Glassware: Now, when it comes to drinks, we bartenders don't just grab any random glass to pour into; it's on purpose. Collins glasses are used for gin fizzes because the goal is to get that egg white foam to build up out of that glass. Bucket glasses hold a vast amount of cocktail, such as well drinks (i.e. a vodka soda or whiskey soda) or Margaritas, White Russians, Caipirinhas, etc. (Fun fact "well' drinks are called "rail" drinks in Canada.) Rocks glasses are used for spirits served neat or a chilled shot, and most importantly, rocks glasses are used for Sazeracs. Okay, got it, why is this important? It's not as important for you to get your rum and coke in a bucket glass vs a Collins glass, but it gives us, as industry workers, an idea of who is drinking what.
If the ticket for your table has a rum and coke, vodka martini, and an Old-Fashioned, your server or bartender can see a bucket glass with a lime on the glass and know you're the one drinking the rum and coke. It's almost a requirement for higher-end establishments to not have to ask who is drinking what. Your server or bartender knows three drinks are out, sees an empty bucket glass with a lime wedge, and should be able ask, "Another rum and coke?" and earn some points with you for knowing your drink. It's not as impressive if your server asks, "Would you like another drink?" and then you have to answer, "Yes," and then the server asks, "Okay what are you drinking?" and then you have to say, " A rum and coke," and completely intrudes on your conversation with your friends. A good server can just go up to the empty drink, ask, "Another?" (short-hand if it seems the table is in deep conversation), and all you have to do is nod. Sometimes I've even just pointed to the drink and looked at the person, and then they'd nod and I'd give them a thumbs up. Bam. Done. You're happy, and in the end your server will be happy too because most likely they will get a larger tip because of the exceptional service provided.
Another important reason we don't stray from the proper glassware is: servers picking up their cocktails for their tables from the bar. The bartender doesn't have place-cards for each drink they make- they should make them in order of the ticket, but just to give the server reassurance the drinks are correct, the glassware matters. Of course, a gin and tonic and a vodka soda are going to look identical in bucket glasses, and the bartender knows this and will proceed to put a lime wedge on the gin and tonic, and most likely put both a lemon and a lime wedge on the vodka soda. Which leads us into....
Garnishes:
Mint sprigs & fruit peels: The straw is placed near the mint sprig so you smell it as you're drinking. Same idea goes for fruit peel garnishes- they are meant to stay on the glass, too, so you smell it as you're drinking. After expressing the the oils from the peel on the top of the drink, some bartenders will then rub the peel around the lip of the glass and even fewer bartenders will even rub it around the stem of the glass so your fingertips pick up on the nice fruit oils.
Wedge garnishes: If there is a lime wedge on the rim of your gin and tonic, don't feel obligated to squeeze it in the drink! It's not a requirement to add that bit of lime juice to your cocktail; it's like having salt and pepper shakers at a table. For myself, especially with a rum and coke, I don't squeeze my lime into my drink but I rub it around the rim of the glass so when I take a sip I get a hint of lime; delicious!
Sugar or salt rims on glasses: You'll know if you have an experienced bartender if they rim only the outside of the glass and don't rim the actual rim of the glass. If sugar or salt is on the actual rim of the glass there's a chance of that sugar or salt will fall into your cocktail, and what if you don't want that? A good bartender will rim just the outside.
You may wonder as your drink is set down in front of you, "Why is my drink PACKED with ice?" Cynical thinkers will assume all that ice means we are short pouring you, but that's not true. Let's think about this. If your chilled drink is served with (a) a few cubes or (b) a ton of cubes, which drink will dilute faster? The answer is (a). The drink itself isn't as cold as the ice (duh or else the whole thing would be frozen), and if there is more drink than ice, the ice will melt faster. If there is more ice than drink, then the ice will melt slowly since it's ice-cold.
Take Note: If you order a glass of wine and your server or bartender hands it to you by anything other than the stem, that's minus 5 points. Why? The heat from your fingertips can alter the temperature of the wine (red or white, doesn't matter). Your server or bartender should be serving it to you by the stem, and if they're on top of their game, they will hold the glass at the base of the stem; furthest away from the glass and the wine.
Fun Fact: 2 olives are bad luck. If you get one or three olives, you are good to go, but legend has it 2 olives are bad luck.