Appropriate bartender tip

[Thanatos340 1]

First.. Where the hell can you find drinkable beer in a bar for $2.50??? Cheapest around here for drinkable beer is about $4 a beer in a bar (and I know I could find PBR, Miller, Budweiser or such piss water nastyness for less than $4 but I prefer not to drink that stuff)

I usually tip $1 per Beer/Drink. If I order one beer, I tip $1. If I go to the Bar and order 3 Drinks/Beers. The tip is $3.

If I run a Tab, I tip 15% to 20% of the total when I close it out depending on the Bartenders Attitude.

[kmills0705 0]

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First.. Where the hell can you find drinkable beer in a bar for $2.50??? Cheapest around here for drinkable beer is about $4 a beer in a bar (and I know I could find PBR, Miller, Budweiser or such piss water nastyness for less than $4 but I prefer not to drink that stuff)

I usually tip $1 per Beer/Drink. If I order one beer, I tip $1. If I go to the Bar and order 3 Drinks/Beers. The tip is $3.

If I run a Tab, I tip 15% to 20% of the total when I close it out depending on the Bartenders Attitude.

I live in a college town. $2.50 for a bottle isn't out of the ordinary. There is a restaurant close buy that has $1 domestic bottle beers on Wednesdays...

Kim Mills
USPA D21696
Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

[ridestrong 1]

I used to be a bartender ~7 years ago and still have friends in the service industry. Usually if you give your bartender a good tip initially they will take care of you in the future. If I plan on frequenting a bar I will give the bartenders great tips initially and often find myself getting free drinks down the road, and still tip about $1 per tip or 20% depending on the tab, sometimes I will get 50% of my tab off.

In general, you should tip about $1 per drink.

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[carbonezone 0]

Here's a good question: when a server or delivery guy says "do you want change?"
how do you react?

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I would never ask do you need your change back I always just give it and let the tip amount up to the customer

Tip jars - what do people think of those?

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I like them behind the bar not sitting directly on the bar

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Directly asking for tips - how do you respond there?

Asking for tips is a forbidden thing as far as I am concerned. Expecting them for GOOD service is a different story.

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Tips expected for things that never used to have tips - what's up with that.

Not sure what things you are talking about

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[carbonezone 0]

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So you are all saying in order to get served you are expecting 100% tip. Wow... that seems like a very high expectation.
I tip $1 on a $2.50 beer and I thought I was being generous when you look at that being a 40% tip.
If you consider me an ugly ass shitty tipper for that $1... don't serve me. I will go elsewhere thank you very much.

Not sure what post you are reading but I never said I expected a 100% tip. Actually I didn’t give any dollar amount. I work in a club which you have to be a member to be served. Drink prices are outrageously LOW: $1 drafts, $2 bottles, $1.75 margaritas specials, $2.50 wells, $3 calls, and $3.50 premiums. Why are the drinks so low? Because the members pay annual dues and we the bartenders work for tips. When I have 1 member standing there with their 8 guests (non members) in the front of the line chit chatting about “oh what should we have to drink”… holding UP THE LINE, then they finally order $34.75 in drinks and receive them fast and with a lovely smile, hand me $35.00 and promptly stick their quarter in their pocket and walk away! NICE HUH. Guess who waits next time they come up in line? BINGO the ugly ass non-tipper! As I said before if it is you I have just described “not saying it is”, train your dog how to serve you and stay at home!!! Sorry for the long winded strung out sentence above, but I have to go to work and take GOOD care of the people who take GOOD care of me.
<>
Tami
PS: There is NOTHING wrong with NOT tipping every time you come up for a drink; it is the repeat offenders "One Who Never Leaves A Tip”, that I have a problem with.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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What is the appropriate tip for a bartender on a$2.50 beer?

If I don't have to wait forever I normally feel like an ass if I don't leave the $1.00 and change. (Always thinking I'd just leave $0.50 the next time) But figuring out the percentage that's one hell of a tip!!!! And I'm sorry, but I not a cheap drunk anymore.

