GREAVES’ RULES
1. When two or more enter the pub together, one – usually the first through the door – will begin proceedings with the words “Now then, what are we having?” He or she will then order and pay. This purchase is known as “the first round”.
2. This player, or “opener”, will remain “in the chair” while other friends or colleagues come through the door to join the round. He will remain in this benefactory role until either (a) his own glass sinks to beneath the half way mark or (b) another drinker finds himself almost bereft of his original refreshment and volunteers to “start a new round”.
3. In the absence of new arrivals, any player other than the opener may at any time inquire whether it is “the same again?” On receiving his instructions, he will then order and pay for “the second round”. (N.B. The second round is the last one to be specifically numbered. Beyond that point, nobody wishes to be reminded how many they have had and, anyway, no-one should be counting.)
4. The round acknowledges no discrimination. All players, regardless of sex, age or social status, are expected to “stand their corner”. (Pedants might like to note that we are talking here of the only “round” in the English language that also contains a “corner”.
5. Any new entrant, joining the session after its inception, is not expected to “buy himself in” but should be invited to join the round by whoever is in the chair (see Rule 2). If, however, he is greeted by silence he may either (a) buy a drink just for himself or (b) attempt to buy a round for all present. If (a) or, worse still, (b) is not acceptable to the congregation then the new entrant has been snubbed and should in future seek out more appreciative company. There is one important exception…
6. For reasons of haste or poverty, a new arrival may insist on buying his own with the words “Thanks, but I’m only popping in for one”. If he is then seen to buy more than three drinks, he will be deemed a skinflint, neither broke nor in a hurry to get home, and will be penalised for his duplicity by being ordered to buy the next round.
7. Although everyone in the group is normally required to buy at least one round before leaving, the advent of either drunkenness or closing time sometimes renders this ideal unattainable. In such circumstances, any non-paying participant will (a) have “got away with it” and (b) appoint himself “opener” at the next forgathering. However, any player who notices on arrival that the round has “got out of hand” and has no chance of reaching his turn before “the last bell”, may start a “breakaway round” by buying a drink for himself and all subsequent arrivals. This stratagem breaks the round in two, keeps the cost within manageable proportions and is the only acceptable alternative to Rule 5.
8. When a pressing engagement elsewhere precludes further involvement, it is wholly unacceptable for any player who has not yet been in the chair to buy a round in which he cannot himself be included. In such circumstances Rule 7 (a) and (b) therefore apply.
9. In the event of any one glass becoming empty, a new round must be called immediately. This should not necessarily be called by the owner of the empty glass, however, because this place the slower drinker at an unfair fund-saving advantage. (N.B. Whereas it is permissible for any member of the round to decrease the capacity of his individual order – “just a half for me, please” – the opposite does not hold good. A large whisky, for instance, may be offered by the chair but never demanded of it.)
10. Regional variations. In various parts of the country, a particular establishment will impose its own individual codicil. In one Yorkshire pub, for example, the landlord’s Jack Russell terrier expects to be included in every round. Where such amendments exist, and are properly advertised, they must be piously observed. We are, after all, talking about a religion.
A fine guide Barry, which will leave visiting Americans in no doubt as to the rules governing rounds and who is responsible for paying for them. Unfortunately, ruling 7 (a) has been omitted. Sometimes there will be present, a customer who is not of the group but who is known to them. He will greet them but remain sitting apart, nursing a half pint and make no attempt to buy a round or join in the conversation. This will be because he is temporarily financially embarrassed and does not wish to join in the round because he cannot reciprocate when it’s his turn to pay. Nevertheless, form states that he will still require a drink and will be included by the round buyer, who will explain his inclusion by quietly informing the rest of the company: “The pint of bitter is for Kevin. He’s on the floor.” Meaning he is devoid of money, rather than sprawled on the carpet. Kevin will accept the proffered pint but will normally excuse himself and leave after drinking it. It would be extremely bad form for him to remain for a further round, but it is not unknown for penniless but determined drinkers to throw personal pride to the winds and attach themselves to the group for the rest of the night. How acceptable to the group this is depends on the impecunious one’s popularity. If he is known to make a habit of this sort of “ligging” then he will be cold-shouldered forever after.
In the last few years, the traditional “local” pub which only serves ‘bar’ meals and drinks has declined due mainly to the availability of cheap alcohol in supermarkets. A lot of these pubs are either closing down (due to lack of customers) or are being taken over by ‘restaurant/pub’ chains (e.g. Beefeaters). These pubs are more family orientated and will serve 3 course meals at a reasonable price – or you can just buy drinks. Often these pubs will allow you to open a ‘tab’ by swiping your credit card and totalling up the cost of your drinks and meals at the end of the evening (more convenient than having to pay with cash each time you order more drinks). You will have a table number which you use to add more drinks to your tab. At the end of the evening when you settle up, you will get a receipt with all your purchased items individually listed so you can double check for any mistakes. One thing to note is that nowadays smoking is not allowed inside any public buildings in the UK – so often there is an outside smoker’s area for those addicted to nicotine (often covered to protect from rain but open sided so no protection from the cold wind!). Also, drinking and driving is not acceptable – often, one person in a party will volunteer to be the driver and will stay sober! BTW – I’m an expat Yorkshireman living in a dry Middle Eastern country – dreaming of a pleasant evening in a lovely English ountry pub!
I visited for the first time a few months ago; I didn’t feel intimidated at all at the time; thank goodness I didn’t commit any gaffes other than tipping; in the states its considered the height of rudeness if you don’t tip.