Comments on: Smoking Ban! http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/ A totalfood.com blog about pressures and changes in the foodservice industry. Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:41:20 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Kurt http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-93 Kurt Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:58:04 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-93 Smoking is so 'old school' it actually is expected to be no smoking in restaurants, food and cigarettes or cigars do not mix! Some, a very few of our guests and foreign visitors do go outside for a quick smoke and they (mostly) respect the fact that it is the norm here in Mass. It has not affected our business and I beleive has enhanced it especially with families. Smoking is so ‘old school’ it actually is expected to be no smoking in restaurants, food and cigarettes or cigars do not mix! Some, a very few of our guests and foreign visitors do go outside for a quick smoke and they (mostly) respect the fact that it is the norm here in Mass. It has not affected our business and I beleive has enhanced it especially with families.

]]> By: Will http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-66 Will Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:51:09 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-66 Drink specials or a happy hour with accompanying hors D'oeuvres at a set price. Also giving free samples works well to promote house specialties. A restaurant could have a server passing small bites on a try to those out side smoking. In terms of smoking I feel that restaurants/bars need to have an outside seating area or benches with proper ash trays and offer drinks to those outside. Having a server outside asking for customer needs such as drinks or small bites is key. Furthermore, the bar can obtain a tobacco licence and sell cigars or cigarettes to those outside, like the candy girls in the 1920's. This servers job is very simple make sure every smoker has a drink in hand so that the bar is brought outside to meet the needs of the smokers. Therefore, the smoking crowd feels that they are at the bar. There are many problems with this as many city's don't allow outside drinking without a permit or it's outright illegal. Drink specials or a happy hour with accompanying hors D’oeuvres at a set price. Also giving free samples works well to promote house specialties. A restaurant could have a server passing small bites on a try to those out side smoking. In terms of smoking I feel that restaurants/bars need to have an outside seating area or benches with proper ash trays and offer drinks to those outside. Having a server outside asking for customer needs such as drinks or small bites is key. Furthermore, the bar can obtain a tobacco licence and sell cigars or cigarettes to those outside, like the candy girls in the 1920’s. This servers job is very simple make sure every smoker has a drink in hand so that the bar is brought outside to meet the needs of the smokers. Therefore, the smoking crowd feels that they are at the bar. There are many problems with this as many city’s don’t allow outside drinking without a permit or it’s outright illegal.

]]> By: Nancy http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-65 Nancy Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:47:10 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-65 We don’t run into a problem. Our bar outlets also have outside seating and service We don’t run into a problem. Our bar outlets also have outside seating and service

]]> By: Shane http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-64 Shane Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:25:59 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-64 Marriott has gone non-smoke Nation Wide and no effects have been seen in the decline of bar activity. Marriott has gone non-smoke Nation Wide and no effects have been seen in the decline of bar activity.

]]> By: Holly http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-63 Holly Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:20:27 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-63 don't have a bar so it isn't really an issue for me. My restaurant has always been smoke free and I think that overall everyone I know smokers and non prefer even non smoking bars ultimately. don’t have a bar so it isn’t really an issue for me. My restaurant has always been smoke free and I think that overall everyone I know smokers and non prefer even non smoking bars ultimately.

]]> By: Karen http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-62 Karen Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:14:43 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-62 no problem for us...we've been a non smoking joint for 29 years:)...and we have only a service bar where we bring drinks to the tables,, don't have a real "sitting" bar. no problem for us…we’ve been a non smoking joint for 29 years:)…and we have only a service bar where we bring drinks to the tables,, don’t have a real “sitting” bar.

]]> By: Glenn http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-61 Glenn Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:44:18 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-61 From what I have seen in bars and restaurants as long as there is a reasonable access to a smoking area the smokers will drink inside and then go outside to smoke and come back in to drink. There is always an adjustment period but people have the ability to adjust. If patrons that are smokers don't want to hang out at a bar because they can no longer smoke there they don't have a lot of options in a whole state smoking ban or they can go to an Indian casino and spend even more money From what I have seen in bars and restaurants as long as there is a reasonable access to a smoking area the smokers will drink inside and then go outside to smoke and come back in to drink. There is always an adjustment period but people have the ability to adjust. If patrons that are smokers don’t want to hang out at a bar because they can no longer smoke there they don’t have a lot of options in a whole state smoking ban or they can go to an Indian casino and spend even more money

]]> By: Celeste http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-60 Celeste Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:51:01 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-60 we do not have a seated bar nor do we allow smoking in our restaurant we do not have a seated bar nor do we allow smoking in our restaurant

]]> By: Michael http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-59 Michael Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:48:39 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-59 the smoking ban is a great thing for restaurants and bars that sell alot of food because most patrons hate smoke and now the gov't is the bad guy not us. Only your lower end places really suffer..... the smoking ban is a great thing for restaurants and bars that sell alot of food because most patrons hate smoke and now the gov’t is the bad guy not us. Only your lower end places really suffer…..

]]> By: Rebecca http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/2008/07/09/smoking-ban/#comment-58 Rebecca Fri, 11 Jul 2008 13:47:41 +0000 http://totalfooddirtydishes.wordpress.com/?p=15#comment-58 I would like to tell you that I have some sage advice to offer, but in all honesty a very small percentage of our clientele are smokers. We invoked a non smoking policy a year before it was mandated by law. We have found however that by developing a bar menu some of our regular customers are coming more regularly. It is because the economy is difficult and they want something more affordable or is it that they so enjoy Marco’s (our infamous bartender) company and his outstanding Martini’s? Or possibly, they just want something that is lighter, more casual and less time consuming along with a really great glass of wine from our cellar and then to be on their way. Whatever it is, we are appreciative for their patronage and feel honored that they grace our bar with their presence. I would like to tell you that I have some sage advice to offer, but in all honesty a very small percentage of our clientele are smokers. We invoked a non smoking policy a year before it was mandated by law.

We have found however that by developing a bar menu some of our regular customers are coming more regularly. It is because the economy is difficult and they want something more affordable or is it that they so enjoy Marco’s (our infamous bartender) company and his outstanding Martini’s? Or possibly, they just want something that is lighter, more casual and less time consuming along with a really great glass of wine from our cellar and then to be on their way. Whatever it is, we are appreciative for their patronage and feel honored that they grace our bar with their presence.

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