[callmeed]

Good info, thanks for sharing. I do have one question that stands out as a paradox to me ...

You mention hiring well-connected, social butterfly types. Can't doing this increase your risk/amount of theft? In other words, if many of your patrons are socially connected to your staff, aren't they more likely to expect/get free drinks?

[peteforde]

I don't think social people are inherently nepotistic. In fact, I consider the expectation of ongoing free anything to be a primary characteristic of anti-social individuals.

That said, if you identify one person that appears to be a social hub, giving them free drinks might be good for business. YMMV!

[cullenking]

The cost of those drinks to a bar is ridiculously low for one. Secondly, have you ever consistently gotten more than a few free drinks, even when you are "friends" with the waiter/waitress/bartender? The good ones are fantastic at enticing people in by irregularly giving out a free drink here and there. It instills goodwill, hardly costs a cent, and makes loyal as hell patrons.