How much do you tip at bars?

[funk_engineer]

I'm a fairly new bar-goer in the USA, and I'm wondering about tipping. How much do you tip on mixed drinks, shots, and beer? Do you tip after every drink, or before you leave, or what?

I feel weird tipping a bloke for just opening a bottle of beer and handing it to me from behind the bar, but I don't want to stiff the guy.

 

[Josh Ryan]

...more than the people around me, depending on service. I like to tip after the first few to set the tone (in other words, I'm not a jerk please don't spit in my tequila), then maybe I'll just hand the bartender a larger one at the end. OTOH, I hardly ever go to bars anymore so what do I know.

 

[Bad Brains]

Depends on the situation, who i'm with, how drunk i am. I'm not really a big fan of bars (i just turned 21 back in june too) surpisenly. If me and friends are at a table and we run of up a tab then of course we tip. If i go up to the bar and just order 1 beer, there isn't a need for a tip because they really havn't done anything.

 

[scoobs]

Nothing, ever. I fail to understand the concept of tipping. I mean its not as if they don't get paid. It's not as if im cheap its just not the done thing here in Australia. Why should a customer reward someone for doing their job? It just doesnt make any sense...

 

[Ívar Þórólfsson]

Nothing, ever. I fail to understand the concept of tipping. I mean its not as if they don't get paid. It's not as if im cheap its just not the done thing here in Australia. Why should a customer reward someone for doing their job? It just doesnt make any sense...

Well, it is different in the US. Most waiter jobs pay next to nothing, 80-90% of their income is from tips.

 

[scoobs]

Wow I had no idea it was that low. Here bar tenders have pretty well paying jobs.

 

[WillPlay4Food]

I usually give a dollar per round. If I'm just getting a draught I'll tip every other beer because while I know they live off tips (had a few bartender friends) pulling a beer isn't rocket science.

A great mixed drink, however, is worth the tip. Usually bartenders will stop short-shotting you if you tip decent (we don't have digital readouts on the liquor like you Euromites do).

 

[Cambass]

Nothing, ever. I fail to understand the concept of tipping. I mean its not as if they don't get paid. It's not as if im cheap its just not the done thing here in Australia. Why should a customer reward someone for doing their job? It just doesnt make any sense...

Same here, but then we're from the same country and city

Beer costs a lot when drinking out (I've found) so I'd rather not spend any more money, plus the fact that it's not heard of in Aus.

 

[SuperDuck]

Depends on how long I've been there. Apparantly on my 21st birthday I was so far gone that I gave the guy in the bathroom that handed me a towel five bucks.

 

[baba]

At least a buck a round. 2 bucks for a big round.

When in the USA tip regularly. This is a large part of waiters/bartenders/etc pay.

I have heard that the work tip came from England and was an acronym for To Insure Promptness. Not sure if this is true, but if service is horrible or too slow I will not tip as well or at all.

 

[country_boy]

Huh? They have digital measuring of liquor in bars in Europe? Someone please enlighten me.

I usually just tip a couple bucks on my way out, but I'm a cheap bastard. I figure somebody must be making money if I'm buying a .50 beer for $2.50.

 

[neptoon]

i'm a dirtbag...if it's a cute female, all beer is 5 bucks....they keep the change...if it's a non cute female, or a dude, they get a buck

 

[The Golden Boy]

I usually just tip a couple bucks on my way out, but I'm a cheap bastard. I figure somebody must be making money if I'm buying a .50 beer for $2.50.

It sure ain't the bartender, unless they own the bar.

By the way, this is called "rationalization."

I try to tip well, if I know my bartenders (most of the time- I'm boring, I go to the same bars) a buck a round, whether that's 1-3 drinks.

 

[bill h]

As a part time bartender, I can tell you that most of the wage is from tips. I pour a stronger drink if you tip. I will get you a beer faster if you tip. Will make your night in the pub much more fun if you tip.

The best way to tip is to give a $5 or $10 bill tip on the 1st round so that they remember you, then a buck or two every once in a while.

 

[neptoon]

The best way to tip is to give a $5 or $10 bill tip on the 1st round so that they remember you, then a buck or two every once in a while.

i try to to do this for the cool guy bartenders, but the ladies will get that 5 or 10 every time i want a drink...i'm horrible

 

[WillPlay4Food]

(we don't have digital readouts on the liquor like you Euromites do).

Huh? They have digital measuring of liquor in bars in Europe? Someone please enlighten me.

[snip]

The bars I visited in Europe had the bottles upside down and clamped to the wall. The top of the bottle fit into a dispenser with a digital readout. The readout showed how much booze came out of the bottle.

 

[WillPlay4Food]

i try to to do this for the cool guy bartenders, but the ladies will get that 5 or 10 every time i want a drink...i'm horrible

Dayum! That's gotta be an expensive night out! Unless you only have 2 drinks or something.

 

[neptoon]

Dayum! That's gotta be an expensive night out! Unless you only have 2 drinks or something.

i don't go out to drink very often, but when i do the tenders are going home happy that night

 

[The Golden Boy]

i don't go out to drink very often, but when i do the tenders are going home happy that night

The female ones, with you...to the barracks...

 

[Eyescream]

I'll tip a buck a round, generally; even if it's just me getting draughts at a bar. Mostly I just drink Guinness, and I'm really particular about how it's poured. If they do it right, they get tipped, if they don't, they get asked to do it right next time.