Water Drinking.....I know...

[Moonrider]

I am so sick of this crap on this board where "THE BIG DOG" must rule everything and have the last say on everything I think that I'll just go to better boards where this crap doesn't exist.

Y'all make sure the screen door don't hit yew in the butt-ocks on the way out. Mama ain't got Paw to loosen the spring yet, and it closes powerful fast.

[Bigdog]

People with special dietary needs are not the problem.

Cheap people that drink free water are the problem. Having a medical condition should not be confused with CHEAP.

Drinking just water is costing the bar more than the alcohol/soda drinkers. Alcohol/soda drinks contribute to the cash flow and pay the bills. Water drinkers are not cost effective.

The very first sip of water puts the bar in the hole. Every sip after takes out another shovel full.

They get free entertainment. Free air conditioning/heat. Free service. Free restroom privledges. Free night out on someone elses dime.

You pay for their fun. How does it feel???

Maybe you should re-read the first line over & over again.

And then re-read the second line.

It wasn't too long ago that most restaurants stop serving complimentary water unless you requested it.

In your mind bars should just absorb the costs of every freeloader coming down the pike. Why because they are in business and too bad for them.

Most of the bars are on the brink of failure because of the smoking laws and DUI laws and just economy in general. They don't need a bunch of non paying "customers." I have seen many local bars/restaurants close in my time doing karaoke.

What's wrong with paying your way with the purchase of a bottle of water? Where else do you go and expect free entertainment, week after week?

No admission and no obligation. Recipe for disaster.

How many free karaoke jobs do you have booked for the free water drinkers? Nobody needs to make money to stay in business.

"Charity" karaoke...come one come all.

"Charity" bar/restaurant open for business.... until we run out of everything..and have to declare bankruptcy and close forever.

Now that's a business plan...

[Bigdog]

99% of the bar owners judge my preformance on the cash register results at the end of the day.

Less money in means less profit.

KJs, DJs and bands get fired for not bringing in enough money. A bar that doesn't charge for water drinkers hurts my ability to look like I'm doing what I'm being paid to do. Because the till is lower than it should have been.

Maybe in the fantasy karaoke world bar owners don't make any money and they give people money for showing up and eating and drinking for free.

Bars are not non profit organizations.

If it looks like I'm not worth being in the bar...I get fired. Unless like some KJs..they work for free or dinner and drinks.

I work for money like 99.9999999% of the population.

[wiseguy]

I am so sick of this crap on this board where "THE BIG DOG" must rule everything and have the last say on everything I think that I'll just go to better boards where this crap doesn't exist.

Nobody on this board has the last word on anything. You are always free to respond. But if you prefer to visit forums where personal opinions are censored or denied... then be my guest. That will never happen here.

[Bigdog]

I did some research and found out the diagnosis for two related medical conditions that occur in FREE water drinkers.

One is a somewhat common birth defect..

Called....Short Arms....Deep Pockets....


The other requires an operation to surgically remove your wallet. You sat on it so long it became imbedded.

DISCLAIMER: Please consult a board certified Physician for a second opinion. The above was a FREE non medical opinion.

OK Wolf here is your assignment.

To prove that bars get FREE water.

1. Go to the store and get bag of FREE lemons. They are just taking up space for the more expensive FREE items stores are constantly giving away.

(I want a set of grocery store shelves in my kitchen. They are magically full again every morning.) What a country...

2. Get a FREE solar electric panel big enough to make FREE electricity to run your FREE refrigerator, with Ice Maker. Obama has them on his new green web site. And you qualify for a FREE tax deduction.

3. Next to prove the entire USA has FREE water and sewerage treatment facilities. You will need a set of wire cutters and 2 pipe wrenches. These are FREE at the hardware store. Take these tools to the cellar and locate the FREE water meter. Carefully cut the water company's locking wire seal on the nut. And use the 2 pipe wrenches to loosen the threaded nuts. Now turn the FREE water meter around backwards and re-install it. Don't worry about replacing the seal...it's FREE, too.

4. Now in the kitchen...slice a FREE lemon into wedges. Don't forget to wash the lemon with more FREE water. Grab a nice clean glass from the FREE dishwasher and fill it up with FREE water and FREE ice. Don't forget the FREE lemon garnish. MMMMMmmmm looks so refreshingly FREE.

