Sunday, September 08, 2013

Take a shot, keep the glass?

Sosie couldn't resist a stop at "Fat Stan's Lounge" in Ketchikan, Alaska, to buy a souvenir for her brother. Trouble is, when she came here two weeks ago, she forgot to bring it. So, as the saying goes: "My sister went to Alaska and all I got was this picture."

We checked the Internet for references to the namesake lounge and the first thing we got was an amusing directive to "Avoid Fat Stan's." Realizing you can see anything on the internet, we hope Sosie checked her change when she bought the shot. :)

Avoid Fat Stan's

TOURISTS BEWARE!!! Count your change very carefully. Fat Stan's WILL rip you off!!
I was on an Alaskan cruise this summer and there were several coupons floating around for Fat Stan's near the cruise dock - buy a beer and keep the glass. I went in to the bar to enjoy a beer and my free glass before hopping back on my ship. The place was packed.

I ordered my beer and gave the bartender, CHAD, a $20. He quickly shoved my money in the till and gave me back $4. When I told him I had given him a $20, he said, no, I had given him a $10. When I asked him if he was sure, he responded, "If you don't believe me, you can take it our of my tip jar." Since I wasn't positive, I demured (being a polite, professional 35 year old woman). I sat at the bar drinking my beer and, within 5 minutes, saw him do the same thing to another couple. They paid for their $12 drinks with a $20 and he gave them $4 in change. When they called it to his attention, he said, "oops," and gave them the correct change. I asked him again if he was sure I gave him a $10, not a $20. He said he was. The guy to my left was a local and was chatting with Chad in between customers. At one point, the other guy working in the adjoining liquor store (owner?) came over and the guy to my left whispered to him, "Did you hear what she said? She said she paid with a $20." The other employee responded, "That's not good."

When I got back to my ship I immediately went to my stateroom and counted my money. Indeed, I had given CHAD a $20 to pay for my $6 beer. Like most of the ships, mine was only in town for a half day. That is a whole lot of tourists coming in to Fat Stan's for a beer and a glass in the brief time before boarding the ship at 12:30pm. I am confident they make a significant portion of their profts from short-changing preoccupied toursits in a hurry to catch their ship.