What do you guys leave when you walk up to the bar to our a bottle?

[kmills0705 0]

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So you are all saying in order to get served you are expecting 100% tip. Wow... that seems like a very high expectation.
I tip $1 on a $2.50 beer and I thought I was being generous when you look at that being a 40% tip.
If you consider me an ugly ass shitty tipper for that $1... don't serve me. I will go elsewhere thank you very much.

Not sure what post you are reading but I never said I expected a 100% tip. Actually I didn’t give any dollar amount.

You quoted the response:

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As a former bartender of a bar/band venue - my rule was 'the more you tip, the less you wait'.

On a $2.50 beer:

If you're competing for the bartender's attention in a crowded bar 3 rows deep, tip $1.50-2.50.
Bartender here...and ditto

So tipping 2.50 on a 2.50 beer is 100% tip.... or did I do my math wrong? You didn't say an amount but you were "ditto'ing" the previous poster saying that you would expect upwards of 2.50 for a tip.

Kim Mills
USPA D21696
Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

[carbonezone 0]

My bad...this is what I was agreeing with

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As a former bartender of a bar/band venue - my rule was 'the more you tip, the less you wait'.

Reason being: the person who is tipping you better appreciates good service and treats you as a person who is working for a living. The person who is not tipping is “usually” the person who is very rude and also treats you like chewed up bubble gum on the bottom of their shoe.
Tami

[skyjumpenfool 2]

I bartended for many years.... Anytime someone tipped me two dimes on a $1.80 beer, (beer was cheaper then) I always knocked it on the bar twice and made sure they knew it was well appreciated. You see, I knew that I could serve 5-6 hundred beers that night. Twenty cents a beer added up. Plus, that same customer always came back to me and always left that change. Other customers learned to tip watching me knock those dimes on the bar.

All you service people out there who are "expecting" those big tips need to re examine your job. Work hard and appreciate what comes your way. Everything else will fall into place!

Birdshit & Fools Productions

"Son, only two things fall from the sky."

[carbonezone 0]

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You see, I knew that I could serve 5-6 hundred beers that night. Twenty cents a beer added up. Plus, that same customer always came back to me and always left that change. Other customers learned to tip watching me knock those dimes on the bar.

Exactly….that change does add up at the end of the night and those coins are greatly appreciated!! I do a similar thing with change put into my jar…I say “CaChing” and giggle every time they put a coin in. They love it, and god forbid if I don’t say “CaChing”, they will stand there and wait for it. “It’s very cute”! I don’t expect BIG tips all the time. But I do expect to be treated as a hard working service provider. The bottom line is the good almost always make up for the bad!
Tami

[ridestrong 1]

I think Tami is being a bit modest... If I served someone 5 beers/drinks over a 2 hour period and only made a $1 off that person they would be written off as a shitty tipper hands down.

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[skymama 35]

I always tip a good server at a table between 15-20% on the total of the bill. So, for a $2.50 beer, a 20% tip would be .50. Are bartenders supposed to be tipped more than someone on the waitstaff?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Squeak 17]

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Asking for tips is a forbidden thing as far as I am concerned. Expecting them for GOOD service is a different story.

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I would think that "GOOD service" would be the STARTING point of the "SERVICE" industry.
If i employed someone who only gave good service for good tips they would be out the door faster than their feet could move.

GOOD SERVICE should be the MINIMUM standard. Tips or no tips

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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[JohnMitchell 14]

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If you're competing for the bartender's attention in a crowded bar 3 rows deep, tip $1.50-2.50.

With a smile like hers, I don't think Kim ever has to compete for attention.

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So tipping 2.50 on a 2.50 beer is 100% tip.... or did I do my math wrong? You didn't say an amount but you were "ditto'ing" the previous poster saying that you would expect upwards of 2.50 for a tip.

Your math is impeccable, and I think some people expect more of a tip than their service is worth. I tip food servers very well, but bartenders light to moderately. You say I'll be served next to last? That's okay, I can hear the band from where I'm standing.

