Growler Etiquette?

Last night after a wonderful dinner we decided to stop in at BBC in St. Matthews to fill a growler up on our way to meet some friends. It was still early, around 8:00pm and the place was busy but not yet packed. Everything was going great until the growler was handed to me and the bartender decided to "educate" me on growler etiquette with the following comment,

"Just so you know, you really shouldn't come in at this time to fill up a growler, in the future try to come in the middle of the day. It can sometimes take 30 minutes to get your growler at night."

First of all, I have been a bartender in a micro-brewery so I am speaking from experience, so when I make the following comments I am not just being an irritated customer.

1) The customer is always right. If I decide, as I always do, that I would rather spend my $$$ on a great custom microbrew instead of a 6-pack of bottles then I should not feel like I am putting some bartender out.

2) It only took 5 minutes (if that) to fill up the growler. Price = $8. Tip was $2. Thats a 25% tip for less than 5 minutes worth of effort by the bartender. How long would it take the same bartender to make $2 by a person sitting in one of the barstools drinking 1 beer at a time? I estimate 30 minutes (assuming a $1 tip per beer/2 beers in 30 minutes.

3) If it takes 30 minutes to fill a growler the bartender is either not doing their job correctly or just plain lazy.

4) We filled our growler 2 other times this week (@ Cumberland) when they were standing room only and received NO growler filling education....only a smile and some great beer.

5) Customers should not be expected to work around the schedule or convenience of the employees of ANY establishment.

Naturally, I will now think twice before filling my growler. I would hate to look like some ignorant consumer who doesn't know better than to come into an establishment when they may be busy to spend my money.

Hi Chris, I am extremely sorry about your experience last night. We are happy to fill growlers at any time. If the restaurant and bar are busy, it may take a little longer but the response from the bartender should be "this may take a minute because we are a little busy, would you like a pint while you wait?" or "can i bring you a sample of one of our seasonal brews while you wait for your growler?" A lecture on growler etiquette is definitely not acceptable.

I have been at bartender at the BBC in St. Matthews for 12 years and I know how long it takes to fill a growler as well. Sometimes it can take a while, if there is air in the lines--sometimes the beer is foamy and needs to sit a minute and settle down so that we don't waste any precious brew. No matter what, there are better ways to approach the situation.

You are right--the customer should never have to work around the bartender's schedule or convenience at any establishment. Our job is to serve you and make you feel welcome and comfortable. If we make you feel as if you have to do more to be there, then we are not in the right line of work. Bartenders, especially, need to be well versed in the art of "come in and stay awhile" and make their customers become regulars not just because the beer and food are good but also because the bartender made them feel special.


So, please come and see me at BBC at St. Matthews and I will be happy to pour you a growler on the house to (hopefully) make up for this poor experience. I sent you a PM with my work schedule in the hopes that you will come fill another growler at BBC. I really appreciate you letting us know about this service issue and I will make sure that Pat Hagan (BBC's owner) is made aware of the situation.

Thank you very much,

Becca at BBC

Thanks Becca, both for your reply and your offer.

As I explained in my reply to your PM, I'm fine with how you've handled the situation and will still frequent BBC. Thanks for your attention and I sincerely mean it when I say BBC is a better place because you're there.

That's class.

Yep, on both sides.

This makes me want to go get a growler filled right away.

That is simply great customer service... well done.

Excellent response from the customer as well, most people walk off with a satisfied "humph" after getting a situtation like this taken care of, but a lot of class was shown on both sides here.

The 30 minutes for a growler fill was a great comment though. You could fill a growler from bottles that had been shaken up in under 30 minutes. Even though it was horrible customer service, I have to give points for a original excuse.