The Bar & Restaurant Society

How to Get Free Drinks

Dr. Latenight here,

Ladies, free drinks are not hard to come by. Yet for some reason, time and time again I keep hearing, “Getting free drinks is hard, I can’t do it!” from WOMEN! This seems backwards to me. If you’re an attractive woman…heck if you’re moderately attractive…hell if you’re decent looking, you should still be able to get at least one free drink. So let me lay down a basic strategy that could work for any woman on any given night.

Getting free drinks is not hard. I should know I get them all of the time and I’m a GUY! In fact both men and women buy me drinks, and though the former weirds me out, free drinks are still awesome!

In order to get your drinks paid for, you need a basic understanding of how the male brain works. Then based  on this knowledge you must prioritize and strategize. I’ll save you most of the effort and lay down some simple bullet points.

Step#1 Location, Location, Location

Where are you going? Where is the night taking you? Are you going to a club or a bar? Why is this important? It’s important because different venues have different patrons and therefore different rules. The moods and attitudes of the people will determine whether or not you will be getting a drink or two on some dude’s tab. Also it’s safe to note that the location you are in will determine what type of drinks you will receive. It will also dictate what type of guys will come up and talk to you. If you go to a sports bar, expect a beer rather than a Peach Bellini.  Just common sense.

Step #2 Know Your Audience

My advice is make sure you understand where it is you are going. Some places cater to guys, some places cater to singles, and some places cater to couples. If you are in a place that caters to guys, getting a free drink will be easy, but you will probably end up with either a beer or a well drink (think sports bar quality).

A place that caters to singles/professionals will offer a myriad of possibilities. Though you may get less attention than the sports bar, the quality of the guys may be better. If the guys are better, they may better tastes and therefore buy you better drinks. If you go to a place that caters to couples, good luck. The guys there are already tied down. There may be some single ones floating around, but there are NO guarantees at that point.

One thing to note is if you go to a spot where singles are roaming around, you can use the environment as your guide. Though there will be competition, you will be able to scope out single men in their natural habitat. You can see which guys you would be willing to talk to based on the women they are (or aren’t) hitting on.

Step#3 Be Agressive, B-E AGGRESSIVE!

I shouldn’t have to say this, but you would be surprised at how many women don’t understand how attraction works for guys. Women are very good at dressing appropriately (because you’ll spend all day doing it), but will avoid the social cues that spark a man’s interest.

First, guys generally could care less about what your wearing and what matches as long as you look nice. The main key is luring a man with simple hints. First men respond to aggressive tendencies. It’s just how we are, we’re often raised to be at least somewhat aggressive or confrontational. Therefore we can’t help but notice a girl that uses our own tactics against us. The best way to approach a guy is too literally approach us.

I have one story where a girl started hitting on me as I was watching sports at a bar. Taken by surprise I couldn’t help but notice how cute she was and succumbed to practically all of her demands. I bought her a drink and took her out on a date in a matter of seconds.

Step#4 Catch His Eye

If you are not comfortable with physically walking up to a guy, confront him in other ways. Look at him (don’t stare, it’s creepy when you don’t blink). When you catch his eye, hold his gaze. I bet you’ll have his attention then. If he breaks eye contact but does not appear to have an apparent conflict (like a pissed girlfriend who is now glaring back at you) hold your gaze. He’ll look back. Once he does, smile. Now he’s hooked.

At this point you can do a few things. You can be a champ and call him over with a wiggle of your pinky or a nod of the head. Otherwise, start focusing on other things and look back every now and again. If he has any testicles, he’ll have already bought you a drink and walked his way over. If he hasn’t, give him time, he may be mustering confidence.

Do not wait too long though. If he isn’t doing anything, you could just try the same tactic on another guy. Very few guys will refuse to act if you’re looking at them. Do not fret if he does nothing. You may not be his type or he could be too much of a wuss to do anything. Either way, forget him and move on.

