Birthdays are times for treats
Restaurants, bars offer specials on food and drink
By Nasrin Yasmin Special to the Kansan
Libbie Jon Peterson, Omaha, Neb., senior, thinks birthdays are cool, especially a 21st birthday. That's when many restaurants and bars in Lawrence treat people to a free dessert or a shot of booze.
Last September, when Peterson turned 21, her boyfriend took her out to dinner at Molly McGee's, 2429 Iowa St.
"They gave us free ice cream as a birthday treat," she said. "That was kinda neat."
But the real fun for Peterson started after dinner.
When she got home from the restaurant, a bunch of her friends took her to Hockenbury's Tavern, 1016 Massachusetts St. Her friends decided that Peterson needed a couple of shots — after all, she was the one who turned 21.
The bartenders at Hockenbury's
seemed to be on her friends' side, Peterson said. The bartenders gave her a few drink specials when they found out about her birthday, and, of course, her friends bought her a couple more. The next day she woke up with a huge headache that reminded her of the night before.
Students often celebrate their birthdays at area bars. And sometimes, they celebrate too much.
"It's a common sight to see young people get sick on their birthdays," said Reed Brinton, manager and owner of Benchwarmers Sports Bar & Grill, 1601 W. 23rd St. "Friends make them drink and drink until they get sick."
Benchwarmers offers a special $1 shot to anyone celebrating a 21st birthday. The regular price for this shot ranges from $3 to $4.
Other bars in Lawrence also give students free shots on their birthdays.
Besides the bars, many restaurants in Lawrence also welcome people of all ages on their birthdays.
Mr. Steak Restaurant, 920 W. 23rd St., gives a free petite cut siriron steak of offers a $7.85 discount on someone's birthday meal. But customers need to show an identification verifying their birthday. The restaurant staff also gives balloons, and they'll sing "Happy Birthday" to you—if you wish to be conspicuous.
Reed Brinton
Owner,Benchwarmers
Sports Bar and Grill
Besides giving a free birthday treat of chocolate-dipped fried ice cream, servers at Carlos O'Kelly's Mexican Cafe, 707 W. 23rd St., will take a free photograph of you in a Mexican sombrero. The photo is a birthday present from Carlos O'Kelly's, but the sombrero has to be returned.
The whole idea is to make people feel special on their birthdays, said Brad Remington, general manager of Carlos O'Kelly's. "It's great when kids show up for their birthdays. I love it," he said. "It kind of breaks the monotony of the day's job."
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar, 2520 Iowa St., and Perkins Restaurant, 1711 W. 23rd St, both offer a free fudge brownie sundae to those celebrating birthdays.
Plum Tree,2620 Iowa St.,has a different way of welcoming people on their birthdays. Plum Tree provides a free ice cream sundae with a cherry and a candle on the top and a fortune cookie inside. And the waitresses will sing birthday songs. Plum Tree is the only restaurant in Lawrence that will sing the happy birthday song in Chinese, if the birthday person happens to be Chinese.
Though some bars and restaurants require an identification to verify birthdays, most will take a person's word for it.
"Birthdays are very special events," said Mary Lipscomb, a waitress at Applebee's. "It's most unlikely that people are going to lie about it. It's so much fun to watch people who just turned older, they act real different from regular customers. Birthdays are cool."
Try our new Recordable Valentines and of course we have the popular "Personalize It" Computer Valentines.
ROD'S Hallmark SHOP
The Malls Shopping Center, 23rd and Louisiana, Lawrence Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun.
842-2160
February 11, 1994 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN •THE GUIDE TO GOING OUT
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