Non paying customers

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 6:56 pm

Are you going to be the one selling the tickets?

That still makes you look like the bad guy.

And it probably does put you in some liability for a drunk patron.

If they got smashed down the street and you sell them the one drink ticket that gets someone killed....... it's one you. Are you going to tell someone they can't have a ticket because they are too drunk??? Get ready to get beat up.

I have enough jerks to deal with without adding that mess.

Get a new job or tell the bar owner he just got a new job selling song tickets. And crowd control.

The whole thing sucks. And it won't help your reputation. It mght cause less of a rotation. Less singers and the bar owner will want you to take a cut in pay.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:35 pm

No in fact it isn't really selling the tickets as it does not cost any extra to get it. Just the cost of your first drink. And No I am not the one to tell them they are too drunk already. That is still the responsability of the bartender to determine that.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:31 pm

You are still going to be taking the tickets and telling Bob, no ticky, no singy.

It still doesn't make you look good.

That's good for the first drink first song...what happens when Bob doesn't buy a drink the rest of the night? Because he and everyone else is Pi$$ed?

What's plan "B"? More tickets...

Nothing but trouble coming your way.

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 3:04 am

You are in a tough spot, that's for sure. I agree that you need to stay out of it and let the bartender/owner/manager take care of the tickets.

How will you keep track of who has given you a ticket? It would be easy to forget, then you could deny some one their chance to sing when they already gave you their ticket.

What would be the policy if several folks came in and ordered a pitcher? Only one ticket per pitcher or can the person buying the pitcher "designate" how many tickets are needed?

There is a very popular local spot that has a cover charge on week-ends. I would never pay a cover for karaoke. Why should I pay for entertainment if I am the entertainment (well, a part of it anyway)?

It would be best if the bartender/owner/manager would step up and take care of the "loiterers" without you having to get involved, but it sounds as though that isn't going to happen.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:28 pm

1:I add their name to the rotation with their first song as I am computerized.
2: no pitchers sold so not an issue.
3: the bartender handles giving out the tickets, I just take them when they come up to give me their first song.

letitrip · Post by **letitrip** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:33 pm

I think you can make this system work without it hurting your reputation. The big key will be any time someone asks or you have to enforce the no ticket no sing rule, just make sure you tell them "The bar has a policy...". I wouldn't be at all shy about putting the blame where it belongs and the owner can't complain because it is his policy. But doing it that way will send them to the bartender and/or manager/owner to complain rather than it being directed at you.

Post by **wiseguy** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:40 pm

letitrip wrote:I think you can make this system work without it hurting your reputation. The big key will be any time someone asks or you have to enforce the no ticket no sing rule, just make sure you tell them "The bar has a policy...". I wouldn't be at all shy about putting the blame where it belongs and the owner can't complain because it is his policy. But doing it that way will send them to the bartender and/or manager/owner to complain rather than it being directed at you.

Sounds good in theory but I doubt that it will work out that way. Just like a karaoke contest where you explain that you had nothing to do with the judging the KJ still gets blamed for the results.

The bar owner has no right to put Dan in this position. It would be an easy decision for me.

spotlightjr · Post by **spotlightjr** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:47 pm

As I stated in an earlier post we already have done something similar down here. We call it a "token" and its usually five bucks charged at the door on the nights of karaoke. The five bucks can be spent any way the consumer sees fit, food, wine, soda, coffee, etc.
I've seen it work successfully and I've seen it cause minor problems. I'd prefer not to deal with a "cover charge" but it sometimes comes with the territory. Good luck Dan!!!

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 7:06 pm

I am searching for another job but untill I get it I gotta put up with it.

Sabrina59 · Post by **Sabrina59** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 11:57 pm

letitrip wrote:I think you can make this system work without it hurting your reputation. The big key will be any time someone asks or you have to enforce the no ticket no sing rule, just make sure you tell them "The bar has a policy...". I wouldn't be at all shy about putting the blame where it belongs and the owner can't complain because it is his policy. But doing it that way will send them to the bartender and/or manager/owner to complain rather than it being directed at you.

This is key. You absolutely have to make sure you state it is "bar policy" and not yours.

DanG2006 · Post by **DanG2006** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 12:01 am

I'm actually hoping that one night of doing it will make them decide it's not worth it due to the bartender having too much to do since it is one more responsability for the bartender to do. I don't like it myself but can understand where they are coming from. Wiseguy is right that it should be the responsability of the bartender to chase out the riff raff that choose not to spend money in the place and not my problem. But there's the rub, if the cheapscates chase away all the buying customers then I lose because the owner can't afford to pay me while blaming me for the problem. Either way I get screwed.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 2:32 am

I'm trying to figure out if this is a dive bar on the wrong side of the tracks?

How many dead beat water drinkers, drink nursers are there?

5-10-20?

What's the problem is everyone on the lowest end of the income level?

What are you doing to attract so many dead beats?

Tell us your secret.

I have seen a few but not a bar full to the point where the management had to resort to a cover charge.

Something smells funny.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:30 pm

There is one more way to look at this.

If the parking lot is full, more people will come in just to see what's going on. The non drinkers are contributing to the crowd size just because they are there. The place looks like it's a happening place to be.

spotlightjr · Post by **spotlightjr** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 4:38 pm

Yeah bigdog, tell that to the venue owner at the end of the night when he rings his z-tape and finds out his average per customer during your karaoke show was 13 cents.

Bigdog · Post by **Bigdog** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:11 pm

I said it before and I'll stick by it to the end.

Draft beer, pop and bottled water need to be the same price during the entertainment. No free refills during the entertainment.

They are either in business to make money by providing entertainment or they are not.

Nobody works for free.

So until the bar owners understand where the drinking public is headed because of the tougher DUI laws and the economy, if they don't get with it they can get out of it.

Stop Bytchin and raise the prices so it won't matter what they drink. If they don't want the dead beats then make them leave. I'm not.....

It's not my job to decide who's drinking and spending the amount of money that the bar owner thinks they should be.

And the dead beats should understand that NOTHING in this world is free.

Because it won't last long. You don't have to drink to oblivion. Or eat until you explode. But spending $10-20 at a show won't break the bank. If it does then you should stay home and look for pop bottles. You can't afford to go out. Go look for another job. Stop smoking. Or other bad habits.

What's wrong with a sign hung up that says Freeloaders will be ejected. Nobody will want to be accused of that. It's a business, that means they sell stuff to stay in business. No selling, no business.

I remember when you couldn't use the restrooms unless you bought something. Everyone knew that.