Fail

So, it's a very rough time of year for our restaurant.  I am constantly checking the bank balance and trying to play tetris with our finances.  Sure, everyone warned me that it isn't easy running a restaurant.  Everyone said it's a lot of work.  Everyone said most restaurants fail within the first few years.  I knew that.  We did grow our clientele and our notoriety.  We got to a point where we foolishly thought our new low in sales on any given night was higher than the first year when no one knew we existed.

We were wrong.

Some of these nights, 2 of us could run the whole restaurant - not 5 - 7 of us.  But we don't know.  That's the thrill of it.  The unpredictability.

There's always a reason we might be slow - school is starting, school just started.  Holiday week next week.  NFL season.  The world series.  Republican debate.  Miami Heat are playing.  Street festival downtown.  Funky Buddha bottle release.  Ultra Fest.  Some other beer festival in Miami, Key West, Palm Beach, Boston, Colorado, or wherever.

We tried happy hour or "Sunny hour" as we named it.  A poorly timed article the week before we closed for vacation, and a promise of another article that never happened were our publicity.  Sure, we posted on facebook & in a newsletter.  Initially, some people showed up, but then, you know.  School started.  Lots of traffic.  Heavy rain.  Yoga night.  Walk the dogs & laundry.  Kids are sick.

So, today is Veterans Day.  On looking at instagram, I noticed that we need to do an offer for military to show our appreciation for them risking their life for our country.  Seems reasonable.  Risk your life, get a discount.  I'm game.  Someone called to ask when we open today.  They also asked what we are offering for veterans.  I said, your first drink is free.

I got laughed at.  "You're giving veterans who served your country for you a free drink?"  More laughing.  What should I give?  A free appetizer?  It's the same price.  Is that too cheap?  I'm not good with these kinds of things.  What is appreciative enough without putting us under?

 I can't really afford to pay my bills.  My car is 7000 miles past due for service.  And I'm being cheap.

A drink here can be between $2 for a soda to $10 for a glass of pinot noir.  If a veteran comes in and orders a $5 half soba noodle salad and a $8 beer, that's a $13 tab.  That's a 61% discount (and yes I did need to use a calculator.) If the same veteran comes in and spends $100 (which is difficult for 1 person to do), and the veteran also gets a $10 glass of wine included in that $100, that's 10% off (no, I didn't have to use the calculator for that one).  What would be more generous, more appreciative to our veterans, who risked life and limb, but not put us in debt?  Well, nothing, because we are already in debt.

I know the veteran who comes in and specifically wants some kind of discount or free item doesn't care about our finances.  But, I do. I care about our finances.

I never have served in the military.  I would have served in the military if called upon.  At one point I thought I wanted to join. But I didn't. I can't empathize.  I guess I sometimes feel underappreciated.  I know what that feels like.  I guess I know what it's like to be behind the scenes, helping things run smoothly while others are able to perform their jobs better because some small unseen task that I did.

But I don't really go fishing for discounts.  I did once go somewhere on my birthday to get the free prime rib.  But we still ended up spending well over $100.  We might not have spent that much if I hadn't gotten the free prime rib.

Ok.... now back to work.  End of sad rant.