Share
On Tuesday nights at the Flying Saucer, it's not uncommon to see grown men pumping their fists with glee and exclaiming, "Yes!" while their eyes are glued to the bar's projection screen.
But they're not watching the run-up to the MLB playoffs. They're in a heated contest with fellow patrons.
Welcome to trivia night, a weekly tradition that started four years ago and continues to grow in popularity as the word spreads. Each Tuesday, a mix of UNC Charlotte students and young professionals test their knowledge on a range of topics including pop culture, geography, religion and human anatomy.
Manager Jason Causey says the bar gets between 22 and 30 teams each week, with an average of three to four people per team.
And more keep on coming: "We have a pretty dedicated following of regulars, but it's been getting a lot more crowded lately," Causey says.
On one recent night, every table inside was filled with players and more were sitting on the patio and at the bar.
"Does it count if we wrote that Jethro was Moses' father instead of father-in-law?" one player asked trivia hostess Wendy Underwood.
"Is 'wild yeast' OK?" called out another.
It's free to play, and the format is simple: One team is allowed per table, with as many players as you can fit into the bar's cozy booths. Cell phones are not allowed and are grounds for disqualification, so leave your iPhones and BlackBerrys at home. Three rounds consist of three questions, each with increasing point value. Bonus questions are optional at the end of each round to add to your point total. The top three teams win $50, $30 and $20 gift certificates, respectively, to the Saucer to use on their next visit.
Underwood and co-hostess Jen Wigelsworth are peppered with questions from players throughout the night as point values increase and the trivia gets harder.
"It definitely gets more rowdy as the night goes on," Underwood says - no doubt in part due to the wide selection of beer the Saucer serves up. More than 80 are available on tap, and even more come by the bottle.
And the Saucer's trademark drink inspires an entire category of trivia: Mystery Beer Bingo for a whopping five-point bonus.
"We're big on increasing the beer knowledge of our customers, since beer is what we're known for," Causey says.
