Your last post is, in my humble opinion for what it's worth, has been your best so far in this thread.
We cannot set policy; only the bar owner can do that. All we can do is mention it to them. I would not do that prior to seeing water-drinkers in the crowd.
I think my thoughts on this thread are "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".
The bar I go to is a little country bar (aka dive). There are nights that a table full of water drinkers would really hurt; but I've never seen that happen. This year the bar has closed at 12 on a couple of Saturdays because business was slow; the KJ took half pay. But it wasn't because of water-drinkers, it was because there were other events going on.
Yes, that cuts into our pay, but it is somewhat out of our hands. If we see a table of water drinkers we can bring it to the attention of the owner and hopefully he will change policy. That's all we can do.
Water Drinking.....I know...
I think after the fact is too late. Because now everyone is already use to the idea of free water. Now you tell them we have to charge and they are going to cop an attitude about it. They may quit coming and start shooting their mouth off about the bar to other bars. Bad press we don't need.
There are individuals that always try to get away with everything they can. They are cheap or street wise. Bottom line is they don't want to pay for anything if they don't have to and can get away with it.
A bar owner is well with in his rights to make a profit.
I don't want all my hard work and talent to be affected by cheap people. Too many in any bar can get me fired. Whether the bar owner understands the circumstances fully is another question. If he can't comprehend that by giving away free refills and free water he is making me an indirect victim.
The right hand is making money and the left one is giving it away.
This is another reason why I will never work of a cash register tape.
Let's talk about that subject too.
Bartenders don't always ring every drink. That's another reason. I've seen it and heard about it enough.
One owner wouldn't throw out a troublemaking loud mouth that was chasing everyone away. Low cash register reading.
Bad/slow bartender...low tape reading.
I feel I have the right to protect the investment that I am making in every job I do. By pointing out the STUPID things that adversely affect and hamper my ability to have the night reach it's full potential.
I'm planting trees and you're mowing them down right behind me.
I've seen every stupid bar owner trick for 50 miles. I think it should be part of our employment conditions that STUPID bar owner tricks are not part of the deal.
You know ... I just had a thought (scary as it may seem). I, quite often, will use humor to get a point across when I am actually very serious.
I think we have enough talent on this forum to come up with "10 Reasons Your Last KJ Failed". Something along the lines of Lettermans lists of 10.
We could bring up some very valid points, but make it humorous ... then put it in our song books. People will, perhaps, read it and, hopefully, laugh ... but the points will get across.
For example: "creative" rotations
Poor sound
Poor selection
No personality
Water Drinkers
Couldn't sing
???
???
We could say we found it online somewhere and thought it was funny.
I think we have enough talent on this forum to come up with "10 Reasons Your Last KJ Failed". Something along the lines of Lettermans lists of 10.
We could bring up some very valid points, but make it humorous ... then put it in our song books. People will, perhaps, read it and, hopefully, laugh ... but the points will get across.
For example: "creative" rotations
Poor sound
Poor selection
No personality
Water Drinkers
Couldn't sing
???
???
We could say we found it online somewhere and thought it was funny.
Sabrina the Cat
I don't think I would want that to be for public consumption.
I say hit the bar owner on the head with it.
Let him know all the reasons that you have seen other karaoke nights fail. Mr Bar Owner...You don't want to be added to the failure list do you? 
The Karaoke Blue Print.
Then these are the time tested 100% guaranteed proven steps require by law for having a very successful karaoke night. These laws must be followed to the exact letter. Any slight deviation could spell disaster of the highest proportions. Including and not limited to total bankruptcy. You wouldn't want to lose everything over something that STUPID, would you???? I didn't think so..you're much to smart for that. 
I've seen it before..a bar owner wanted to take a short cut and do things his way, skip a few steps and make his own changes and pow...out of business in no time. Lost the wife, the kids, the dog, the cat, the house, the bar, the retirement account...pennyless and destitute....dumpster diving for food morsels.....very pitiful sight to see a hard working guy like yourself lose it all over something so small....
So take my advice or bankruptcy....and worse...your choice.
I say print them out and hand them to him on the interview. This is how we do and build business. Are you with me on this? I don't have time to waste. I have to talk to your neighbor/competition in an hour if you're not. 
It's called give it to him and then take it away...That makes them want it even more.
I say hit the bar owner on the head with it.
Let him know all the reasons that you have seen other karaoke nights fail. Mr Bar Owner...You don't want to be added to the failure list do you? The Karaoke Blue Print.
