Only had good experience at the ram. I just drink beer there if I drink at all. Good lunch spot but don't go there for dinner or on weekends. It's nice being retired

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Stopped going years ago when they cancelled that bomb spicy calamari.

Your response made me realize I left out a critical piece of info...mea culpa. Probably a good reason why I don't write technical manuals on how to disarm ordinance.

The manager said all their martini's have two shots.
In addition, he said they only charge for actual alcohol. No upcharge for fillers or garnish.
They list a Tito's Lemondrop Martini for $8.00. Two shots.
I ordered a straight Tito's Martini. Two shots. $11.00.
There's the rub. It's not the price. It's the indefensible variance.

Keep in mind, this is now an escalation, because when I asked the server, he said "That doesn't make sense, let me check into it". He came back and said "That's the way it is...", to which I said "I would like your manager help me understand".

Instead of getting a lesson/lecture on corporate policy and pricing, here's what should have happened when I pointed to the menu and asked for clarification.

RAM manager: "Good evening, Mr. Customer. I understand you have a question regarding our cocktail pricing? How may I help?"
Me: "Yes. I ordered this drink, which seems to be similar to this drink, and I paid almost three dollars more. Why is that?"
RAM manager: "Hmmm, that does seem strange. Not sure what happened here, but I'll be happy to make an adjustment to your bill. Is there anything else I may help you with? How was your food tonight?"

Defuse the situation, accommodate a request that (I would argue) any normal person would perceive as reasonable, given the existing scenario, and then guide the customer to remark on a separate element, ie, food/service, of which there was no complaint. Guiding the conversation to a positive area.

In this case, the complaint was not about food or service, but pricing. Take care of the issue, and let the customer expound on an element of which there was no issue. With the right training, he could have had me singing praises about the food, and the service, and that's how I would have left the restaurant.

Under that scenario, they would have retained a customer.

Instead, he wanted to "tell me" about corporate policy, and why he was right, and I was wrong, but this "one time" he would "take care of me".

Had a shitty experience in 2011, took seven years for my wife to consider stepping foot back through the door. Won't be back. They won't miss me, I'm sure, and I won't miss them.

The reason they won't miss us is because we old crusty types are being replaced by the new, just turned 21 newbies.

The Ram never impressed me. The food is just ok. Never understood why my old boss liked it so much.

For what they charge for the "whiskey" they serve at most lounge/bar/restaurants, one could buy a bottle really good stuff, especially well aged single malt Scotch, and come out ahead when you factor in the number of "drinks" contained in the bottle. If I'm going to have a morning hangover it might as well be one caused by good whiskey.

Based on most bottle costs versus bar prices charged, you can be "drinking for free" after the first half dozen drinks from the bottle at home.

888

Never drink at bars, just order water and drink at home, saves you money and saves you from a DUI.

I never been to a Ram? Do they have a bonfire in there I can stand around while I drink?

If you want foo-foo drinks stay home, and make them yourself.

Usually, I do. Lol

I agree with Nate, as to what they Manager should have done. Big fail for a manager to lecture a customer over $3. The customer is "always right." If you can fix it for a trivial amount of money, just do it with a smile and retain the business. The profit margin on alcohol is already thru the roof they are still making money. As I said, a shot of liquor is probably 50 cents wholesale. That drink might have cost the company a dollar to make in volume considering the gross profit margins.

In the instant case, the company lost more money in time for two employees to dispute $3 with Nate, than just waiving the upcharge and making the customer instantly happy. A free round of drinks, costing the company almost nothing, for pointing out the error, would have made him a repeat customer for life and he'd have probably sold someone on a Ram lunch today. Advertising budgets are millions of dollars. Instead, it's negative press.

Back when I was a stock broker, we had up to $250 on the spot authorization to "make it right" for any client. Client calls in, upset about pretty much anything (overcharged on this or that, yadda yadda), my response was "Sir/ma'am, I can take care of that right now by deposing XXX into your account to cover your cost and inconvenience. Would that resolve this to your satisfaction?" Boom. Done. My wages, making customers hold, making other customers calling in hold, and upsetting a client for a trivial amount of money is bad business. That company is now one of the top brokerage houses in the business where others folded and went under.

Now, to the Ram's credit, the few times I've been I've enjoyed it and had fair to good service. Once, I got a to-go order and got home and it was wrong. I still ate it as I was starving. But I called and told them, and they gave me a credit for a free future meal, which I cashed in another day. Now that is exactly the service I expect from a restaurant.

I just read a study on the cost/profit on liquor. Naturally the cost will vary with the cost of the booze going into the drink. In their study they used an up-market bottle costing $50 (including tax). Per drink cost was right around $2 and they factored in a 15% "pouring cost" which is supposed to cover the associated labor, other items included (various additives and garnish). They also stated that that $50 bottle of hooch would be pouring $25 drinks.

The last serious drinking I did was before I retired and was being "wined and dined" by manufacturers. I got to taste 25 year old Maccallan without a single bit of pain in my wallet Won't be bringing home a bottle of that anytime soon. Only $2k per bottle last I looked.

Pretty close to my estimates - a 1/2 gallon bottle of good bar liquor is retail is what, $40? Wholesale it's probably 50-75% that so maybe $20-30 bucks. Probably get 50+ shots out of a 1/2 gallon. Granted they typically use smaller bottles like 5ths. Still. General math... charging ~$5-10 per "drink" which is a shot, at wholesale costs of under a dollar inclusive. 400%-800% or so markup...

Ya, drinking at a bar is hugely expensive.
The Chinese restaurant by our house is always full of regulars sitting at the bar almost every day after work.
Must spend $20-30K a year on their bar tabs.