New Policy Banning Staff From Drinking At Restaurant’s Bar Backfires, Costing Employer A Dip In Sales
No workplace can ever be perfect; even if you love your profession unconditionally, chances are your job’s environment makes it hard for you to enjoy it.
Micromanaging bosses, backstabbing colleagues who are ready to throw you to the wolves at any given moment, or frequent burnout – whatever challenges you might be facing, nothing compares to the lack of empathy your job probably offers you.
Be it a decent salary, a new office located on the main street, or some first-class technology – sometimes, all an employee needs is a safe and trusting relationship with their management, since nothing ruins a company’s culture more than a stingy boss.
More info: Reddit
Sometimes a stingy decision leads to an unwanted financial loss
Image source: Infrogmation of New Orleans (not the actual photo)
“If I can’t drink here, neither will my friends” – this online user turned to a popular online community to share how a restaurant that he once worked at suffered a dip in sales after the owner banned employees from drinking at the bar. The post has managed to receive over 25K upvotes in just a matter of a few days, as well as 732 comments discussing the situation.
Restaurant owner bans staff from drinking at the bar, later suffers a dip in sales
Image source: iamjayjayisme
The author began his post by mentioning that he’s not sure whether the story is “malicious compliance” or just “unintended consequences,” but he feels like it fits well in the subreddit.
Years ago, when the OP was in his mid-twenties, he used to wait tables at a restaurant back in his hometown. He said that the job paid well and that he got along with all of his colleagues; moreover, once the workdays were over, they’d usually sit together at the bar and have a couple of drinks to “wind down”.
The manager shared that he tried to talk the owner out of it, yet the man wanted to “make his presence known”
Image source: iamjayjayisme
The author revealed that they’d always tip well and nothing was ever an issue, until the day the owner decided that staff members were no longer allowed to drink at the restaurant’s bar.
Now, the author understands that it’s a completely normal rule and that the owner had the right to ban his staff from using the bar’s services – however, the newly introduced policy came out of the blue and startled the workers.
In addition, the man asked the manager whether they did anything wrong to warrant the rule change, but he said that the owner was just being a jerk.
The OP’s friends were known to make the bar’s Thursday nights pretty busy
Image source: iamjayjayisme
The thing is, back in the day, the OP’s friends were in a punk band and had practice every Thursday night, and by the end of his shift, they’d all meet up and grab a few drinks.
The man’s buddies would bring their girlfriends, friends and whoever else was hanging around, which usually made the bar’s Thursday night just as busy as a Friday or a Saturday.
Obviously, everyone tipped generously, so when he told them that he wasn’t allowed to drink there anymore, everyone was just as confused as he was.
After the ban was introduced, they decided to spend their evenings elsewhere
Image source: iamjayjayisme
The most logical solution was to relocate to a bar around the corner, where the OP could meet his friends after his shift.
Thursday’s shift came around, and the manager approached the author, wondering whether his friends were coming. The man said that since he was no longer allowed to hang out at the restaurant’s bar, his friends decided to spend their night elsewhere.
The man then excused himself and left to join his pals for a fun night.
The owner tried to lure the friend group back in after noticing a loss in profits, yet the author declined
Image source: iamjayjayisme
Image source: Simon Law (not the actual photo)
The author then admitted that he did feel bad for the bartender who used to work Thursday nights, as she had no part in the owner’s decision and her tips suffered because of the group’s move.
But, as might’ve been expected, a couple of weeks later, the owner noticed some profit loss and said that the staff was welcome to hang out at the bar again – however, according to the OP, “the damage was done.”
They had found a bar that served their favorite beers for a cheaper price and also happened to strike up a great friendship with the bartenders.
Members of the subreddit shared their thoughts and opinions on the situation
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I was at a hotel bar and asked my server if she liked their Old Fashioned. She told me she'd never tried it because the staff wasn't allowed to visit when they were off the clock and that they measured every pour down to the drop. Because of that, the bartender couldn't make drinks for any of the staff to try and couldn't adapt any of the recipes. When I got the Old Fashioned, it was terrible. I tipped my server well and never went back to that bar.
I kind of understand it if you are in your shift and the like, but saying don't drink here off shift is just dense unless said staff is getting out of hand drunk and abusing people.
I was at a hotel bar and asked my server if she liked their Old Fashioned. She told me she'd never tried it because the staff wasn't allowed to visit when they were off the clock and that they measured every pour down to the drop. Because of that, the bartender couldn't make drinks for any of the staff to try and couldn't adapt any of the recipes. When I got the Old Fashioned, it was terrible. I tipped my server well and never went back to that bar.
I kind of understand it if you are in your shift and the like, but saying don't drink here off shift is just dense unless said staff is getting out of hand drunk and abusing people.
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