[ridestrong 1]

Let's be frank, tending bar is not hard work. Busing tables is harder work and they don't make nearly as much. It's dealing with drunk assholes that's "hard work". I had a hell-a-lot of fun when I was a bartender, but I'd much rather be on the other side of the bar.

*I am not afraid of dying... I am afraid of missing life.*
----Disclaimer: I don't know shit about skydiving.----

[carbonezone 0]

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I would think that "GOOD service" would be the STARTING point of the "SERVICE" industry.
If i employed someone who only gave good service for good tips they would be out the door faster than their feet could move.
GOOD SERVICE should be the MINIMUM standard. Tips or no tips

Who said they were not getting good service?

[Squeak 17]

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I would think that "GOOD service" would be the STARTING point of the "SERVICE" industry.
If i employed someone who only gave good service for good tips they would be out the door faster than their feet could move.
GOOD SERVICE should be the MINIMUM standard. Tips or no tips

Who said they were not getting good service?

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Expecting them for GOOD service is a different story.

Good service should be the starting point regardless of whether you are tipped or not. Expecting tips for the minimum standard of work is absurd.
Tip are SUPOSSED to be the exception, for a level of service ABOVE the minimum standard.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[carbonezone 0]

This is a general post not pointed to anyone.

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You know what? Twelve years ago as an Engineer working for a Fortune 500 company; I would be having this debate about the loss of USA enterprises (Made in the USA’s) demise due to overseas manufacturing. Now it’s come to this…geez! END I’m done with this conversation. Remember that whether people are working for Micky-D’s or in the Trump Tower, working is GOOD and these days that’s blessing! Over on OUT! You got no more from me on this subject "no loss", just washed out!

Peace and prosperity to all
<>
Tami

[anthonyfellows 0]

Without taking into consideration the opinion of everyone else (simply because I didn't feel the need to read it) ... Why would it be any different than tipping the wait staff at a restaurant?

Honestly, I think the percentage of an "expected" tip from a bar tender should be much lower than that of a waitress/waiter.

And for those who want to bitch about the tips they receive, get a real job that society doesn't deem tip-worthy. The people who pick up my garbage aren't making much money and probably have just as much skill/talent that is required to hand out a beer as you do.

I'm sure there will be those who believe that making a mixed drink is more of an art than anything else, but those people can go fuck themselves :) You're a lifelong bar tender ... Just live with it ... At least you're not taking out my trash for a living.

Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs

[billeisele 122]

random thoughts:

once worked at a convention location, Kiawah Island, a 15% tip fee was "in the bill", the bartenders and wait staff were "paid" a % of that fee based on where they worked
- wait staff 10%
- full bar 10%
- party bar 8%
- helpers 6%
less than good+ service and you got fired, the staff "encouraged" each other to give great service, more than one person was "forced" to up their game based on social pressure, or they got fired cause we got 'em fired

so tips plus $2.50 / hour was not bad, but it all got taxed

The best advice I ever got was: treat every customer as if they were the only customer, because the next person in line will see what is happening and beleive that they will be treated the same way, the customer will decide how much of a tip to give based on how the person in front of them was treated. This has paid off many times.

having said that:
Why should a $5 beer get a higher tip than a $2.50 beer?
Why should a $30 meal get a higher tip than a $20 meal?

When the tip is computed it is very tempting to automatically deduct about 1/3 to make up for the taxes I'm paying because, in general, they are not reporting the income.

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[anthonyfellows 0]

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random thoughts:

once worked at a convention location, Kiawah Island, a 15% tip fee was "in the bill", the bartenders and wait staff were "paid" a % of that fee based on where they worked
- wait staff 10%
- full bar 10%
- party bar 8%
- helpers 6%
less than good+ service and you got fired, the staff "encouraged" each other to give great service, more than one person was "forced" to up their game based on social pressure, or they got fired cause we got 'em fired

so tips plus $2.50 / hour was not bad, but it all got taxed

The best advice I ever got was: treat every customer as if they were the only customer, because the next person in line will see what is happening and beleive that they will be treated the same way, the customer will decide how much of a tip to give based on how the person in front of them was treated. This has paid off many times.

having said that:
Why should a $5 beer get a higher tip than a $2.50 beer?
Why should a $30 meal get a higher tip than a $20 meal?

