Pub Etiquette for Americans
By: Mereysa Taylor
To the rest of the world, we Americans are known for the jovial raucousness we emit at all times as well as our ability to be heard within a five-mile radius. Lesson number one for English pub etiquette: Don’t do that. The English hate it. The barmen hate it. Your fellow pub-goers hate it. By extension, that hate will be aimed at you and your equally loud friends. Though occasionally you might be joined by someone who’s had one pint too many, that is where the camaraderie comes to a quick halt. Despite what movies have told you about the outrageous drunken attitudes of our mates across the pond, pub atmospheres are typically calm and reserved with the exception of football games (that’s football, not soccer) playing on the telly. Now, this is not to say that the English don’t know how to have a good time. On the contrary, their choice beers and liquors (which are in fact better than ours) and witty drunken banter will charm your trousers off.
Additionally, be sure to know what you want to eat and/or drink and order it quickly. Don’t stand at the bar for 20 minutes deciding between beer A and beer B as Londoners will not appreciate you for it. Otherwise, if your intentions include having a good time, keeping the volume reasonable and enjoying a good drink, you’ll blend in just fine — and probably make some friends along the way. But, if your intentions include getting shwasted, being loud, and generally being the loudmouthed American they expect you to be, well, assume everyone hates you and act accordingly. You’ll do fine.
By: Mereysa Taylor
To the rest of the world, we Americans are known for the jovial raucousness we emit at all times as well as our ability to be heard within a five-mile radius. Lesson number one for English pub etiquette: Don’t do that. The English hate it. The barmen hate it. Your fellow pub-goers hate it. By extension, that hate will be aimed at you and your equally loud friends. Though occasionally you might be joined by someone who’s had one pint too many, that is where the camaraderie comes to a quick halt. Despite what movies have told you about the outrageous drunken attitudes of our mates across the pond, pub atmospheres are typically calm and reserved with the exception of football games (that’s football, not soccer) playing on the telly. Now, this is not to say that the English don’t know how to have a good time. On the contrary, their choice beers and liquors (which are in fact better than ours) and witty drunken banter will charm your trousers off.
Additionally, be sure to know what you want to eat and/or drink and order it quickly. Don’t stand at the bar for 20 minutes deciding between beer A and beer B as Londoners will not appreciate you for it. Otherwise, if your intentions include having a good time, keeping the volume reasonable and enjoying a good drink, you’ll blend in just fine — and probably make some friends along the way. But, if your intentions include getting shwasted, being loud, and generally being the loudmouthed American they expect you to be, well, assume everyone hates you and act accordingly. You’ll do fine.