{"id":181467,"date":"2026-02-17T14:12:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T14:12:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/181467\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T14:12:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T14:12:09","slug":"becoming-a-regular-customer-at-sacramento-restaurants-and-bars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/181467\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming a regular customer at Sacramento restaurants and bars"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Abridged version:<\/p>\n

Want a place \u201cwhere everybody knows your name\u201d? Helen Harlan, a local waitress and freelance writer, has tips on becoming a Norm Peterson of the 916.<\/p>\n

Speaking of tips: They help cement you as a regular, along with sitting in the same seat, making conversation and showing up consistently.<\/p>\n

Becoming a regular can help you make new friends, reserve a seat and establish a familiar connection with the person pouring your drink or serving your food. <\/p>\n

Want to be a regular at a bar, restaurant or coffee shop in the Sacramento area?<\/p>\n

Dave Carson, a retired insurance salesman from Elk Grove, has some advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that hard,\u201d Carson said as he sat at his usual bar stool at Freeport Bar & Grill<\/a> around 5 p.m. and sipped his usual drink, a pint of Coors Light. \u201cJust pick a place and start coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carson would know. The 82-year-old began visiting \u201cFreeport,\u201d as the locals call the roadside watering hole at the Delta\u2019s entrance, over 15 years ago and has never stopped. Though he can\u2019t remember why he made his first visit, his reason for coming back three to four times a week is simple: Paco Canto, Freeport\u2019s beloved weekday evening bartender.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s fast, he\u2019s cool and he\u2019s always, always in a great mood,\u201d Carson said of the affable and energetic barman with more than 40 years\u2019 experience behind Sacramento bars. <\/p>\n

\"\"Bartender Paco Canto at Freeport Bar & Grill. (Tyler Bastine)<\/p>\n

Canto\u2019s advice to those hoping to secure a consistent seat at his bar is also simple.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome often, drink more, eat more,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd tip heavy,\u201d Carson added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve worked as a cocktail waitress and fill-in bartender at Freeport Bar & Grill for almost five years. My first job at a full-service bar and restaurant was as a hostess at 33rd Street Bistro when I was a senior in high school, and I\u2019ve worked in 13 establishments since, mostly in Los Angeles while I was trying to be a comedy writer and (you guessed it!) actor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here, I break down just what makes a great regular \u2014 with some help from the guys and gals on both sides of the Sacramento region\u2019s bars and bistro tables.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And just before we start? If those tables are dirty, please give us time to clean them before you sit, or choose one of the already-tidy surfaces available. Thank you!<\/p>\n

\"HelenCocktail server Helen Harlan at Freeport Bar & Grill. (Tyler Bastine)<\/p>\n

Pick a place \u2014 and be consistent<\/p>\n

James Raia heads into East Sacramento\u2019s Coffee Works<\/a> almost every morning. Raia drinks the dark roast, named Dark Star after the 23-minute-long Grateful Dead song<\/a>. He lives in the Sierra Oaks area, which has many coffee shops of its own, but makes the 5-mile trek to Coffee Works for the same reason most regulars go to most places.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a morning \u2018Cheers\u2019 coffee bar,\u201d he said, a caffeinated equivalent of the Boston bar<\/a> where everybody knows your name.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\tSign Up for the City of Treats Newsletter<\/p>\n

Get the latest Sacramento food news from Benjy Egel in City of Treats \u2014 delivered every Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Tom Hutchison has been a barista behind the Coffee Works counter for 22 years. And when Raia walks in, Hutchison is already on that cup of Dark Star.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m working the espresso machine, I can look down the line and know everybody\u2019s order and get it ready before they even hit the counter,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Of course, Hutchison won\u2019t know an order by heart if he\u2019s only seen the customer a handful of times. To become a regular, one has to come in regularly. <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t expect to become a regular after one or two visits, right? It\u2019s going to take consistency,\u201d advised Christina King. \u201cIt\u2019s going to take me seeing your face multiple times.\u201d<\/p>\n

