Showing posts with label Rock Star Lines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rock Star Lines. Show all posts

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Rock Star Lines VI...

One of the many things that really gets to me is people that don't carry id's.

Yea, you might look like your 120 years old. You might have gray hair. You might have wrinkles all over your face. You might have a beard. You might be 6'7" tall. You might be pregnant (hopefully not if your coming into my establishment). But hey, any of these things could have happened to you before you even got out of high school.

It doesn't matter if your old as hell or a regular. You have to carry your id on you. Definitely don't come to me bitching about one of my staff asking you for an id. I'll be the first to tell you the staff member is right and they shouldn't let you in the bar.

"Man, I've been coming here for seven years. I should be let right in."

"Do you know the guy at the door?"

"No, but.."

"Then how should he know you? He should just read it on your forehead?"

"It's not my problem that he doesn't know me."

"It is when you can't get in because your too stupid to carry an id."

"Listen, this doesn't have anything to do with how smart I am. he he he..."

"No, it has everything to do with my man doing his job and you not having an id. Want me to start carding you again? I guarantee the manager will take my side over yours."

"What ever man, they'll still let me in."

"Not when it comes down to the decision of hiring a new doorman or letting you in. Which one do you think they'll go for?"

"You'd quit because I don't have my id? That's just stupid."

"I'd quit to prove a point to you. Your in here once a month if your lucky these days. Your not as important as you think you are. Start carrying your id and quit being a pain in the ass."

"You'd ruin a friendship over this?"

"Friendship? When was the last time I saw you outside of this place? What's my middle name? What's my Mother's name? Do you know any of these answers?" He stood there dumbfounded. He was actually trying to think about the questions. "Tell ya what. Would you ruin the friendship by being an asshole to one of my guys and being so fuckin bullheaded that you won't carry your id?"

He stood there staring at me. It was a stand off. I called his bluff.

"Right. I guess you'll be carrying your id from now on." I walked away.

We check id's for a reason. It's the law, you have to have an id in your possession to be inside an establishment that sells alcohol. At any point an id check could happen. It's extremely rare that it ever does so some leniency is allowed. But when the doorman doesn't know you and every time you walk up you don't have your id, he'll ask you for it the next time. No matter if the manager knows you or not.

I've done it several times myself. Guy walks up, doesn't have an id, manager walks out and walks him in. It's the power of knowing that person. I don't know you so I'll card you every time you walk up. If the manager isn't working that night then your out of luck. Come back when you have your id. I remember people in those situations just to say I don't remember you. I've learned how to forget things easily in my time.

Besides, you paid for the id. Why not keep it on you and get some use out of it?

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Rock Star Lines V...

"Is Chris in there?"

"Excuse me?"

"Chris. You know Chris. He in there?"

"I have no idea. The line is over there. Please wait in it."

"Oh no. You know Chris. He wears a plaid hat. Is he in there?" She was all of 100lbs soaking wet. "I'm here to save him from getting his ass kicked."

"Then no, he's not in here." I have no idea who Chris is.

"Listen, if your lying to me then that's just rude. All I want to do is go in and get him and pull him out of here."

"That's nice. All I want is for you to go wait in the line right over there." I point to the end of the line that is about half a block away.

"Really? Your going to make me wait in this line? I'm not attractive?"

"I'll answer yes, you decide which question I'm answering." At this point I figured the whole Chris story was bullshit anyways. Seeing as how it went from concern for her friend to whether or not she's attractive.

"So I can go in?"

"You didn't ask if you could. Go wait in line."

Often times people make up such random stories to see if they can skip lines. It's never really made much sense to me. Often times it's so easy to trip people up in their own stories. Names change in mid story or they just change it entirely because they see it's not working. Granted, if the story is entertaining enough it works sometimes. Especially if it brings me out of a state of boredom for a minute.

"Really? I have to wait?"

"Yep. Just like all these other people."

She sighed, rolled her eyes, turned and walked away. She walked towards the end of the line and kept going around the block.

Her friend Chris must have been really important to her.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Rock Star Lines IV...

On busy nights with a long line of people waiting it's fairly hard to skip the line. If you have the right type of handshake it makes the wait go by a lot faster. Especially if you know the proper number of people you have and the amount of grease your providing. Grease and knowledge work great in the proper combination.

"Hey man, my friend over here wants to see if there's some way to get pass this line. He wants to know if Franklin has any pull around here."

"That depends on how many friends Franklin has."

"He just has five others with him."

"Then Mr Franklin should meet me and then see about going in."

The perfect mix of grease applied to a handshake can get you into many places. It works with the nightclub industry as well as the restaurant industry. Don't believe me? Next time you go to a fancy restaurant and want to skip the line of people waiting for a table try this. Slip a fifty dollar bill into a handshake and see how fast you get a table.

