The NYC Bar Where Prices Fluctuate Like Stocks

As politicians and international monetary officials work on reforms of financial institutions there’s a key commodities market they are failing to address—beer.

Case in point: The Exchange Bar & Grill, in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of New York City. At the Exchange Bar the price of beer constantly fluctuates depending on market forces within the bar.

And it isn’t only beer prices that are subject to supply and demand; it is all sorts of food and drink. Imagine: that basket of hot wings that 10 minutes ago cost $7 is now selling for $9. Stand in line for a pint of Guinness and by the time it’s your turn to order you may decide on a gin and tonic instead, what with stout having edged up $0.25 and Tanqueray dropping by a $1.

The whole pricing system is meant to mimic that of a stock exchange. A menu item’s popularity causes its price to rise or fall by $0.25 increments. An electronic ticker above the bar displays price changes as they happen.

A visit to The Excahange is great fun, especially during crowded happy hours when the rush of drinkers clamoring for the best deal can somewhat resemble the frenzy of a real Wall Street trading floor.

Still, Spot Cool Stuff worries about the long to stability of The Exchange system. What will happen when customers start buying rounds of beer on margin? Those sales will need financing from an outside company who will in turn need investors interested in the malted beverage business. Inevitably those financing contracts will be combined into massive beer-based securities, which will then be divided up in order to sell them to banks. The banks will do well during the hot wings bubble but inevitably customers default on their payments, especially after they’ve had too much to drink, leading governments bail outs and a crash of the beer market.

So what can you do to minimize your financial risks when visiting The Exchange? We suggest hedging your beer purchases with shots of tequila.

Where to stay: The excellent Gramercy Park Hotel boasts a fun mix of modern luxury and bohemian-styled accommodations. It is nearby The Exchange Bar & Grill. And the hotel’s prices don’t fluctuate every few minutes. Book a suite for 4 nights through Spot Cool Stuff and with a Mr. & Mrs. Smith membership card ($25 or £15 per year) and get treated to a lunch for two at the Private Roof Club and Garden.

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