Why do some bar counters have rounded brass handlebars?

April 21, 2013 8:18 AM

I notice these from time to time, and have always wondered about their purpose. The are at the end of the counter on the patron side. Any ideas on what they are for?
posted by missed to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

They are to mark an area reserved for staff service. Patrons aren't supposed to wait there to be served, in my experience.
posted by goo at 8:21 AM on April 21, 2013 [8 favorites]

That's where the wait staff pick up drinks from the bar to serve to customers who are sitting at tables.
posted by ralan at 8:30 AM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]

Goo has it. They are used to delineate the service "window" of the bar, where the wait staff orders and picks-up the orders. Sit within those poles and you'll get your head handed to you. I suppose they are so large and obvious because they need to be large and obvious without putting up a partition.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:30 AM on April 21, 2013 [3 favorites]

Agree. (At least in the bars I have been in.)

Depending on the place, they can also be used for walk-up customers who aren't sitting at the bar and don't want to reach through three layers of people just to get drinks. If there isn't a POS terminal there, I would say you are OK to use it to order drinks. As long as you clear out when you are done with the transaction.
posted by gjc at 10:37 AM on April 21, 2013

The bar where I worked didn't have a POS terminal on the waitstaff end and it would get congested like hell when the bar was busy, which was a pain. If it's not busy though and you're off a bit to the side you're probably not going to kill anyone.
posted by stoneandstar at 12:37 PM on April 21, 2013