Brewery Pet Peeves (2023)

I just purchased the tickets when I got there for my last few visits. (Deerfield and Charlton).

 

Right, I walk in and order, a fee is added and I say no. You say that’s the deal here and then I just walk out.



Enjoy

 

Exactly, I’m thinking more that I had no idea this was a thing. If I knew ahead I’m not wasting my time either.



Enjoy

 

My main pet peeve is brewery taprooms that don't have a functioning and current taplist online. So many never update them, have a broken link, or don't bother having one at all. I don't often just visit taprooms to see what's available, I usually go for a specific beer. They're losing business by not keeping their customers informed.

 

There’s a brewery I like, about 50 minutes away. One complaint: prefilled crowlers. Who knows how long they’ve been there. Also, just recently… Their draft version of beers tastes different than the canned version, with the cans being significantly worse. It just got to be too much, so I don’t by crowlers or cans from them anymore.

 

I'm the opposite, I never look at online menus, don't care if they even exist. I'm gonna walk in and at what's live. 99% of the time there's something I want. That other time I walk out.

 

I don’t agree that service at a Michelin star restaurant has anything at all to do with service at 85+% of restaurants or 95% of breweries in the US

 

Is your belief or experience that countries and cultures that don't generally engage in tipping also don't have good customer service? I only have limited experience (and none of it at extremely upscale establishments) but it has been that I received the same spectrum of service - from disinterested to excellent - in countries where no one tips ever as I do in the states

 

All of the taprooms are out of town for me, so if I'm going for a beer I'd sure like to know there's something I'll want before I go.

 

Yes, that is my experience from when I used to travel internationally for business. In general, the level of service is more frequently not great and now to enable the owner to pay higher wages to compensate for no tipping I am paying about what I would as if I was buying a meal plus a great tip in countries where tipping is customary and not built into food prices.

 

Why not? Because a Michelin Star rated restaurant can afford to, and wants to, hire only very experienced, top-notch staff. Sure, some serving staff at misc. other restaurants where tipping is customary do a great job, and sure every server is capable of "....friendly, courteous, quick and efficient service", but they don't do always do it. Removing the incentive (tips) sure isn't going to improve that if they believe their job is secure and there is no financial incentive to go the extra mile.

 

I suspect the Michelin restaurants earn the star because the chef puts the same amount of care into staff training as they do their food. Bad service = bad management and that can be blamed on the business who has the power to hire and fire, but lets it happen.

 

I think it's 2 Friday - Sunday and 3 Mon-Thurs.? I think my brother said Tewksbury was 3 drink limit on the Saturday he went though.

Oh it's a minor pet peeve for sure. I ordered mine before I even left my place. I still find it annoying, as you said, YMMV. I wonder if older people get frustrated by it, for example I can't see my parents figuring out how to order a drink there.

Look at the number of people in this six page thread who just want a paper menu and don't want to scan a QR code.

And again, it's not Tree House's fault. I blame the hype people have created about their beer. They make great beer, but they're not the only brewery in MA making great beer.

I think it's more about how busy they are than a drunk driving thing. But it is probably a bit of the latter too.

You might have to reserve times to pick up cans for Tewksbury and maybe Sandwich due to those places being busier.

I've been to different countries multiple times. For the most part service is ok, just incredibly slow compared to here. There seemed to be no incentive to serve quicker. Part of that could be cultural differences too.

 

Wondering how many have gone to a Michelin Star restaurant. Since they don't come to TX, none have it here, its also a very political process. I was trying to find the article I read about it when they came to Florida last year that outlined it a little, but can't seem to find it.

Though there are a few restaurants here where their east coast counter part, or London counter part, basically the same restaurant, does have a Michelin Star (or did at one time). The few times I have been to those, I wouldn't say the service is any worse or better than a lot of places. Either upscale or otherwise. I mean, they have to memorize a lot of things about the process or what a particular dish is, and they are trained to recite that well, but so what. One of them is a dumpling place, pricy "Michelin Star" dumplings, with tiny bites and I wasn't satisfied. I'd rather just go to a real soup dumping spot in Belaire (a big all encompassing "Asia" town area). But, thats just me. It just means an over priced restaurant with a star given out by a tire company IMO, ha. Which shouldn't really be put on a pedestal.

And we are wandering a little off topic now.

 

Im wondering if the good service is also due to many places in Europe still look at service jobs as an actual career.
In the states its a college or high school job and not respected in the same manner

 

Yeah, especially you coming from one of the faster paced regions in this country. Which is a notoriously fast paced culture to begin with. I think Americans in general tend to move at a pace that most other places think of as hurried and almost frantic. I don't know how much tipping is the result or cause of that