Bartenders’ Numerical Code Reveals What Number Staff Say When Customer Is Attractive

In a busy bar, many staff tend to use a shortcut code to let others know about when something's run out (86) or if there's a customer waiting (200).

However, while some of these serve as faster ways of portraying a message, for other examples it also serves as a bit of discretion - like, for instance, if someone thinks a customer is attractive.

A thread on Reddit saw bartenders flock to the comments to discuss which shorthand terms they use, after u/joshintheuk wrote: "A while ago I was told of a 'bartenders code' which consisted of various numbers that were used to represent things on the bar either secretly or quickly between staff.

Pexels/Marcus Herzberg

"Things like '86', meaning to be a ran out of product, '200' meaning a customer waiting, '50' meaning to catch, and '700' to refer to an attractive customer.

"It seems like a pretty fun and useful thing to get my staff doing, and I was wondering if anyone knew any more or had a different/more comprehensive list of expressions?"

Another user jumped in to say that they used a slightly different code for good-looking customers, saying '699' meant 'hottie at the bar', while '700' stood for 'probably hottest girl in the building is at the bar'.

Pixabay

Incidentally, they said they also used 'Barry White' as slang for 'going for a s****'. Lovely.

Another said they used '300' to identify an 'attractive lady', but said '300 high' if they could see... a 'big ol' pair of boobies'. Also lovely.

Others said they had an entire scale to denote attractiveness, explaining: "First number is face on a scale of 0-9, second number is either 0 or 1 (would or wouldn't) and last number is body. So 719 is pretty damn good and a 303 looks like your grandfather."

Pixabay

Thankfully, not everyone uses coded language to discuss how attractive a customer at the bar is, with some offering up other, slightly nicer examples.

Some said there were ways of letting staff know it was time for a round of shots, with one person saying their manager always asked for a 'quick word please'.

Another said: "Actually, 'staff meeting' behind the bar means shots. I'm the GM at a sports bar and nightclub and I call for staff meetings on busy nights when it looks like my staff is about to lose it.

"Everyone normally pours themselves a quick shot or I pour all the shots and we air cheers and keep on plugging away at the crowd of drunken idiots."

Topics: World News, News, Reddit

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman