Do you consider it reasonable that outlets charge a door charge or insist in a mimimum consumption charge on peak nights?
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Do you consider it reasonable that outlets charge a door charge or insist in a mimimum consumption charge on peak nights?
Does this include paying the cover charge for entertainment?
yes but you have to judge what you consider entertainment!
Oh, I mean like either a band or some sort of show. Possibly a DJ, but like a special one (if you know what I mean).
I would pay to see a band or a show (comedians, etc), but not a DJ (cos I’m getting old).
Paying a cover charge just cos it’s Saturday night though? Forget it.
I’ve been screwed on the minimum charge thing too (at Brown Sugar).
Whatever necessary to keep the non-consumption, bring-my-own bums that occupy MY seat out
I agree - entertainment is the key. I’m not gonna pay to spend money in someone’s establishment unless I’m getting something more than a place to buy a drink.
…but I have to add that I will feel entitled to go in and check the action before I pay, or get refund if I decide to leave short time after I paid -> 10-15 min.
I agree with Stray Dog.
If there is a cover charge just because it’s Saturday, I just go on a different night, doesn’t make a difference to me.
In the case of the Tavern, your peak charges have always been in the form of drink coupons, redeemable at the bar. As long as you consume enough to use these coupons (2-3?), there is actually no extra charge. I consider that to be very reasonable on a night where space is a premium-- and at the Tavern that is usually a time where a major sporting event is being shown.
I don’t like cover charges that are simply admission charges, providing nothing else for the money than the right to enter. I usually avoid places that do this. However, asking that one prepurchase a couple of drinks (that a decent customer most likely intends to buy anyway) is another matter. It’s a way of keeping the customer honest and a way to keep out the “I buy my beer at 7-11” crowd during times when space is limited. Putting numbers on the vouchers and having the odd draw can even make it fun.
[quote=“Toasty”]In the case of the Tavern, your peak charges have always been in the form of drink coupons, redeemable at the bar. As long as you consume enough to use these coupons (2-3?), there is actually no extra charge. I consider that to be very reasonable on a night where space is a premium.
I don’t like cover charges that are simply admission charges, providing nothing else for the money than the right to enter. I usually avoid places that do this. However, asking that one prepurchase a couple of drinks (that a decent customer most likely intends to buy anyway) is another matter. It’s a way of keeping the customer honest and a way to keep out the “I buy my beer at 7-11” crowd during times when space is limited. Putting numbers on the vouchers and having the odd draw can even make it fun.[/quote]
I agree with this.
If I am going to see a band at a ‘live music venue’ then a door charge covering a few drinks is passable - just.
A door charge to cover simply going into a ‘pub’ is just ridiculous.
I think a minimum consumption charge is necessary - I remember going to Carnegie’s when oriented was having a Happy Hour there, and the table of 6 next to us on the patio huddled around a lonely cocktail and five glasses of water for over an hour! 
How can a business make any money with customers like that? I’ve seen similar scenes at countless other restaurants in Taiwan.
While I agree that the table next to you was out of order, how about if you go somewhere and, well, it sucks? I think people should have the right to stay for just one drink and move on if they so desire.
Do not go to places that suck and you will find a new strive being implemented by GMs and Owners of establishments to go for these sort of charges (which are not subject to a service charge 
) to assure the places do no suck but provide the best possible atmosphere and leisure experience.
It is a bit of a problem with some people (both local and foreign) that tyhink it is perfectly allright to occupie the best seats in the house and consume a single coke or the cheapest beer within three hours, those are mostly the same people that rather use the floor than astrays.
At the Tavern we have implemented and will implement such charges more often when there are big sports nights. First it is not fun for us to have people not buying from us but secondly it is not fair to the other people that come with the intend to get a fine meal, great drinks, served with a smile but waiters are busy navigating around people not consuming but occupying seats with all sorts of jackets, helmets. etc. demanding to get the fifth gallon of free ice water to wash down the portion of fries five of them shared.
