Bartender Shares What An ‘Angel Shot’ Is, And He Wants People To Spread The Word

A fun, harmless night can turn dangerous extremely quickly. Recently, bartender Benji Spears explained what an "angel shot" is.

There are multiple versions of the shot, and they all mean different things. Benji wants the world to know that bartenders are not just there to serve you, but also to help you.

A Night Out Can Quickly Turn Sour For Many Reasons

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Photo Credit: Maurício Mascaro / Pexels
Photo Credit: Maurício Mascaro / Pexels

Even though going out for drinks with friends is super fun, there's always a chance that one of you may get into a sticky situation with a creepy man or woman.

There are so many things that can happen, and it can be hard to get out of a sticky situation all on your own.

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Meet Benji Spears

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Benji Spears standing behind the bar in TikTok video
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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In this viral video, Benji, a bartender from California, wants people to know that bartenders are there to help you. He reenacts a situation where he spots a woman on a date who looks uncomfortable.

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While making drinks for another table, he tells his colleague and says that he suspects the couple is on a first date and that something is wrong because their body language is off.

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"Can I Have An Angel Shot With Lime?"

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two tequila shots with lime on top and around them on the table
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Photo Credit: Denys Gromov / Pexels
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He decides to go over to the woman and her date to check that everything is okay for them.

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He offers the table some glasses of water, and then the woman orders an angel shot with lime.

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Benji Asks A Coworker To Get The Drinks

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Photo Credit: cottonbro / Pexels
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Benji then stays with the woman and makes conversation with the two people while his colleague fetches some "fresh limes."

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The fact that Beni stayed with them is vital because the man could have sensed that something was up if Benji went rushing off.

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"An Angel Shot Is Key"

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Photo Credit: Chris F / Pexels
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When the reenactment ends, Benji explains what an angel shot is and how they are "becoming more common and more known throughout all bars."

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"Okay, so an angel shot is key, it can save you or your best friend's life and it's something we should all know about," he says in the video.

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The First Variation Is An Angel Shot With Lime

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Benji Spears still from TikTok with him standing behind bar, pointing up to caption that says:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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Benji explains that an angel shot can be ordered in three different ways, all of which have different "translations."

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The first way to order an angel shot is with lime, which means they need to notify a manager about the situation, and the police need to be called.

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The Second Variation Is An Angel Shot Neat

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Benji Spears still from TikTok with him standing behind bar, pointing up to caption that says:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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"Second you can order an angel shot neat, that means you need someone to walk you to your car, a bartender or security."

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He explains that this shot is meant for you to have a companion escort you to your car if you don't feel safe.

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The Third Variation Is An Angel Shot On The Rocks

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Benji Spears still from TikTok with him standing behind bar, pointing up to caption that says:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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Or thirdly, people can order an angel shot on the rocks which informs the bartender that you need them to call you a taxi or an Uber home.

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Benji ends the video by saying: "I think this is a great learning lesson. Everyone should know about the angel shot. It's just a great way to make sure we all feel safe."

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People Thanked Him For Sharing The Video

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TikTok comments:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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Overall, the reaction to Benji's video was incredibly positive. People thought that it was great that he was sharing this information with women and men everywhere.

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Perhaps Benji is the angel in this situation

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There Were Some Concerns

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TikTok comments:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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Additionally, users were concerned about the perpetrator knowing what the code words are, potentially worsening the situation.

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In the video, Benji doesn't move from the table after she orders the shot. That's part of the protocol.

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Watch The TikTok

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The original TikTok is definitely making the rounds. It now has over 2.5 million likes and has been viewed nearly 10 million times.

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And even though the angel shot is a great way to call attention to a dangerous situation at a bar or club, it's not the only way.

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"Ask For Anegla"

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TikTok comments:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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Some people commented and shared a couple of different but similar practices that they have seen bars do.

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If you go to the bar and ask for "Angela," the bar staff will know you need some help getting out of your situation and will call you a taxi or help you out discreetly.

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"This Saved My Life"

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TikTok comments:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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Women in the comments shared how they or someone they know have used the angel shot trick to get out of a super scary situation.

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But, some people were a little bit concerned about the code word getting too publicized.

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This Is Not Just For Women

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TikTok comments:
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
Photo Credit: @benjispears / TikTok
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And finally, some users wanted to point out to Benji that it's not just women who need to know the name of these shots.

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These shots can help ANYONE in a club or bar to get out of a situation that is making them uncomfortable or scared.