Overlooked pet peeves at bars (consumer standpoint)

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by Dennoman, Nov 10, 2013.

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  1. jefffalcone

    jefffalcone Initiate (0) Nov 9, 2013 Massachusetts

    This isn't a generally overlooked minor issue. If a bar stinks of cleanser there is a serious problem and at the very least a lack of respect for their patrons
     
  2. RaulMondesi

    RaulMondesi Grand Pooh-Bah (5,209) Dec 11, 2006 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    It's definitely at the "divier" places that I have encountered this. But even at Toronado SF last week (not that it isn't a dive) when I ordered my next beer (and as the bartender grabbed my glass) he asked if what I had just ordered was what I just drank. I can only assume that he was going to reuse the glass. No, I know that he was going to because I saw them use that practice earlier.
     
  3. jch67

    jch67 Initiate (0) Nov 17, 2013 Kentucky

    Loud music. I go to pubs to enjoy an nice beer and conversation with friends. There is nothing worse than having to scream over the music to have a conversation.
     
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  4. jch67

    jch67 Initiate (0) Nov 17, 2013 Kentucky

    I'm not sure I understand this .....
     
  5. lovethebelgians

    lovethebelgians Initiate (0) Apr 25, 2013 Illinois

    I'm just saying, I go to bars to yes have beers that I don't have at home, but if someone has the balls to come up to me and say hi and genuinely want to talk to me, I'm not going to get on a forum and bitch about it even if they were somewhat annoying, because in my mind you're out in public some people are annoying, and I would say you might be calling the kettle black if you think you've never gone to a bar to have drinks and you yourself didn't play that annoying patron a time or two. Bottom line I'm a social extrovert, I guess some people aren't that way I prefer interaction over standoffish snotty attitudes towards others, especially at bars, I just don't want that fact held against me, but this is probably being misinterpreted by both sides, maybe if some of us were at the same bar no one would have any gripes about the other, and how they acted I would hope not, I just like people and talking to them and part of what I liked so much about the craft world when I first got into was how socially active people were when experiencing beer around other strangers, but sometimes I see posts one here that demonstrate the exact opposite of that mindset and it saddens me.
     
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  6. lovethebelgians

    lovethebelgians Initiate (0) Apr 25, 2013 Illinois

    That is the hardest thing for me too, I hate being out in a group, and can't hear what my friends are saying, especially since my hearing is really bad when there are secondary noises, couldn't agree more
     
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  7. naloxone

    naloxone Initiate (0) Aug 7, 2010 Connecticut

    More of a restaurant peeve than a strictly bar peeve, but it really irks me when you cannot order food within X minutes of the "kitchen close" time.

    I've worked there, I get it; you want to finish your clean up and take a shower.

    But if the sign says that the kitchen closes at 10pm, I should be able to order food at 9:58pm. If you want to stop cooking and start cleaning at 9:30, then say the kitchen closes at 9:30. It's not complicated.
     
  8. markdrinksbeer

    markdrinksbeer Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2013 Massachusetts


    So by your logic, if you "stop cooking and start cleaning at 9:30" and say the kitchen closes at 9:30, what do you expect the restaurant/bar to do if someone asks to order food at 9:28?

    Let me guess, you also think that you can go to a car dealership at 4:58 that closes at 5:00 and ask to go take a test drive, look around, and keep several employees at the dealership late?
     
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  9. CSpoons

    CSpoons Initiate (0) Nov 13, 2012 Maryland

    Completely agree. If I ever come into an absurd amount of money, I'm gonna turn an old timey hotel into a pub. No distractions to deter socializing, just beer and conversation.

    If you've worked at a restaurant, then you should know that you usually don't want the food coming outta the kitchen during that last ~30 mins of operation. I tell all my friends and family members that if you go to a restaurant during the last hour they're open, keep your order simple or else you're gonna get old food that's been reheated...at best.
     
