If There's One Place Where "the Customer Is Always Right" Can Go Really Wrong, It's Here. We're Doing It Anyway.

"While one of the bartenders at the legendary Connaught Bar in London mixes your martini tableside, you're invited to choose your bitters to complete the drink. Lavender, perhaps? Or would tonka, coriander, or cardamom please you? Oh, what about the house-developed Dr. Ago's? Whatever your choice, you feel special for having collaborated on your order. But in truth, the selection process is so carefully planned by the Connaught that they're still behind the wheel. It's customization and control in perfect balance."

"Recently, though, some bars have been kicking customization into overdrive. Destinations that earned their place on "best of" lists with cocktails uniquely composed via creativity and expertise are handing control over to guests, and by my estimation, the trend could be heading into chaotic territory. Preselecting five different bitter options that work well with a classic martini is one thing. But letting guests run wild adding tinctures across cocktails, resulting in something like a chrysanthemum margarita?"

"You can't blame cocktail bars for giving the people what they seem to want. "Personalization" and "customization" are buzzwords around the Gen Z audience from marketing to fashion, and consumers seem to respond well to what feels catered to them in our increasingly isolated reality. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before the customization standard in other hospitality spaces splashed over to cocktail bars, too."

Luxury cocktail service often balances curated guest choice with bartender control, such as offering a limited selection of bitters to finish a martini. Some bars are expanding customization, allowing patrons broad tinkering with tinctures and add-ins that can produce unpredictable or muddled cocktails. The trend toward personalization, especially among younger consumers, encourages tailored experiences and pressures bars to hand more control to guests. Thoughtful preselection of complementary options preserves craft and balance, while unfettered guest modifications risk diluting expertise and the intended flavor profile. The key is balancing guest involvement with bartender-guided creation to protect cocktail quality.

Read at Slate Magazine