Bowling Alley Attendant

Bowling Alley Attendant

Strikeman300

New York, NY

Male, 35

For a few years in high school I was a lead attendant at a bowling alley. Responsibilities included everything from taking payment for the various package offerings, handing out shoes, dealing with mechanical issues with the lanes and solving any and all problems that arose.

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30 Questions

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Last Answer on January 18, 2013

Best Rated

Are the bowling balls ever cleaned?

Asked by Slambatta almost 13 years ago

Gulp. No. Not that I can remember. Like the shoes, having your own ball is super pimp and you'd be surprised at how cheap they are AND how much better you bowl when a ball is fitted to your hand. More often then not, people end up using a ball that's too heavy just to get a good grip and the weight ruins your delivery.

Which is harder: a 300-game, or the 7-10 split?

Asked by rollinrollinrollin almost 13 years ago

Good question. I don't know the odds, but I had never seen a 300 game and saw a bunch of 7-10 splits...

I'm suspicious, is it really the same bowling ball that gets returned to me?

Asked by edsumnermagic over 12 years ago

Sure is! Ask the crazy league bowler who brought his $500 custom ball to play with... The machines are made so that the belt speed gets the ball back before the pins are reset.

Why do you think bowling tends to attract more working class types, as opposed to sports like golf or tennis which attract the white-collar crowd?

Asked by alwayswondered almost 13 years ago

Who knows...probably because they are better bowlers! Your guess is as good as mine, although bowling is a pretty cheap sport to play and I'm sure that likely has something to do with it.

Is is possible for someone to get their finger stuck in the ball and send themselves into the pins???

Asked by freespirit5795 almost 12 years ago

Stuck - yes. Often. Seen one dislocation. Not pretty. Sending yourself into the pins would require a lot of alcohol.

What do bowling alleys do to keep those nasty shoes clean?

Asked by xxx300xxx almost 13 years ago

Well, you have every right to be grossed out. It's disgusting how bad they smell after a night of bowling. The good news is that they replace them quite a bit and we used a pretty powerful disinfectant spray after each use. My best advice - wear a nice thick sock when you go bowling OR, better, treat yourself to a cheap pair of pimped out bowling shoes.

Which brings in more money for the typical bowling alley: the leagues, or casual bowlers?

Asked by royroy almost 13 years ago

Leagues are the bread & butter on the bowling side. They pay a little bit less for their usage, but come every week for a full season. Casual players tend to bowl a bit less, but in a densely populated community, the lanes are typically filled all night anyway. The concession sales really give this group an edge over the leagues (many league bowlers don't drink while they bowl). Kids birthday parties are another large revenue source, with the bonus being they are on weekend mornings when none of the aforementioned groups are playing.