Minneapolis Woman Walks Out Mid-Dining Experience After Seeing What Bartender Did To Her Ranch Water: ‘Industry Standard’

A Minneapolis bartender tasted a customer’s drink and was shocked after she sent it back. Commenters defended the bartender.

In a viral video with 53,100 views, user Klassics Kitchen + Cocktails (@klassicskitchenmn) explained exactly what happened and asked viewers to weigh in.

“Do you care if your bartender tastes your drink before giving it to you?” texted overlaid on the clip asked.

According to the video, the worker was assisting the main bartender with drinks when a customer placed an order. After mixing the drink, the worker decided to do a “straw test” to make sure it was good.

Apparently, that was not a good move.

“You know she sent her drink back?” the woman in the video asked incredulously. “Because she saw me taste it.”

Then the customer demanded another.

The interaction was so strange that the worker had to step out of the restaurant to collect herself.

Is The ‘Straw Test’ An Industry Standard?

In the video’s comments section, many supported the bartender.

“Straw test is industry standard,” one user wrote.

“If my bartender takes a taste I know they are a good bartender. That means you want me to have a good a– drink,” user CeCe said.

“A straw test is green flag for me cause don’t send me no nasty drink,” user krystal latte commented. 

However, some commenters advised the woman not to directly taste a customer’s drink.

“Girl we all straw test! But do it from the shaker,” user Jas said.

Straw tests are in fact common in the restaurant and bar industry.

In fact, one director at a Chicago bar reported that his staff tastes around 70% of the cocktails made in an average evening.

Another beverage director in Massachusetts said his bartenders try all drinks.

Is Tasting Drinks Legal?

While tasting is common in the bar industry, it is not universally legal.

For example, in Oregon there are laws that limit which beverages can be tasted by employees in establishments with liquor licenses.

In that state, the law only allows minimal tasting of wine, beer, and cider.

Drinks made with liquor cannot be tasted at all.

That distinction is important because a practice can be widely accepted within the restaurant industry, but still be regulated by state regulations.

Still, it appears that the customer’s response to the bartender’s “taste test” was a bit out of the ordinary.

After all, it is a common practice to taste drinks to ensure their quality before serving them.

BroBible reached out to Klassics Kitchen + Cocktails via email for comment.