Should I tip more for a bigger beer?

[Uncle Erik]

I dropped in at my favorite bar tonight. Usually, I buy pints of beer and tip $1 per drink. Today, they started offering 32 oz. mugs of beer. I got one, but am wondering if it is appropriate to still tip $1, or whether it is more appropriate to tip $2, since I'll buy one mug instead of two pints.

I just left $2 on the counter (the bartender is a sweetie, anyhow) but wanted to get some opinions on this here. For the record, this is a place I visit several times a week and I know the owner, staff and regulars. They're unfailingly good to me. I want to be sure to leave an appropriate tip.

 

[Slash McCoy]

BRAVO! I have taken the occasional bartending job and it sucks to get customers who are lackadaisical tippers no matter how well you serve them.

Generally, a 20% tip is pretty decent, but the standard these days is pretty much at least a buck for a service. A dollar is 20% of $5 so a buck pretty much covers it up to a $5 drink, I think. That is the way I tip, anyhow. For any outstanding service above and beyond the call, I add appropriately, such as when a bartender rejects a totally obnoxious song on the jukebox, or shoos an obnoxious person away from me, calls me a taxi ("Okay... you are a taxi") or orders some food for me.

If your beer is over $5, then you might consider doubling up, or else leaving a bit extra when you leave. It's all good. Nothing is written in stone. Tipping is voluntary, and unregulated. Give your bartender what the service is worth to you and what you think it takes to keep getting that level of service.

Your concern about tipping appropriately is appreciated. These days bartenders rely heavily on tips, since wages have not kept up with the cost of living. Believe it or not, there are MANY bartenders making BELOW MINIMUM WAGE. It is presumed that there will be tips, so in many states the normal minimum wage does not apply to certain jobs such as waiter or bartender. One place I worked a few times pays $25 per 8 hour shift. If I made a couple hundred in tips, woo-HOO! If I made $45 in tips, Mr. Sadface. So, thank you, conscientious tipper. The bars of the world need more customers like you.

 

[DE Shaver]

Tipping is a good way to ingratiate yourself to the staff. As a regular, it behooves you to tip well, since this would lead to better/more drinks, personalized service and freebies. For me, being generous in a tip is a worthwhile, long term pay-off. However, if I feel the service was bad, I have no problem leaving less money or even none in some notable cases as I'm never going back. Regardless, I consider tipping a good investment in bars you frequent. If you are getting great service, I see no reason not to leave a good tip if you are a regular.

Here's my rule of thumb, which is what I tip in North America:

More than 20% - Memorable service
20% - Great service
15% - Good service
10% - Acceptable Service
5% - Not so good service
0% - Bad service

Minimum $1 for anything if the service is acceptable or better.

So, what makes service good, acceptable or bad? That's your judgment call. If you are frequenting a place that gives you not so good service, it's time to change places. I know my advice about leaving less of a tip for poorer service may irk those that rely on tips but if you want that extra cash, you'll have show me a little courtesy. I don't expect perfection and if you are trying, you'll get a good tip. If you ignore me or if I have to pester you for everything, then do not expect much. A tip is a gratuity, not an entitlement. If you rely on tips, you need to respect your customers.

 

[Edcculus]

I think $1 per drink is acceptable, then a little bit extra when you leave if you really like the service. That way, you aren't in the trap of $2 per drink (which can really add up unless you are there for 1 or 2 drinks).

 

[SpyvSpy]

Sorry to all you bartenders but IMHO all you doing is pouring a beer. It's not as difficult as making a mixed drink. I usually open a tab and pay good depending on the service. If I'm paying cash it usually a dollar a beer and on my last one I'll leave a nice tip.

 

[stobes21]

If I'm paying cash I leave a dollar each for beers and simple mixed drinks. If I open a tab I tip ~20%. Even large draft beers only take a few seconds to pour. I figure a buck apiece is perfectly reasonable.

 

[galopede]

If any of you visit Britain, tipping a barman will only confuse him!

 

[Austin]

I think $1 per drink is acceptable, then a little bit extra when you leave if you really like the service. That way, you aren't in the trap of $2 per drink (which can really add up unless you are there for 1 or 2 drinks).

Thats how I do it. If I get thrown out of the bar, I leave nothing.

 

[Feraud]

For the record, this is a place I visit several times a week and I know the owner, staff and regulars. They're unfailingly good to me. I want to be sure to leave an appropriate tip.

Based on this I would say your tipping is appropriate.

 

[JDV]

I rarely frequent bars these days since it's much cheaper and relaxing on my deck, but I usually tip $1 a beer and $5 for the last one before I leave. Never really put a lot of thought into the 'why', it's just how I have always done it.

 

[Edcculus]

If any of you visit Britain, tipping a barman will only confuse him!

Ive heard British barmen love American tourists. Even though as a populus we are extremely bad at tipping (I've worked in a restaurant, some people just don't get it), when we travel abroad, we still can't shake that programmed notion to tip!

 

[VampyreWolf]

My standard tip is 20%, though I tip more depending on how long I'm there and how busy the servers are.

