Am I wrong?

Bustah360

Bustah360

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just need some input from my fellow poolhall junkies out there. I just came back from my favorite poolhall to shoot at. As most poolhalls do with their regulars I would imagine, I get pro-rated table time. Because I'm a regular there and get along with all the employees as well as the owner himself, I get charged a standard price when I'm done. That's great, and I would hope that most poolhall owners do the same for their loyal shooters who are there all the time and bring business there whenever they get a chance.

My issue tonight was with an employee that charged me every penny he could knowing that I'm a regular that gets pro-rated not only by the owner himself, but all the other employees behind the counter. Even a new guy knew enough to charge me as such. I have nothing against the poolhall, owner, or anyone else there. Like I said I love the place. Should I just shrug my shoulders and say, "hey, I get hooked up all the time, I'm not gonna b*itch about it."? Or should I be urked at the thought of this guy deliberately being a p*rick to me, knowing better?

My first instinct is to find out what days he's working so I avoid getting screwed every time he's there. I figure there are plenty of players out there that this has happened to, so I'm just looking for opinions on the matter. Thx AZ'ers!
 
Just my opinion, but I think you're wrong. I've been a die-hard regular at 3 different pool halls throughout my 9 years or so of playing. While every once in a while i wont get charged for an hour or so here or there, or they might stay open an extra half hour to let me finish a set while gambling, i've never expected regular "deals" or "specials" on pool time. Thats how the owners make their income and I've always had enough respect to never complain about pool time, especially if its reasonable to start off with. And how are you getting "screwed" by paying the posted pool time?
 
just pay it

I think you have been getting a price break and now you take it for granted. I agree with the first responder. The owner might be nice to you, but he is in business to make money. Just accept whatever they charge you whether it's the regular rate or otherwise. When somebody charges you the regular rate, just think of it as your reciprocation to help the owner stay in business.
 
not exactly wrong

You aren't exactly wrong but you are irked that you didn't get a privilege, not something you were owed. The counter people at the pool halls I favor usually hand out the drinks and snacks too. When I felt one had been a little overzealous charging me every penny he could I gave him little or nothing in tips for awhile. I figured he got the hint.

I do tip more than most but at the same time I get the little perks you are talking about. The occasional free soda, the breakage on table time usually goes my way, I get taken care of in a lot of little ways.

There is something I do have to ask although it is a little off of your original subject. Do you do the little things that make things easier for your pool hall owner and the people working there? I clean up after myself, wipe the table rails down before and after playing if they need it, pick up loose cues, and if I see something that could cause problems for the pool hall I take care of it or let someone know so that they can. It is nice to get the little privileges of being a regular but I do feel it is a two way street.

Hu
 
depends. if its something the owner, as well as every other employee does then it would irk me a bit. I would try to pay sometime when the owner is at the counter with him. see what he does then?
 
dude your complaining about what maybe 5 bucks if your pushing it and have been playing all day long, in my opinion if your paying that much attention to the price to know a few dollar difference then you should set some different priorities in life, how do you know that same guy didnt get in trouble for giving someone else a discount or something, its not his fault hes just doing his, and i dont think i am but if anybody else thinks im wrong feel free to say it
 
its not like hes charging you an arm and a leg. you might have to pay an extra $10 bucks. dont you thinkyouve saved up those 10 bucks already to donate every now and then???
 
You should walk in there expecting to pay full price every time you walk in there. If they give you a discount be glad for it, but you shouldn't expect it.
 
Let it go and don't screw up what you already have going. Its great to
have a place give you a break.
 
If the owner confirms that you're still welcomed to getting a pro-rate price, then let him/her know that this particular employee overlooked you last time.
 
Bustah360 said:
Just need some input from my fellow poolhall junkies out there. I just came back from my favorite poolhall to shoot at. As most poolhalls do with their regulars I would imagine, I get pro-rated table time. Because I'm a regular there and get along with all the employees as well as the owner himself, I get charged a standard price when I'm done. That's great, and I would hope that most poolhall owners do the same for their loyal shooters who are there all the time and bring business there whenever they get a chance.

My issue tonight was with an employee that charged me every penny he could knowing that I'm a regular that gets pro-rated not only by the owner himself, but all the other employees behind the counter. Even a new guy knew enough to charge me as such. I have nothing against the poolhall, owner, or anyone else there. Like I said I love the place. Should I just shrug my shoulders and say, "hey, I get hooked up all the time, I'm not gonna b*itch about it."? Or should I be urked at the thought of this guy deliberately being a p*rick to me, knowing better?

My first instinct is to find out what days he's working so I avoid getting screwed every time he's there. I figure there are plenty of players out there that this has happened to, so I'm just looking for opinions on the matter. Thx AZ'ers!
Click to expand...

When I owned my poolhalls, I was the one that gave a price break to a customer...not my employee's;)

Glen
 
reminds me of ...

..a pool place I used to go to where the employees where giving breaks and discounts to all their "friends" because they didn't like the ownership....some were also tapping the till.....that place went out of business long ago.....
 
