Do not laugh ... promise? OK, I'm digging through old Word documents. last night and came across some ramblings from 2005. Then, I was bartending 13 years and worked every weekend, the whole weekend. Something that really stuck to me while standing behind the bar, night after night, as all my friends were out partying, was that, it really doesn't look too much like a party out there. I worked in a great location on time mind you, People lined up around the block just to get in, they did a cover on the door and waded through the crowd at times to reach the bar. These customers worked or studied the whole week just to get to my bar and unwind. I know what they wanted, because I wanted it, too. They needed to break free, shouting loudly, acting foolishly and leave the stress of life behind. I lived through them over there should have been the best years of my life.
Night after night I started to notice one commonality. They were not partying like I would if I killed myself by week and dropping large bills in the bar. It was not their fault either. The Academician able and primped for the night. clean clothes and Cologne, called his friends, hit the ATM. ..but something fell flat when they arrived. DJ pumping, the girls were hot, and the beer was cold but they were restless. I understand that there is Las Vegas. We could not have a scantily clad trapezist dangling over our heads. There must be a happy medium, but.
I thought I had figured it out one night. Drinking beer and watching hot chicks dance is great! But after an hour or two out when you provide the conversation because the music is so loud and hot chicks have been turned into a hot mess, restlessness. People need dedication. We want to do or be part of something. Since birth, we have played. If it is the Board games, video games or sports games, we want action.
At the time was the bars just for relaxation, watching sports and dance. The stage felt very structured for me. I've made a list of things I would like to see in bars. Looking back on it now, some ideas are ridiculous, while others actually have become commonplace. I am glad to see that the nightlife is on the way to creating more interactive environments. Fingers crossed that it continues to move in that direction because beer is like Catnip to us. We need only bars to throw us a toy.
A random bartender archives from 2005
"What I would love to find in a bar if I ever had a weekend to go out. spontaneous retardedness, thoughtless fun and some undeserved customer appreciation-
1) the Village Idiot-A Select customer in the door will be offered the opportunity to be the Idiot in the night. He hands in his shirt, and in return receive a special shirt to wear that declares him "(bar the name here) the Village Idiot". This Idiot may drink special offers and perks like no one else does. Certain rules must be met, e.g. always shouting a slogan when approaching the location of the field, always donning a smile, etc. A dunce cap may be the dot here.
2) Mini beach balls thrown at random from the DJ booth. Small writing on them telling the guest to get the ball to the bar for a specific drink.
3) Game coasters. Simply put, using the old cards from the game that are not used in the House as coasters. Flag of the guests with Trivial Pursuit, outburst, Guestures or other cards.
4) bore the style Wikipedia reward ornate guest arrives at the door with the spot logo attire. Half price admission.
5) Midnight Grab-Bag: point a finger at nights e-list, or pick a random name from the door. The person gets from a hat. The paper drew informs them of their prize. Drink chip, admission pass, visor, manicure in city shop, driving range tokens, Starbucks coupon, etc.
6) Scratch offs, and drag tabs are always fun. Gay but fun. Lexxie is cool. I have been a good girl.
7) Every so often, and a voucher at the door telling a guest that play in the bar (ring toss, dice, quarter turn, Etc). Beverages, merchandise, admission, half price appetizers, nada. So exciting.
8) Colored lottery tickets-Each guest is given a colored ticket. At some early hour, a color is called (that is, of course, the least delivery) these guests holding the ticket says that go in the field for a special.
9) 10% discount on the tabs on the $ 100 or more
10) Weekender-consumption, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (or Friday, Saturday and Sunday) nights with us, get free entry cards for next time
11) Six Pack comes as a group of 6 = half priced admission
12) Special horn, bell or other signals that started at random times. Declares a special sound in the bar. Guests will learn that this noise means "get into the field"! Shit shot dates or half-priced beer in five minutes. Throw in the occasional vintage brew would be fun too. Free red dog or Keystone for those already in the bar. And don't we all love the lead shot?
13) Sunday Mugday Giveaway patron with the most FR and sat visits per month, free Mug refills last Sunday of the month
14) quadruple buys Pass-get four friends, you can cut the line to the door
15) Mystery Shot-buy and try the shot. Name all the ingredients and get the next drink for free. No one would ever guess the Kool-Aid.
16) Secret passwords-escape special word to be whispered for $ 1off. Tell them it is only good for a certain time of night. They can remember. Or a certain animal calls is necessary. Would you croak like a seal of quality for cheap beer?
17) Industry hours-Each hour of the night is a different profession. Example: 8-9 are teachers, 9-10 are hospital workers, 10-11 are direct mail/services. ID badge or pay stub required. Or College hours-same as above but college-ID
18) Better promo items. I would buy a decent opener for ten dollar way before a t-shirt for less
19) Half priced food menu after 2 AM. Encourages sales and absorbs alcohol.
20) has always been a mystery. The same location each week. If it has to guess what is in the jar, interpret an Irish proverb, drinking statistics and questions to sports, naming the slogan ....Something to distract anyone from monotony. No prices, just entertainment. "
-Veronica Baywood is a veteran of 18 years in the hospitality industry and staff writer for Bar and Drinker http://baranddrinker.com/Magazine
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