Last time I was out I had 3 caesars with my meal... I'm sure the server thought I was crazy giving her $10 for a $5.25 drink, but we had her moving all night.



That said, the last 2 times I went to the one bar were the extremes... my bday night we had 6 people at the table and had a ~$200 tab. She walked away with a 40%+ tip.
Next time at the same bar we went on a friday night, 2 of us had a ~$80 tab and left nothing for a tip. Took her walking past the table 5 times to get her attention to get the bill and then took ~30min to get the bill to us. If we weren't planning on drinking there again we would have had an hour to talk out.

 

[Slash McCoy]

If any of you visit Britain, tipping a barman will only confuse him!

They are more used to in in port cities like Southhampton. I always left a tip at the Red Lion. But then again, I was also invited to call ahead so that they could ice down some beer for me. The locals drink their beer, and even everybody else's including American beers, at a scandalously high temperature. I like my Bud cold enough to hurt my teeth, so the call-ahead worked out good for me and it was worth it to me and to the bartender for them to provide the extra service, and for me to tip generously for it. They even poured salt on the ice to get that little extra edge of coldness into the beer. It sure made the Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, "Texas style" chili, and other flavorless pub food go down better. Sadly, I hear that this historic centuries-old pub is no longer a pub but now some sort of bistro. <Sigh>

I have seen that, though, in parts of the world. Me and a couple of shipmates were in a nice upscale local joint on Isla Flamenco, in Panama, once, drinking the most exquisite Mojitos you could imagine... bueatifully crafted and elegantly served. Drinks were waaaaay cheap but we still tipped a couple bucks a round. That guy probably only got tips for hooking people up, scoring dope, stuff like that, and we were tipping just for the excellent drinks and service. The guy finally realized there was no catch, and then he was all over us, making absolutely sure there was nothing else we wanted. We spoiled him by local standards, I guess, but really, the guy was a superb bartender, a true professional, and deserved to make a few extra bucks.

I was in Playa del Carmen, Mexico one time (in a VERY local neighborhood bar) and left a pile of pesos on the bar, and the bartender ran down the street to bring me the money he thought I accidentally left behind!

In Japan some folks actually feel insulted when tipped. That seems to be getting a bit less common these days, though. In bars I have even seen the locals doing it.

 

[rm71]

Can somebody please explain to me why you need to tip them? I know it is the done thing in the USA but aren't those guy doing their job?

 

[Austin]

Can somebody please explain to me why you need to tip them? I know it is the done thing in the USA but aren't those guy doing their job?

Pay is usually less than minimum pay. They make up the difference by tips.

 

[rm71]

Pay is usually less than minimum pay. They make up the difference by tips.

That's what I thought but was not 100% sure. Thanks.

 

[Timmy Dee]

And minimum wage in the States isn't a shade of what minimum wage is here in Oz.

$15 p/h I think it is this year, here. In the states it's around half that (varies from State to State).

 

[Edcculus]

And minimum wage in the States isn't a shade of what minimum wage is here in Oz.

$15 p/h I think it is this year, here. In the states it's around half that (varies from State to State).

$15/hr! Yea, minimum is somewhere around $6 ish here (at least in SC). I think it was closer to 8 when I was in Ohio. I guess things are a little more expensive your way though.


rm71 - bartenders and waiters here in the states get paid less than minimum wage. Something like $2-3/hr. All that really does is pay your taxes. The only way bartenders and waiters can make anything close to a decent wage is with tips. Not to get preachy, but people should ALWAYS tip, no matter how bad the service. I do 20+ for good serveice, 15&#37; if I feel I was ignored a bit and it was their fault. I've never walked out without tipping. No matter how bad the service, they still need to make money. Like we are discussing in this thread, it gets a little tricky to do the percentage on a bill when ordering drinks. People will usually tip $1 per drink if paying cash.

 

[rm71]

$15/hr! Yea, minimum is somewhere around $6 ish here (at least in SC). I think it was closer to 8 when I was in Ohio. I guess things are a little more expensive your way though.


rm71 - bartenders and waiters here in the states get paid less than minimum wage. Something like $2-3/hr. All that really does is pay your taxes. The only way bartenders and waiters can make anything close to a decent wage is with tips. Not to get preachy, but people should ALWAYS tip, no matter how bad the service. I do 20+ for good serveice, 15% if I feel I was ignored a bit and it was their fault. I've never walked out without tipping. No matter how bad the service, they still need to make money. Like we are discussing in this thread, it gets a little tricky to do the percentage on a bill when ordering drinks. People will usually tip $1 per drink if paying cash.

Thanks. But doesn't that kind of add up if you have a few drinks?

 

[Edcculus]

Yea, it can. Personally, if I'm there for more than 1 or two, I'll usually open a tab on my credit card. At the end, I'll tip 20&#37; on the whole bill instead of the $1 per drink. I also don't find it necessary to tip more than $1 per trip. If I go to the bar and order a drink for myself and a friend, I more than likely won't tip $2.