Comments on: Are Self-Serve Bars a Good Thing? http://www.blogaboutbeer.com/2008/03/17/are-self-serve-bars-a-good-thing/ The Funnest Beer Blog on the Interwebs Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:17:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Alcohol Posts » Are Self-Serve Bars a Good Thing? http://www.blogaboutbeer.com/2008/03/17/are-self-serve-bars-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1567 Alcohol Posts » Are Self-Serve Bars a Good Thing? Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:07:27 +0000 http://www.blogaboutbeer.com/2008/03/17/are-self-serve-bars-a-trend-of-the-future/#comment-1567 [...] blogaboutbeer wrote a fantastic post today on “Are Self-Serve Bars a Good Thing?”Here’s ONLY a quick extractThe biggest upside, as I see it, is the chance to pull your own Guiness (or similar nitro stout), as explained in this video from the Baggot Inn. What do you think? source: Cool Town Studios. Technorati Tags: beer, draft beer, … [...] [...] blogaboutbeer wrote a fantastic post today on “Are Self-Serve Bars a Good Thing?”Here’s ONLY a quick extractThe biggest upside, as I see it, is the chance to pull your own Guiness (or similar nitro stout), as explained in this video from the Baggot Inn. What do you think? source: Cool Town Studios. Technorati Tags: beer, draft beer, … [...]

]]> By: Chipper Dave http://www.blogaboutbeer.com/2008/03/17/are-self-serve-bars-a-good-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-1566 Chipper Dave Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:17:29 +0000 http://www.blogaboutbeer.com/2008/03/17/are-self-serve-bars-a-trend-of-the-future/#comment-1566 The idea of trusting your customers to pour their own beers will probably not last long. I can think of a lot of reasons why this won't work: 1) The people at the table are responsible for paying for the beer they drink. If they don't keep a close eye on the tap - who's to prevent someone from walking up and pouring themselves a drink? 2) Someone is getting drunk and forgets to shut off the tap and beer pours all over the tables and floor. Someone who's a bit disgruntled may intentionally leave these taps on. 3) Somebody will eventually get clever enough to hack the beer meter and get a free beer out of this. While you may save money on not having to hire a bartender, you'll end up paying more for spilt beer, clean-up and arguements about how much beer was actually poured. While automation can sometimes be a good thing, I'd say keep the control of the beer where it belongs - with a bartender and wait-people. The idea of trusting your customers to pour their own beers will probably not last long. I can think of a lot of reasons why this won’t work:

1) The people at the table are responsible for paying for the beer they drink. If they don’t keep a close eye on the tap – who’s to prevent someone from walking up and pouring themselves a drink?

2) Someone is getting drunk and forgets to shut off the tap and beer pours all over the tables and floor. Someone who’s a bit disgruntled may intentionally leave these taps on.

3) Somebody will eventually get clever enough to hack the beer meter and get a free beer out of this. While you may save money on not having to hire a bartender, you’ll end up paying more for spilt beer, clean-up and arguements about how much beer was actually poured.

While automation can sometimes be a good thing, I’d say keep the control of the beer where it belongs – with a bartender and wait-people.

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