Yesterday at a concert I watched a woman who got her drink from the bar and brought it in. We had only rows of chairs, no tables, so she couldn’t put the drink down.

There was a slice of lime hanging on the side of the glass. She squeezed that lime in the drink and then… she tossed it in! Surely she didn’t wash her hands before the squeezing!

Is there a proper etiquette for such squeezing? What would you do with the lime leftovers?

Maybe the alcohol killed the germs!

Like the lemon that comes on the rim of a glass of iced tea, I would squeeze; then toss it in the drink. I guess I have been living dangerously.

Lemon and Lime. Yum. Squish and toss in. Live life on the wild side!

Didn't you just post this on the US forum? You must be having a slow day.

Squeeze, dip & lick.

No, Budman, just want to see if Europeans and Americans have different opinion on this.

Where is MyKingdom2

Faina, are you itching for the poison a little early this week?

LOL, Statia, this woman didn't offer me a sip! Sure I'm itching!

Good heavens! Have you nothing else with which to occupy your time?! Given your 'problem' with her not washing her hands before squeezing a bit of lime, I'd have thought that you'd be too busy dealing with your own obsessive compulsive hand washing to have time to type!

What would you have her do other than throw the lime remains in her drink?
Toss them on the floor? Stuff them down her decolletage?

Have another drink faina, And , wash your hands

LOL, Faina, I agree with the alchohol killing germs answer. I would only worry if she actually tossed the lime slice and someone slips on it and falls.
But I have an excellent personal injury attny that you can talk to.
*and I do know that you have fine things to do with your time, like the rest of us who are using our time to post on Fodors also.. ..

So, the majority agrees - it's OK to toss used peel in drinks.

So is chewing those ice cubes making the crunchy sound?

So is chewing gum in public?

Hmmm.... I want to go back to Russia

And no, I don't worry about germs. No self-respecting germ will enter my body!

And please, please, please don't think I'm wasting my time here on Fodor's! I'm using my employer's time! Especially now, after I got my review and know the bonus amount

You're fired!!!

LOL, I'm never bored with your posts. If onlt thin was back to join you (and Degas)

I never worry so much about the germs on my own hands...

...what about the germs on the bartenders hands?

You know those bartenders, God only knows...hee.

Hmmm... I admit to almost always chucking the lemon or lime peel into my drink... (unless they are on one of those tiny shishkebab things that come as a stirrer... then I just pluck the fruit off & eat it as a snack). Yum!

1)I've always considered myself so healthy because I DID squeeze the lemon and limes, among other things...sort of a natural way to build up your immune system the good-ol'-fashioned exposure way.

2) I don't go to bars very often, but unless it was a 4 starred Hotel bar, I haven't seen too many patrons really caring about proper bar etiquette. Is there such a thing? Where's MaiTaiTom, Indy et al when you need the real scoop???

3) If you won't eat any raw food not washed and prepared by you that would take away pretty much all fruits vegetables, breads.

Sorry-hit the button accidentally.

Anyway, seems like the plumbing could get a little backed-up, if you know what I mean. Now THAT can spell disaster for a Foodie on Holiday! Hard to put more in if none's been...well, we all know the laws of nature.

Ok, you wanted to know the European vs US pattern on this

There isn't one. at least not one I know about. Frankly, here (UK) the lime is more likely to be already floating in the glass, so the hand washing problem is a non issue. I wouldn't like to answer for my French, or German, or Spanish, or Italian or Dutch or Polish etc etc etc friends.