Rob’s A-Little-More-Than-Minor Annoyance of the Week: Bars Kicking You Out Before Closing Time

So, about three times in the last couple of months, the following has happened:

We’re at a pub. It is 15 minutes before closing time, say 1:45. The joint closes at 2. The bartenders yell “finish up” we close in 15 minutes! Fine. I’ve got half of a beer so I make sure to start finishing up and make sure that we’re all paid up. Then a bouncer or the owner starts yelling and getting belligerent trying to shoo you out the door. I say, “I am just finishing up”. It’s 1:50 at the latest. They start almost threatening us. I am not at all drunk or belligerent myself, I just want to happily wrap up before we depart at 2. They insist we leave at 1:50. I’m finishing my beer and there are two more songs of mine to play on the jukebox! And they force us out the door!

Not cool. Two Chicago bars are on my blacklist because of this. Not that they care too much since I am not a huge nightlife fella, but man, talk about bad customer service. I’ve seen people not be able to pay up because some jerk bouncer is forcing them out at 1:50. It cannot be appreciated by the wait staff if they don’t get paid.

Now, I’ve been lucky enough never have had to work at a bar or restaurant (and certainly not at closing time), but I can certainly appreciate the desire for the staff to get home after a hard night working. But can’t they just gently remind us that they close at 2, say at 1:45, 1:50, and 1:55. They can start getting mean and kick me out at 2:00:00 am. But not at 1:59:59am and certainly not at 1:50:00am. Let me finish my beer!