Bustah360 said:
Just need some input from my fellow poolhall junkies out there. I just came back from my favorite poolhall to shoot at. As most poolhalls do with their regulars I would imagine, I get pro-rated table time. Because I'm a regular there and get along with all the employees as well as the owner himself, I get charged a standard price when I'm done. That's great, and I would hope that most poolhall owners do the same for their loyal shooters who are there all the time and bring business there whenever they get a chance.

My issue tonight was with an employee that charged me every penny he could knowing that I'm a regular that gets pro-rated not only by the owner himself, but all the other employees behind the counter. Even a new guy knew enough to charge me as such. I have nothing against the poolhall, owner, or anyone else there. Like I said I love the place. Should I just shrug my shoulders and say, "hey, I get hooked up all the time, I'm not gonna b*itch about it."? Or should I be urked at the thought of this guy deliberately being a p*rick to me, knowing better?

My first instinct is to find out what days he's working so I avoid getting screwed every time he's there. I figure there are plenty of players out there that this has happened to, so I'm just looking for opinions on the matter. Thx AZ'ers!
Click to expand...

This is probably not the opinion you are looking for, but I think you are totally wrong. You seem to think you are entitled to "a deal" because you are a regular and have gotten "deals" before.
 
Hell yeah you have the right to complain. I got a deal at King Street the entire time I went there and I went for a couple years, never one time do I remember not getting the Frosty rate, you know why? Cuz me and Danny the owner were cool like that and people knew the deal. It's all about the respect. In a business you have certain types of customers. Danny used to look at it like this, why am I gonna worry about $4.00/hr. when I can charge you much less, you stay much longer, and spend much more in food and drinks(I like alcohol). It was also a smoking room so they probably sold more liquor than most places.

End of the day I believe any business should look out for their regulars if they want to keep them as a regular. That's why so many people jump ship when the new room opens in town with the new pretty tables, because they don't feel any loyalty to the other older business. It's the reason people open rooms down the street from other pool rooms. If you want loyalty from your customers you should try to develop that customer loyalty.

I'm with the OP, if I'm the OP now and they take away my little perk that I've probably invested Thousands to get and they treat me the same as the people who play 10 times a year...when the new room opens I'm out, or I go wherever I want from now on.

Ever see the TV show "Cheers", well we studied it at an Ivy League institution, let's just say there's merit in "Everybody knowing your name and being always glad you came"
 
mikeyfrost said:
...Ever see the TV show "Cheers", well we studied it at an Ivy League institution, let's just say there's merit in "Everybody knowing your name and being always glad you came"
Click to expand...

I am not a room owner, but I know it is very hard for a room owner to survive on what people will pay. Pool halls are going out of business, right and left. Add alcohol and they stay in business longer, but the whole family can't go enjoy themselves and/or teach the younger generation to appreciate the game as much as we do.

That being said, if I WAS a room owner, I would definitely appreciate the old "Everybody knowing your name and being always glad you came" attitude. And I would definitely appreciate all my customers helping me survive and stay open longer by paying full price. Like most room owners, I am sure my prices would be as low as I could possibly survive on, so that my regulars could enjoy themselves at the tables that much longer. Once in a while, if an honest regular came up a buck or two short, I'd tell him not to worry about it, but letting a buck or two go very often could result in shutting the room down.

We used to go to our favorite pool hall and play for hours, every night. We never got a discount. The pool hall couldn't survive and finally shut down.

We found another pool hall. They were great folks and some of the ones like you speak of. They give a deal here and there. Sometimes, they stayed open and let us play as late as 2, 3, or 4 o'clock in the morning. Fortunately, we play the quarter tables and it's kinda hard to cheat them, so we paid full price and were proud to be helping them out and keeping them open for as long as they could.

That pool hall shut down and we found another one. They had lots of tables and stayed open a good while longer, but they finally shut down, too.

Another pool hall opened up in that place and they charged more for the tables. My health was not so great and our granddaughter was living with us, so we didn't play much. I guess their hourly prices were a bit more, so nobody came in to play, so they finally shut down.

After a while of not playing pool, thanks to my health, we finally found an old place in Tulsa that has been open forever, that had been bought and refurbished by some really great folks. We can't afford to play every nght, like we used to do, but we still play at least one or two nights per week. We pay full price on the quarter tables and never expect a price break. We have seen some really good pool halls shut down and we hope they do not suffer the same fate. We love the folks who run the place and the family atmosphere...

...and everybody knows our name!

So, my response to the guy who started this thread is....

If you don't respect the room you are complaining about enough to pay full price without question, then you should take your greedy hide to another location and knock someone else out of business, instead of the guy who was going under, just trying to support you and all the other guys who think they are regulars and deserve a break. Doesn't the room owner deserve a break, too??????
 
Expect to pay whatever is asked, just like everyone else. If you get a hook up say 3 out of 5 days i would say thank you very much. First people make mistakes the person working might have had it slip their mind, Second being a regular doesn't entitle you to a discount even if the owner gives you one. Example you drive the same road home everyday for years and you are always doing 35 in a 25. In these years you have passed cops and they have never pulled you over, well one day you get pulled over for doing 35 in a 25 and are given a ticket. Do you say well officer i drive this road everyday and it has never been a issue. If i was said room owner and saw this post i would never cut you a break for making a stink about it.
 
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