Here's a tip though. Don't be like this guy. Don't come back to the doorman and ask for more "help".

"Hey buddy, since I helped you out, you think you can help me out in here?"

"What kind of help are you needing?" I was thinking he meant that his group wanted a table. If that was the case I might be able to help him. Of course that would mean that he would have to "help out" who ever was inside getting him the table.

"Well, you think you can get us free drinks?" I laughed at him, literally. I looked right at him and let out a few laughs. "That's funny to you after we helped you out?"

"First off man, you didn't help me out. You helped yourself out. Your not still waiting in line are you?"

"What? That's how it is?"

"Listen man, if you want discount drinks then over tip the bartender. I'm not the bartender and I'm not going to ask them to hook up some one I don't know."

"That's fuckin bullshit man. Even after I helped you out? Why you being an ass about this?"

"Excuse me?"

"Man, I didn't have to give that to you. I was helping you out."

"I didn't have to let you in. I don't have to let you stay either. So either go inside and enjoy the fact that your not standing in line or argue some more and leave."

"Fuck you man." Then he turned and started walking back in.

I step inside the door and grab his arm, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me man. Fuck you."

I shoved him against the wall and shoved my finger in his chest while holding his arm. "You can either enjoy your time here or you can leave. Which is it?"

"The fucks your problem man!?"

"I did you a favor. A one time favor. Now you can either stay with your friends or I can throw you out."

"Fine man, what ever." I let him go and he walked off.

Then Casper walked up, "What's the problem with that guy?"

"Watch him. He fucks up in any way toss his ass out."

Twenty minutes later he's being shoved through the crowd to the door. Turns out he didn't know how to keep his mouth shut to the waitress. He didn't tip her at all and then started bitching about the price of drinks. He even complimented her on her "cunty" attitude. Such a class act.

I'll take a large tip from just about anyone. It doesn't mean that your an better than anyone else. It definitely doesn't mean that you can think your a big shot. Your still a nobody and you can still get treated like one. No skin off my back if someone tosses you out right after you get in.

Get a personality and don't be a douche bag.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Rock Star Lines III...

"This has never been a problem before."

"You've never walked up with eight people before."

"Oh come on, you can do it for me."

"Listen, ever since you've became friends with a certain person here you've constantly brought more an more people. Stop it. You walk up with one or two people ok, more than that and your waiting in line like everyone else."

"Well, you know he's waiting for me in there."

"I'm sure he is, but he's not waiting for all these other people. Believe me he'll agree with me. I can do you and one but the rest of your group will wait."

At times certain people need to be reminded that they really aren't that special. The rock star line is for friends and family of employees and the bar. It's not to show off to your friends about how great you are or how special you are.

The little blonde leaned in to my ear, whispering, "Come on, don't make me look bad to my friends."

I don't bother to whisper, "Hun, if these are your friends they won't mind waiting like everyone else because they just wanna hang out with you and don't care about the status quo."

At this she rolled her eyes, spun around, and told her group, "Come on, let's go across the street until this line dies down."

Five minutes later, Marvin comes out to the door.

"Hey man, you wouldn't let Mary in?"

"Actually, I would let Mary in. I just wouldn't let her take the seven people that were with her in and she found that to be an insult."

"Whoa, she had seven people with her?"

"Yea man, I told her I'd let her and one in but the others would have to wait but she didn't think that was very nice."

"That's messed up. Oh well, she just called me saying you were being all rude to her and that you wouldn't let her in. She didn't say anything about having all those people with her. Oh well, screw her, she's not that great. Ha, ha.."

Friday, August 12, 2005

Rock Star Lines II: Hey, you know me...

The night was going fairly slow as usual and as always picks up later on into the night. As usual, right before the bar reached capacity I started my line.

It was pretty quiet actually. No one complained that some people were getting in before them, which was pretty strange. Usually people are always complaining. Then someone had to break the silence.

This time was a little different. Last week a guy came in through the 'rock star line' with a friend of the club. He got in through association that night. I guess ole boy thought he got in because of who he was.

He and about three of his friends walked up as I was standing outside the door and smiled. Then he reached for the door. "I have a line over here guys. If you would just wait I'll get ya in as soon as I can." To this he just stood there looking at me. "Oh, I was here last week with _____. Is it ok if we just go in?"

"No, it's not. These people here have been waiting a while. Is ____ with you tonite?"

"Uh, no they're not. I thought we were all good?"

"Not unless that persons with you. I have no idea who you are. Just go ahead and wait in line. I'll get everyone in as soon as I can."

