Even the rich smartened up
I notice too now I don't see as much celebrities or important figures come to the bars anymore. Of course I don't go out as much as I use to but I remember I would recognizable faces pretty frequently. Of course they were pretty much just local celebrities and not international celebrities like some of the jbars had. I guess you know business is bad when famous faces aren't even willing to spend their money there.
KB and plastic Some options
Every now and then one goes to the bar with limited cash in pocket with the intention of having a couple of drinks, checking it out and moving on; then low and behold you run into a couple of pals, meet a new and interesting lady and you decide to keep the party going. You need to resort to plastic. Some options are: 1. Put a napkin on your glass and walk to the nearest bank ATM if one is handy. 2. Use the bar's ATM. This will cost about $3 which is minimal. (I am always leery that some bar ATM might have some sort of card scamming attachment, but never had a problem yet.) 3. Ask the bar for "cash back" on your card. 95% of the bars do this upon request. If you are not known they will want to charge you $6 per $100. However if you are known there will be no charge or you can ask that the bartender or Mama waive the fee in return for a neko which you were probably going to buy them anyway. All of the preceding in effect puts you back on a cash basis. 4. Option #4 pretty much requires you to be sitting at the bar. (I've done it in a room as well but that can be tricky.) You request that the "tab" be placed in front of you and you observe at close hand each and every entry. Insist also that all the names of the drink recipients be written in English so you know who is getting what. (they usually only write the names in Hangul). This latter method tworks fine but the downside is that you have to pay attention. 5. The 5th option; insist that one bar tender or barback who you can trust be directly responsible to you for handling the tab. (then cross your fingers and do a good check at the end od the night)
A last observation relative to tabs at KB's, I've never seen one yet where they did not automatically list the DJ's or barback's drink at $20 versus their normal $10. I buy the barback a $20 neko now and then but it's the principle of automatically doubling the normal price because they think they can get away with it. (the barbacki is not doing it but rather it's the bartender doing it on his behalf).
Be careful and enjoy.
Kaina.
Depends which KB you go to
[QUOTE=Kaina2076;3022292]Every now and then one goes to the bar with limited cash in pocket with the intention of having a couple of drinks, checking it out and moving on; then low and behold you run into a couple of pals, meet a new and interesting lady and you decide to keep the party going. You need to resort to plastic. Some options are: 1. Put a napkin on your glass and walk to the nearest bank ATM if one is handy. 2. Use the bar's ATM. This will cost about $3 which is minimal. (I am always leery that some bar ATM might have some sort of card scamming attachment, but never had a problem yet.) 3. Ask the bar for "cash back" on your card. 95% of the bars do this upon request. If you are not known they will want to charge you $6 per $100. However if you are known there will be no charge or you can ask that the bartender or Mama waive the fee in return for a neko which you were probably going to buy them anyway. All of the preceding in effect puts you back on a cash basis. 4. Option #4 pretty much requires you to be sitting at the bar. (I've done it in a room as well but that can be tricky.) You request that the "tab" be placed in front of you and you observe at close hand each and every entry. Insist also that all the names of the drink recipients be written in English so you know who is getting what. (they usually only write the names in Hangul). This latter method tworks fine but the downside is that you have to pay attention. 5. The 5th option; insist that one bar tender or barback who you can trust be directly responsible to you for handling the tab. (then cross your fingers and do a good check at the end od the night)
A last observation relative to tabs at KB's, I've never seen one yet where they did not automatically list the DJ's or barback's drink at $20 versus their normal $10. I buy the barback a $20 neko now and then but it's the principle of automatically doubling the normal price because they think they can get away with it. (the barbacki is not doing it but rather it's the bartender doing it on his behalf).
Be careful and enjoy.
Kaina.[/QUOTE]Some KBs or VBs are going to fleece you if you use plastic, but I remember a question of how many drinks were being charged to a tab at Evergreen one night and without prompting, Sylvia offered to rescind the drink that she took. I was actually quite impressed with her for doing that.
