Me and Mal @ Dick’s Last Resort

Dick’s Last Resort

I recently expressed my great appreciation for paying only a quarter for a bottle of beer.  I would now like to focus on my frustration for paying six dollars for a bottle of beer. Last Friday I was in Chicago at Dick’s Last Resort. Its the kind of place where the staff makes fun of you and treats you like shit, so I was already a little uneasy. However, after seeing the prices at the bar I became very uneasy. I spent six dollars on a bottle of beer and I wasn’t even at a bar! Whats more, the bartender gave be a shitty look when I tipped him only a dollar.

I do not understand why a bottle of beer that you could buy for less than a dollar at a liquor store costs so much in the city. If only one place would take a stand and offer liquor and beer at a cheap/affordable price than I think they could dominate the market share. I don’t think I can afford to go to Chicago and drink for quite awhile, I think I’ll stay here in West Lafayette and drink cheap.

 

I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS AGAIN MY LOVE FOR QUARTER BEERS AT WHERE ELSE?

AMC

Have you ever been stuck in a long line waiting to get a movie ticket? If you are like me than you have. Last week Saturday I was at an AMC movie theater with my family. Upon entering we saw the dreaded long line. After waiting in line for a couple of minutes my father happened to notice something out of the corner of his eye. It was a little kiosk that you could purchase your movie tickets off of using a credit card. Whats more, there was no line for it. Thrilled our family hopped out of line, purchased our tickets, and made it to the movie on time.

This small addition to a large company is a great example of understanding and solving your customer’s problems. It can get crowded on the weekends in a movie theater and often times those lines build up. AMC addressed this issue and made an effort to change it with their new kiosk. This new addition will certainly leave customers even more satisfied, I know it did for me.

McDonald’s… I’m Not Lovin It

So it was Monday night and naturally I attended quarter beers at Where Else. Around 12:30 I decided to stumble on down the hill to McDonald’s to use the five dollar gift card my grandmother got me for Easter. After waiting in a slow line for about ten minutes I finally got my turn to order some delicious treats. However, after placing my order (which was all written down on a blank piece of paper), I was then informed that their machines weren’t taking credit card or gift cards at the time, only cash. This is not the first occurrence I have run into at McDonald’s concerning this matter. For some reason they shut down their credit card machines late at night. I have only ever run into this problem in West Lafayette which probably provides a lot more late night business than most other areas. Infuriated and having no cash on me I was forced to leave without getting anything to eat.

It seems strange that the most successful restaurant in the world has trouble keeping their machines going at all hours that they are open. It is absolutely foolish in my opinion to shut down the credit card systems late at night. This company does not understand its target market. McDonald’s is a popular hangout for late night drunkards and without their credit card machines I would assume that they lose a lot of business. Not only that, but the most dominant restaurant in the world should cater to its customers at all times. In this case they should have provided me with the payment option of my choosing. Looks like I won’t be going to McDonald’s after any of my late night excursions anymore! 

Gas

This passed weekend I was back home enjoying Easter with my family. Nearly out of fuel I stopped at the local Speedway to get some gas. However, I knowingly passed a Marathon and Mobile on my way to Speedway. Both gas stations had lower gas prices as well! Why then I wonder do I still always go to Speedway over other gas stations? 

The answer is simple. Speedway has positioned itself in the minds of many consumers that they are the superior gas station. Perhaps it is their fine looking establishments, friendly employees, fast pumps, great mini marts, or those big red fancy Speedway signs. Whatever the case, they have created an attractive place for customers to come and make their purchase. They also offer a rewards program for loyal customers that results in various prizes. In the end, Speedway understands its customers and caters to their needs. For me, and many others, it is worth the extra cents per gallon.

Where Else Can You Buy Quarter Beers?

So last week Wednesday was my 21st birthday! Which means that this week Monday was my first Quarter Bottles at Where Else bar. After paying a $3 cover charge you can purchase Busch light for 25 cents, Miller/Coors for 50 cents, and 18 ounce bottles for 75 cents. I couldn’t believe how packed the place was. From experience and talking with friends, Where Else is normally dead during the week. However, with these great deals on alcohol, how can a broke college student resist? I don’t normally find myself in Where Else but you better believe that after drinking six beers for $1.50 I will be accruing some quarters every Monday and walking over to the bar.

What a brilliant tactic from Where Else bar. There is a lot of competition among the campus bars. Most nights other bars steal the spotlight from Where Else but with these unbelievable deals, they have found their night and are reaping the benefits.

Product Placement

I was currently watching one of my favorite Mike Myers movies entitled “Wayne’s World”. About half way through the movie Wayne held of a Pepsi, advertised it, and drank it. This notion was clearly mocking product placement in movies but it got me thinking. How prevalent is product placement in our lives. I would argue that we are incredibly influenced by this genius advertising method. When we see our favorite celebrities using certain products in our favorite movies, we are naturally inclined to follow their lead. Products brand themselves through product placement. Consequently, we brand ourselves through the product brands that we purchase. I think it is cool to drink Pepsi cause Wayne did it in Wayne’s world. We are constantly bombarded with product placement. It is now in everything we watch, we cannot escape it. 

I believe it is important to have a mind of our own and not let others decide what is cool for us. We are all unique and special individuals. Buy a product because deep down its what you want, not because it was trendy in a movie or your favorite celebrity has it. It is our duty as free American citizens to brand ourselves and not let corporate America do the branding for us.

Who Knew Chili Tasted So Good!

Yesterday I stumbled into the School House of Chili for the very first time. Upon entering I was instantly greeted by the owner himself. Dawson proceeded to tell me all about how they make their chili and what they offer. Friendly and outgoing, the owner really left an impression on me. Not only did he let me, but he encouraged me to sample all their different types of chili to see which one I liked the best. When I told him I didn’t quite have enough money to buy a meal right then he let me have one anyways and told me to pay him back later! I went there today to pay him back for my meal and due to his genuine kindness I purchased another. I was also given a NCAA Sweet 16 bracket to fill out to potentially win $500 or an IPad 2!!!

When I think of great customer service, my mind now races back to the instance at School House of Chili. This owner took the time to personally get to know me and sell me on his product. I’m not the biggest fan of chili but I can guarantee you I will be back to visit Dawson and School House of Chili. The lesson here is that customers respond extremely positively to genuine kindness. People want to be treated like human beings, not just another customer in the long line of customers. It goes a long way and I can guarantee you that with a good product to back it up, repeat business is inevitable. 

Beefy Crunch Burrito

Such a delicious treat will be missed..