Pub's 'tacky' Guinness rule sparks heated debate
Guinness, the iconic dark ruby red stout, is enjoyed by millions across the world every single day - but did you know that there is a ‘proper’ way to go about ordering it at your local pub?
Brewed for the first time in 1759 by Arthur Guinness, the alcoholic beverage is so beloved that even 267 years later, fans are genuinely embarking on lifelong pilgrimages to find the ‘perfect’ pint.
We can honestly think of worse ways to spend Sunday afternoons!
If you’re a regular boozer, you’ll probably already be aware of how long it can take a bartender to hand over a glass of good stuff.
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That’s because there’s a so-called ‘right’ way to pour Guinness, according to the brand.
One pub that is seemingly obsessed with its staff delivering a delicious, creamy pint every time has hung up a sign instructing guests on exactly what they need to do.
However, the notice has proved controversial, with one person going as far as to call the rule ‘tacky’.
Greene King customer praises Guinness sign
Recruiter Daniel Cornwell recently took to LinkedIn to share an image he’d taken at a Greene King pub.
The photo was of a printed black sign, seemingly hanging over a pump. It read: ‘Please order your Guinness first’.
Remarking on the signage, Cornwell questioned whether it could be perceived as ‘passive aggressive’ or perhaps ‘demanding’.
“Thought so for a second. Then the penny dropped….anyone who’s worked on a bar will tell you…. Two minutes to pour. Order it last and the round stops dead while everyone watches it settle. Order it first and the bar builds the rest around it.”
He continued: “Same drinks, same staff, half the wait.”
Cornwell claimed that Diageo, which owns Guinness, had sent the Greene King pub the sign.
“A brand doing the operational thinking for the operator, not just sticking its logo on a beermat,” he continued. “Best service design is rarely clever. Sometimes it’s a tin sign on a chain.
“Or is it just a bit too pushy!?”
Guinness fans weigh in on signage
Marketers, Guinness drinkers, and general LinkedIn users alike are seemingly divided over the sign, with one commenting: “Amazed bar staff cannot remember an order in one go anyway. Then start the Guinness first.”
A second said: “Hospitality is about understanding. If I want more rules I will go to a library. I remember once being scolded like a child by a barman in Dublin for ordering Guinness last in a big round. At a time when I was probably pouring 500 pints of it a week in my day job.”
Someone else called it a ‘tacky’ approach, questioning if it was ‘any different to asking people to order fish on arrival in a chippy’.
“I just think it's a bit of a tacky-made sign. The advice is only true if listing a round of drinks, and unless you drink Guinness, you won't know why,” they mused.
Instead, they suggested that the sign should read: ‘Ordering Guinness in a round? Tell us it first to avoid waiting’."
Meanwhile, a former hospitality worker claimed: “Love it - having worked on a bar it really did slow down the whole order if not mentioned early on.
“More infuriating is when bar staff have not been trained in how to correctly pour a Guinness or they are rushing and just pour it bottom to top in one go!”
How to pour the perfect pint of Guinness
A brewmaster at Dubh Linn Gate, an Irish pub in Whistler, Canada, has put together an easy guide on how barkeeps can pour Guinness the right way.
According to Fergal Murray, there are six key steps to follow, including making sure the 20-ounce tulip glass is dry and clean, and that it is held at a 45-degree angle under the tip.
“Let the beer flow nice and smoothly into the angled glass and fill it up three-quarters of the way to the Guinness harp,” the business said.
Let the ruby liquid settle before topping it off. This should help create the iconic domed effect across the top of the pint.
“The cosmetic look of the pint is critical to the Guinness experience. We don’t want anybody just putting liquid in a glass. And finally, drink responsibly,” they added.
Ella Scott