Gridskipper
From the mailbag, re: Washington's Worst Bouncers, and specifically the bouncers at JR's:
i'm the manager here at jrs. and i think your criticism of us is just a wee bit unfair. unlike most straight bar/clubs, gay bars especially, jrs caters to pretty decent people who behave themselves without the need for thuggish babysitters. what we do need is someone to check IDs at the door, so all of our employees have two nights a month where they sit at the door and do just so. instead of having some huge gigantic (scary) asshole at the door, we have members of our staff who the customers know and enjoy talking to ... a nice greeting at the door is far more welcoming than the alternative. as for "illiterate twinks" ... you've obviously never been to our bar. please feel free to come and visit anytime.And what about the whole passports-as-ID thing?
... and based on some of the comments by your readers, they too have obviously never been to the bar. anyone in this business knows the strict rules of the city involving alcohol sales and identification. i have taken several seminars on spotting fake IDs. this city does not mess around. we're not going to risk it. we've had very strict rules as to what ids we accept, and we've had those rules as long as i've worked there (going on 7 years) and long before. we're not the only establishment who has the policy of only taking passports if you do not have a US drivers license or military id. it's a sucky, difficult rule, but we're not taking the chance. sorry. hell, you can look 55 and be 100% american but if you don't have id, you're probably not coming in. again, sorry, but we're not risking it.Check out more Mean Week.my door people and i have always been very polite about that rule that, yes, most foreigners don't understand — but they also don't work in THIS industry in THIS city. i can't count the times i've said to people (who have accepted my offer) that if they just go and get their passports, i'd be more than happy to buy them a round or two.
anyway, just thought i'd put my two cents in. our door guys are just doing their job, which is what myself, my other managers and the owner ask of them.
Comments
Awesome! Hey Everyone, it's the all-new Foreigners Drink Free Fridays! Starting this Friday (December 7) from 8PM onwards at JRs, all gay males showing foreign passports get 2 (THAT'S TWO!) or more free cocktails on the house*.
Be there . . . or be somewhere else that just let's you in with your driver's license.
*Offer not valid for citizens of developing nations, especially those of the browner persuasion. Personal insults at the door are free unless otherwise posted. Side effects include severe nausea, a sudden revulsion to facial hair, and recovering lost memories of early 80s music videos.
I just wanted to respond to the JRs manager who emailed his explanation of the bouncing rules. Apparently, he did not understand my previous post in which I explained that 2 of my friends holding valid international passports were DENIED entry to JRs because they did not have UNITED STATES ISSUED ID. The JRs bouncers would not accept VALID FOREIGN PASSPORTS. This is blatent discrimination. According to the managers' statement, they should take valid passports if the person does not have US issued ID, but this is not the practice at JRs. JRs needs to teach its bouncers to be nice to all customers (not simply the regulars they wish to greet at the door with a friendly smile) including new customers from lands far away that the bouncers have never heard of and couldn't begin to find on a map!
my partner and i just went to jr's for a friendly saint patrick's day drink. we have been regular customers there and were shocked when the bouncer told us that he would not let my partner in using the same European Union-standard ID that he has been using in the past. It's English language with far more security features than in my DC-issued license. I appreciate the risks to JR's and the strict rules of DC, but let's get real. DC is an international city. The job of the bar is to devise their own internal rules to make sure they don't get in trouble with the law. That means using common sense...common sense would mean asking for ID from anyone who looks to be within 10 years of the drinking age. My partner is 33 and isn't easily mistaken for a young twink. Common sense would also mean establishing a policy to accept ID's that are easily verified. It's a heck of a lot easier teaching your employees to recognize ONE standard identification card (used to replace passports in travel throughout Europe) from ALL 27 European Union countries than to educate them on the mysteries of 50 different driver's licenses in the U.S. It's not only easy - it also makes good business sense. Those Europeans have lots of excess Euros to throw about because of the weak dollar.
As for the FREE DRINK OFFER, that has apparently been withdrawn. We were given a rude send-off. JR's is lacking in common sense and customer service!
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