Call me crazy, but last I checked Sam Adams is a domestic beer. Not according to Smokey Bones BBQ & Grille in Manchester, CT. No, when our (RUDE) waitress brought the bill, I was charged for a “$3.99 Seasonal” beer. Yes, I got the Winter Lager (which was not that great, but I got it because it was the “best” of the $2 domestic beers – I don’t do Bud, Coors, Miller, etc.) but that little sign on our table said $2 Domestic Pints, not $2 SELECT Domestic Pints.
After I complained to our (RUDE) waitress about the price discrepancy, she brought the manager over who (a total tool complete with little stud diamond in his left ear) did a song-and-dance routine about “the amount of beer shipped” (how much beer is shipped I’m supposed to someone psychically know as a customer? wtf?) and how “Sam Adams is a PREMIUM domestic beer” – at which point I interrupted and said “so it IS domestic, and this sign just says domestic, it doesn’t say domestic with the exception of premium domestics or only select domestics” and he turned red and finally agreed to take the $2 off my check.
I don’t care if it was only $2, it’s the fucking principle of the matter. The sign said $2 domestic pints, and honestly the only way I’m buying a domestic beer (other than some of our fabulous New England microbrews such as [in no particular order] Harpoon, Allagash, Shipyard, Buzzards Bay, The Northampton Brewery (best wee heavy ever), Long Trail, Magic Hat, Otter Creek, etc.) is if it’s <=$2.
So I will never go to Smokey Bones again. I am offended by false advertising, and you should be too. That sign should have said “$2 Select Domestic Beers” and then list them in tiny print at the bottom like all the other restaurants who have not-so-great drink specials.
So Smokey Bones BBQ & Grille made a mistake. Don’t you ever make a mistake? I think they simply divide their beers in cheap beer en expensive beer, and have grown accustomed to referring to the cheap beer as “domestic beers”, because they come from nearby places. (The term ‘cheap beer’ does not sell well). Now they made the mistake to use the term ‘domestic beer’ also on the sign, which is incorrect. You had the right to rely on the information and get any domestic beer for the advertized price. Fair enough. But is that a reason to get upset?
(However, for a waitress, there is no excuse for being rude).
I tasted beer once, in 1977, but I did not like the taste of it, so I haven’t drunk it since then. But if I would drink it, I would probably drink a domestic beer, such as Grolsch (of which the main brewery is based in the the town of Enschede, were I studied) or Heineken (whose main brewery – the largest in Europe – is 8 km from where I lived from 1989-1994), or perhaps Brand, Bavaria or Hertog Jan. Perhaps I would take an imported beer, like Miller, just to try, but then return to the domestic brands.
(Bavaria is a Dutch brewery that opened in 1925 and was named after the famous German beer region. Bavarian competitors took action against the name, but lost.)
On a side note, I saw this post opens a whole new category http://www.paperhurts.com/category/bitching/. I am looking forward to more bitching.
Johan Lont´s last blog post..jclont: Did I mention that @BarackObama is not one of my followers?
I think I managed to screw up the comment counter (sorry paperhurts). It said 0 comments, after I posted my comment. Maybe because I have been messing with the Choose a Different Post to Show box.
I wonder what the comment counter will display after I posted this comment.
Oh I’ve made plenty of mistakes – I’m sure I’ll post about [more of] mine at a later date. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if 1. the waitress hadn’t been SO rude, 2. the manager hadn’t tried to give me some smoke and mirrors tale about why their sign “domestic” didn’t include ALL.
The count is fine, for some reason it made me approve your first comment.
Yes, that makes sense. (Referring to what you wrote in the preceding comment).