Then these are the time tested 100% guaranteed proven steps require by law for having a very successful karaoke night. These laws must be followed to the exact letter. Any slight deviation could spell disaster of the highest proportions. Including and not limited to total bankruptcy. You wouldn't want to lose everything over something that STUPID, would you????
I didn't think so..you're much to smart for that. I've seen it before..a bar owner wanted to take a short cut and do things his way, skip a few steps and make his own changes and pow...out of business in no time. Lost the wife, the kids, the dog, the cat, the house, the bar, the retirement account...pennyless and destitute....dumpster diving for food morsels.....very pitiful sight to see a hard working guy like yourself lose it all over something so small....
So take my advice or bankruptcy....and worse...your choice.
I say print them out and hand them to him on the interview.
This is how we do and build business. Are you with me on this? I don't have time to waste. I have to talk to your neighbor/competition in an hour if you're not. It's called give it to him and then take it away...That makes them want it even more.
The other night we had 25 singers and the bar was pretty busy .....with people.
At the end of the night I mentioned to the bar owner how busy we were with 25 singers.
He informed me that it was busy, but they didn't spend much money. He said he did $150 in the last 2 hours.
It was the last day of the month. I don't know if everyone was out of money...waiting for pay day or what???
With the crowd we had and 25 singers I would have guessed the bar did pretty well money wise. Looks can be deceiving..I guess.
At the end of the night I mentioned to the bar owner how busy we were with 25 singers.
He informed me that it was busy, but they didn't spend much money. He said he did $150 in the last 2 hours.
It was the last day of the month. I don't know if everyone was out of money...waiting for pay day or what???
With the crowd we had and 25 singers I would have guessed the bar did pretty well money wise. Looks can be deceiving..I guess.
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spotlightjr
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:36 pm
- Location: southwest Florida
You can only do so much, Bigdog. You bring em' in and provide the entertainment and its the bartender, waitress, owner's job to get their money. Are these bartenders, etc. upselling their alcohol? Is the wait staff pushing appetizers, etc.? Has the owner produced any drink or food specials to help carry the night? I know that a kj can suggestively sell alcohol and food but in the end it will fall on the staff.
I think it had to do with it being the last day of the month...everyone is broke. I've seen it at other bars I've worked that were in a lower income area. You could always tell when it was the beginning of the month or the end of the month by how many and who was there. Beginning they all have money near the end it's gone and they are running on fumes.
He didn't say anything about water drinkers and he sells bottles anyway. Just that they weren't spending.
Tonight wasn't too hot either. Vacations, carnivals and fireworks.
Next weekend is the community days celebration and I expect it to be dead too. It's been like one bad business event after another.
Just can't seem to catch a break from it.
I think everything should start getting back to normal after next week. There are no holidays for a while to screw things up.
But reading the articles in the paper lately about stores already selling summer stuff 70% off and other not so good financial indicators isn't making me
smile. Double digit unemployment is coming soon to a town near you.
I constantly get emails from Sears...They go from one sales event to another back to back. One ends and another starts. Don't buy anything from them at full price. Tomorrow it will be on sale again.
I hope my signs get here quickly.. They should help some. Short of riding around the block and kidnapping people to take back to the bar...it's getting pretty sparse.
They predicted a big retail collapse was coming several months ago. Hurting many malls and shopping centers. They already have a top 10 mall endangered list published.
The economy is still spinning downwards out of control. The bar I did tonight was another restaurant chain a few years ago. It must have gone under and they sold it to this franchise. I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling about it.
He didn't say anything about water drinkers and he sells bottles anyway. Just that they weren't spending.
Tonight wasn't too hot either. Vacations, carnivals and fireworks.
Next weekend is the community days celebration and I expect it to be dead too. It's been like one bad business event after another.Just can't seem to catch a break from it.
I think everything should start getting back to normal after next week. There are no holidays for a while to screw things up.
But reading the articles in the paper lately about stores already selling summer stuff 70% off and other not so good financial indicators isn't making me
smile. Double digit unemployment is coming soon to a town near you. I constantly get emails from Sears...They go from one sales event to another back to back. One ends and another starts. Don't buy anything from them at full price. Tomorrow it will be on sale again.
I hope my signs get here quickly..
They should help some. Short of riding around the block and kidnapping people to take back to the bar...it's getting pretty sparse.They predicted a big retail collapse was coming several months ago. Hurting many malls and shopping centers. They already have a top 10 mall endangered list published.
The economy is still spinning downwards out of control. The bar I did tonight was another restaurant chain a few years ago. It must have gone under and they sold it to this franchise. I'm not getting a warm and fuzzy feeling about it.
