Have you ever been offered a drink by a guy at a club, but didn’t know what to do? There are a few things you need to ask yourself when you get a free drink. And you need to learn to say no when you’re not interested in the guy.
Click here to read the introduction: Should you Accept a Drink from a Stranger?
Use the Bartender
You may probably not know this, but bartenders and waiters at swanky restaurants are aware of the fact that men use drinks and bartenders to hook dates up, and they know exactly how to deal with free drinks.
If you don’t want the drink, decline it straight out. You don’t need to feel awkward or embarrassed. It’s the same as telling a guy straight out to “take a walk”. Once you decline, the bartender will take it from there.
And don’t worry, the waiter or bartender will never push you to take the drink. But in a one-off situation at a sleazy bar, if a waiter tries convincing you to accept it (if he’s been paid to do that), ask for the manager. Trust me, the waiter will pick the drink, and tuck tail and run in a blink. But I’ve never come across anyone who’s told me that they had been pressed by the bartender, so don’t worry.
Decline Courteously
At times, courtesy demands that you be polite. You may not be one of the rude snobbish girls who love to slay men, but when you decline, always be firm. If you feel sad for the guy, then ask the bartender to thank the man on your behalf, and also to tell him that you’re already seeing someone and are not interested. After refusing to accept the drink, throwing in an excuse makes you feel a lot better, if you don’t want to hurt a guy’s feelings.
Either ways, he’s not going to get badly offended. These kinds of men at clubs are used to getting walked all over by women, and it would be just another day in the lives of the men who are waiting to lay a woman after meeting her at a bar.
So it’s no big deal, really.
Don’t Ever Compliment the Guy
As much as you’re tempted to say something nice to the guy who’s sent you the drink, stop yourself. Now why would you want to compliment a guy whom you’re not interested in? Saying something like “I’d love to have this drink and get drunk with you, but I’m already seeing someone…” might seem sweet and cute, but to a guy it sounds more like “I have a guy but I don’t mind a one night stand!” And if he’s drunk, it’s going to sound more like “My guy will be here any minute. Can you do it right now, cowboy? You and me, in the loo. Now!”
Remember, this man has already been spurned by you, so he’d take anything positive from you as a complete positive sign. He may just end up pursuing you. Guys just need a reason to stick around and try to stick it in later, and one simple positive comment is enough to have him hounding you again and again, until one of you leave the club.
Make it Clear that you’re not Interested
Men hate taking no for an answer, especially when they’re at a bar or a club. So if you get a free drink, decline it, and tell the bartender you don’t want to hear from him again. The bartender would make sure the guy doesn’t make another move at you again. Bartenders take pride in their work, and a direct request will never ever go unattended.
And once you convey the message, if you’re with friends, focus all your attention on your friends, and let the guy who’s sent you the drink know you’re not one bit interested. If that’s not helping enough, turn your back on him and sit in another seat. He’ll get the hint. Anyways, guys who supply free drinks to women are quite used to getting spurned by women at clubs!
The Moral of the Story of Free Drinks
So the next time you’re out alone or with friends, think twice before you accept that “free” drink. If you do like the guy, have a great time with him, but don’t cave into any commitments or go home with him too soon. It’s not really easy to trust a guy who buys free drinks for women.
On the other hand, if you do accept it, and find him creepy a minute into the conversation, it doesn’t mean you can’t step out. You can still use an excuse and squirm out. Or you can signal to the bartender. And if you decline him straight out, don’t worry, he’ll live!
Just have a great time yourself, or with your pals, and don’t worry about these guys who buy you a drink. Now that you know exactly how to walk away, getting through the next free drink should definitely be a breeze!
P.S. Even if he says, “I have never got a girl a drink before…” and drawls into a cutesy pick up line, remember it’s still that free drink with benefits he’s offering you. And yeah, he’s obviously lying!