Bartender's Reply To Customers Trying To Enter While Closed Divides Opinion

Bartenders have to put up with a lot, but the internet is divided about how one responded to customers expecting service before opening time, and she told her side of the story to Newsweek.

Before starting her shift at the Alley Cat Lounge in Savannah, Georgia, Anna Fleming was setting up and filming as she refined her cocktail-making skills.

However, what she actually ended up recording was an unexpected confrontation with two people who wandered in at 3 p.m., an hour before the bar opened.

At first, Fleming, 29, let them know that she wouldn't be serving them until they officially opened, telling Newsweek that they "seemed annoyed" by that. The two guests, estimated to be in their fifties, didn't take the hint, forcing Fleming to repeat herself and insist that just because the door was open, it didn't mean they were serving.

Fleming said: "I saw them wander in, acknowledged them, and simply let them know that we open at 4 p.m. They were standing across the room, and they couldn't hear me the first time, so I repeated myself a little louder.

"We're in a basement in a back alley and we only have one door which has to be unlocked. We leave the door propped open so the delivery guys can head straight down. I explained that, but instead of just accepting the answer and coming back later, the guy tried to push the issue of me serving them by saying that they could deliver a good time."

Since the people didn't show any signs of leaving, Fleming grew agitated that she had to repeat herself, so she simply responded by telling them they could "deliver that good time at 4'o'clock." Not everyone has agreed with her way of handling the scenario, but Fleming told Newsweek that she merely wanted to "give him the same energy" he gave her.

On April 10, footage of the encounter was posted on TikTok (@salty.af6), with the caption noting that "they were not happy with that response." With more than 5.6 million views and over 601,200 likes on the post already, the confrontation has certainly divided opinion.

Newsweek reached out to the owner of the Alley Cat Lounge for comment.

"I thought that clip was a pretty good representation of how, even when service workers try to be nice and say no, people will still try to walk all over them and give 1-star reviews for adhering to the rules," Fleming continued.

"Sometimes people don't understand the level of work and preparation that goes into bartending. Especially at a place like Alley Cat where our focus is high end cocktails, we make sure we're set up properly so we can serve our guests with ease."

These customers aren't the first to make the mistake of walking into the bar before it opens, but Fleming says that normally people will just up and leave.

With over 7,500 comments on the TikTok post already, some people have praised Fleming for standing her ground and remaining polite at work, while others slammed her for being too precise about the time.

One TikTok user commented: "Responses on point. Energy on point."

Another person responded: "I actually like serving guests, and I'd never be this sarcastic or salty. People just made a mistake coming in with doors open and lights on."

While another comment reads: "bartender ego is crazy!"

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