Ask the Bartender: How Much Do I Tip?
By Maggie Dutton in Ask the Bartender
Tuesday, Dec. 2 2008 @ 7:41AM
It's the time of week when we answer the burning and slightly itchy questions you've always had about drinks, the bar, or eating out. This question comes from Olin:
My question concerns tipping for drinks. Is one tipping for the overall service or the fact that servers need the supplemental income? I usually tip a buck a drink, but feel that cracking open a PBR tallboy isn't exactly as much of a service as mixing a great negroni, but the pressure the the bartender staring me in the face always effects the amount as well, especially if I'll be getting another round. Basically, should tipping at the bar be a flat rate or, like I would with a waiter, should I tip according to service?There's no perfect rule set for tipping the bartender. Though I may seem like I'd be biased, I've had enough shit service lately to answer this question a little surlier than normal.
A buck a drink is a great rule, but you're right—you don't owe the bartender a buck per bottle cap. What do you owe? What did you get? If you're going up to the bar for service and just ordering a round of beers, a couple bucks per round for a handful of beers is decent. I mean, shit, your barista does more than that making your latte, right? So yes, the time spent making the drink is a factor, as is the time spent with you.
A good bartender should engage in conversation with every patron at the bar, and know when to bow out and leave people to their own company. If you sit at the bar, the buck-a-drink rule goes out the window and you should tip your bartender like a server. You're sitting, so think of it as rent & service (In Europe, you often pay more to sit at the bar). The bar is the bartender's personal space to manage, and while I don't believe a bartender needs to entertain me, I should feel welcomed, as if I am a guest at a friend of a friend's party. Bartenders should never be giving less than 20% service (I mean, you're right there in front of them!), but if they do, leaving a 15% tip sends a very strong message. A bartender will get the point.
Got a question? Email me HERE.
1 comment(s)
James Early says:
What's the appropriate tip when a bartender removes your drink while you're in the bathroom and then refuses to acknowledge the mistake? And has someone else deal with the inevitable explanations? Although I had left a dollar for each previous drink I had ordered I was charged for the new drink. What sort of "tip" would you have left?
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 2 2008 @ 11:37AM