HOW TO GET TOP NOTCH SERVICE IN NASHVILLE

PLAN AHEAD

Almost every sit-down restaurant in the downtown vicinity has a 30 - 120 minute wait on Friday and Saturday evenings. Arrange reservations in advance to reduce wait times. Call to confirm your reservation the day before and be sure to provide an accurate head count. Keep in mind that reservations don't necessarily mean zero wait-time, but will definitely reduce your chances of having a hangry group of women. 

 

LIMIT YOUR TABS
Let your waiter/waitress know in advance who is paying the tab. He/She may offer better service if one person pays the entire tab. Ringing up 12 different tabs can be a lot of work. 

 

PATIENCE
Everything moves slower in the South. Mentally prepare yourself for this and try to be as patient as possible. Go with the flow and you will enjoy the Southern Hospitality that comes along with it. Chit chat at a cash register when there's a long line is normal. Don't expect finger-snap service or anyone to cater specifically to your needs, but do expect warm, welcoming people who love to help.
 

ALWAYS HAVE YOUR ID READY

Nashville has always been strict with ID'ing folks, but recent legal changes have made the process even more rigorous and establishments are not taking chances. Protect your ID like your engagement ring and make sure it's not expired. Your ID is the key to entering any establishment that serves alcohol. If you lose your ID or it's expired, you will NOT be able to enter any bar, no matter how cute or charming you are. Consider making the motherly or most responsible person in your group in charge of everyone's ID. Also, if you are visiting during CMAfest, many bars require two forms of ID. 

 

DON'T LEAVE A TRAIL
Feather boas are so much fun... and they are also the quickest way to taint your service. They shed A LOT and create what can only be described as a neon flamingo massacre, which results in an extra hour of cleanup for staff. Please be respectful to establishments and wear your boas when you are walking around town outside and put them in a bag when you enter a venue. 
 

LIMIT YOUR CRAY

DO drink and get wild in the honky tonks and bars downtown, but don't go into restaurants, museums, stores and similar while obnoxiously loud and hammered. It seems like fun when you are the intoxicated ones, but not so much for the families and sober ones around you. This unfortunately has resulted in bachelorette parties getting banned from certain activities in Nashville.
 

KNOW THE RULES

Review the rules and information provided from of all of your activities, accommodations and venues. Ensure your group is following instructions and policies and you will receive excellent service. If you don't follow the rules, don't get mad and expect top notch service.
 

THINK SMALL

Keep your purses small. The bars on Broadway are brimming on Friday and Saturday nights and it isn't unusual for it to be shoulder-to-shoulder crowded. Be kind to your fellow bar-mates by carrying a very small purse. Don't be the big-purse girl who uses an entire chair to store her heavy load or the girl who keeps accidentally jamming her big purse into your side because she's dancing next to you.

 

HANDLE THE WEATHER
An inch (usually less) of snow will shut down the entire city. Keep this in mind if you are traveling to Nashville in the winter months (January and February). Nashville doesn't have adequate plowing or salting services so the roads can be unsafe to drive on. If you can cruise along slippery roads like a pro, keep in mind that the rental cars here do not have all-weather tires and the locals who are driving around you are equally hazardous. It's best to walk to the few bars that are open near your hotel, stay positive and make the best of the situation.   

 

FREEBIES ARE NOT FREE
If you are given a free-drink coupon or a bouncer offers your group a free shot if you enter the bar, DO take them up on the offer, but be sure to tip the bartender AND buy at least one drink before leaving the bar. It's the courteous thing to do. Getting free drinks and then immediately leaving upsets the staff. They will remember you the next day when you come in again.