Etiquette...

[Phonetek]

It's been a while since we've had an etiquette discussion. At this center I see that the leagues are very good about it and open bowlers are hit or miss. Since we typical had at least 2 pairs between leagues and open play, I get very few issues between the two.

During open play I get my share of good bowlers coming to practice and my share of the casual out for a good time bowlers. We do our best to separate them if possible. It's not always possible though.

As most of you are primary serious bowlers who all likely practice etiquette, how to you deal with non compliance?

Do you...

1. Give them a dirty look going they will understand?

2. Set an example by stepping off the approach when you see them out of the corner of your eye?

3. Slam you ball back on the return and huff and puff hoping they notice?

4. Scream at them telling they are rude and threaten that you will stab them with a broken beer bottle of they do it again?

5. Go to the counter and get staff to give them a taking to?

6. Go politely go talk to them and educate how things are supposed to work?

7. Ignore them?

8. Get annoyed and leave?

9. Text Boatman to come over packing?

10. Something else?

Comments?

[RobLV1]

#2 or #6

[boatman37]

It's been a while since we've had an etiquette discussion. At this center I see that the leagues are very good about it and open bowlers are hit or miss. Since we typical had at least 2 pairs between leagues and open play, I get very few issues between the two.

During open play I get my share of good bowlers coming to practice and my share of the casual out for a good time bowlers. We do our best to separate them if possible. It's not always possible though.

As most of you are primary serious bowlers who all likely practice etiquette, how to you deal with non compliance?

Do you...

1. Give them a dirty look going they will understand?

2. Set an example by stepping off the approach when you see them out of the corner of your eye?

3. Slam you ball back on the return and huff and puff hoping they notice?

4. Scream at them telling they are rude and threaten that you will stab them with a broken beer bottle of they do it again?

5. Go to the counter and get staff to give them a taking to?

6. Go politely go talk to them and educate how things are supposed to work?

7. Ignore them?

8. Get annoyed and leave?

9. Text Boatman to come over packing?

10. Something else?

Comments?

I like #9 myself but hey...l...lol

Actually ran into that tonight. Went to a new center I had never been to. 52 lanes and it was packed. No leagues, just fun leisure bowlers. On both sides of me I had 'rookies' that would walk up and start their approach after I was already lined up and ready. A couple of times I was just starting to take my first step when I saw them go right by me and throw. I chalk it up as they are amateurs there to have fun. I just stopped and get re-set and started again. The times I noticed they were ready to go I stepped back and told them to go ahead. They were nice people as I chatted with them a little but they just didn't know any better. So I say #2 and #7

[classygranny]

#2, #7, and #8 if I'm so done with it I'm not accomplishing anything of value

[SRB57]

#2 and 7. On our leagues it's one lane courtesy (in the by laws) but it is really 2 lanes. I get use to who is around me and know who will cut me and wait if needed. The ones that kill me who are the ones that are very inconsistent on the time they take one time they go right up and the next they take forever. Steve

[Phonetek]

I didn't mean this post to read like a poll but I guess it works.

I was remembering how I first learned lane etiquette. I was 5 and I went to work with mom who tended bar at a 50 lane bowling center at the time.

I remember begging the counter guy who actually was rather a jerk to let me bowl. They had leagues going on at the time so he wouldn't let me. They only had 4 lanes that were unused.

My mom told me, "I bet if you grabbed that trash can and went down the lanes and threw away empty beer bottles and emptied the ash trays he'd let you bowl."

Bored, desperate and wanting to bowl I did what mom had suggested. I mean I was ready to bowl, had my ball and my bowling shirt on! I hated every minute of it but the plan worked. He put me on the lane farthest away of the 4 which was 50 and I started bowling.

I remember thinking, I gotta impress these guys! I don't know why I thought that but I did. I hadn't yet learned the 4 step approach so I was pretty Fred Flintstone about it. I still held my own on my junior prep league though. Mind you, nobody on a prep league practiced lane courtesy, it was just grab and go!