For almost two decades, King has balanced serving and bartending at various Sacramento establishments like the now-closed Rio City Cafe while working a full-time job for the state. If you want to be a regular, she has another tip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWear a name tag,\u201d she said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\"DiningBelly BBQ\u2019s dining area in Folsom. (Martin Christian)<\/p>\n

Pull up the same seat \u2014 or at least try to get one saved<\/p>\n

When Alfred and Annice Porter visit Freeport Bar & Grill, which they do almost weekly, they like to sit at the tall corner table. Staff call the table \u201cPop\u201d because there used to be a popcorn machine in its place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Porters have been married for over 40 years and are both retired corrections officers \u2014 they met as guards at San Quentin State Prison \u2014 so it\u2019s in their bones to observe. Thus, they take Pop.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a people watcher, and with that seat, I see everyone at the bar,\u201d Alfred said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a people watcher as well, but not to the extent that he is. The middle table is fine with me,\u201d added Annice, sipping her usual jalape\u00f1o cucumber margarita. \u201cI don\u2019t like the table by the door, especially if my back is at the door.\u201d<\/p>\n

To secure the corner table, the Porters will often call the restaurant on their way in or make a reservation. Some regulars even text their bartenders or servers to do the same, after establishing that doing so is OK.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have regulars that text me, like, \u2018yo, are you there? How is it? Is it busy? I want to get a seat at the bar. Can you save me a seat?’\u201d said Al Marquez, a bartender at the Historic Star Lounge in Midtown Sacramento<\/a> and hospitality industry content creator<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"MarkCustomers Mark and Toni Groth at Freeport Bar & Grill. (Tyler Bastine)<\/p>\n

Your seat might even become your legacy.<\/p>\n

In late November 2024, Michael John Azevedo<\/a>, a retired Delta bartender and almost-daily regular at Freeport Bar & Grill, died. Everyone called him Goose, a nickname acquired while playing baseball in his youth.<\/p>\n

When Goose came to Freeport, which he did for decades, he never sat, but rather stood at the north end of the bar because it was better for his back. On holidays, he wore bright suits and costumes, and, standing at almost 6-foot-5, you couldn\u2019t miss him. He bought everyone rounds of drinks, talked often about his beloved Giants and never caused any trouble. He was, by many standards, the definition of an exemplary regular.<\/p>\n

Today, a small gold plaque that reads \u201cGoose\u2019s Corner\u201d is drilled into the wooden bar where Azevedo stood on most afternoons. Another regular had the plaque made.<\/p>\n

When asked how long he thinks the memorial will stay up, Canto said, \u201cForever.\u201d<\/p>\n

And speaking of those Giants \u2026<\/p>\n

Engage the people around you. But stick to topics that are safe bets<\/p>\n

Heard of that show \u201cLandman\u201d?<\/a> Of course you have. It\u2019s probably a good thing to talk about with other regulars. Everyone seems to be watching it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Home construction projects are good topics too \u2014 I\u2019ve learned a lot about deck stains in my many years as a waitress. Same with cars and car repair. If I had a nickel for every shift where customers compared what they paid for oil changes \u2026<\/p>\n

And then, of course, there\u2019s always the fail-safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cSports are safe. Nobody\u2019s going to get offended,\u201d Marquez said. \u201cNobody\u2019s going to get riled up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above all: DON\u2019T. TALK. POLITICS.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt causes problems,\u201d Canto said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c100% no. Especially now,\u201d Marquez echoed. \u201cMy grandfather always told me you never talk religion and politics with anybody. And I always kept that as a thing at the bar.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another good rule of regular socializing? Don\u2019t talk or video chat on your phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody just kind of does the collective, like, \u2018is this happening right now?’\u201d Marquez said. \u201cBut at the same time, we\u2019re not here to police you.\u201d<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re strapped for conversation starters, you can always defer to your bartender.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019ll connect the people at the bar,\u201d Alex Zanko said of Marquez. Zanko has been Marquez\u2019s loyal regular for almost a decade, since the barman was slinging drinks at Red Rabbit Kitchen & Bar. \u201cHe\u2019ll be all, \u2018Hey, Alex, this is Joe, or, you know, Samantha,\u2019 and kind of link people up or find something to connect them on. That\u2019s a craft, you know? Just as cocktails are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"KuprosKeegan Currey pours a Long Drink at Kupros Craft House in Midtown Sacramento. (Cameron Clark)<\/p>\n

