How to order a beer at a National chain restaurant

[Psylocide]

If all they have is BMC, I just get the tallest Bud Light possible and ask for a handful of olives in there.

Beer and appetizer in one shot.

By the time I've eaten about 40 olives, I know I should stop drinking... and not just because they are trying to carry me out for spitting at toddlers.

 

[SnakeRidge]

If all they have is BMC, I just get the tallest Bud Light possible and ask for a handful of olives in there.

Beer and appetizer in one shot.

By the time I've eaten about 40 olives, I know I should stop drinking... and not just because they are trying to carry me out for spitting at toddlers.

I used to tend bar at a place that had all these fancy stuffed olives. I mean we had them because the bartenders stuffed them, not because they came that way. Man, the servers we had would descend on the garnish tray and clear it out if you didn't keep after them. I used to hide around the corner and come out like "MOOOOVE Cows!!" Didn't make a lot of friends there.

 

[SnakeRidge]

And actually on topic, the Red Lobster in Charleston (can see it from 26, right in front of the movie theater) used to have a tap they called "Red Claw" which we discovered was actually Bass. This was about 2000-2001 or so and it was pretty cheap during happy hour. Me and my friends would pile into the bar and eat those cheese biscuts and drink Red Claw like it was our job. The bartenders were always so amused, because they never had 'regulars' in there.

 

[Weezy]

I'd rather get the "we have BMC" speech than the waitress at a pub with 35 taps that only knows three classifications of beer: IPA, whatever management is pushing, and everything else.

 

[b-boy]

I've been getting lucky ordering SA Rebel IPA lately. A lot of places are carrying it. It's a pretty good option in some of the chains.

 

[DNKDUKE]

I avoid chains like the plague. I frequent places that have beer menus like this...

 

[Hammy71]

While the hostess seats the family, I excuse myself to the bar to peruse the taps. Nine times out of ten, the wait staff has no idea what is on tap. Their manager made them write it down, but they have no idea. Saves headaches at the table. More than once, I've informed the wait staff what they do or don't have on tap.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Best way to avoid the problem is don't go to the chain restaurants. The food is usually not that great ether so why bother.

The ether is to distract you from the cost.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

True--to some extent. In the 'burbs where I live there aren't many local eateries, mostly chains. But there are certain menu items at some of those chains that are quite good. You have to know what to look for.

Just because a place is "local" doesn't guarantee better food. It's hit and miss everywhere.

That response might have made sense for eating at chains as recently as a decade ago, but in the internet age, I don't accept it any more.

If you have yelp, you can find a good non-chain restaurant. You can find it quickly, and you can find it using your phone.

Now, I'm not some sort of "anti-chain-restaurant" guy. I do eat at chains sometimes. And yes, local joints are hit or miss -- if you pick them randomly. But you don't have to pick them randomly.

 

[1977Brewer]

All of my favorite locals are BYOB. This is a really good thing for me, I don't have to pay the markup OR order from their menu. Al I gotta do is ask them for a glass.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I guess I'm lucky that every chain around me carries Great Lakes. And when i don't go to chains i have a lengthy craft selection.

 

[Psylocide]

I guess I'm lucky that every chain around me carries Great Lakes. And when i don't go to chains i have a lengthy craft selection.

MMMM... now I want a Nosferatu.

 

[treacheroustexan]

MMMM... now I want a Nosferatu.

Yes I do love some Nosferatu! Currently have black out stout.

 

[PitRow]

Dang, after reading all your posts it makes me glad that I live in a micro-brewing haven. It's pretty rare that any restaurant I go to doesn't have at least some decent micro brews, if not very local craft brew stuff. Crap, even my tiny little town of 22,000 people has its own micro brewery. About the only time I can't get a decent brew is if I go to a Mexican place, and then I'm ordering a Cadillac anyway.

 

[fuzzy2133]

The chains we go out to I just ask what is local and seasonal. Some of the servers have a good sense of humor and ask how local do I want; Lagunitas, Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams?

 

[Beerbeque]

While the hostess seats the family, I excuse myself to the bar to peruse the taps. Nine times out of ten, the wait staff has no idea what is on tap. Their manager made them write it down, but they have no idea. Saves headaches at the table. More than once, I've informed the wait staff what they do or don't have on tap.

I always do the same

 

[geoffey]

How to order beer at a chain restaurant:

1. Be Polite and ask for a tap list if you can't visually see the taps.

2. If the answer is "BMC" then either order it politely and suck it up or don't order it and have something else (being polite when you order it).

3. Be polite.

4. Realize you went to a chain restaurant and deal, politely, with the reality of that. Don't expect everyone to be a craft beer expert just because you are.

5. Leave the server a nice tip regardless of their beer knowledge.

If we all followed three rules then the term "beer snob" might slowly disappear from mainstream vocabulary.

 

[PackerfaninSanDiego]

How to order a beer at a National chain restaurant

You all know the drill.

"Hello, what beers do you have on tap?"
"We, have Bud Light, Coors Light, Bud Ice, ..... "

Next restaurant. Lets try a different approach.

"Hello, besides Budweiser, Miller, or Coors, what do you have on tap?"
"We have Shock Top, and Blue Moon."

"Thank you, I'll have a Gin and Tonic."

most smart people will check out the taps at the bar, unlike you.
and your question on "what beers.........." is very immature.
Be a man and know "where you are going", before you ask stupid questions.