Still learning at Capones and we changed the bands around a lot in recent weeks and have more of a party style atmosphere on most nights there, same thing happens that people think it is great to sit on a comfortable chair with one beer the whole evening and sing along with the bands when the 7-11 beer kicks in.
I am very pleased that most posts so far are very much in favour of the implementation of such measures, at the end all parties (minus the people targeted by these measures) benefit. 
Pretty common in Taiwan, no pub culture … only Gao Liang binch drinking at home or BBQ …
Why you think beer is sooo bloody expensive at pubs … why are so many places going belly up after six months …
I dont want to single out an establishment here but I would to try and make my point with an example.
The Taven. Pub.
TC - any idea what your split local:foreign patrons is? If the bulk of your regular volume customers are foreigners then I think the entrance fee might be a rough idea. If you are finding you are turning away these core customers as too many locals take space without drinking alot then an entrance fee may help.
Yes you are in Taiwan but it depends - to me - on who the bulk of your customers. I would love to find a nice place to relax, drink and chill out with no entrance fee… might have to do it myself. 
I don’t mind paying a cover charge if there is a band or such and the cover charge includes drinks but I’ll be damned if I am going to pay cover just to belly up to a bar.
That being said I think it is disrespectful and downright thievery to try to sneak in 7-11 beer into a drinking establishment. I have had friends who have pulled that shit and I have told them to go sit someplace else. Cheap twits.
Also, the quality of drinks is very important. I want a drink that makes me wimper, turn purple, and curl up into a little ball under the table. I hate getting watered down or weak drinks.
Any publicans (right word?) reading I suggest you go to Mama Mia’s in Kaohsiung to try a Long Island Iced Tea. The best I have ever tasted and they make me twitch.
Partying is serious fucking business.
Awol, that is where the problem lies! When we do the minimum drink consumption thing we basically wave in the regulars (obviously both foreign and local nationals) and fight battles with those that we do not know and strike the staff as they would not have the intention to pay for my new Mercedes (oops). It is normally not a problem just for the big games if they are not shown on local TV, all sorts of people crawl out of the wood work. Nobody really brings in Drinks, luckily not such a problem. Measure we used before is to show YoYo TV instead of games for those that think we are a charity organization, usually goes down well and frees up seats. Or I may do that famous dance of mine that has the same effect. 
Thanks for your input!
I hope the Tavern can continue its current policy of minimum charge vouchers on event nights and avoid going to a receive nothing cover charge for admission. I think the current policy is a fair compromise between the business not wanting space taken up by people not buying and the customers’ desire not to have to pay a door charge and receive nothing else but admission for that money. I always thought this compromise was the most fair to everyone.
I would prefer a place is expensive enough to keep the riff-raff out, and freeloaders are simply kicked out. An expensive place can always drop its prices on slow nights.
On the other hand, most western places in Taipei are at the same level of expensiveness, and the riff-raff have to go somewhere. A saturday night at Carnegie’s or the Tavern, or the Brassy or wherever should be setting people back over NT$2,000, and that’s I imagine what the landlord is looking for as a good average. It is up to the publican himself is it not to identify the regulars and treat them right, whilst keeping an eye on the Coke-sharers.
I am well known at Carnegie’s, on the other hand, but do not frequent the Tavern because, simply, I am not a sports fan. Apart from rugby, for which I usually go to the Brassy or JB’s. If I turned up at the Tavern, TC might have a good long look at me, and tell me to eff off if he thought I wasn’t drinking enough. However, I am a monster raving alcoholic, and once you get me in there I’m unlikely to leave until I run out of money or Amex finally gives up. So why don’t you Laobans come up with an inter-pub Big Drinker’s Card (with drunken photograph) so that gin-soaked wastrels who are intent on pissing all their money down the drain are universally welcome, but the 7-11’ers and Coke-sharers aren’t?