An Important WARNING If You’re Doing a St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl in Philly This Weekend

It is about to be the worst weekend of the year for Philly's bartenders and service staff.

This may be a hot take, but we’re about to approach the one of the toughest weekends of the year for those who work in Philadelphia’s hospitality industry and this is just my way of saying: Thank you.

In fact, I’d argue that it’s the worst weekend of the year to work in a restaurant or bar in Philadelphia.

Why is that?  Well, it’s a 60-year-old tradition that is about to occur once again in Philly.

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It’s the annual St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl and Erin Express.

And, honestly, it's not JUST the bar crawl. It's also the thousands upon thousands of people who flock into our City to enjoy our cool Irish pubs (for the one day of the year they visit us). 

So this is nothing personal against the group running that bar crawl or the participants, I swear. Though, it may feel that way.

There is something about that group that nearly every bartender I’ve talked to in recent weeks has been dreading.

If you don’t know Erin Express and the St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl is when THOUSANDS of participants head to more than 30 bars throughout the city.

That sounds kind of cool, but there’s something about this bar crawl that servers dread.

Is it the drunk leprechauns running through the streets? Is it the “basic girls and guys” who participate?

It just seems like the crowd is SO massive that they’re unable to control the mob mentality.

I'm not the only one who feels this way, by the way. A writer for PhillyMag.com wrote THIS back in 2012

St. Patrick’s Day means hopping over puddles of puke on Spring Garden Street, dodging stumbling girls on too-high heels dressed in neon green spandex short shorts, and defending myself against drunken frat guys (or former frat guys) in kelly green polo shirts and flip flops who think that calling each other “b*” will somehow entice women to make out with them.

 

And the worst part?

One server I talked to at a Center City bar told me this week that the St. Patrick's Day weekend bar crawlers are notoriously bad tippers.

Apparently, they don’t tip their servers well because they’re complaining about the service time.

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Keep in mind that literally HUNDREDS of participants are showing up at these venues ready to drink (and many are already relatively drunk when they arrive). So, yes, service takes time when you arrive to a bar.

This event runs from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m., but the after parties (and usual St. Patrick's Day weekend debauchery will run well into the night).

I asked one server this week if he thought this crowd was better or worse than working the day of the Eagles Super Bowl Parade?

And he said, “the parade crowd was absolutely better and easier to serve all day.”

What does that tell you, Philly?

If you're visiting this weekend to drink and enjoy St. Patrick's Day in Philly, this is me PLEADING with you: be kind to your servers.