The Best (And Only) Way To Order A Beer At A Pub In The UK

Should you find yourself in the U.K., you may be tempted to visit an old-fashioned British pub, not least because these traditional institutions are closing down at a rate of roughly two a day, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. Should you enter one of these comforting, brass-and-dark wood alehouses, you should know that if you sit down at a table, expecting a member of staff to take your drink order, you will be waiting indefinitely. This is because, at the overwhelming majority of British pubs, drinks are only ever ordered at the bar.

Having spent some time as a bartender in Scotland, I can tell you there are a number of good reasons for this. Firstly, British pubs typically have a far lower staff-to-customer ratio than the average restaurant, and impatient pub-goers would be unlikely to tolerate the bar being left unattended while drink orders are ferried from table to table. Additionally, many pubs are small (or cozy, if you prefer), and can quickly become crowded when busy. Adding enough extra staff to deliver table service in this kind of cramped environment would therefore turn many pubs into the stateroom scene from the Marx Brothers' "A Night at the Opera," with the added irony that it probably wouldn't result in you getting your drinks any faster.

If you see staff venturing out from behind the bar, do not assume they are doing so to offer table service. Rather, they will almost certainly be going to fetch something from the stockroom, change the beer kegs, or fetch empty glasses left behind on tables vacated by departing customers (in the latter case, this is why it is considered polite for pub-goers to return their empty glasses to the bar before they leave).

When a party of several people drink together at a pub, it's not uncommon for two or more of them to go to the bar to order a round, then help carry the drinks back, one in each hand. This is a wise move — carrying a tray laden with six pints of beer is a rare skill, and should not be attempted by an amateur who's had several drinks already. Also bear in mind, if it's your habit to drink at the bar rather than at a table, it is poor manners to impede other patrons from ordering, so areas at the bar for customers who've already been served should be pretty obviously demarcated with barstools or signage.

Some prize the social aspect of ordering at the bar, arguing it allows strangers to meet and exchange casual conversation. This is not necessarily untrue, but the kind of characters you can encounter while awaiting your drink can vary dramatically (trust me, I could tell you horror stories), so if you'd prefer not to be on the receiving end of an impromptu lecture on what's wrong with the government/the weather/the kids today, collect your drink and head back to the safety of your table.

Opinions may be shifting, however. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when restrictions necessitated the temporary introduction of table service in British pubs, a 2021 YouGov poll found that 43% of respondents preferred table service to ordering at the bar. British pub culture has undergone other evolutions over years — since the rise of the "gastropub," the food is certainly better — so table service may yet come to pass. For now though, getting a drink in a pub will probably require stretching your legs.