Gambling pool time etiquette - What would you do?
- Thread starter sixpack
- Start date
Includes happy ending, Yes?
The room I used to play gave me free table time. I would bring in a bunch of my buddies constantly and we would play for long sessions. We would spend a lot of money on food and drinks there so I figured it was a win/win situation for everyone. Soon after, the owner approaches me and says because we are there so often and stay for so long they can't give me free table time anymore. So they tell me that they can do half for anyone playing with me. I say fine, I understand the need to make money these days, and let the boys know.
This goes on for awhile, and the owner approaches me again and says, well, we could be renting this table for full price so the deal is off. Well we play in the back on the 9 footers, and they have never been full, ever. I lived in a small city. So I talk with her about it a bit more and say fine.. Long story short, we started to lessen the time played there and now do not play at all. There are other places to play where the drinks are less and the tables are kept up better.
So by being greedy, the owner actually lost out on about 200 bucks in drinks and food every day that we played, which was about 5 days a week. Smart business choice, I say not lol
This goes on for awhile, and the owner approaches me again and says, well, we could be renting this table for full price so the deal is off. Well we play in the back on the 9 footers, and they have never been full, ever. I lived in a small city. So I talk with her about it a bit more and say fine.. Long story short, we started to lessen the time played there and now do not play at all. There are other places to play where the drinks are less and the tables are kept up better.
So by being greedy, the owner actually lost out on about 200 bucks in drinks and food every day that we played, which was about 5 days a week. Smart business choice, I say not lol
The world is full of self centered scum bags no matter where you go. They know what is right but don't really care enough to do it. Pretty much they told you in not so many words what they think of you as a customer, a friend and a person. You are nothing more to them then a $. The bartender by the way should not have to worry about another tip from you, there won't be any.sixpack said:
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I think it comes down to the question of who got the balls from the bartender in the first place.
If the house pro got the balls and invited you to join his paid for table, you shouldn't have to pay. In this situation, he should return the balls to the bartender and you shouldn't have to deal with the bartender at all.
If you got the balls and the house pro joined your table, then you owe. You return the balls and pay what you owe.
.02 spent.
If the house pro got the balls and invited you to join his paid for table, you shouldn't have to pay. In this situation, he should return the balls to the bartender and you shouldn't have to deal with the bartender at all.
If you got the balls and the house pro joined your table, then you owe. You return the balls and pay what you owe.
.02 spent.
TX Poolnut said:
I don't remember who got the balls. But I can see your point about that making a difference. Although if they jumped on my table and I was paying, wouldn't they be playing on my terms and not theirs? i.e. to play with me would be half the time?
Also, to clarify. The person I played was not employed by the bar. They were designated as the 'house pro' and gave lessons and represented the pool hall sometimes but mostly they were out playing pro tournaments. I think they mostly got referrals for lessons and free table time in return. So it's not like I was playing the owner or houseman or someone.
I never made a conscious decision to cut my patronage. I think that a slight negative association is all it takes to change consumers' spending habits. And I am no exception. A slight negative 'niggle' in the back of my head just made the temptation to go to the pool hall for lunch and maybe practice an hour or two, have a little less appeal and so I went less and eventually stopped altogether. Same thing with dinner. I could go to the pool hall early, hit some balls and get dinner....OR I could eat at home, go a little later and eat better/cheaper. With another negative on the pool hall side, it's not hard to see that eating dinner first won out more often.
~rc
BigDfromTN
A Banger, but trying!
NineBallNut said:
This type of thing happens alot in many types of business. Sad thing is that the owner likely dont have a real clue as to why. Even though they may have been told by you and/or others. I can see on one hand where they are not making money and need more revenue. They see a group there playing and "$0.00" being charged. Funny thing is they really need to look at the income at tab out time and consider the frequency of those tabs.
Wife and I frequent a local bar and grill with a couple bar boxes. They have live music etc etc. We go there on average 3 nights a week. Many times for food as well as drink. When my daughter, son and/or dtr in law come I normally pick up that tab too. If something goes to my dislike.... I tell the "Little Lady" behind the bar and she will make it right. She also listens to customers wants and desires. Funny thing is her business is doing really good right now!!
GADawg said:
If the room is charging me for some of their employees to play with me, they'd better be naked or real close to it! LOL
Had a "house pro" stiff me for $80 once and still try to stick me for the table time.
What do you think his chances were of getting paid?
Stones
sixpack said:Thanks for the comments guys! I chose to 'let it go' but obviously I didn't completely let it go
Another time I went to practice and I got the balls and they were waxy so I went back up to the counter and asked for a different set because those hadn't been polished. I was told they were all that way and they were freshly cleaned. So I went back to the table, rolled them around and decided I didn't want to practice with sticky balls so I took them back up. Yep! I was charged a half hour minimum.I refused to pay it and was advised there would be a call to the local constabulary. So, here's $3. Have a nice day.
But yet I continue to go there.
I just like the place. And I'm not giving up my pool hall for a few measley bucks.
But...I don't buy food there much anymore. I don't drink much there anymore. I don't 'hang out' there anymore. Now I'm just there when I have a match of some kind.
I guess I go there, but don't care as much about supporting the business as I used to. My tabs have gone from regularly $50-60 (dinner, some beers, some beers for the other team, some beers for our team, etc...) to less than $10 (one or two beers and tip). The bartender who charged me the half hour minimum has never gotten a tip from me. I don't stiff her, but I make sure I never order anything from her. If she's the only one working I just don't order anything.
