Special Privledges

There are people who come out a lot. These people get to know the employees working at a particular bar/club, know their names, know to say hi to them when they come in, come in early to hang out with the employees before it gets busy, and are the last to leave at the end of the night. If a person does this on a regular basis, provided they tip an adequate amount, they become "regulars". Regulars can be granted certain VIP privledges, which can include cutting the line, not showing their ID's when they come in the door, free drinks (when the bartenders feel the urge), bringing in a friend or two without showing their ID, staying a little later than the rest of the crowd, and maybe being served a beer after 2am when the rest of the crowd has been cut off.

This sounds really great for the most part because everyone benefits, but the problem with this is that when a person is a regular and gets used to the "special treatment" they begin to expect it. They don't tip as much because they think they're something special and deserve the little extra perks they have gotten used to getting without giving anything in return.

So I think it's funny when a "regular" comes to the door and says "these three are with me", and the fact is that I don't even know who the hell they are. I stare through them and continue to hold my hand out for them to place an ID into. Somewhere along the line they forgot that they are the guest and I'm the one who decides who comes in or not...they feel it's my responsibility to get to know them and that they have their special privledges regardless if they know the door guy/bartender/floor staff or not. Then the name dropping begins. "But I know so-and-so!" Or even better...when they starting listing the names of everyone who works there. I always tell them it's too bad one of them isn't working the door right now. Tough shit. You think you deserve something? Don't call me names when you don't get the red carpet rolled out for you and you have to abide by the rules every other fucking person has to.

Just because I've seen your face around the bar a few times doesn't mean I won't card you at the door and it doesn't mean you can bring your three best buddies in from out of town and expect to waltz right in.

This brings me to what really annoys me about this. An average bar around here has anywhere from 5 to 15 employees working on a given night. Bigger places have much more. But the fact is, there are more of you than there are of me. So who has the easier job of getting to know the other? The employee that can see 300+ people in one night or the one customer that only needs to get to know a few employees at a place they frequent night after night? So why in the hell is it my fault when I choose to card you and your three buddies who are from out of town? Are you mad because you didn't impress them like you thought you would by just walking in without the door guy giving you so much as a second look?

The fact that a couple of people who work here give you a little something extra doesn't mean that I'll do the same. I don't know where the fuck you got the idea that if one person does it around here, then everyone else should be compelled to as well. I don't recall having that conversation with the rest of the staff..."so and so comes in here alot, and now she's officially a regular and hereby is granted regular privledges from this point forward". You may be a regular to the bar simply by the fact you come in here every night, but unless you've gotten to know me, then fuck it...you still get to abide by the rules that everyone else on the planet earth does when they come to the door and I'm standing there.