PART II -
Current Patron Options
Living in Delaware, I am approxamately 5 minutes from 3 startes. Go east, I am in NJ. North - PA. West- MD. None of which have an indoor smoking ban. What does this mean? This means smokers can travel the 5 minutes and get a beer in another state, in a bar that welcomes them. Now.. since the majority of drinkers are smokers, and "a crowd loves a crowd", the Non smokers follow them. Also.. just a side note, last call in De is 1 AM, MD, PA and NJ - 2AM. Not very healthy for the De economy, is it?
Finacial implications
Lets start with the Delaware slots. $33 Mil in state revenue. Noy down over 25%. (AC is 1 1/2 hours away, up 18% in bussiness since the smoking ban took place). Again there's a majority of casino patrons who smoke. Close to mirrioring the Delaware stats, approx 77%. Staggering...
Lets look at this on a more local scale. My friend Brian is the proprieter of a local bar. (The owner died and left it to his brother, who lives in Cali, and gave brian control for now). This bar, is what we would call a DIVE. It caters to construction workers, bikers, and mostly, the employees of the local up scale brew pub who go there after thier shift. That's how I started going there, after my shifts at Stewarts Brewing. So as explained, THIS IS A BAR. It's a hole in the wall with a few beer taps where 98% of the clientel smokes. Did the state care? No. This took 50% of brians customers away. Brian finally said Fuck it.. and he allowed smoking in the bar. Until the ABC found out. Sales went up, and are now back down.
Even more locally... Myself. I work Mon-Friday for Discover Card, and Friday Saturday and Sunday I now work at an irish pub in the city. Prior to the ban, an average Saturday night was about $200 to $250 in tips. Since, it's about $80 - $150. Why? Here's why -
1. Lack of traffic. People don't come in to DE because the crowds left.
2. Lack of staying power - When people did come in, a typical table for me was 4 or 5 bartenders tieing one off. $300 check, $100 tip. Not any more. They come in.. have a beer, go out to smoke, and go to other bars. So it's $20 here.. $30 there.. etc.
3. Non smokers don't tip as well as smokers. Fact. Ask any waiter/waitress who tips better.
Options not considered
Most smokers know that smoking isn't a right. We also know that people don't like to eat when there is smoking. So a smoking ban in a resturant makes sence. But what about in a bar? No. What about segregation? A seperate smoking bar and non smoking, split by sealed doors? No. This wouldn't work because the Non smokers would want to be on the smoking side (where the cool people are) and that would render the seperation obsolete.
1.Why not set a time for smoking? 10PM. No smoking before 10. This gives both sides the chance to get what they want. Dinner from 7-10, drinking from 10-1.
2. Let the owners decided. When some opens a club or bar, why not let that owner decide who he wants to cater to. A sign on the front door.. SMOKING INSIDE should be enough to ward off complaints. If you want to go in... you know what your in for.
Alright... I guess that's all I can think of.
Flame away.