‘Angel shots’ outed as secret ‘code’ for bartenders to ‘save lives’ in viral videos

nypost.com:

first gained traction back in 2016 — when a St. Petersburg restaurant coined the “rescue signal” to help women who felt unsafe. (Just before the COVID pandemic dropped a bomb on bars, the covert cocktail was reborn as the “owl shot” in the Sunshine State.)Fast-forward to August 2022: The hashtag #angelshot has suddenly garnered more than 142 million views on TikTok, with now-viral clips of bartenders and regular bar-goers educating users on how to keep people safe.One barkeep, who goes by @Call_Me_Cookem on the video-streaming app, explained how ordering an “angel shot” works as a secret request for help.“An angel shot is a way of asking for help from a bartender, a bouncer, a manager, someone at a restaurant without directly saying it,” he said in the clip with over 387,000 views, explaining that the benefit of talking “in code” can keep the situation from getting worse. “Because in the end, the number one priority is making sure that you’re safe.”Replying to @taylor._.bennett An Angel Shot aka Ask For Angela #angelshot #bartender #spreadawarenessSeasoned bartender Michelle Charlotte — who boasts 3.3 million followers on TikTok — uses her platform as a way to tell stories from her years bartending as well as informational tidbits.

She posted her own take on the so-called angel shot, even going so far as to explain that if a customer orders the drink with a “lime,” it means to call the police.The push for safety in bars comes as nightlife becomes more dangerous — especially for women.

w/ a lime = call police. On the rocks = need help getting a ride. Neat = need security to walk you to your car #angelshot#bartender#spreadawarenessAn estimated 25% of American women have experience some form of sexual assault, according to.