Cocktails...

[curiousity]

I tend to worry about getting one because when I order one when out I notice that the bartender uses his hands to pick up fruit and place it into the drink, and sometimes even touches the Ice. I can't help but be paranoid that I could get norovirus because I know the bartender has been touching alot of money and surfaces. I guess people have cocktails all the time, I don't and when I do I worry for the next day or two hoping that his/her hands didn't have a virus on it. Am I being too paranoid here, do you go out and drink cocktails and generally are okay?

Just would like to know probabilities here, my friends go out and have cocktails all the time and I hven't heard a horror story yet...

[curiousity]

Hello there,

Thr ice was scooped but his hand help guide the ice In. It's the fruit I'm worried about that he picked up with his hands and placed in my drink. I don't even eat with my own hands yet I stood there and witnessed him touch things that would end up in my drink yet I still drink it because this phobia is really depriving me of enjoying a simple drink that anyone else wouldn't think twice about I just want to know whether you guys drink cocktails with fruit that has been hamdled and been fine afterwards?

Thanks for the recipes

[olschesky]

you could always get a drink that doesn't contain fruit........or just remove the garnish .......i used to drink years ago and was never sick from it. i was also a bartender and waitress for many years....i am totally against lemon pieces on my glass of water or tea....i always say no lemon.......my reason is (which i guess would be true for most fruit garnish) is that when i worked we never washed the fruit.....it would roll off the table onto the floor, many people helping cut the slices, etc.......i suppose because we don't thing people are going to eat it they are not so careful with it......but most people do squeeze the lemon and drop it straight in their drinks......ewwwwww....

although i've never heard of anyone getting sick from this......

get a "fruitless" drink.....maybe a glass of wine??

[sage]

I think it's great you drank it! When you think about it, they shouldn't touch the ice or the fruit especially after touching money and such BUT....what would "normal" people do? Not think about it for a second, right? So if you wanna be normal, act normal! (That's my mantra - lol)

[alisha27]

I use to waitress at a club for a couple years and I was allowed to have a couple drinks. I use to drink like a fish and I still love drinking alcohol but I've slowed way down. I'd say I would drink 2 mixed drinks everyday that I went to work. I never became ill from drinking any of those mixed drinks. My suggestion would be to ask them to not include any garnish in your drink. The fruit isn't really necessary, just ask during your order what is included in the drink and exclude any fruit or olives ect.

[Rebecca85]

I am sure the alcohol in the drink would destroy any germs anyway!

[cinque]

I don't know if the alcohol would kill germs because it's not in a terribly high concentration in a cocktail?

Funnily enough I had the exact same train of thought as the OP when I went to a cocktail bar last week! I saw them touching money and then touching the fruit that went into the drink. I chose a drink that wasn't fruit-based, because I can't drink much fruit juice - it gives me heartburn. To my dismay, they popped in a strawberry which they touched with their hands. I was a bit frustrated because it was a pointless garnish. Needless to say, though, I was fine. I don't think it's great that they touch money and then touch fruit that goes in people's drinks, but in practice perhaps it's unlikely to cause any problems. Seems to happen in some cafés, sometimes, too, the server touching money and then food. I don't like it, but I guess most normal people don't worry.

I don't think you should be put off cocktails. I think the risk is pretty minimal.

[alisha27]

Alcohol does NOT destroy v* related germs. I use to drink quite often and I recall a time I had a stomach virus I had drink that night (at home) and came down with the illness a few hours later. So the old wives tale that alcohol kills off germs isn't true for stomach bugs.

[Mrs.Wise]

I've got a solution... Just come to my restaurant and let me mix you a drink! I wash my hands ALOT annnnd I'm the only one allowed in the bar so NOBODY touches my stuff! They know there would be hell to pay if they did! Plus side is most bars have a sink handy where the bartender washes glasses ( mine has 3 one just for handwashing!!!) so even if it's not intentional their hands end up in soapy water periodically lol