So there I was and I just picked up the 1-2-4-7 and a man from the league came up to me. I was all ready to hear some praise about how great it was that I just picked up a tough spare. Instead I got a taking to about how I was walking up at the same time as he was and he sounded like the adults on Charlie Brown.

I can still remember his face to this day. He wasn't particularly mean about it but when I was expecting praise and I got that, it was a sort of a punch in the gut. When you're 5 anyone speaking reason seems mean. I did however listen to what he said and I backed off the approach or gave the head nod the rest of the night.

I bowled 9 games that night and I bowled my personal best high game of a 183! It was my first 4 bagger! I still have the score sheet, well my mom does. She showed it to my son on Christmas which is what made me remember this story. It was Feb 2,1976. Mom's a pack rat with that stuff.

At the end of the night after I was done, the man who gave me the stern talking to came up to me and his teammates and he said "Thank you for listening to me. I can tell you're going to be a great bowler some day, don't give it up!"

I of course showed them all the score sheet, particularly the 183 that was sandwiched in the middle of a bunch of 110's and 120's. They all have me high fives and hand shakes.

I learned two things that night. First was lane courtesy. Second, that adults got a kick out of watching little kids who really try to learn to bowl and it was fun being a little kid impressing them.

My mom remembers the jerk at the counter announcing my score over the intercom but I don't remember that. She said he didn't call me by name, he said "Jill the bartenders son on lane 50 with a 183." I don't remember that but I'll take her word on it. Mom did confirm the counter guy Pat or Pete was in fact a jerk, it wasn't just my perspective as a little kid.

How did YOU learn lane courtesy??

[Ryster]

#6 never works regardless of how nice you try to be. The typical response around here is "we are trying to have fun and have paid good money to be here. Go f--- yourself."

So now we either ignore the offenders, or if it is really bad we finish our game and just leave.

The bowling center doesn't have any interest in teaching bowling etiquette. They simply want the customer's money and do not want to risk any loss of revenue by telling the customer how to behave around other bowlers.

[Phonetek]

#6 never works regardless of how nice you try to be. The typical response around here is "we are trying to have fun and have paid good money to be here. Go f--- yourself."

So now we either ignore the offenders, or if it is really bad we finish our game and just leave.

The bowling center doesn't have any interest in teaching bowling etiquette. They simply want the customer's money and do not want to risk any loss of revenue by telling the customer how to behave around other bowlers.

I personally disagree, at least where I've worked and work if a customer asks to say something to someone who is disrupting their experience I have no issue with it. When I have it usually works. They don't tell me to go f*** myself. They may snicker when I walk away but I'll make it known I'm watching afterward and they behave.

I mean I don't just watch for people randomly who aren't complying and go talk to them all. I have other things to do. If a customer brings it to my attention I certainly will extend that olive branch for them.

[Ryster]

I personally disagree, at least where I've worked and work if a customer asks to say something to someone who is disrupting their experience I have no issue with it. When I have it usually works. They don't tell me to go f*** myself. They may snicker when I walk away but I'll make it known I'm watching afterward and they behave.

I mean I don't just watch for people randomly who aren't complying and go talk to them all. I have other things to do. If a customer brings it to my attention I certainly will extend that olive branch for them.

If we ask our center to say something, they shrug and just say there isn't anything they can do. If they have an open lane away from the offenders they will possibly move you but otherwise they don't get involved.

We got into a fight with someone next to us one time. Their kids kept running up and drifting into our approach and a few times almost ran into us. We politely asked the dad to ask his kids to be careful because we didn't want anyone to get hurt. The dad told us to leave his family alone and not "ruin his day". He then proceeded to verbally insult my mother who was bowling with us. It just escalated from there and he complained to the center that we were bullying him. The center knew us since we are regular customers and knew we would never bully anyone.

Every area has different clientele I guess. But around here people are very stubborn and don't take kindly to any type of interactions outside of the group of people they are with at the time.

