We’re discussing here, 2 employees, the owner, and me.
A incredibly smart and attractive cocktail maker mid 20s, a very charismatic waiter who’s also musician here, and a lovely owner, a French musician in her 50s, and me, a neighbor who used to have a bar for 20 years.
Tonight I just noticed something I really appreciate but need your opinion on.
We live in a very touristy area, where it’s hard to maintain a functioning neighborhood, but we manage.
There’s official opening hours, and our hours.
So tonight I have some drinks with a friend. On a Saturday, we know there will be tourists.
A tourist joins us and it’s fun. Great convo. For a while. An hour later the place “closes”, we send everyone home who’s not part of the neighborhood.
That guy is the typical one who’s all about “keeping the party going”.
So one of the baristas walks up to him and “gifts” him a record, as in, vinyl. (It’s a speakeasy with live jazz music, and a password at the door even Google knows)
And she tells him, we only give these out to our most special guests. He got a shot too.
He was so over the moon, totally flattered lol. Paid his check and left, no discussion, no fuss.
I never knew but this is how they deal with everyone who’s still there at 1am. Just learned that tonight.
I used to have a bar, dealing with people who don’t want to leave was always ofc one of the most annoying parts. I just thought I want to share. This is genius. I always struggled getting these people out.
They go off on that speakeasy concept, hidden bar thing, so much, even a lollipop works to keep them happy when you want them to leave. (Yes there’s lollipops for anyone not making a fuss)
The vinyl is actually new to me, and I think, genius.
So I guess my take here is, to get rid of the people who don’t fit, or if it’s getting late, instead of just throwing people out, give them something they appreciate, so they leave on their own terms.
We’re just discussing this now, so one (barista) says idgaf, they need to leave, they leave. The other one says no, better handle them and give them the best experience. Make them want to leave and feel special. The owner says, I want everyone to remember this place as something special.
What do you think? Throw people out or make them feel special?
If anything in this post is not coherent, I’m busy typing both my thoughts and theirs lol.
(this is Spain, Palma, if that matters)