Pretty simple. If your not a regular or anyone that brings something to the table then theres a line. Especially when you walk off telling your group, "I don't know what this guys problem is. He must be new cause I come here all the time."

About twenty minutes later he made it to the front of the line. "Hey man, just so you know. I'm not new, you've gone straight in once, so don't try to make this out to your friends like your someone important. And never make it out to be my problem that your not someone important. Oh, and yes, I do need to see your ID."
"Oh, I wasn't trying to do that."
"Then next time don't make the comments."
"But I wasn't..." "Just go in and have a good night."

People don't realize sometimes that when you try to look really good for your date you should pick the right time. I don't mind if your trying to impress your date. I've helped some people out before so they looked better. Just don't do it by trying to put down someone else. Especially the doorman at the bar your trying to get into. That door person could easily make you look like a fool or just not let you in.

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Rock Star Lines

One thing many people here haven't realized about many bars that have lines to get in. There are certain "rock star" priviledges for certain people. There are usually two different lines to get into a popular late night bar or club. If you don't know what that second line is for then there is no need for you to be in it.

People in that second line also know that its a good thing but everything is done in respect. Heres a perfect example of a situation.

A few nights back I had started a line outside of the bar. This is a normal thing to do for a short amount of time during the week after all the other bars close. One of my normal regulars came up and looked my way. I gave him my index finger which as many know means to wait and it would be a few minutes before I can do anything for them.

At this point in the night due to capacity reasons its solely a one person out, one person in type of ordeal. I had a group of seven people waiting in the front of the line and they had been waiting for at least 20 minutes at this time.

As three people left I motioned to the group in line that I could let in three of them. They got out their IDs and I let them in. Then the regular tapped me on the arm. Which, for future knowledge, is not what you should do to any doorman unless your are personal friends with that person.

He asked if he could go in now. Which I told him I'd do what I could for him but at that time I had to get the rest of that group in first. To this I recieved the eye roll.

After about another ten minutes two people left. I walked out and motioned for another two from the group. As I opened the door I heard 'the regular' say "Hey guys, I guess since your going in before me your not gonna kick my ass now huh?"

I looked at the group that was left and tried to see if there was some kind of problem. 'The regular' was glaring at them and they had the typical look of "What the hell is going on?"

Thinking to myself that 'the regular' was just being his typical drama queen self I let two more of the group in. Then five minutes later I walked out to let the other two in. Once again, as I opened the door I heard 'the regular' say "Hey guys, I guess since your going in before me your not gonna kick my ass now huh?"

I then carded the two and they walked in. Then 'the regular' starts going on about the last one spit in his face. I looked at his face and there was no spit on it and I did not see this happen. Which would seem funny considering it would have happened less than two feet away from me. There was no spit sounds or any type of movement suggesting it happened.

Of course 'the regular' starts asking why I'm letting them in if they spit in his face. I basically told him I didn't see it and if he wanted to come in then to calm down and do so. Which he then came in.

He came in and went straight to the guys face asking why he spit in his face. Now 'the regular' is a pretty small guy, very thin and mostly skeletal. The other guy is about 4 inches taller and thicker. The events happened like this.

'the regular' - "Man, why'd you spit in my face!?!"

Man - "What?"

'the regular' - "You know you did, why'd you do it!?"

At this point the mans friend starts to walk the man away from 'the regular' and of course 'the regular' sticks right to them. I stop the line at the door and start to clear people away from the door to keep an open line from me to them. As 'the regular' keeps badgering the man another friend of the man tries to stand between them. I walk up to the situation.

Me - "IS THERE A PROBLEM HERE?"
'the regular' - "Yeah, this motherfucker spit in my face!"
Me - "Then the two of you need to figure this out outside."
'the regular' - "What are you crazy? This guys three times my size!"
Me - "Then shut up and calm down. Go to the other end of the bar and have a good time."
'the regular' - "What!? This is bullshit! Fuck you, you can't be bossing me around!!"

At this point I grabbed 'the regular' and walked him out of the bar. 'The regular' then proceeded to go on about how he's been coming in this bar for many years and that it was bullshit that I took their side.

I explained to him that my job is to diffuse situations not to take sides. He was in the wrong for trying to provoke a situation among three people and I was resolving the situation before it became a real problem. If I listened to every complaint from a regular and acted upon it in their favor we wouldn't have a crowd as we do or the amount of business. Most regulars are only regulars due to their discounts and favors and definately not due to their tips.

After a good hour 'the regular' decided, with a little coaxing from the manager, to leave.

I guess that even though your a regular and you think your shit doesn't stink doesn't really mean anything. Seven paying customers out weighs one.

Of course, had I seen the man actually spit in his face, that man would not have came into the bar. So if anyone ever spits in your face don't wipe it off.