As a result of stress that comes with a college workload, students are always looking for the best way to blow off steam.

For students in Whitewater–who are above the legal drinking age–the most popular way to decompress is to take a Wednesday night trip to visit the local bars.

The biggest battle between taverns happens on West Whitewater Street, where three popular bars (The College Pub, Pumpers & Mitchell’s, and Cheapshots) offer their own All-You-Can-Drink (AYCD) specials.  

Each bar offers the purchase of a special cup for a set price which grants individuals with said cup free refills for the duration of their time in the establishment.  

Tyler, a bartender at the College Pub said, “From about 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. the Pub is packed wall to wall, it’s honestly beyond hectic.” He also mentioned that Wednesday is the night he makes the most money.

The College Pub seems to be a very popular place for many Wednesday night customers. The Pub sells an AYCD cup for only seven dollars.

At Pumpers & Mitchell’s the main customer attraction is a large dance floor with vibrant music, often played at dangerous volumes. “Because of the dance floor, lots of people are at Pumpers until the lights come on at the end of the night,” said Michael, a bouncer for the bar.

Pumpers & Mitchell’s also has an outdoor patio for customers who want some fresh air without having to leave. Pumpers & Mitchell’s sells an AYCD cup for seven dollars as well.

Cheapshots differs from the two previous bars on West Whitewater Street by selling its special AYCD cups for only five dollars. As a smaller establishment, Cheapshots may struggle to draw the same number of customers as The College Pub or Pumpers & Mitchell’s, but the bar compensates by having an all-inclusive atmosphere in addition to the cheaper cup.

Cheapshots will play popular music from all genres–not just dance and the classics.  Robert Bell, a frequent Cheapshots customer said “I like cheapshots because they play good music and their dance floor is never as crowded as Pumpers’.”

Given their close proximity, all three of these bars on West Whitewater Street are locked in the race to draw the largest crowd possible.  Using unique business tactics, each bar constantly vies for the edge that will provide customers with the best experience possible.