When customers try to sneakily ask for an extra strong drink, there’s a clever way some bartenders might trick them into thinking they honored their stingy request. A Raleigh, N.C. bartender reveals the hack to fake a strong pour, shocking customers in a now-viral TikTok.
Bartender and TikToker Michelle (@michellebellexo) sits on the other side of the bar and pretends to be a customer asking for a strong pour. The video reached over 5.4 million views.
Michelle, now acting as herself, clarifies whether the customer wants to pay for a double.
“No, I don’t want to pay for a double, but hook it up,” Michelle, as a customer, says.
She nods and pretends to pour extra liquor in the drink. But it turns out that the seemingly longer pour had no more alcohol than a standard one.
How Did The Bartender Fake A Strong Pour?
First, she shows two empty, identical tins. She pours water with grenadine into the tin for her demonstration of a standard 1.5-ounce pour. Liquid comes out of the spout for around three seconds.
Then, Michelle shows how she fakes a strong pour. She places her finger over the air vent of the spout and begins to pour again. The stream of alcohol is slower, taking her around five seconds to pour the shot. Sealing the air vent makes air stay in the bottle as liquid makes its way out, slowing down the pour without creating an obvious disturbance in the flow.
Despite the longer pour, both tins measure at 1.5 ounces when she measures them at the end of the clip.
How Do Other Bartenders React To The Request?
On the r/bartenders subreddit, many lamented that the constant request for extra free alcohol is annoying. They shared their own tricks to shut persistent customers up.
“‘I only have enough for one drink, so can you please make mine with some love?’. I then proceeded to give it loving affirmations while I poured her a single,” one bartender joked.
Another remarked, “I charge them for the two shots and watch their eyebrows raise when they go to pay for their $26 vodka soda.”
Others suggested there are other ways to fake a strong pour.
“Was working a strict 1.5oz nightclub and I got so many people every night who were befuddled they were paying more than $12 for 1.5oz cocktails (on bourbon street keep in mind) so I always measured on the 1oz side and made it look like I put extra in,” a third added.
What Do Bar Customers Think Of The Trick?
In the comments of Michelle’s TikTok, many customers can’t believe that their favorite bartender may have been playing them this whole time.
A commenter wrote, “Every person who has ever thought they got the hook up from the bartender is now questioning their entire life.”
“Wow I just thought I was the bartenders favorite,” another joked.
However, others said they believe their bartender actually “hooks [them] up.”
“My bartender was a lil bit sadistic. I swear she made my drinks 2x stronger than everybody else’s because I have decent genetic alcohol tolerance but not when she was working,” a viewer suggested.
“I know ive gotten hooked up not because I asked but because when I took a sip I nearly died,” a second said.
@michellebellexo Bartender trick: covering the pour spout air vent makes drinks look stronger – Did you know this? #bartendertricks #pourcount #makeitstrong
BroBible reached out to Michelle via email and TikTok direct message for further comment. We will update the story when she replies.