Or don\u2019t \u2014 it\u2019s OK to keep to yourself<\/p>\n

Not every regular comes to engage. It\u2019s OK to be the quiet guy in the corner. In fact, sometimes it\u2019s even preferable.<\/p>\n

\u201cI personally kind of like them. They\u2019re pretty low maintenance,\u201d Marquez said. \u201cThey get their three beers, and then they\u2019re out, and they don\u2019t bother anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tip well, please!<\/p>\n

Duh, but, like, still.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe live off tips, basically,\u201d said Sergio Huizar, a 19-year-old server, host and busser at Freeport Bar & Grill.<\/p>\n

Sergio\u2019s not kidding. Of my taxable restaurant income last year, 60% was in tips. After tipping out my team \u2014 bartender, kitchen, dishwasher and busser \u2014 I generally walk with just over 10% of my sales (so if I sell $900 on a shift, walking with $90 is a safe bet). But it\u2019s usually more than that because, well, regulars.<\/p>\n

So then, what\u2019s a fair tip in 2026?<\/p>\n

The same as it\u2019s always been: 20% of the before-tax check on a full-service, sit-down meal is the gold standard. More is always appreciated but not expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A buck a drink at the bar is good for beer or wine; more is customary when we have to make, shake or muddle a drink. I\u2019ve never been a barista, but I leave $2 on a coffee drink at a cafe and $1 on a pastry if I add one to the order.<\/p>\n

And don\u2019t forget to tip on to-go orders (10% is acceptable here, 15% is better, 20% is even better!). At many restaurants, including Freeport, tips are shared with cooks and dishwashers. Whether you\u2019re dining in or getting a meal to go, those employees still depend on tips.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey think that if they\u2019re just picking it up, they\u2019re not getting any service,\u201d said Sergio Huizar, a Sacramento State business student. \u201cBut they just don\u2019t know (what happens) behind the scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget: We like you too!<\/p>\n

This relationship goes both ways. We\u2019re happy to see you, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no hard part. It\u2019s actually easy, OK? Because you know what they want,\u201d Canto said, rubbing his hands together as if to say \u201cvoila.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PacoPaco Canto laughs with customers at Freeport Bar & Grill. (Tyler Bastine)<\/p>\n

Marquez went as far as to call some of his regulars friends who make his day better.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike, when you see them, you\u2019re like, \u2018Oh thank God, yeah, here\u2019s a bar seat,’\u201d Marquez said. \u201cI want this person to sit in front of me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Above all, be nice<\/p>\n

Another no-brainer, but still.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What constitutes \u201cnice\u201d? A short list includes: Don\u2019t drink too much, don\u2019t harass or assault staff or customers and don\u2019t write a bad review on Yelp.\u00a0If you have an issue on your first visit, give us another chance; if it\u2019s still not clicking, it\u2019s OK to go somewhere else.<\/p>\n

Above all, for us in the service industry, being nice means one thing: Please be patient. You\u2019re not the only customer in the place.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we all strive in the restaurant industry to make everything perfect, if there is something off, don\u2019t judge us by one experience,\u201d King said. \u201cMaybe the stove went down in the kitchen, or the fryer broke, or one of our chefs in the back called out sick. Those things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"GamiGami Burger customers at its Carmichael location. (Denis Akbari)<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, or the start of happy hour, being a good regular isn\u2019t that different than being a good customer anywhere. Perhaps young Sergio Huizar puts it best.<\/p>\n

\u201cA good regular is someone who is nice to your server, nice to all the staff,\u201d Huizar said. \u201cThey come here and enjoy their food. And they treat us well. That\u2019s a good regular.\u201d<\/p>\n

Got it? Good. Cheers. And how \u2018bout those Niners?<\/p>\n

But, again, please don\u2019t sit at dirty tables<\/a>. For me. Thanks.<\/p>\n

Helen Harlan\u00a0is a Sacramento-based freelance writer and cocktail waitress.<\/p>\n