Mandatory Food & Drink Minimums at Live Events

I am very lucky in that I have built up enough of a name and reputation for myself in major markets like New York, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles that I am invited to many things. Live performance is one of my passions and I cover it with all the zeal and careful attention that I can. I have made relationships with many of the artists that I cover and have followed their careers very sharply.

However there is one thing which really bugs me about the live event; that is the food & drink minimum. With all the conversions of spaces from strictly bars or restaurants or coffee shops to multi-use lounges, I understand that the venue has to get something from the performance. But there is nothing worse than sitting through a bad performance, oh, and by the way, you have to shell out twenty or thirty bucks per person in your party for food and drinks you may or may not want for the privilege of getting in to see this mess.

One would figure that bars or cafes or lounges would do more homework on the artists that they are bringing in; making sure that they are good enough to have enough of a following before they invite them to come on down. If I really liked someone I would be more than willing to pay to get in; the bonus of getting to enjoy some fine spirits or food is the cherry on top.

But it should never be mandatory.

In fact these hosting venues should work with the artists on the front end to have them encourage their followers to "bring an appetite." I'd be a lot more receptive to going to see and artist I like and consuming some of what this space had to sell me based on their recommendation than going in with the leery, pit-in-my-stomach feeling of having to eat or drink.

The venues could do us all a favor too and make the event entertaining on their side. You know, offer specials, take advanced orders, make some exotic drinks especially for the evening; give us something to look forward to, rather than just schlepping out the same tired, overpriced cocktails and getting angry when we're not totally enthusiastic about paying for these things we may or may not have wanted.

We came to see the show. Dig it? Eliminating the mandatory drink or food minimum at live events and creating something memorable for the attendees would make people a lot more excited about your venue and a lot more likely to return on their own.