Message 8825 of 22774 in Behind the Bar

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  It 
> does strike me though that asking the question "Sweet or Dry" is akin 
> to the famous Martini debate of "Vodka or Gin".  We all know that a 
> truly correct martini is Gin, but the general populous doesn't think 
> that way and we have to ask to compensate for that.  Strictly 
> speaking, out of the context of this particular case, the question is 
> legitimate and pretty reasonable.  

True, I don't pour gin every time someone orders a Martini, I ask.  You're 
right that the server/tender has to deal with customers who have limited and 
sometimes incorrect knowledge of cocktails and even if I know what's up I 
don't know if they know.  

Where this waiter screwed up though was by insisting that a Manhattan made 
with SV had to be ordered as a Sweet Manhattan, me knowing all the while that 
I'm going to get cherry juice if I ask for it like that.  Suppose the 
conversation went like this:

Customer: I'd like a martini, please.
Waiter: Would you like that made with gin or vodka?
Customer: I'd like it with gin, the standard ingredient in the recipe.
Waiter: Actually gin isn't standard in a martini; vodka martinis are made with 
vodka and gin martinis are made with gin.

It's fine to make sure the customer knows what they're ordering, but in this 
case the waiter implies that there is no default, that modifers must be used 
in order to make the drink request clear.  I have no problem with someone 
asking follow up questions such as "Would you prefer a certain brand?", 
"Stirred or shaken?", "Up or on the rocks?".  Even though I have my 'default 
settings' as a tender I don't expect every other bar to do the same.  Like the 
guys who posted on this thread about defaulting to Manhattans on the rocks.  
That would surprise me a little, but I wouldn't consider it wrong if I hadn't 
specified for it to be up.  

Basicly the guy wouldn't acknowledge that if I say "Manhattan", one word, I 
should expect whiskey, SV and bitters.  I also found it funny that the 
bartender he sent the order to made it exactly as I told him he would if I'd 
ordered a Sweet Manhattan.