I wonder if they know how much that $12 has cost them? At this point thousands at least.
~rc
Please let us know the name of this establishment, and the city, so I'll know where not to drop by if I'm in the neighborhood.
Is there any other pool hall in the vicinity?
Flex
House Pro
I have always thought that a House Pro is there to bring in bussniss through instuction and the art and etquite of playing pool.
ie: the better you play the more enjoyable the game, the more you want to play, the more friends you get involved in pool. If the "pro" is there playing pissant sets (under 50 per set) with the newer players, that will only drive these players to other pool halls or even turn them off of pool.
BAD for both the hall and pool in general.
I do understand that a House Pro got to that point through pratice and gambling, but you do not S..T in your own back yard
whether or not the pro chalenged you to a match or not, unless specified prior to the match the table time is always paid by the winner.
My two cents
Capt. K
PS I know I cannot spell
I have always thought that a House Pro is there to bring in bussniss through instuction and the art and etquite of playing pool.
ie: the better you play the more enjoyable the game, the more you want to play, the more friends you get involved in pool. If the "pro" is there playing pissant sets (under 50 per set) with the newer players, that will only drive these players to other pool halls or even turn them off of pool.
BAD for both the hall and pool in general.
I do understand that a House Pro got to that point through pratice and gambling, but you do not S..T in your own back yard
whether or not the pro chalenged you to a match or not, unless specified prior to the match the table time is always paid by the winner.
My two cents
Capt. K
PS I know I cannot spell
Captain K. said:I have always thought that a House Pro is there to bring in bussniss through instuction and the art and etquite of playing pool.
ie: the better you play the more enjoyable the game, the more you want to play, the more friends you get involved in pool. If the "pro" is there playing pissant sets (under 50 per set) with the newer players, that will only drive these players to other pool halls or even turn them off of pool.
BAD for both the hall and pool in general.
I do understand that a House Pro got to that point through pratice and gambling, but you do not S..T in your own back yard
whether or not the pro chalenged you to a match or not, unless specified prior to the match the table time is always paid by the winner.
My two cents
Capt. K
PS I know I cannot spell
While that may be the rule in some areas, it's definitely not the case in the places I play in Chicago. I strongly recommend that that detail be specified in advance of playing. I'll insist the time be split; it's never happened to me that the other player has said no to my stipulation.
Flex
NineBallNut said:
I to ended up not playing at a "pool hall" anymore because I was overcharged as well, when I mentioned it to the owner I was told its only a few bucks so just pay it. I went on to say some things about the place and no longer play there, there loss in my opinion.
There's a simple answer to your dilemna.... If the house pro says "He doesn't pay time there." That means that the owner is saying that the pro doesn't have to pay HIS PORTION of the time. So when the bill is $6, his portion is $3, and therefore you owe for YOUR portion only.
Otherwise... the owner isn't giving anything away at all. If the other guy has to pay both, the owner gets all of the money anyway. So one guy gets a benefit while the other guy gets stiffed? And the owner wins either way? That's not fair. The owner is supposed to give the pro free time so that he attracts more business in and plays there more often. That is where the owner is supposed to win, not by stiffing his other customers and getting all the money anyway.
Otherwise... the owner isn't giving anything away at all. If the other guy has to pay both, the owner gets all of the money anyway. So one guy gets a benefit while the other guy gets stiffed? And the owner wins either way? That's not fair. The owner is supposed to give the pro free time so that he attracts more business in and plays there more often. That is where the owner is supposed to win, not by stiffing his other customers and getting all the money anyway.
What you say is true. If you're required to pay the $6 then you should be shooting 100% of the time.Clark_the_Shark said:
The fact that he was playing a better player than himself that means that he probably was at the table less that 50% of the time. No matter what, the establishment should have only charged him for half the time. This makes better business sense. Next time he should play loser pays. Either it's free or he still pay the $6.
I cannot believe that nobody commented on this.sixpack said:Another time I went to practice and I got the balls and they were waxy so I went back up to the counter and asked for a different set because those hadn't been polished. I was told they were all that way and they were freshly cleaned. So I went back to the table, rolled them around and decided I didn't want to practice with sticky balls so I took them back up. Yep! I was charged a half hour minimum.
I would've let them call the "constabulary" to have them show up and prove that I "played", which is what you have to pay for..... which I believe you didn't based upon what you wrote.
Either way, - to hell with that place. I choose to pay the people that make it an enjoyable experience...
I think the House Pro owed 3 BUCK/HR. Next time ask first.
Clark_the_Shark said:
Yes, that was my whole point to the bartender/cashier. The house's position was it was the same amount as if I had played by myself, so what's the big deal. They even said "We're just charging you for one player." But one is the same as two...The pro's position was that they don't pay time there because they are the house pro.
So I was stuck and they won my $9. Good for them. Hope they're happy with their -10,000 I haven't spent there the last 5 years.
Seriously, this doesn't really matter to me anymore, I just thought it would provoke an interesting discussion. Which it has
Thanks everybody.~rc
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1pRoscoe said:
Except that once the 'constabulary' shows up you can count on losing an hour of your life. At least. Trying to explain the situation to them.
Over $3. Nope.
Also, I was new in California at the time and I didn't realize that bars / poolhalls got fined if the police were called to their address more than X times per year (or quarter or whatever) so there's almost zero chance they would have called them.
I used to work in a bar and if we ever called the police on anybody it was automatic that the police would take the house's side and any arguments could be heard in court.
~rc
