Texas bartender takes an order for 3 Old Fashioneds. Then she realizes she’s missing a knuckle: ‘I was fingerless by the end of the shift’

A Texas bartender recently shared a story about losing part of her finger while preparing drinks during her second shift on the job, BroBible reports. Maddie, who posts under the username @th3cracken, claims that making three Old Fashioneds led to her sustaining injuries to three of her fingers.

The trouble started when she had to peel oranges for the classic cocktail. Maddie says she struggles with the peeling process and notes that she does not know if the issue stems from the equipment or the fruit itself. She recalls the incident by stating, “Off my second ever bartending shift, right? I get in. What’s the first drinks? I get three Old Fashioneds.” She adds, “You want to know how that ended? I’m missing the tip of my finger and a knuckle. They’re from the Old Fashioned.”

Maddie explains that she had to deeply sanitize all of her equipment after slicing her hand. While she mentions that a third finger injury happened when her hand got slammed in a door, she maintains that the Old Fashioned remains the source of her frustration. She declares, “I was fingerless by the end of the shift. Fingerless.”

Bartending is often viewed as a relatively safe career, but the reality is that those behind the bar face several risks

Common hazards include carrying heavy boxes, slipping on ice, or dealing with broken glass. Beyond these physical accidents, bartenders are also prone to a skin infection known as paronychia, which is frequently referred to as bar rot. It seems particularly concerning that less than 15 percent of bartenders have employer-sponsored health insurance to cover these types of incidents.

Maddie is not the only person to report such injuries. On Reddit, other bartenders have shared similar experiences regarding the dangers of fruit peelers. One user posted a photo of their finger in a splint, describing the loss of a fingertip as “a rite of passage.” Another person mentioned taking a large, circular chunk out of their pinky fingernail and claimed the wound did not stop bleeding for hours.

There are ways to make the process safer. Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a bartender and author, suggests in an interview with VinePair that the common Y-peeler is a poor choice for bar work. He explains that these tools were intended for thin-skinned vegetables like potatoes, rather than citrus garnishes. Morgenthaler recommends using a cheese slicer instead, which is designed to cut wide, thick strips. He claims his bar has seen zero injuries in the two years since making that change.

Technique also plays a large role in preventing accidents. One suggestion is to keep the peeler stationary and move the fruit underneath it. This way, if a grip is lost, the fruit might drop, but the hands stay out of the path of the blade. It is also important to keep blades sharp. A dull peeler often leads to the user applying more pressure, which increases the likelihood that the blade or fruit will slip. Using a sharp tool is a way to keep your fingers intact during a busy shift.