5. Take the refreshingly ice cold FREE water drink into the bathroom and dump it down the toilet. Empty it completely...we wouldn't want to waste any, it's FREE. Now flush the refreshingingly FREE drink down the drain.

Now Repeat these 5 steps 2-3-4-5-6 times to represent the amount of FREE water drinks you consume nightly at your favorite karaoke bar. Don't forget to add up all your FREE time involved in repeating these steps. Everyone works for FREE.

Do this everyday for an entire year. And show us your FREE yearly water & sewage bills. Then multiply it by several FREE water drinkers per night. Because they travel in preditory packs.

I can't wait to see how big and FREE...FREE really is.

Oh and the big "GUILT TIP" for the waitress that served the FREE drinks all night....That money goes into her pocket. She doesn't give it to the bar owner to make up for your night of FREE indulgences. It didn't help the bar owner pay one penny toward anything. He still HATES you.

So take this to the bank.....there is no FREE lunch or FREE water or FREE entertainment or anything else FREE in this world. A water drinker is taking up good space for a paying customer that could be paying for your FREE water by PURCHASING food and drinks, while you're listening to the FREE entertainment he could be helping to pay for.

[Bigdog]

Definition of the word BUSINESS:.... a usually commercial or mercantile activity engaged in as a means of livelihood : trade, line <in the restaurant business> b: a commercial or sometimes an industrial enterprise ; also : such enterprises <the business district> c: dealings or transactions especially of an economic nature


TRANSACTION: something transacted ; especially : an exchange or transfer of goods, services, or funds


FUNDS: a sum of money


MONEY: something generally accepted as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment: as a: officially coined or stamped metal currency b: money of account c: paper money
2 a: wealth reckoned in terms of money b: an amount of money cplural : sums of money : funds
3: a form or denomination of coin or paper money

FREE: not costing or charging anything

Notice the word FREE doesn't appear or relate to any of the above words. Hmmmmm......

[Sabrina59]

I completely understand your point, BD, but my question still remains. Does this happen often enough that it is an issue? If it is an occasional problem, I don't see it as a big deal.

[Bigdog]

One freeloader is a problem.

How many do you think a bar can sustain on a regular basis and remain viable.

Bar owners are in the business of selling certain items. These are in turn used to finance the bars operating costs and provide enough revenue for the bar owner to put in his pocket to pay his house and family expenses.

It's a hard topic to get specific about. But things are not the way they were financially. There is a real small profit margin to work with to remain profitable.

If you owned the bar...how many freeloaders do you want sucking profit money away from your household needs? NOTHING is FREE.

Again...you as a KJ are judged by only one factor. How much MONEY you can bring into the bar. Not how much goes out or could have come in. If the numbers aren't big enough...you're on the street. Will the water drinkers pay your bills then? They contributed to you losing your job.

Would I consider them as stealing?...Maybe it is Theft of Services. You partake of the entertainment and utilities. Without making a contribution.

Like me putting my trash in your garbage can because I'm too cheap. Do you want to carry my load?

Tipping the waitress is not helping the bar owner. So forget that. You should tip the bar owner double to make up for it. That would help the situation. Not tipping the waitress.

[Bigdog]

What about the people that get drunk during happy hour at another bar then come to your bar and nurse one drink all night. One drink helped but not that much. It's only small change. It all adds up but...come on. How long will it take. You could be bankrupt pretty fast. Bill collectors don't wait for long.

Money makes the world go round...not lack of it.

Bill Gates doesn't make enough money.. He hasn't quit his job.

Nobody ever complained to me about an over abundance of money...

Ohhh I have so much money...I don't know what to do ...

Nobody ever gives me any money for nothing either...I want my MTV

I'm not cheap and bar owners never offer me more money when we have a killer night...but they all think I should take a cut when it's not so good. Why is that???

Would I have to take a cut if everyone spent enough money that night?

Water drinkers probably have taken money from my pockets from time to time. I do the same show for 10 people as 10,000. I don't look at the small crowd and say...I won't do this and I'll cut back on that and skimp a little here. I do all or nothing. I actually work harder with a smaller crowd. Like tonight I sang 2 1/2 hours for 6 people. Before some (3) singers came in. The bar didn't make any money tonight.....probably couldn't pay me. So now if we had some water drinkers what would have happened? The bar can't keep this up for long. Something has to happen crowd wise or I'm gone. Not because they hate me but because the crowd isn't there to make it worth doing. WE don't need any water drinkers now...we need alcoholics and fat people.....

