Restaurants are feeling the pinch of the economy right now and are trying to find ways to save money. However, some businesses are doing this in a very unpopular way: by cutting down on how much beer they serve. Some restaurants, according to a Wall Street Journal article from Saturday, are trying to save money by shorting the amount of beer they serve when a customer orders a pint.

A pint of beer is supposed to fill a 16 ounce glass with little to no foam on the top. However, according to the paper’s article restaurants are cutting back on that amount. The paper says that some bars are serving pints in 14 ounce glasses instead, which actually means that it is no longer really a true pint, while other establishments are filling up the traditional 16 ounce glasses with extra foam, thus putting only about 14 to 14 ½ ounces in the glass.

The article mentions many patrons who are outraged over this practice, including a few who have started blogging about the technique. One gentleman that they interviewed has even started to measure beer when he is served to see how much is in the glass and how much the glass is intended to hold. The main problem these patrons seem to have with this practice is the fact that prices are staying the same as they were for actual pints and the fact that they are not being told about the practice. People interviewed by the newspaper said that they want to see regulations implemented to stop businesses from being able to do tactics such as these to their customers. Many of those interviewed are posting restaurant names on their web sites to let people know where to go to get a good drink (and in a few cases where no to go) and some are even calling for boycotts of some businesses who serve the so-called too small drink.

It is easy to stay under budget and still have all the supplies you need to run your business, without having to go to such drastic measures. Your Serv-U representative can help you find affordable pieces for your business to help you stay on budget, so you don’t have to pass the money issues on to your customers.