Posted on 08/03/2013 7:35:49 AM PDT by Libloather
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - An operator of TGI Fridays restaurants in New Jersey has agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for serving customers cheap booze when they paid for top shelf.
**SNIP**
The franchisee also faces a lawsuit in state court by two women who claim Briad had instituted a uniform policy to substitute cut-rate liquor for premium brands for over at least a year, in violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. It seeks reimbursement for all customer losses and punitive damages of three times the price of each drink.
Twenty-nine establishments, including 13 TGI Fridays, had been accused of cheating customers following state raids in May. The attorney general's office said the state decided to pursue charges against only eight of the TGI Fridays. The other cases remain under investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.msn.com ...
Think about that for a moment.
Rubbing alcohol* has been deliberately poisoned, to kill or blind anyone who dares not pay the Kings Taxes.
This would be a gross criminal act if anyone but the government ordered it.
*Not all rubbing alcohol is isopropyl based, there are ethyl alcohol based rubbing alcohols.
Ter-ayza fancied gin soaked raisins.
One good thing (maybe the only good thing) about my home state of New Jersey is the proliferation of “Bring Your Own Bottle” restaurants. Most restaurants cannot afford to pay tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a liquor license on the open market, so they are willing to open and pour the wine that you bring for no corkage fee whatsoever in order to get you into their establishment.
So, instead of going to a crappy chain restaurant and spending $15 on an entrée and $25 on drinks, one can opt for a more upscale restaurant, spend $25 on an entrée, and bring a very nice $15 bottle of wine that will serve 2 or 3 people.
Top Shelf’s laugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpoSigKI4es
You are correct of course, drink more than a very small amount of isopropyl alcohol and you’re gonna die.
That is good to see. NJ is my home state, I left as soon as I could though.
The dirty secret is most restaurants live by their wine and liquor sales, especially at the bottom end for wine. Some charge 3 times retail value which is reprehensible, the mark up on the higher ends is less but who can afford a retail $35 bottle for $75 every time one dines, I cannot. Worse, their wine selections are poor or poorly matched to their cusine too frequently.
I have been drinking through my cellar as I will not out live it so I opt for the BYOB places. Last BYOB for me was an 89 La Mission Haut Brion, a wonderful fully mature bordeaux which went well with our beef entrees. I make a point of always sharing my BYOB with the waiter. I tip at least 40% on the entire bill when having such a bottle.
There is a lot of truth in that. Restaurants are very sensitive to litigation and do not want to be responsible for intoxicated customers getting DUIs or worse, causing a fatality. So they will be careful when pouring a second or third drink for a customer. In many dining establishments, the waitstaff are trained to let the bartender know if it is a customer's second drink so that less alcohol can be poured into it.
Unless I'm sitting at the bar and can see my drink being poured, I stick with the "house brand" of liquor. You are definitely overpaying ordering top-shelf liquor in a restaurant. I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to liquor but I generally only drink the top-shelf stuff at home. And yes, there is a difference between say Herradura tequila and Jose Cuervo. Or Glenlivit scotch vs Dewars. Etc.
*sipping* “Hmm...Oh, dear. Chateau de Liverpool Street!” *Puts glass down.*
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