$5 Drinking Ticket

So i went to this bar/venue in San Francisco called Brick and Mortar last night to see a shoegaze band called LSD and the Search for God. At the door, because i wasn't 21, i had to pay a $5 "drink ticket." I literally said "are you kidding me" to the doorman as a kneejerk reaction and he got a little pissy but let me in anyway after i payed the 5 bucks.

Have any of you had to pay such a fee? I know convenience/processing fees are bullshit but what was i actually buying? The ability to enter a bar underage? Was i buying an alcoholic beverage that i wouldn't be able to drink?

in germany i never had to pay a fee when i didn't feel like drinking.

on the other hand, you may legally purchase soft alcohol like beer or wine at the age of 16, so i think this isn't a problem at all.

there are a lot of clubs where you are not allowed to enter when you are underage (which is below 18), but this is because no one likes kids in clubs.

£3 to see a band seems like a pretty decent price to me. If it makes you feel better, imagine you just bought a ticket to see the band.

As it's a free show then the venue are going to be making all their money from drinks sales. It's in their interests to keep little blighters like you out and pile more big drinking men in.

  On 2/18/2013 at 1:14 AM, Danny O Flannagin said:

So i went to this bar/venue in San Francisco called Brick and Mortar last night to see a shoegaze band called LSD and the Search for God. At the door, because i wasn't 21, i had to pay a $5 "drink ticket." I literally said "are you kidding me" to the doorman as a kneejerk reaction and he got a little pissy but let me in anyway after i payed the 5 bucks.

 

Have any of you had to pay such a fee? I know convenience/processing fees are bullshit but what was i actually buying? The ability to enter a bar underage? Was i buying an alcoholic beverage that i wouldn't be able to drink?

I'm thinking they charge this because you won't be able to buy alcohol? Bar's have a max capacity and you are taking the place of another patron that would be able to buy alcohol and thus make the bar some profit.

Was the place packed?

Edit: Pretty much what Iain C said..