New Jersey bars filled premium liquor bottles with cheap booze

[Hum]

TRENTON, NJ ? Twenty-nine bars and restaurants, nearly half of them TGI Fridays, filled premium brand liquor bottles with lower-quality booze and sold it to patrons who thought they were buying the good stuff, authorities said Wednesday.

A yearlong investigation by the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, dubbed Operation Swill, :huh: found that the establishments had swapped out the good liquor in an effort to fool customers and increase profits.

Thirteen of the restaurants cited are TGI Fridays located in central and northern New Jersey.

TGI Fridays Inc. said in a statement it was working with the franchisee and owner of the TGI Fridays restaurants to investigate the allegations, which it called serious. The statement said the company had just learned of the allegations.

"We have one of the most extensive bar and beverage programs in the industry, which sets a very high standard in the quality and service of our beverages," the company said.

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[Rippleman]

if people couldn't tell a difference, then why are they ordering the better stuff to begin with?

[ILikeTobacco]

if people couldn't tell a difference, then why are they ordering the better stuff to begin with?

I know some of the bars around here don't even serve cheap stuff. Don't know about this situation, but it would give a bar justification to server 7 dollar shots instead of the usual 2.50 if its all name brand. I won't spend 7 on a shot of Smirnoff vodka but probably would for Sky if that was the only choice.

[User6060]

same thing happens with sushi....if you don't know you're going to be had.

[_neutrino Veteran]

a lot of places here in Ohio (at least locally to where I live) got in trouble for the same thing last year.

[Growled Member]

I'm not surprised that TGI Fridays is involved. I've found them to be terrible places to eat anyway.

[Charisma Veteran]

if people couldn't tell a difference, then why are they ordering the better stuff to begin with?

Well, you know how people are.

That being said, I imagine at least a few people did notice a difference, which led to this being discovered.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

I've had this at a bar in the UK. Went to the bar, ordered a cranberry and goose (a semi-decent vodka). When barman served it, he then went to the till before collecting money. I took a sip and said "Sorry, I said Grey Goose, not house vodka", "That is Grey Goose" he replied.

Took another sip, making sure to just be a sip - didn't want to "drink" it. "No, sorry, that's not Grey Goose", "It really is". I said no worries and said I'd leave it. Blah blah blah, there's more back and forth here including his manager...

Eventually the bar man said "Try just sipping a shot of Goose, see if it tastes like you think it should". The manager got really irate at him saying how dare he give drinks away. That's when I twigged, they'd been refilling the bottles with cheaper (tasted like own-brand vodka).

When the manager wouldn't allow this - I simply told them my suspicions and was asked to leave. Shoulda reported it to trading standards, but meh!

[Hum]

You can't even get decently crocked in this country anymore. :wacko:

[Growled Member]

You can't even get decently crocked in this country anymore. :wacko:

What is this country coming to? :D

[lnmnky]

I've had this at a bar in the UK. Went to the bar, ordered a cranberry and goose (a semi-decent vodka). When barman served it, he then went to the till before collecting money. I took a sip and said "Sorry, I said Grey Goose, not house vodka", "That is Grey Goose" he replied.

Took another sip, making sure to just be a sip - didn't want to "drink" it. "No, sorry, that's not Grey Goose", "It really is". I said no worries and said I'd leave it. Blah blah blah, there's more back and forth here including his manager...

Eventually the bar man said "Try just sipping a shot of Goose, see if it tastes like you think it should". The manager got really irate at him saying how dare he give drinks away. That's when I twigged, they'd been refilling the bottles with cheaper (tasted like own-brand vodka).

When the manager wouldn't allow this - I simply told them my suspicions and was asked to leave. Shoulda reported it to trading standards, but meh!

Why would they try it on with a premium brand? People who order premium know how it tastes :s They aren't clever with it then. :p

I understand no-name labelled drink for value stuff would be hard to tell, but Goose for value, or something like JD, or Bombay, would just be obvious.

[Torolol]

so what define the 'premium-ness' of booze? certainly not the bottles...

