Tonight I did a bar shop at a bar located inside of a well-known four-star hotel. The survey is mostly check-off with very limited narrative compared to other bar shops I've done.

The service was without question effecient and excellent and no cash or pouring issues were detected. Near the end of the visit the bartender, who had been chatting with a patron who appeared to be a regular, without prompting went into a political rant about an issue that he had seen on the news. While not racist or similarily offensive the commentary maligned certain people and could have been easily turned off the customers who were in earshot. (Ironically the patron clearly had a differing point of view and artfully steered the conversation in a different direction.)

I'm debating whether or not to mention this in the narrative. It was unusual enough that it seems like the exact kind of detail we're being paid to include. (If this was a "neighborhood" bar where politics was frequently discussed I wouldn't find it unusual, but in a hotel bar setting it seemed surprising.)

Of course I wouldn't state whether or not I agreed with the opinion expressed, but on the questions requesting a summary of the bar experience I was thinking of putting in something like this:

"The staff attended to all of the patrons' needs and the food was excellent and served quickly. The only surprising moment was when the bartender gave a seemingly unsolicited lengthy political commentary to a patron who seemed to be a regular."

Any thoughts?

I think you what you said right there is fine. I was doing a cell phone shop and when I walked in, the store manager said something to me about not helping Trump supporters. He was clearly joking, but I did not get the exact verbiage so I left it out of the report. He said it so quickly I was caught off guard. I rarely share my political viewpoints and he had no way of knowing if I am or I am not a supporter.

Your observation is very subjective. Your assumptions are the commentary was unsolicited and that the patron was a regular. Based on that, I would assume it was a normal discussion the two of them get into, seeing how passionate the bartender was. I've overheard many discussions that personally I find out of place yet by observing others no one else appeared to seem uncomfortable.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2017 12:25PM by isaiah58.

The comments had a unwelcome and lingering effect on you, so i would include it. You didn't ask to hear the bartenders views yet you had no choice but to listen to him vent. Isn't that his job? Aren't bartenders supposed to do the listening and not the talking?

Thanks for the good advice on both sides of the coin. I should have mentioned that the survey has subjective questions like "would you return" and "would you recommend to a friend" and I can think of plenty of friends who would have been livid if the conversation had been happening at normal volume right next to them while they were trying to eat/drink.

Right. The problem with Isaiah's viewpoint is that other people heard. The patron could have been in complete agreement, it would not change the fact that others heard it. I would simply leave off the words "seemingly unsolicited" and "who seemed to be a regular" as they are not pertinent to the point you are trying to make.

My advice is always, "when in doubt, leave it in." If the editors do not think it is feedback that the client wants/needs, they can always remove it. I do agree with bgriffin that you should take out "seemingly unsolicited" and "who seemed to be a regular." Stick to the facts. The bartender spoke about his personal political views to another customer loud enough that you could hear it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2017 01:55AM by ShoppersViewChristine.

I generally write the, "Would I return" based upon the objective of the job. If I am to be objective on the survey, and then stay within the bounds of what information the MSC is asking me to provide, I may or may not include something like that.

People talk about everything in bars, especially regulars. I may mention it in passing, but not make a big deal out of it. Today politics have become a matter of anger, and better to stay away from subject. Upon reflection, mention it lightly since it bothered you....go with your gut.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2017 06:56PM by Irene_L.A..

I don't own or run a business in any way, shape or form but it makes me kind of sad that people can be reprimanded for talking about social subjects in a bar. Sure it's the bartenders "duty" to lend an ear (which I'm sure can be quite annoying at times) but I require feedback during a conversation, especially when alcohol is involved. If it were a waiter, cab driver or anything where booze isn't on the menu then yeah I would mention it. Just my stupid 2 cents - Cheers



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2017 06:49PM by peedoubleyou.

The client will evaluate whatever details are provided. For all we know, the client might find the bartenders actions applauding.

Hmm. If the guidelines did not specify what the staff may and may not say while at work, and you do not work there and have not read the employee handbook, you just do not know what to say about that. If the bartender's remarks bothered you, that means you have a bias in that issue. If the remarks did not bother you, you share the bartender's view or bias. The client can decide if there was infraction, heroism, humor, gallows humor, playing to the crowd, or anything else. The client knows what their regular patrons like. They know if this will retain or attract customers. Interesting topic.

I used to live in an ultraconservative city. There was a chain of tire stores there that had Goodyear franchises. Several years ago during an election cycle they put up billboards around town that said "23 new Republican Congressmen elected. Now that's what I call a ...." and then had the Goodyear logo. It played very well to their customer base. It probably attracted them new customers. Their regular customers probably enjoyed the billboards.

Goodyear pulled their franchise on all 4 or 5 stores they owned.

I tell that story to say this. It doesn't matter what plays to your audience. A good business person knows politics and religion are never discussed as part of your business unless politics or religion ARE your business.