Open Bar Wastage
Discussion
This was an eye opener for me, but I guess lots of you were maybe aware of it already.
It was my father-in-law’s 80th Birthday last week, so my wife and I, and her brother, decided weeks ago, to throw a surprise family bash for him in a hall.
The girls planned it meticulously, they set up a WhatsApp group for all the family and friends to contact each other without Pete finding out.
We bought loads of food, and the girls prepared it all the day before, it was a great spread, fresh salmon bought from Billingsgate, prawns, crab meat, slices of ham, sausage rolls, pasta, salad, profiteroles, big birthday cake, the whole nine yards.
I paid the steward of the local Catholic club the £200 he asked for the hall, this was just to pay the evening’s bar staff he said.
Then my brother-in-law and I gave the steward £1000 each to put behind the bar, the steward was a friend of mine, and he’d suggested limiting the numbers to 80 for comfort in the size of the hall, and that £2000 should more than cover it from 19.30 until 01.00.
In actual fact, there was £400 left in the jar, so we did well I think
Around 12.30, as the crowd had dwindled down to 10-15, I was standing at the bar, talking to the steward’s daughter, who was working the bar that night, when her dad started to bring almost full pint glasses of bitter and lager in from the smoking area out front of the hall.
“See these Frank”, he said, “there must be 25 to 30 of them out there, and half full wine glasses on the tables in here, the beers are £4 to £4.50, all down to you and Steve.”
He said, “It’s always the same with an open bar, they get a pint, walk away, put it down, forget where they put it, so go straight back and get another, they don’t care, why should they, they’re getting it for free, it’s on your nickel.”
It gave me pause for thought, 25 pints at £4 a pop is £200, without the wines and spirits left half consumed all over the place.
It was my father-in-law’s 80th Birthday last week, so my wife and I, and her brother, decided weeks ago, to throw a surprise family bash for him in a hall.
The girls planned it meticulously, they set up a WhatsApp group for all the family and friends to contact each other without Pete finding out.
We bought loads of food, and the girls prepared it all the day before, it was a great spread, fresh salmon bought from Billingsgate, prawns, crab meat, slices of ham, sausage rolls, pasta, salad, profiteroles, big birthday cake, the whole nine yards.
I paid the steward of the local Catholic club the £200 he asked for the hall, this was just to pay the evening’s bar staff he said.
Then my brother-in-law and I gave the steward £1000 each to put behind the bar, the steward was a friend of mine, and he’d suggested limiting the numbers to 80 for comfort in the size of the hall, and that £2000 should more than cover it from 19.30 until 01.00.
In actual fact, there was £400 left in the jar, so we did well I think
Around 12.30, as the crowd had dwindled down to 10-15, I was standing at the bar, talking to the steward’s daughter, who was working the bar that night, when her dad started to bring almost full pint glasses of bitter and lager in from the smoking area out front of the hall.
“See these Frank”, he said, “there must be 25 to 30 of them out there, and half full wine glasses on the tables in here, the beers are £4 to £4.50, all down to you and Steve.”
He said, “It’s always the same with an open bar, they get a pint, walk away, put it down, forget where they put it, so go straight back and get another, they don’t care, why should they, they’re getting it for free, it’s on your nickel.”
It gave me pause for thought, 25 pints at £4 a pop is £200, without the wines and spirits left half consumed all over the place.
That sadly appears to be normal human nature. My father always used to say: ''You can never get to the bar for teetotallers when the beer is free''. Same when birthday cakes are brought into the office. It is always the tightwads who dive in first and the first to go back for any leftovers.
Thats why for our wedding we operated a voucher system. As guests arrive we gave them two vouchers so they could have 2 free drinks. However as we talked to people during the evening we gave them more vouchers as other family members did.
Guests didnt know whether they would get more vouchers so they looked after their drinks, still had free drinks, but we didnt have the waste.
Guests didnt know whether they would get more vouchers so they looked after their drinks, still had free drinks, but we didnt have the waste.
A Place I used to work at had is own bar.
When people were leaving they’d put money behind the bar and work would match it.
However instead of free, a pint was knocked down to around 20p.
You’d buy a round with the £10 note you’d got from the cash point, and the rest would stay behind the bar like a pre paid tab.
When you left you could take your change or, more often, leave hammered and forget your change.
The bar was a non profit one so they money went back into it.
Even though it was 20p you’d all put money behind the bar and buy rounds etc, but not much seemed to go to waste (occasionally worked the bar) as there was an, albeit small, perceived value to your beer!
I know this wouldn’t work for a wedding but maybe half price drinks isn’t a bad idea. That way people get cheap booze but won’t be as willing to waste it.
The voucher idea is good too
When people were leaving they’d put money behind the bar and work would match it.
However instead of free, a pint was knocked down to around 20p.
You’d buy a round with the £10 note you’d got from the cash point, and the rest would stay behind the bar like a pre paid tab.
When you left you could take your change or, more often, leave hammered and forget your change.
The bar was a non profit one so they money went back into it.
Even though it was 20p you’d all put money behind the bar and buy rounds etc, but not much seemed to go to waste (occasionally worked the bar) as there was an, albeit small, perceived value to your beer!
I know this wouldn’t work for a wedding but maybe half price drinks isn’t a bad idea. That way people get cheap booze but won’t be as willing to waste it.
The voucher idea is good too
Troubleatmill said:
If it is for free - there is no perceived value in it.
It will be abused.
A couple of years ago I had five old beds I had to get rid of. Nothing wrong with them. I put them on Gumtree as free to whoever would collect them. Not one call or text. The ad expired and I listed them a couple of days later at £50 apiece - they were gone in nine days It will be abused.
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