Cover charges and bar tabs

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:58 pm

How do other bars handle it when a person comes in and says they want to put the cover charge on their tab?

We have a real issue with this as its hard to handle because the doorman just can't walk away to go up to the bartender and tell them to add it to the customer's tab.....

We are considering two ways ourselves:

1 - Cash only for cover charges. No exception. (Then how do you handle it when they don't have cash on hand???? Why would they come out without $5 at least?)

2 - We currently have it that if you want to run a tab, you must leave your credit card at the bar. (We put them in a safe location in a drawer by the register) We thought about collecting the person's drivers lic at the door if they want to put the cover (or in some cases multiple covers) on their tab. Towards the end of the night when the doorman is done collecting covers, he/she can take the drivers lic to the bar and make sure the covers are on the tabs, give the bartenders the driver lic. and when the person pays the tab, they get both drivers lic and credit card back. They will not get the drivers lic back until evidence that the cover has been paid....so if they come in two days later, we do not have a credit card for them but their drivers lic, that indicates they may have tried to pull something on us and still need to pay the cover.

Any other suggestions out there? Feedback?

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:17 pm

Make'em pay cash.... The cover goes to the band. If the band is just getting the door. That's no concern of the venue. Nor is the patrons tabs a concern of the band.... Unless the venue is paying a set fee, to said band. Then it's whatever the bar wants to do. And intern is no concern of the band... As long as the band gets paid it's set fee. The band could care less if a patron pays there tab. Not there problem. Now if the door comes up short. Then there's a problem. So IMO, cash is best for covers charges.

What if the patron comes up short with the cash at the end of the night. And you have to use the credit card? How would the band get there door money?? I myself personally don't have a credit card machine strapped to my rig...

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:13 pm

Yeah, I have to say I've never even heard of that. If you don't have any cash whatsoever, you really shouldn't be out partying. There are ATM's everywhere, and it's still the best way to do a lot of things, ESPECIALLY tipping, cover charges, and other stuff you do at a bar. Lisa, you really go out of your way to please your customers, I can tell, but you're just creating too much work with your current policy. I think what you're trying for there is restaurant-level all the time, but when the entertainment is the focal point, it's more bar-level.
Besides, what kind of guy goes out on the town without a little cabbage in his pocket?

--->JMS

Post by **Ron** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:22 pm

I have to agree that it should be cash only.

Jones · Post by **Jones** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:42 pm

Yep, cash only for cover.

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:46 pm

thanks lisa for letting us know where you keep your customers credit cards; in the drawer by the cash register

you might have to find a new place now

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:02 pm

They would go for the cash drawer before they would go for the credit card drawer. Its tucked away securely

Heck, there was a time we just kept it up where you could reach across the bar and help yourself to a card.

Thanks for the input on the cash at the door policy. I have a strong feeling that is the way we will move towards. The bands always got their money because we always kept track of the number of folks who said they were paying at the bar with their tab and then we put the cash in for that number...but we ended up being short. Sucks.

moxham123 · Post by **moxham123** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:54 am

In all my decades of playing, I never heard of anybody asking to put the cover charge on their tab or credit card but there is a first for everything. I agree that it should always be cash only. We play many bars and private clubs that have ATM machines in them and, if not, there is probably a 24 hour bank ATM close by.

The other bad side to letting patrons put the cover charge on their credit cards is the percentage fee that the business has to deduct for their payment to the credit card company for each transaction. I know that the fees might not amount to much on a $3.00 to $5.00 cover charge but they do add up in additional lost revenue.

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:50 am

Gas, Grass, or Ass...nobody rides for free. Terminology speaking.

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:33 pm

Cash.

slackin@dabass · Post by **slackin@dabass** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:22 am

yea... only cash at the door. how do you pay a band the door if you have it charged to credit cards... not to sound like a douche bag, but i'm probably gonna... if i knew a bar that was allowing patrons to pay my pay with a credit card.... i'd be alot less inclined to play there. not that i only do this for the money.... but that money at the end of the night does make it worthwhile.

sorry to come off like some "holier than thou" asswipe conservative...

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:42 pm

What kind of douchebag asks to do this? LOL. Never heard of it either.

Christ, people are effed up sometimes. It's five bucks. Hit the ATM on the way to the bar.

r:>)

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:14 pm

Fedup Takes the Access Card.

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:16 pm

DirtySanchez wrote:Fedup Takes the Access Card.

LMAO!!! Oh my Jesus Christ monkey balls!!!

r:>)

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:01 am

DirtySanchez wrote:Fedup Takes the Access Card.

I guess a $5.00 cover would be worth $10 on the Access card.

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Cover charges and bar tabs

Cover charges and bar tabs

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