There are two undeniable truths about working in restaurants: The hours will be nontraditional, and the camaraderie shared among coworkers is unmatched and incomparable to many other professions.
Downtown Greenville’s Swordfish Cocktail Club found a fun — and “secret” — way to cater to this semi-exclusive society. Swordfish gives out a special coin that unlocks a service-industry only menu to those working in food and beverage, and well as for health care workers and some other professions. It is available during the cocktail club’s service industry night on Tuesdays starting at 10 p.m.
Owners Evan Leihy and Brad Hagen have worked in the food and beverage industry for a long time. The mission runs deeper than giving a discounted cocktail to friends or offering up the classic “handshake” — a shot-and-beer combo. It’s intended as a salve to heal the more toxic effects of the industry.
“We need to treat each other and serve each other to the same level that we serve our guests all the time, instead of being ‘the help,’” Leihy said. “It’s very easy for us to believe that about ourselves and start thinking that way.”
Leihy added that a secondary hope is to adjust the drinking culture away from “slamming” shots and toward enjoying a quality drink with friends.
The food menu includes such options as grilled cheese on Rise Bakery sourdough bread with a garlic confit, and a homemade oatmeal cream pie called the Chubby Deborah. Some options are found on the regular menu but are offered here at a lower price.
The focus is on comfort foods: things that hit the spot when you’ve been working all night.
The service industry menu also offers popular cocktails such as the old-fashioned and Negroni at reduced prices. The Barman’s Choice lets guests give desired tasting notes to Swordfish’s barmen and allow them to craft a cocktail based on the description.
The menu also offers draft pints.
So, how do you get a coin?
When a guest goes to Industry Night, the host will take down their name, contact information and restaurant or health care group. Then they receive a coin which grants access to the special menu.
Others receive the regular menu.
For Lauren Cory, executive assistant at Swordfish, it feels like something the downtown hideaway has done forever. She has been with the business since 2019 and was its first hire.
Cory estimated 1,000 coins have been given out. Some regulars may receive coins, but that’s entirely up to the staff’s discretion. Staff members may also give coins to restaurants or bars that deliver memorable encounters; Cory gave out her first coin recently at Royal Izakaya in Philadelphia because she felt the experience was truly exceptional.
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