Groups of teenagers, in particular, are very disrespectful. I witnessed an incident at a fast food place where a teenage girl from the local Catholic school was sitting at a booth with her friends. A woman approached her and very politely said "Excuse me miss, but your uniform skirt is bunched up and your underwear is showing. There are some men in here staring and saying some concerning things and I just wanted to let you know."
The teenage girl looked at the woman and literally said "Mind your own f----ing business and leave us the f---- alone!". The woman immediately gathered her own young children and left.

It's just the way our area is these days.

[J Anderson]

#6 never works regardless of how nice you try to be. The typical response around here is "we are trying to have fun and have paid good money to be here. Go f--- yourself."

So now we either ignore the offenders, or if it is really bad we finish our game and just leave.

The bowling center doesn't have any interest in teaching bowling etiquette. They simply want the customer's money and do not want to risk any loss of revenue by telling the customer how to behave around other bowlers.

So the center doesn’t want to risk losing the money from selfish idiots, but is just fine with decent people cutting their bowling short because of the actions of the selfish idiots. Just another business that does not understand where its interest really lies.

[Phonetek]

So the center doesn’t want to risk losing the money from selfish idiots, but is just fine with decent people cutting their bowling short because of the actions of the selfish idiots. Just another business that does not understand where its interest really lies.

That's the same way I interpreted it. No thanks, I'll take care of my BOWLERS that keep the place rolling vs. the casual idiots that come in once or twice a year. If they get mad they don't have to come back, I won't miss them. They can even slam me on Google reviews, don't care. We're a 4.8 out of 5 rating, a couple morons isn't gonna hurt.

[Ryster]

So the center doesn’t want to risk losing the money from selfish idiots, but is just fine with decent people cutting their bowling short because of the actions of the selfish idiots. Just another business that does not understand where its interest really lies.

Yes! You have perfectly summed up the Bowlero experience :D

[Phonetek]

Yes! You have perfectly summed up the Bowlero experience :D
That’s ashamed because I heard they are greatly expanding in 2022. It’s unclear if that means building new centers or buying up existing ones at this time. If they are new ones you can probably look forward to seeing string pin setters and twister pins everywhere.

[Ryster]

That’s ashamed because I heard they are greatly expanding in 2022. It’s unclear if that means building new centers or buying up existing ones at this time. If they are new ones you can probably look forward to seeing string pin setters and twister pins everywhere.

Their main plan is to buy existing centers and rebrand them. They are building a few new centers, but acquiring existing centers is their primary business model. There is a privately owned, 24-lane center across town and Bowlero recently contacted the owner with an unsolicited offer. The owner rejected the offer and said they were not for sale. Bowlero's goal is to be the brand for bowling in the United States and acquisition is the fastest way for them to do that.

Since our center was acquired, they have totally rebranded it aesthetically. Full Bowlero paint scheme, all new Bowlero furniture, Bowlero pricing and food menu, etc. Next they will be taking out the old carpeting and replacing it with laminate flooring (yes, they installed the new furniture before replacing the flooring.) The one thing they have NOT done is repair issues with the pinsetters and ball returns. Lanes are breaking down more than ever, and the management has stated there are currently no plans to make any repairs to the equipment.

We are also hearing through the grapevine that Friday night leagues may not be asked back next season as Bowlero would prefer for the center to be fully available for open bowlers on Friday nights. Time will tell on that one. The 80-100 league bowlers that are in there on Fridays might not be pleased about that if it comes to pass. Tournaments are a thing of the past, however. Ever since Bowlero acquired our center the only tournaments that have been held were those scheduled prior to the acquisition. No new tournaments have been permitted...because open bowlers are more important and profitable (shoe rentals, food and drink orders, arcade revenue, $7/game open bowling rates, etc.)

[Phonetek]

Very sad to here indeed. I'm 99.9999% sure that if they approach the owner of our center and two other centers he owns he will tell them to go pound sand.

He is a business man but cares about the sport. At long as he's alive there is no way he'll cave unless they pay him 5 times what is worth. Even that is questionable. These are his babies and he wants them to be the best. He's done a great job at it so far.

[Phonetek]

One up side is that there are a couple centers that died in the past couple years that have just been sitting. Bowlero had announced they are reopening then. I think a functioning Bowlero is better than a dead center.