[Sabrina59]

There are so many variables to this dilema. Lets say you have a group come on with a designated driver ... driver drinks free water all night and everyone gets home safely. No fines, suits, for the bar owner because of an accident. That water drinker just saved the bar owner a lot of money.

Let's say you have an older couple who come out once a month when and drink water all night because they can't afford drinks, or can't drink them. Presuming your bar does a decent business, are you going to tell gramps and granny that they can't be there? Maybe it is their only night of entertainment all month.

Conversely, let's say you have a group of six or seven who are there every week and only drink water, never buy a drink or food. I am also presuming all of these folks are of working age ... should they get free water all night.

My opinions on these scenarios would also change with how much business the bar has on any given night. I just don't think there can be a hard-ass (oops, can I say that) rule that works for every situation.

[Bigdog]

I'm not against people that drink water or pop or girl drinks without alcohol.

I'm not against designated drivers.

I'm not against elderly or sick indiviuals.

I'm against anyone that wants to sit there all night partaking in all the fun, festivities and free entertainment without spending any money.

Just pay for your drink...whatever it is and shut up.

If they hand you a $2 bottle of water, it's because of the free loaders. It's because nothing is FREE. It's because we all need to make money. Pay for the KJ. Pay the bar owners electric bill for the ability to sit there comfortably.
Pay for his coolers and deep fryers. Pay his insurance bill so when you fall and sue him, it's covered. Pay for the security lighting in the parking lot.
Pay his water and sewer bill so you didn't have to go to the outhouse or the creek. Pay for the KJ so he can buy your favorite song...you know the one you really love to sing to the point of nauseam week after week. Pay for the cook/waitress to put her kids through college. You want paid for the work you do.

There is no place for cheap. Everybody's working while you're sitting there having fun. Because we need money. Pay for your fun. It's makes us all happy.

[wiseguy]

All freeloading can be blamed totally on the bar. There can be no freeloading if nothing is free. A pitcher of water should be the same price as a pitcher of beer. A bottle of water the same as a bottle of beer. Let the drinkers pay for their designated driver.

[Sabrina59]

That would certainly solve the dilema. But, if this is really an issue, wouldn't the bar owners already have done this? Why are we, as KJ's, more concerned about this than the owners?

[DanG2006]

The owners are concerned as I heard through the grapevine that there were too many water drinkers at the bar when I ran shows at bars. They were small bars, too small for karaoke in my opinion, so a water drinker affects the till because they are taking up space that a paying customer could be in. But wiseguy is right, the bar owners have themselves to blame for not charging for water.

[Bigdog]

Absolutely correct.

But if this is not their pricing policy...it can hurt our preceived value when we are judged against the cash register totals.

It's strange to say this...but we should almost demand the one price drink deal as a condition of employment. The money we bring in is without a doubt the only thing any bar owner is going to use as a marker to determine if he keeps us or lets us go.

Big cash register tape...we are king.....small tape, we are gone.

So if that is how we all will be judged..AND IT IS>>>>>>bar owners can't be doing stupid things like free water and free refills and 50 cent pop and $1 drafts.

100 people spending $1 isn't going to pay any bills.

What is the solution to this problem?

Should we tell them how to price their goods?

Should a one price drink policy be a condition of our employment?

This issue is the difference between a bar staying open or going broke.

This issue could (usually) mean/s the difference between you working or not.

I don't believe that free drinks during entertainment hours is a smart business policy. It makes me look bad as a money making KJ.

We're talking about bar owners, not rocket scientists.

If this drink issue could be worded right during your pre-employment talks and the reasoning...it could fly.

I don't care if they comp drinks and food all day long..but when I'm there and you will judge me on my ability to increase your bottom line...ALL DRINKS COST MONEY. We can work together to make money or you can work against me. FREE drinks works against me.

I don't think this is unreasonable at all. It's a good solid business decision..in my eyes.

We all work for money...not a pat on the head.

He's a great KJ..we just didn't make any money.

Wait a minute, we didn't make money or you didn't make as much as you could have??? There is a BIG difference.