Last weekend, I encountered several incidences which make me think that some local establishments do not appreciate some free World Wide Web publicity. One example was a well known corner bar in the Himarshee district of downtown Fort Lauderdale. I'm not sure why, but security would not let me enter with my camera bag. When I showed them that it really contained a camera and told them that I was a friend of the band, they insisted on shoving a flashlight into every small pocket of my camera bag before finally letting me in. Ironically, my battery died and I couldn't even take one photo of the band I was there to see, Riverdown. Have they ever heard of the expression "You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar?"
I learned this week that there is an unwritten code of conduct when it comes to pricing sales of alcohol. Based on past experience, you should be able to order a drink and assume it will cost the same as the last time you ordered it, right? Now, I do understand that the price of everything has gone up lately but listen up... Venturing North to see another favorite band of mine, Pandia, I visited a place I will call "The Ugly Cup" where I paid $10 for two drinks upon arriving. That was reasonable based on my past history of ordering similar drinks at similar establishments. An hour later, the bartendar asked my friend to pay $10 each! In disbelief, I went up to the bar and was quoted $8, even after I complained that I had just paid $5 an hour earlier. Is that any way to treat a customer? A few days later, I tried to call the owner twice to discuss that incident but his staff never knows when he's going to be in. Can you blame him for not wanting to be around to deal with angry customers?
I think that we have all experienced this in some way or another. Some places have velvet ropes to make you wait outside while others have friendly bartenders that invite you inside. It's amazing how many "regulars" you will find at the friendly places while the "ugly" places rely on the stragglers who can't find another place open at the later hours or worst, fans of the bands to bring in the bucks!
I'm reminded of one of my favorite restaurants for burrito's, Moes Southwest Grill. When you step into any one of their many franchised restaurants, you will not only find an amusing atmosphere on the walls, but you will be greeted by the entire staff shouting "Welcome to Moes!". Now, I agree that this would get annoying pretty quick if everyone entering a bar were greeted that way but it's important to make every schmuck (like me) feel like a someone - after all, we are paying customers, and you do want us to return over and over again, Don't you?