[Ryster]

One up side is that there are a couple centers that died in the past couple years that have just been sitting. Bowlero had announced they are reopening then. I think a functioning Bowlero is better than a dead center.

If anything it will funnel more business to your center after people experience Bowlero.

[Phonetek]

If anything it will funnel more business to your center after people experience Bowlero.

LOL possibly

[J Anderson]

My experiences with Bowlmor/Bowlero have been mixed. In the town where I grew up, the one remaining center became a Bowlmor when the AMF centers were taken over. Every league was thrown out the first year. I may have bowled there for a no-tap tourney shortly after the acquisition and found the approaches a bit sticky. Otherwise it was okay. I have heard since then that did something to the length of either the lanes themselves or the approaches that makes them non compliant with USBC regs.
I have bowled in some NEBA tournaments at Bowlero centers in East Hartford and East Haven where my only complaint was that the snack bar prices were exorbitant. The Bowlero in the town where I live is not pleasant to bowl in. The approaches have either been too sticky or too slippery when I have tried practicing there. Combine that with having it so dark you can’t see the arrows until you’re within a foot or two of the foul line and I haven’t been there in a couple of years.

[Phonetek]

That sucks. I don’t get why these places chase away leagues. As big as we are and busy as we are, open play alone just could not sustain this place for long. Even the last place that was dinky, if it wasn’t for the leagues they would have died. Well they are dying anyway but long before now without leagues.

So stupid, it’s guaranteed money!

[Ryster]

That sucks. I don’t get why these places chase away leagues. As big as we are and busy as we are, open play alone just could not sustain this place for long. Even the last place that was dinky, if it wasn’t for the leagues they would have died. Well they are dying anyway but long before now without leagues.

So stupid, it’s guaranteed money!

Bowlero's thinking is this:

League lineage is $12/bowler. 10 bowlers on a pair for 3 hours gets them $120. League bowlers receive a 20% discount on food and drink. Some might buy a $5 drink (for $4), but that is about it. Most people on my league bring a bottle of water and do not order the overpriced food. So Bowlero only gets the lineage and that's it. Most bowlers have their own shoes, so they aren't getting shoe rental fees from league bowlers either.

League bowlers get a reduced open play rate of $2.75 per game. A perk, yes, but Bowlero considers it a loss when they could be getting up to $7 per game from non-league bowlers.

Open bowling is $7/game per person, plus $6 shoe rental. 3 open bowlers on one lane, each bowling 2 games, gets them $60. If both lanes on that pair have 3 open bowlers, now they are at $120. If they can turn that pair twice in 3 hours, now they are at $240. Add in $30-$50 in food and $40 in drinks each turn of the pair, and now they are at $300-$430 from open bowlers for that same 3 hour period. Then those people go spend another $20-$40 in the arcade and it is gravy on top. There are always waiting lists for lanes in the evenings, so it isn't like lanes are just sitting. When it is raining out or the kids are off school, it is even busier.

[Phonetek]

I guess if it works for them then more power to them. I find it difficult to believe they have wait lists for lanes 7 days a week. There isn’t a place around here that’s like that. The local Bowlero to me is dead except when the schools have practice and meets.

[Ryster]

I guess if it works for them then more power to them. I find it difficult to believe they have wait lists for lanes 7 days a week. There isn’t a place around here that’s like that. The local Bowlero to me is dead except when the schools have practice and meets.

I just checked Lanetalk live scoring for our Bowlero center. 2:20 in the afternoon and there are 110 people currently open bowling. 26 of 48 lanes in use. Still some lanes available, but definitely a good crowd in there already. School is still out for Christmas/New Year so that is certainly a factor.

Thursday night is their biggest league night. All 48 lanes are in use for leagues on Thursdays, so there will be 200+ league bowlers in there tonight and no lanes for open bowling until after 9PM. Then they close at 10. There are usually 30-40 people that come in at 9 and start waiting for open lanes so they can bowl a game or two before closing. Bowlero would rather there be open lanes all evening for those open bowlers instead of effectively locking them out for 3 hours.