When the tip is computed it is very tempting to automatically deduct about 1/3 to make up for the taxes I'm paying because, in general, they are not reporting the income.

Exactly (kind of) ... Fuck those who expect it and give to those who deserve it.

Do your job, get paid, and shut the fuck up.

And if you're illegal, stop wanting to pay taxes, just get the fuck out.

Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs

[Thanatos340 1]

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Good service should be the starting point regardless of whether you are tipped or not. Expecting tips for the minimum standard of work is absurd.
Tip are SUPPOSED to be the exception, for a level of service ABOVE the minimum standard.

I agree with you in principal, However the problem is here in the U.S. Tips are expected for jobs such as Waiting tables and such. The Minimum wage for wait staff is absurdly low.. I think it is something like $2.15 per hour. That is what most wait staff is paid. Beyond that the staff is expected to make Tips to make up their salary.

The real problem is that the Staff is taxed on their expected tips (Whether they make them or not). Whether you leave a tip or not, The wait staff must pay income tax on 10% of the total bill.

So if you dont leave a tip, The wait person actually has to PAY money to wait on you.

Yes, the system sucks and it is unfair but that is the way it works.

I personally dont expect anyone to work for free and I certainly don't want someone to loose money (Out of a pathetically low salary to begin with) to serve me.

Here is an example.. Go into a restaurant and the Service is Horribly slow. That may or may not have anything to do with the server. It could be because the kitchen is backed up, The waiter has too many tables (maybe someone didnt show for work or maybe the owners just have not hired enough wait staff.) or any number of other reasons.
You say, the service sucked. I am not leaving a tip. The waiter still has to pay income taxes on 10% of your bill and they are the only one that is financially suffering. The owner still made their money off your meal, The kitchen Still get paid their hourly rate. The only ones getting screwed are YOU (Poor Service)and the wait staff.
I always ask to see a manager if their is a problem with service. I would rather try to get some portion of the bill taken off before I would stiff the wait staff (Unless it is very obvious that the problem was 100% the waiter) and even then I still leave 10% and tell the manager that the server sucked.

In other countries, Sure tips are optional. Here they are not.

[micduran 0]

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When the tip is computed it is very tempting to automatically deduct about 1/3 to make up for the taxes I'm paying because, in general, they are not reporting the income.

This was almost always the case when we were primarily a cash world.
Now that everything goes on plastic more and more restaurants and bars are going to paycheck payroll and not handing out cash at the end of the night.
So now, all tips are being reported.

Be patient with the faults of others; they have to be patient with yours.

[Squeak 17]

i understand all of the above J and i am not saying I'm against tipping. I do have some issues with it and it has little to do with the wait staff. and much more to do with a system which sucks and seems to be self perpetuating.
I also have issues with tipping wait staff ONLY, when people like cleaners and dish washers also get really crappy pay and as far as i know do not receive any of the tips collected.
I can not for the life of me understand why the tips are not included as a part of the bill and renamed appropriately, like staff wages (or similar) at least then you know exactly what you bill will be and should you choose to tip a particular staff member it would be completely up to the individual

It's currently a sucky flawed system that no one seems to want to change.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Thanatos340 1]

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When the tip is computed it is very tempting to automatically deduct about 1/3 to make up for the taxes I'm paying because, in general, they are not reporting the income.

Which is why wait staff is automatically Taxed on 10% of total sales.

So yes, if you leave 15% then the wait staff is getting 5% tax free.. sort of. if EVERYONE was actually leaving 15%. The reality is that most don't.
10% is fairly realistic after you factor in all the deadbeats that are too cheap to leave a tip.

So yes, the wait staff is Paying Taxes on a percentage of your bill whether you leave a tip or not.