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

I understand no-name labelled drink for value stuff would be hard to tell, but Goose for value, or something like JD, or Bombay, would just be obvious.

I know, right!? It was astoundingly obvious!

so what define the 'premium-ness' of booze? certainly not the bottles...

Flavour, texture, etc. For example a good vodka will be smooth like butter, almost flavourless, A cheap vodka will taste like paint thinner. Also, I tend to not get hangovers with better quality vodka.

[Brian M. Veteran]

so what define the 'premium-ness' of booze? certainly not the bottles...

If you want a test, buy a cheapo bottle of Whiskey, and then go and buy a decent 15 year old single malt. There's a reason one's 10 times the price of the other :p.

[Rippleman]

true, i guess some people should be able to tell if you love what you are drinking. For example, no one believed that I could tell the difference of Diet Pepsi out of a 2l bottle or out of a can, but i can get it 100% of the time.

[Hum]

true, i guess some people should be able to tell if you love what you are drinking. For example, no one believed that I could tell the difference of Diet Pepsi out of a 2l bottle or out of a can, but i can get it 100% of the time.

^ I can detect Diet anything, in a cave at 30,000 feet below, 100% of the time -- ban it ! :woot:

[+Warwagon MVC]

I'm surprised it took anyone this long to find out. Surly the drunks would have been able to tell after the first drop hit their tongue.

[zeke009]

A good friend of my wife only drinks 'premium' vodka. For the last few years I've been refilling the bottle she left here with cheap vodka. $15 for a 1.75 of my stuff and $45-55 for her 'premium' stuff. The funny thing is, she never catches it and always has more than 1 drink when she comes over. I offer the cheap stuff first (still in cheap bottle) and she shakes her head, I hold up the refilled bottle and I get the nod.

For some people, it's just an image thing. Me.. I don't care. If the vodka is harsh, just add more mixer.

[Tigurinn]

Also, I tend to not get hangovers with better quality vodka.

The absolute prevention for hangovers: Drinking water in large quantity before going to sleep after consuming alcohol; eating also does the trick, but it's fattening

[astropheed Veteran]

A good friend of my wife only drinks 'premium' vodka. For the last few years I've been refilling the bottle she left here with cheap vodka. $15 for a 1.75 of my stuff and $45-55 for her 'premium' stuff. The funny thing is, she never catches it and always has more than 1 drink when she comes over. I offer the cheap stuff first (still in cheap bottle) and she shakes her head, I hold up the refilled bottle and I get the nod.

For some people, it's just an image thing. Me.. I don't care. If the vodka is harsh, just add more mixer.

Lol, totally doing this.

[Slammers]

People that are into liquor (whisky man myself) , the difference between a cheap and expensive drink is like night and day.

Having said that, If I'm at a bar doing shots, and most likely already plastered, I may not notice. Sipping on glass though the quality is pretty noticeable.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

I'm surprised it took anyone this long to find out. Surly the drunks would have been able to tell after the first drop hit their tongue.

Just because someone drinks alcohol, it doesn't imply they are a drunk.

For some people, it's just an image thing. Me.. I don't care. If the vodka is harsh, just add more mixer.

As someone who managed a bar and is a trained cocktail waiter - I can spot the "image drinkers" a mile off.

The absolute prevention for hangovers: Drinking water in large quantity before going to sleep after consuming alcohol; eating also does the trick, but it's fattening

Nonsense. "Eating" by definition is not fattening - that depends upon what you eat. Drinking water is not an absolute prevention for hangovers at all - it simply keeps you hydrated.

[timster]

if people couldn't tell a difference, then why are they ordering the better stuff to begin with?

it's a status thing. most people don't want to be seen as cheapskates to whoever they are trying to impress

[Growled Member]

^ I can detect Diet anything, in a cave at 30,000 feet below, 100% of the time -- ban it ! :woot:

I can too. It's all I drink these days. :p

[ILikeTobacco]

true, i guess some people should be able to tell if you love what you are drinking. For example, no one believed that I could tell the difference of Diet Pepsi out of a 2l bottle or out of a can, but i can get it 100% of the time.

I can do the same. There is a clear difference in the amount of fizz.