which bars are child free?

Jamzer wrote: [quote=Carnivore][quote=MichaelKeys][quote=ringrunner] Being in a bar does not mean you have to drink...

I'm pretty sure bar owners and their employees would take issue with that.

I got to bars to be with people.

So do I. But if you're not drinking I'm pretty sure the bar would like you to take your non-drinking elsewhere.

Yes. Unless you're paying a cover to get in, it's rude to occupy space like that without buying something. Just like I don't think many restaurants would be too happy about people taking their kids out to not eat, or a nail salon might take issue with you occupying one of their chairs while not getting your nails done.

It does not sound like good business to me to go around and measure how much people are drinking in your bar and kicking out the people that are not maintaining a certain quota. Seems to me that a bar would do its best to accommodate as many people as it could while being friendly and welcoming to everyone. I don't usually fail to drink when I am in a bar, but if I just happen to meet up with a friend and can't, or don't want to drink for whatever reason, I would hope that bar would not kick me out. If it did, you can be sure that I (and my friends) would spend our money elsewhere.

Good point. But one thing is to not have a drink one day for whatever reason; thinking you're not at all obligated to consume at a bar is a whole different ballgame. Also, a group of, say, half a dozen adults and their assorted kids occupying a big chunk of space while only two of them are drinking is not cool. No one is gonna ask 'em to leave but there is probably no buy back, extra courtesy or accommodation in their future.

Burns wrote: [quote=Daveon8th]It appeared as though they were all there for a meeting of the "paunchy, pale, lumpy white guys married to asian women club". These a$$holes were taking up 40% of the indoor seating and the majority of the women were drinking water. .

oh, they are the a$$holes?

Yep.

I too am curious to how bartenders feel when large groups of people come into a bar and proceed to not drink alcohol.

Okay, so I've dealt with this in a place that I owned. Its a difficult call. There are times when its unacceptable and times when I'm okay with it.

It sucks when:

• 1) We're busy and they are taking up space/tables that could be occupied by paying customers
  2) They are friends/relatives of bartenders or waitstaff who are chatting with them rather than waiting on customers
  3) They are making demands of the waitstaff "Can you change the channel?" "Is it possible to turn the heat down?" "Can I get 3 limes and a orange wedge for my water?"

Occasions when I allow it to slide:

• 1) Non-drinkers are with people who are eating or drinking
  2) They have purchased something other than alcohol

Its a difficult call sometimes. When its really slow, its sometimes better to have bodies in the place rather than having the establishment sit empty. However, I still have to pay for utilites, supplies, and salaries every day. My reality is that in order to attract and keep good waiters and bartenders I need to be able to say that they will be able to make a living and earn decent tips. If I then allow the place to fill up with customers who aren't buying anything AND aren't tipping, the staff sees that as not being supportive of them. So it becomes almost a case-by-case call.