Topic: How to tell the bar they suck at taking care of their table?

[foosin joe]

So i went to the bar to play some foos last night. When I got to the table, there was a bottle of miller light lying on the playfeild with the beer spilled all over it. there was an empty pack of smokes and other trash stuffed into one of the goals, a cigarette was left lit on the edge of the table and when it burned down, it singed the table. also since the last time i played there, one of the score bead bar is missing. Not to mention the yellow men look black with all the crud on them, and the bars barley slide back and forth. So the question is, how do I go about telling the bar owners that their place is dirty, and their ruining a good table?

[grandmaster]

I'd be mighty careful about what is said. First of all it is a place that cares enough to even have a table. Not enough is said to praise and thank our location owners for giving room to place a table. Now as far as cleanliness of the table, maybe it is the only foosball table that they have ever seen. Perhaps they don't know how to clean it. Maybe they don't have time to. Whatever the reason, give the benifit of doubt that they wouldn't mind a little volunteer help in this department. Ask permission to grab a bar rag and get busy. Maybe even spring for a 69 cent bottle of rubbing alcohol from Wal Mart. It cuts about anthing and doesn't leave a residue. Maybe bring a little bottle of lube once in a while. I know I always play better on a table that's clean. More fun too!

[waterskier]

I know a local bar to me has a Foosball table that someone else owns and cares for. That someone comes by to pick up quarters and keep the table basically functional. The table isn't even in an area with adequate lighting.

Where I am located Foosball does not seem to be really popular. Be careful if you complain too much. If they consider it a pain to deal with they could remove the table completely.

I purchased a used T-2000 coin opp from a bar for $550 almost two years ago because they were putting in an air hockey table in it's place. It is now in nearly mint condition, perfectly clean, with new bearings, balls etc...

I would bring your own foosballs, a small level, some silicon lube and maybe a roll of paper towels and a cleaning solution when you go to play. What you might find is that if the bar sees you taking care of their table and putting quarters in it regularly, they may start to take better care of the table as well.

The key is that they need to see the Foosball table and the people it attracts as profitable.

[Hollywood 1]

Here is what I do and recommend.  When I go to play for fun at a bar, I always bring a foos kit.  Bearing Wrench, extra pins, roll pin punch, balls, bearings, men, rubbing alchol, rag, silicone, hammer.  I realize most people will not do this, however I have found that I attract positive attention when I am cleaning and repairing a table with my own parts just so I can play on a decent table. 

One success story, I had the owner of one bar come up to me and ask "who are you"?  I told him I am just a guy that likes to play foosball and did not think you would mind me cleaning your table.  Long story short, he replied what does the table need, I told him, he got on the phone in front of me and called his vendor.  He had all the new parts in two days and I put them on for him. 

That is not going to happen all the time, and I realize most foosers are not going to put on men, bearings, pins, however I do.  Pins are 35 cents each so that is very minimal, once you get into changing men that is 4.50 a man.  The only thing I have never replaced on a table is a rod.   

To anwser your question, I would clean the table yourself and bring a foos repair kit.  It has always boggled my mind why bar owners do not take care of the foos tables, and they just forget and it is not a priority to them.  The biggest thing I feel and I have been told this is a foosball table is the only bar game that requires mainteance on a regular basis to play good.  Vendors don't keep there tables up which if they did they would get more quarters. 

I have even offered to put my table in a bar and explain I would do all the mainteance and split the quarters, most bar owners have said no because they have to go thorugh there vendor only.

Hollywood 

[invisiblesmoke]

Tell the players to take better care of it, not the owner.  Get the key from the owner to open it up and clean it, and let him know you are going to practice on it to make sure it is working properly.