The Cover (Charge)

Off Topic
1

So I’m going to assume most of you alphas out there have at least on bar, club, hangout, what-have-you that charges a cover most or all nights, and where YOU never have to pay.

Well, I used to have a number of these places, but between not going out much (not being seen anymore) and their high-turnover, I’m really down to only having two places I can pop in on a Saturday night, and expect to get in sans cover. Which is nice, because I’m not drinking much these days, which means I’m probably not going to stick around all night, so it sucks to pay $10 for 45min of music and use of the pool hall.

Anyways, this last Saturday, there was a band I wanted to see down the street from one of my places. I stayed till around 12:00 (last call is 1:30, everyone must be out by 2am in this town). I, and my friend (who is also friends with bar down the street), head over to play some pool. We get to the entrance, and the guy who hasn’t charged us cover in probably two years is “training the new guy”, and asks us to pay. Now probably half the time I go there, this guy jokes that I have to pay… you know, pretends for thirty seconds like he’s not letting me in, and then does. Not this time. There’s maybe 45min left of the band, and half-hour at the pool hall. So we say “No thanks”.

Anyone in the industry have a theory as to why that would happen out of the blue? Do I need to assume my sweet setup that establishment is over, or was that an outlier?

I’m a little socially retarded, so I don’t always read these things correctly. Did I likely blow my little setup by not paying “this one time”…?

Anyone who works a door, please, give feedback on your take.

2

I’m pretty sure you will be paying cover from now on.
Do you usually just walk up and say hi and then just walk in or are you actually friendly and make convo for a bit? By just walking away you pretty much told the guy that you dont care enough about going in to actually pay cover. I’m sure if you would have paid this one time you would have been fine the next time.

Thats just my opinion.

3

[quote]Spartiates wrote:
So I’m going to assume most of you alphas out there have at least on bar, club, hangout, what-have-you that charges a cover most or all nights, and where YOU never have to pay.

Well, I used to have a number of these places, but between not going out much (not being seen anymore) and their high-turnover, I’m really down to only having two places I can pop in on a Saturday night, and expect to get in sans cover. Which is nice, because I’m not drinking much these days, which means I’m probably not going to stick around all night, so it sucks to pay $10 for 45min of music and use of the pool hall.

Anyways, this last Saturday, there was a band I wanted to see down the street from one of my places. I stayed till around 12:00 (last call is 1:30, everyone must be out by 2am in this town). I, and my friend (who is also friends with bar down the street), head over to play some pool. We get to the entrance, and the guy who hasn’t charged us cover in probably two years is “training the new guy”, and asks us to pay. Now probably half the time I go there, this guy jokes that I have to pay… you know, pretends for thirty seconds like he’s not letting me in, and then does. Not this time. There’s maybe 45min left of the band, and half-hour at the pool hall. So we say “No thanks”.

Anyone in the industry have a theory as to why that would happen out of the blue? Do I need to assume my sweet setup that establishment is over, or was that an outlier?

I’m a little socially retarded, so I don’t always read these things correctly. Did I likely blow my little setup by not paying “this one time”…?

Anyone who works a door, please, give feedback on your take.[/quote]

You should have paid, he was training the new guy and trying to set an example. In addition to this, if you’re not making it worth their while through other means (buying drinks, rounds, bringing a bunch of friends who will buy drinks/rounds) there is no reason for them to let you in free.

4

Do you have tits?

No? Then youre paying a cover

5

lol, say you don’t have any cash. I was at a club over the weekend and they tried to charge $5 for me and my girl, and they didn’t have a CC machine, so they just let me in.

6

I’ve been a regular at this place for years. It’s probably been two since I paid. I’m usually with a group of 3-5 people, all but me are very heavy drinkers, I used to be. He turned two of us, who are their “regulars”, away, 45min before they were going to stop charging cover. It was weird.

Yes, we usually chat. We play pool together. We know him, his girlfriend, his kid.

So the question is, was it for the benefit of the new guy? And if it was, by not paying $20 for 45min of music (for the two of us), did I blow it? And is there a tactful way to approach it, or should I write it off?

The thing being, I liked the place because it had become familiar and free, but if I’m going to be paying now, I’ll generally be going elsewhere, as the music elsewhere tends to be better.

And no, I don’t have tits, but I do tend to bring people bearing them in, and in the past they have liked having the line of motorcycles we bring parked in front.

7

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
Do you have tits?

No? Then youre paying a cover[/quote]

I happen to work this spot, where you pay cover. And you guys have no idea how annoying it is when people come in with their jive talk about how they dont pay... I wont get into to racial groups but some are so stupid with their “My friend, we are 6 people here, make us a good price” The same losers who bitch about paying a 2.50 coat check. They often pay in small change. Who the f**k goes out to a bar with nickesl and dimes in their pockets?

But to make things fun, and I often forget for some reason, I tell them "Im a make a deal with you buddy. If you can do a good impersonation of Christopher Walken (my favorite actor) Ill let you in without paying.

Or if you can tell me why I should let you in without paying in 10 sentences or so without using the letter E, you can get in without paying.

But I work in a bar where the drinks are expensive. So if you cant shell out $12 for cover, then you just look like a loser. Stay home and drink a 6 pack... I mean when you go to the grocery store, do you talk up the cashier and say "You know, Im a good client here, I come here every week. If I buy 2, 2 litres of milk, can I get a dozen eggs for free?" That`s retard talk…

And I dont give a shit if youre a hot girl. Girl pay. I tell them they`ll be getting free drinks from desperate guys anyways, so it evens out…

When I see people, often a couple who come in and seem like genuine good people, or see they have the same gym key chain as me, I let them is for free. Working in the public over a long period of time, you develop a good sense on people`s characters by how they talk and the vibe they give off.

I often point out the poeple I know will be getting kicked out because they`re just plain evil pricks and rarely am I wrong.

But to the OP with paying cover. If youve been out of the loop for a while, yes you will have to pay. And if theres over an hour left in the night, for sure. When theres 40 minutes left, then Im more lenient. But not always!

But I like to go to afterhours where they play real music and the cover is $30. It`s good to know people to at least get a discount or get in without paying. Plus a freaken bottle of water is $6…

But guys and girls, when you do get in for free, not TIP THE PERSON DOING CASH! If you don`t, you are a cheap douche.