I have also wondered about this. For instance, our regular Chicago meet-up probably has no overall impact on the Goat. We may leave a slightly high proportional tip than your average tourist crowd (or a slightly lower one, but I hope not!), but I don't think we have much impact overall. Luckily, we add to the local ambience with our raucous hometown crowd antics and first-name familiarity with the staff.

Generally, though, I don't think any single night business is enough to make a difference. But I have no insight or analysis which backs that up.

Agree with crush-onastick. Based on my meetup experience.

What do you think the cost-benefit ratio is for the "lucky" places that get chosen to host a MeFi meetup?

Not much, I'd say. Every meetup I've been to has had about 8 people on average (max=25). If it's a bar meetup on a weekend night and we mainly order drinks, I'm pretty sure we don't boost business any more than usual. If the meetup didn't happen, it would just be filled up by another group of drinkers who would spend roughly the same.

Food might be another thing but even then I doubt we make a noticeable difference to any particular establishment.

if there's a restaurant or bar that's cool and ailing, could we help prop up their business for one night?

Highly doubt it. If an establishment is empty on a Friday night, it's probably for good reason (something about it sucks). I don't think everything about Mefi has to be service/charity oriented.

I think the largest meetup I've attended was about a dozen folks, and we kind of hopped around three or four different places, so I don't think we had much of an impact on any particular location for the evening.

Most of the meetups I've attended have been quite a bit smaller, maybe four folks, so other than tipping extra to have a waiter take a picture or something, I doubt it.

People in larger/more active cities MMV, of course.

Unless you're doing weekly meetups, I'm not sure what impact you'll have.

My fair city has only managed two successful meetups in the last five years so we haven't had much of an impact.

I do think there can be some effect, but maybe not the direct one you're describing.

At least two local meet-ups have drawn me into bars where I'd never set foot before, and on both occasions I found the places absolutely delightful: comfortable, convenient, with good menus and good service. If nothing else, it caused me to return to those places sans MeFites, and to recommend them to other people.

I think if any meetup helps the venue where it is held, it would be Chicago's - only because it is held monthly and at the same venue every time. But as crush said, I don't think the Billy Goat needs our business so it probably isn't all that noteworthy to them.

Cafe Bong (the dive karaoke bar) may feel more of an impact on nights that we head over there, given that it sounds like the owner is constantly on the verge of closing up shop. I've been there on non-meetup nights and it's downright desolate. Part of that is the nature of karaoke, though - people tend to go in large groups so it's a feast or famine type place.

if there's a restaurant or bar that's cool and ailing, could we help prop up their business for one night?

Highly doubt it. If an establishment is empty on a Friday night, it's probably for good reason (something about it sucks). I don't think everything about Mefi has to be service/charity oriented.

I totally agree! I refuse to spend any more time in venues that suck than I already accidentally do. Cool venues, I'll support. Though they probably don't "need" my help, and the ones that do, such a paltry sum probably would do little good.

TPS, didn't Common Ground sorta kindly urge us out the door, once the time that you reserved the space was "up," last July? I seem to remember that.

The pub where we had the meetup for jason's_planet last year was perfect for meetups - a decent-sized upstairs room with its own bar, not so big that you felt lost in it, in a good location (Smithfield) but the landlord was such a surly fucker - so there was good reason it was near empty on a Friday night when every other pub in the area was heaving.

TPS, didn't Common Ground sorta kindly urge us out the door, once the time that you reserved the space was "up," last July? I seem to remember that.

Yeah, there was another group coming in, which I figured would be fine since that's how long we generally stay somewhere anyway. But still, that place was overall shitty to us- like how they wouldn't let any of you sit down until I got there. Ridiculous.

But still, that place was overall shitty to us- like how they wouldn't let any of you sit down until I got there. Ridiculous.

Me and fuq have been drinking at my usual after work haunt and we've agreed that the backroom there would be perfect for a meetup, and since I am friends with all the staff we'd be treated like royalty. A few day notice would be needed.