Rude Venue Manager Tells Bartender He Knows To Change A Keg, So He Lets Him Get Sprayed Right In The Face With A Shower Of Beer

Managers have a stereotype around them for a reason. And this manager is no exception.

One man took to Reddit to share his experience and the sweet karma he witnessed firsthand…

Happened about 10 years ago now, I had been working in catering and hospitality (managing pubs) for about 10 years at that stage.

The writer is an easy going and “happy to help” sort of guy.

The catering company I worked for had come up short staffed for a smallish function/ festival they were putting on. Probably max 200 people at a venue they controlled. I was in a different division but was asked to help out on the bar and the bump in/out. Easy enough and the music was looking pretty good so I agreed.

It was in the middle of Spring. The weather had not yet been really warm so we were expecting decent numbers but nothing special.

Bringing in the bar was easy enough. The venue was massive and easily able to accommodate the truck etc.

Having a single mobile bar with just 1 tap tree was probably on the light side but I figured the venue manager knew what he was doing.

The writer’s friendly demeanor was not matched by the venue manager.

So I introduced myself to him and got to work. I unloaded and brought all the gear and beverage in and made a couple of attempts to discuss how we’d set up the service area.

Each time was shut down with progressively more aggressive language until he finally told me “I’ve run dozens of functions in this venue, I think I know how to set it up. We really only asked for a bartender.”

OK no problem I thought.

I didn’t mention to him that it had been me that had picked up the truck from the warehouse, collected the bar and 10 kegs from our supplier, as well as the other beverage package, and delivered it to him. Or that I was the only one able to bump it all out at the end of the evening. So I just agreed with whatever he said and set up his he wanted.

So the weather ended up being a beautiful day. About 27C (80F) with a light breeze and the turnout was more like 400 – much better than expected.

Pretty quickly it turned out that we were struggling to keep up with bar service so I suggested that rather than a traditional service we should have one person on the till, one person constantly pouring beers (ie never shut off the tap) and one person filling other drinks (wine/ soft drinks etc).

The manager’s ego overlooked the customers needs.

Again I was snapped at by the now clearly stressed venue supervisor.

“You just keep serving and let me do the thinking!”

Ok so now I’d had enough.

Customers were getting frustrated at the slow service and this peanut was too proud to accept advice from someone far more experienced.

And then the keg blew.

I was about to change it when the peanut stepped in and said he would take care of it.

I checked that he knew what he was doing and was assured he’d done it a hundred times and to back off and leave him to it.

So I did.

Cue the karma…

I watched him not uncouple the gas line and go straight for the beer lock.

Happily he had his face right in the spot so as soon as he cracked the lock he copped a huge spray in the face of nice warm beer foam.

All through his hair and all over his glasses. Wet all down the front of his shirt as well.

It was glorious and the first 30 people in line thought so as well because they’d witnessed some of his antics.

I didn’t hear much out of him for the rest of the day. He asked me to change the kegs when needed and pretty much stayed away from the service area.

We streamlined things as well and although it didn’t end up a success as far as customer satisfaction, it was not the disaster that was brewing.

Readers were happy the venue manager was served some lukewarm karma.

One person commented their appreciation for the writer’s wittiness.

And this reader matched the writer’s wittiness!

This person had some advice for the manager.

Hopefully he takes it!