 

[Oberon67]

most smart people will check out the taps at the bar, unlike you.
and your question on "what beers.........." is very immature.
Be a man and know "where you are going", before you ask stupid questions.

Question to all... are people generally this rude in the HomeBrewTalk forums? Because I hadn't really seen it up until now.

 

[Snowden]

I guess I'm lucky that every chain around me carries Great Lakes. And when i don't go to chains i have a lengthy craft selection.

One of the perks of living in NEO: can always find a nice Dortmunder lager on tap!

 

[seigex]

Question to all... are people generally this rude in the HomeBrewTalk forums? Because I hadn't really seen it up until now.

Mostly? No.. most people here are great conversation and willing to share knowledge. However, it's still the internet, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[Grossy]

most smart people will check out the taps at the bar, unlike you.
and your question on "what beers.........." is very immature.
Be a man and know "where you are going", before you ask stupid questions.

Wow.

 

[passedpawn]

Question to all... are people generally this rude in the HomeBrewTalk forums? Because I hadn't really seen it up until now.

↓↓↓ what this guy said

Mostly? No.. most people here are great conversation and willing to share knowledge. However, it's still the internet, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[geoffey]

Question to all... are people generally this rude in the HomeBrewTalk forums? Because I hadn't really seen it up until now.

Ah give him a break, he's a Packer fan and still hurting from his team's historic playoff loss. He's in a fog. Nothing makes sense to him right now. Just lashing out.

 

[treacheroustexan]

One of the perks of living in NEO: can always find a nice Dortmunder lager on tap!

Everywhere! And Christmas ale.

Off topic: I just found out where Wadsworth is, just moved to this area from toledo area and work in medina.

 

[RansomBrewing]

This may be easy for me to say.. but regardless of the resturant and location, if I were a server I would know the beers and wines in and out because it seems like an easy way to make money. When people are at resturants, you can almost guarantee they will eat. But, will they drink? Maybe if you can sell them on it.

If people are turned off by a lack of knowledge, or just simply can't order based on the description of the drinks you have provided (beer list) then they aren't going to drink. When people don't drink, their bill is not as high as if they did drink. And since people generally tip a percentage of the total bill... It seems like it would be in the server's best interest. Am I wrong here?

These thoughts come from when I was at a "local chain" and the menu said to ask about the local beers and the waitress told me that it was an IPA. I asked what the name of the brewery was and she said... "IPA".

"OK. I'll take one."

 

[vincentAlpha]

+1 to the above. Once time I went a pool bar(you know the place, crappy over priced snack food and music loud enough to send you into a coma, not my first choice) and asked what they had for ales (here in Canada the beer selection is 90% lager) and she just looked at me like a deer in the headlights and said something to the line of "well I don't know about ales but for beer we've got..." and proceeded to list off their beer menu :smack: . I ordered a Shocktop since it is among the best you are lucky to get out here unless they've got Mill St. brews on tap.

Now I wouldn't expect someone to know WHAT the difference is but they ought to know as someone working in a bar that lager/ale=beer or am I asking too much? That and a clean glass and an orange that didn't smell of must would have been nice, I didn't order a second.

 

[geoffey]

Walking into a chain restaurant (this is a generalization) and having high expectations of the beer list and the server's knowledge of all of their beers is a bit like buying a 12 pack of Budweiser and being surprised it doesn't taste as good as Heady Topper (or insert your favorite beer here and let's forgo all of the anti-Heady Topper comments). Just know where you are going and set your expectations to meet that. And be polite.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

This may be easy for me to say.. but regardless of the resturant and location, if I were a server I would know the beers and wines in and out because it seems like an easy way to make money. When people are at resturants, you can almost guarantee they will eat. But, will they drink? Maybe if you can sell them on it.

If people are turned off by a lack of knowledge, or just simply can't order based on the description of the drinks you have provided (beer list) then they aren't going to drink. When people don't drink, their bill is not as high as if they did drink. And since people generally tip a percentage of the total bill... It seems like it would be in the server's best interest. Am I wrong here?

While all of what you say is true, as in most jobs, there are two types of servers; those that know how to do their job well and those that know enough not to get fired. You would think that working for tips (I made $2.13/hour in wages when I waited and bartended) would motive more people into the former category but it does not seem to be the case.

As it was in walking distance to my house and I only owned motorcycles the whole time was in college, I worked a large chain for two years. They had a surprisingly complete bottled beer selection for Oklahoma in the 1990's. I knew them all and all wines on the wine list. I also knew the deserts, appetizers and all the $1 adder's to main courses that sold well.

I averaged $14/customer including an equal mix of lunches, weekend dinners and weekday dinners. The restaurant average was $9. 3/4's of the servers averaged below 11 dollars.

An argument can be made for turning tables verses fluffing checks but in the end, outside of deserts, there is no reason you can't do both. FYI, in 1994 I averaged $14/hours with tips at that place...better than most 9-5's in OK at the time. Paid for college in cash.

 

[Yooper]

I don't have high expectations in those places, but one thing I hate is when I ask for a beer menu, and they say, "We have everything!"

Oh, boy. I don't want to play 20 questions. And, I don't know if 'everything' is 100% BMC or if 'everything' includes local breweries that may have some good entries. Depending on what state I'm in, I'll say, "Well, do you have St Arnold's?" (big TX brewery) If they don't have the largest brewery in the state's beer on tap or in bottles, there is no point in continuing.

Yet, the server said, "No. But we have everything else!"

My reply, if it's got a nice looking bar (ala Applebees), "Beefeeter and tonic", please.