You know, I normally have a policy of not bitching at bartenders. They get too much grief as it is. After all, they have to deal with drunks all day (and night). Who the hell deserves that?But sometimes bartenders give really crappy service, and they deserve to be called on it.
So this afternoon, I'm enjoying the South by Southwest festivities, and after quite a few beers, I decide I better start pacing myself. So I head into Opal Divine's and ask for a water. And the bartender says, "Sorry, all we have is bottled water." Fine, I say, let me have it. I hand over $2 and take my bottle. And then I walk into the next room, and RIGHT THERE is an Igloo water cooler FULL OF WATER with several plastic cups sitting right there. So I indignantly went back to the bartender and said, "You have drinking water RIGHT THERE." And her reply was, "Well, yes, but all we have at the bar is bottled water."
So tell me: HOW FUCKING HARD WOULD HAVE IT BEEN FOR YOU TO TELL ME THAT THERE WAS SOME FREE WATER LESS THAN 20 FEET FROM WHERE WE'RE STANDING? You cost me money, and made me do something bad for the environment, to boot.
So, Ms. Bartender, I hope you're proud of that $2 you raked in for your business (which brought you no tip). It cost you the $15 or so (plus tip) that I probably would have spent on dinner and a beer, but I didn't, because I was so torqued off at you that I just stomped out. Good going. You cost your business $13 or so, plus a hell of a lot of customer loyalty from me.
And don't even get me started on the assholes with Central Parking Corporation who ripped me out of $5 because their signs are completely deceptive. Don't park in their lots downtown. The signs that say five bucks will buy you parking until 6am is a LIE. I'm definitely taking the bus tomorrow.
11 comments:
Try a bike!
When I run into people like that I just assume they are really, really stupid. The people that hired them are stupid and thus deserve our pity, but definitely not our money.
I'll refrain from starting a rant about Opal's. I'll just say I no longer go to ANY of their establishments because the service sucks, the prices are too high, and the owners are unfair and just plain stupid! Which is sad because I still have friends that work there. (Okay, small rant over.)
Peter: Actually, I'm an avid biker, but at night when there will be lots of drunks driving around I prefer to bus it. Plus, bicycling seven miles home late at night when I'm tired and had a couple of beers is more of a chore than fun.
And Charles, you're right about Opal's service. Mags and I stopped in there Tuesday afternoon, when it was relatively slow, and the service was slower than Christmas.
Dave T says...
Ain't much of a crime whacking a surly bartender.
(Plus, I despise Opal's service. Worst I've ever encountered. I've gotten better service from people who actually hate me.)
I'll add to the pile regarding the service at Opal's. Went to the north location a few months ago for a happy hour. The wife orders a margarita, no salt from the impatient waitress. The margarita arrives with salt, and the wife asks that it be sent back because she requested no salt. The margarita comes back five minutes later with a layer of salt at the bottom... it was obvious that the first margarita had been dumped into a new glass. Then we were charged $12 for the margarita. I believe that $12 for a margarita in Austin is grounds for never going back to the place.
Right across the street from Opal's that same night at Molotov I got the great bartender experience. They charged me $4 for a beer, and I gave them what I thought was five ones. I wandered off to listen to the music, and after awhile I came back to get another beer. That's when the original bartender exclaimed "There you are!" and handed me a $5 bill, explaining that it was stuck in the middle of the ones, and that I had overpaid. I had to compliment them on their honesty and that it was so refreshing during SXSW when most clubs are out to rip you off if possible.
I still like Opal's, but for the last few years, Molotov has been my good karma club, and the streak still goes on.
I'll say this about Opal's - the beer is always fresh and they always have a good Texas selection. I only go there on Wednesdays though - for the $2 Texas beers. And if I do that I tend to order straight from the bar. Also I've never had bad service at their Penn Field location.
Mila and I had great service at the original Opal's a couple Saturdays ago. Then again, the girl was pretty new (to Opal's and to Austin)and totally in love with the Austin scene.
I hope she doesn't get all jaded and stuff.
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