Ask a Bartender: What’s Wrong with Drinking Alone?

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Pam Martin, GoLocalWorcester Ask A Bartender Columnist

I see no problem in having a drink by yourself. It’s actually a nice luxury. You don’t have to wait for someone else to decide where to go, or what he or she is in the mood for. You just get up and go on your own accord. After a long day, it’s a nice luxury to be able to sit down somewhere and just unwind. Watch a game. People watch. What ever you want.

Bartenders are actually quite jealous of people who can just stroll in and enjoy a drink by themselves. We welcome them because they are most likely very low maintenance. They either want to be left alone to enjoy the solitude, or they can strike up a nice conversation beyond what the daily specials are. Generally, solo drinkers don’t linger so we have a solid exchange and then they leave. It’s very casual.

The people who come into get drunk alone, well, that’s another story.

I won’t say they all “have a problem”. I will say patrons who come in alone with the goal of getting drunk alone, don’t make it long. When someone is wandering around by himself or herself, drunkenly trying to make friends with groups of people, it’s a red flag. Socially people are not very welcoming to this type of lone ranger and this type of wandering drinker makes people uncomfortable. Once someone starts making other groups of patrons uncomfortable and is obviously on a solo mission, it’s time for management to kindly ask them to leave.

Even the most social butterfly should reconsider the one-man bar crawl. We all have that one friend who just seems to know someone everywhere they go. They might go out alone and run into a familiar face who will raise an eyebrow as they look around and ask, “who are you here with?” Followed by, “oh, are you waiting for someone?” Awkward.

Enjoying a drink or two by yourself? Have at it. Embarking on an independent binge? Time to phone a friend.

Pam Martin bartends at Compass Tavern at 90 Harding Street in Worcester every Friday night and Sunday afternoon.