# The bar on the bar **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081 "2010-02-15T16:52:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/1 "2010-02-15T16:52:48Z")
I remember when watching “Cheers” while growing up that the bar had two brass bars on it. Over the years, I’ve noticed them at several bars, but have never able to ask what purposed they served. So, what are they? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/2 "2010-02-15T16:57:55Z")
[Link](http://www.womansday.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/h-wd0409-cheers-bar2/577527-1-eng-US/h-wd0409-Cheers-bar.jpg) The bottom one is a foot rest, obviously. The top one is decorative - they’re a pain when you’re sitting at the bar, because they dig into your forearms. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/3 "2010-02-15T17:24:57Z")
OK, maybe it wasn’t “Cheers.” The way I’ve seen them are like C-shaped or right angled ones. Sometimes one, but I’ve seen two together They’re not across the bar lengthwise, but across its width. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |\_|\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ stool stool ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/4 "2010-02-15T17:26:22Z")
> [@Jormungandr](#): > > OK, maybe it wasn’t “Cheers.” The way I’ve seen them are like C-shaped or right angled ones. Sometimes one, but I’ve seen two together They’re not across the bar lengthwise, but across its width. > \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ |\_|\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ > stool stool I think those bars usually delineate the service bar, where the waitstaff will come to order and pick up drinks for the tables. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/5 "2010-02-15T17:28:37Z")
Yep. Not only does it denote the service bar, usually in a corner or at a less desirable place at the bar, but it is a place where it would be uncomfortable/impossible to sit or stand, which therefore makes a hole for the server during busy periods. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/6 "2010-02-15T17:56:59Z")
Those are also used so bartenders/bouncers can jump over the bar quickly to stop a fight. Or at least they were in a Bar bouncer competition I watched in the 80’s. Mr. T was the winner, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/7 "2010-02-15T18:08:59Z")
I always figured it was a protective feature. It kept the edge of the wooden bar top from getting chaipped or broken by collisions. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bar-on-the-bar/529081/8 "2010-02-15T18:55:07Z")
I don’t know about jumping over a bar, but Stoli’s got it right IME. Depending upon the layout of the bar itself (both in front and behind the bar) this could be a convenient place for both the waitstaff to pick up drinks as well as for the bartender(s) to drop them off from either the tap location / well (aka rail) bottles shelf or the “top shelf” racks, if they are indeed on different sides of the bar.