    #409 CSpoons, Nov 18, 2013
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2013
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  10. CowsandBeer

    CowsandBeer Initiate (0) Sep 24, 2012 Nebraska

    This isn't so much a complaint or anything, but have you guys noticed how beers taste better at some bars than others? I've had Myrcenary by O'Dell on tap three times. Only once was it a really hoppy, awesome beer.
    Also, Collab#3 by Boulevard. Had it on tap twice when it came out. At one place it was just ok, at another it tasted way better and had much more flavor complexity. It was like going from ear buds to stereo headphones when listening to music.
     
  11. YamBag

    YamBag Initiate (0) Feb 2, 2007 Pennsylvania

    I hate this and stopped going to a long time favorite place about 2 years ago and haven't. been back. Sorry Drafting Room
     
  12. 9uns

    9uns Initiate (0) Jun 5, 2013 California

    social media is life. pathetic.
     
  13. naloxone

    naloxone Initiate (0) Aug 7, 2010 Connecticut


    Yep.

    It's pretty straightforward. If you, as the employee, want to leave at 5:00pm and you know that a given service takes 1 hour, then the time you close is 4:00pm. If you cannot provide the service you are advertising due to performing BOH/admin duties, there is no point in claiming you are "open" simply because you are physically in the building, as you are unable to provide customer service.

    The time you close, from the consumer perspective, should mean the time you "stop serving customers", not the time "employees leave". In the context of a bar, this should be as simple as it can be, as people already expect the kitchen will close at a different time than the bar. If you want to stop cooking and start cleaning at 9:28, then advertise that the kitchen closes at 9:28. That is all I ask.
     
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  14. naloxone

    naloxone Initiate (0) Aug 7, 2010 Connecticut


    I didn't work at a sketchy restaurant, but I am fully aware there are lots of places where your wisdom applies and I make it a point to not patronize those places.
     
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  15. yemenmocha

    yemenmocha Grand Pooh-Bah (4,092) Jun 18, 2002 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Doesn't matter whether it is a sketchy or nice place, the servers are servers and the cooks are cooks... and there isn't such a big difference between the people who might work at them. Given the political climate, heck, if anything I'd wager it is more likely that there's the spit in my food at the nicer place.
     
  16. Hermthegerm

    Hermthegerm Initiate (0) Oct 13, 2012 Pennsylvania

    To add to this: Bars that allow smoking and that have their glasses hanging upside down above the bar. All the smoke goes up into the glasses and gives them a nice "frost". Then they don't rinse your glass before pouring. I'm gagging in my mouth thinking about this.... Thank god very few places here by me allow smoking still.
     
  17. BrandonOakes

    BrandonOakes Initiate (0) Aug 2, 2013 Pennsylvania

    This happened to me back in college. Granted, I was there for a few drinks and wings, but I needed to go to my car because a friend came in and told me my lights were on. As I left I told the door man I was to be returning and needed to turn them off, he was cool with it, though this was at shift change, when I came back, the new doorman, who was standing next to him when I originally left, tried to make me pay a cover to come in. Blown away by this I told him I have been in the bar for about 2 hours and just needed to turn off my lights. He wouldn't budge. Needless to say, I called my friends in there and told them to bring me my jacket. The bouncer was astonished that I had been telling the truth and said I could come in without paying the cover. I said thanks anyway and walked home.
     
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  18. Darwin553

    Darwin553 Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2009 Australia

    This is what happened all the time at the pub I used to work in London.

    The kitchen closed at 9.30pm officially but if it was like 9.25pm the chef would come behind the bar to tell us not to take any orders. He usually would want to be gone before 10pm and not have to stay cleaning beyond that time.

    And we were always happy to comply because if it got to a stage where the meals were only finished around 10pm, then we would end up having to finish cleaning the kitchen. And with having to clean the bar, the pub and everything else in about 1.5 hours, it would get too much.
     
  19. Kerrie

    Kerrie Initiate (0) Aug 24, 2012 Michigan

    It's creepy and unnerving, especially when you're trying to do your job.
     
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  20. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Wow, that is vile.
     
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