Step#5 The Color Red

The color red is the EASIEST way to attract attention to yourself. Both women and men alike will notice the sultry blonde wearing the tight red mini skirt that leaves very little to the imagination. (And you thought it was her curves and her incredible hair, didn’t you?). Nonsense, it’s the RED dress. Take for example a thin brunette, who is moderately attractive. Now watch her work the room. I bet she is turning more heads than you are in your blue sun dress. It’s not simply the fact that she’s beautiful,though that helps of course. If someone sees the color red coming towards them out of the corner of their eye, they will look instinctively. Use that to your advantage.

(Side Note: Some evolved men are entirely aware of the dangers of the color red and will opt to ignore it. They will notice the color, but realize that everyone else has noticed it too and avoid the situation. The color red therefore can be drawback for your cause)

Step# 6 Bring a Buddy!

There is nothing more confusing than a woman who is noticeably alone at a bar. Sitting by yourself could mean several things and therefore a guy may wait to analyze the situation. Since women generally go EVERYWHERE together (including the bathroom) seeing a woman by herself at a bar often seems too good to be true.  Sitting by yourself could mean that you are waiting for your boyfriend, or even worse, your boyfriend is a bartender or a bouncer. In which case most guys will avoid you like plague.

Having a friend with you will help disarm the illusion that there is something inherently wrong with you. Friends legitimize that you are at a bar or club to have a good time and have no preexisting conflicts. However if you do bring a friend, make sure she complements you.

Step#7 Have a Strong Weak Link

I know you have heard the sayings, “You are only as strong as your weakest link”. This is true for many things in life, especially when it comes to attracting men. Men are VISUAL creatures and therefore in many ways we are also shallow creatures. It’s not our fault entirely, it’s nature.

For guys, an attractive women is a point of pride. Guys constantly strive to find women that make them feel better, or at least complement them. As a result, you must realize that if you are going out with your girlfriends, make sure they are ALL attractive. I have literally seen a group of four hot girls have trouble getting into a club because of ONE unfortunate friend.

Many women are not aware of this concept and therefore have “trouble” talking to guys. It’s simple, you must have a pack mentality the same way guys do. Wing men can make or break a situation. If you have ever watched guys work, they generally work as a group.

One simple strategy is opening, talking, and closing. If you watch a group of guys, there will be one that is good at opening the conversation, one that is good progressing the conversation, and one that is good at closing the conversation. The opener breaks the ice, the talker relieves the tension, and the closer seals the deal by getting numbers and planning future events. This strategy is efficient and easy because it gives each guy a purpose. As long as everyone does their part, they all win!

Since women are not the traditional hunters of the species, your tactic would be different, but the idea is the same. If you are going out with your girlfriends, the first rule is that EVERYONE needs to be attractive. From there you can work off of each other the same way guys work off of each other. This makes it much easier for your group as a whole. You seem easily approachable to guys if none of them have to “bite the bullet” and talk to your unfortunate friend.

(Side Note: That’s not to say guys will not talk to you if all of you are not attractive. That’s silly. In fact I have watched as five or six guys got the number of one cute girl after distracting her loud, obnoxious friends.)

Step#8 Watch Your Numbers

There is no way to know how many girls will be perfect for any given situation. Therefore watch your numbers when you go out. Generally two or three girls is good for a small group of guys, while four to five is good for a “large” group of guys. Guys generally roll in groups of about four at most

Unless there is some special occasion, most guys stick to smaller packs because there is less competition within the group. However most women come in groups of two, three, or even eight! If you’re in a group of five or more, SPLIT UP! You’ll cover more ground that way and you’ll look less intimidating to men.

Now let’s say there is a group of four guys that approach your group of five girls. That’s fine because they will not be intimidated by the size of your group. However now you have to take your lonely friend into account. If one of your friends is the odd one out, she instantly has the power to RUIN the night. If your lonely friend does not have someone to talke to, she is left watching the rest of you. This means she may grow bored and want to go home. Likewise you may also feel guilty and cut things off early with the guys your group is talking to. Therefore watch your numbers. It’s better to have an extra guy than an extra girl. The odd man out will leave the group to find more women (if he’s smart).

Now that you have the eight basic steps of being approached by men, I will demonstrate play by play what you need to do to get to consistently get free drinks in Part 2! Stay Tuned!