Anyone who has worked behind a bar knows the type: the indecisive customer who leans in with a smirk and says, “Surprise me.” At first, it sounds playful. In reality, it’s a setup for complaints because whatever you serve, they’ll claim it isn’t what they “had in mind.”
One Redditor shared how he turned years of frustration into the simplest and most brilliant form of malicious compliance. Instead of wasting time crafting obscure cocktails only to face whining, he found a foolproof “surprise” that no one could argue with. Want to know what it was? Let’s just say it wasn’t on the happy hour menu.
The former bartender explained that customers constantly ordered “surprise me” drinks
Hospitality experts say “surprise me” orders can be a nightmare. It shifts the burden of decision-making onto staff who already juggle speed, precision, and customer satisfaction.
A 2022 article from Liquor.com explains that bartenders often interpret “surprise me” based on mood, bar vibe, or personal creativity but that works only if the guest is open-minded.
As psychologist Dr. Art Markman notes in Psychology Today, people often think they want novelty, but “too much surprise without control can trigger dissatisfaction”.
In other words, customers romanticize spontaneity but secretly want familiar flavors. That’s why many bartenders recommend asking for preferences instead, like “something with rum, not too sweet.”
The Redditor’s water trick might sound cheeky, but it also solved a genuine service problem. No wasted liquor, no guessing games, no unnecessary stress. And from a psychological perspective, it turned the power dynamic around: the customer still got a surprise, but on the bartender’s terms.
It also underscores how service workers often use humor or subtle resistance to cope with unreasonable demands. According to a 2023 survey by One Fair Wage, over 70% of service workers reported dealing with “deliberately difficult customers” weekly. Strategies like this one, playful compliance, become survival tools in a high-pressure environment.
Here are the comments of Reddit users:
Commenters reminisced about serving deliberately awful “challenge shots” like Bailey’s with lemon juice (a curdled nightmare) or fiery concoctions with Tabasco
This group admitted they actually love ordering “surprise me” cocktails but only in trusted, quiet bars where bartenders have time to play
Some users pointed out that many customers simply lack drink knowledge or feel shy
These Redditors emphasized boundaries, noting that vague requests in a busy bar are inconsiderate
In the end, the bartender’s solution was genius in its simplicity. By handing over water, he gave customers exactly what they asked for, a surprise, while saving himself the hassle of wasted effort. The story serves as a cheeky reminder: if you want something specific, just say it.
Would you dare to order a “surprise me” at the bar, or do you stick to your usual? And if you were behind the counter, would you serve creativity… or cold water? Share your take below!
