My lifetime of service has ingrained in me a need to care for people, and by care, I mean simply treat people with respect and be gracious while I do it. I am not alone. There is a movement within the craft-driven sector of my industry to go beyond offering a service and add value by being actively, if not aggressively, hospitable. We refer to ourselves as “Hospitalitarians.” We engage in long Facebook talks regarding how each of us is being more hospitable than the other and we cite examples in an ongoing game of one-upsmanship.
And our guests are extremely receptive to the movement, especially in the politicial environment of today. Each week seems to bring with it a new outrage or a new cause to either champion or vehemently oppose. Frankly, there’s never been a time in my career where there were more “reasons” to need a drink. The climate is inhospitable, and when I can offer people an opportunity to “do good while being bad” they take me up on it in droves.
