remember to take care of your bartenders and waitresses

MeYatch · Post by **MeYatch** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

We all say it. How many of us do it?

What is the appropriate amount to tip your bartender?

Myself, I usually only end up tipping if I get a mixed drink (rare) or if I buy a round of beer for everyone there with me (less rare)

Lets say a bottle of beer is $2.

What should I do? Leave two dimes there? (10%)

I can give them $3, but c'mon, a 50% tip for taking the top off my bottle? thats a little extreme.

Often I'll tip for the first beer of the night, or last beer, or at least once, but that doesn't always make things right, on a busy night I might be served by 4 different people.

Personally, I think if we are supposed to tip, beer prices really need to reflect that.

Dollar drafts? Make it $0.90, if you can't leave that dime on the counter, you my friend, are a cheap bastard.

Charge $1.80 for bottles, or $2.75 like it is at a lot of places. I will gladly leave my quarter, I'm not that cheap.

But when beer is an even dollar amount, I'm not fishing for change, or tipping 50% or better, thats just craziness.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Very good question.....found this months ago:

* STEP 1: Keep in mind that a bartender relies on tips to supplement his or her income.
* STEP 2: Have small bills available for the purpose of tipping.
* STEP 3: Tip about 15 percent of the tab from the bar. If you only buy one drink, tip $1.
* STEP 4: Remember that tipping is not mandatory, but a stingy tip could affect the service you receive later in the evening or during a subsequent visit.

I tend to tip well the first trip to the bar. Then if I forget or just don't want to, I can let a few rounds slip by and they don't mind. Usually if you have more than one bartender working, they are splitting tips anyway. If I'm with people that aren't tipping when they buy rounds, I usually suck it up and tip for them.

We just set our winter prices...yup...we've lowered them. You now get a small draft for 75 cents....a can for $1.50 and a domestic bottle for $1.75. We found our tips went up....we tend to collect lots of quarters throughout the night.

nightcrawler_steve · Post by **nightcrawler_steve** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Had to jump in on this one!

Ive dated bartenders and servers so Ive had my ear bent more than a few times about lousy tippers. But were talkin about drinks here right.

I pretty much always tip $1 everytime I get a drink.

When Im giggin and am getting my drinks for free, I ALWAYS tip $1 or sometimes more and then I usually give $5 or $10 at the end of the night.

Sound extreme? When Im not playing....if its packed....I get waited on quickly most times, I get a lot of FREE drinks and rediculously low bar tabs at the end of the night. I think its worth it. I love my bartender friends

SHAMELESS PLUG TO FOLLOW........

January 13th.

The new State Theater - ALL AGES - ALL ORIGINAL - splitting the night with our most wonderful friends The Hi Fis and The Rustlanders. Each band will be playing at least one tune of the other band.....just for shits and giggles.

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

I have to agree with Steve here...

As an ex bartender of 8 years I have to say that tipping has its privileges... especially around here (State College) when it takes 10 - 15 min. to get an overpriced drink on busy weekends. If you tip well it only takes about 45 seconds to receive your very strong and underpriced cocktail or brew! ...Thats just the way it works.

-BURK

www.myspace.com/lowjackmusic

nightcrawler_steve · Post by **nightcrawler_steve** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

LOWJACK_BURK wrote:I have to agree with Steve here...

As an ex bartender of 8 years I have to say that tipping has its privileges... especially around here (State College) when it takes 10 - 15 min. to get an overpriced drink on busy weekends. If you tip well it only takes about 45 seconds to receive your very strong and underpriced cocktail or brew! ...Thats just the way it works.

-BURK

www.myspace.com/lowjackmusic

Oh crap Burk....totally forgot about the "strong" drinks, or in my case triple absolute shots

rreihart · Post by **rreihart** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Lisa wrote: * STEP 4: Remember that tipping is not mandatory, but a stingy tip could affect the service you receive later in the evening or during a subsequent visit.

I have a real problem with advice like this, because it sounds like people are automatically expecting something. If you're in a service type of business, then just make sure you provide the best service possible and the rest will take care of itself. Maintaining a thought process like this (above) is a good way to lose customers.

Bag · Post by **Bag** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

I always tip $5.00 unless I only drink 1 or 2. Then it's a buck or two. (but that rarely happens

)

And you guys are right. The service you get is MUCH better and faster when the bartender knows you tip well.

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Haha... I am a big fan of a pint glass of JD with a splash of Coke

Yeah, I also forgot to mention that we ALWAYS tip the barstaff as a band at the end of the night too...

My band drinks alot... lol

-BURK

nightcrawler_steve · Post by **nightcrawler_steve** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

LOWJACK_BURK wrote:My band drinks alot... lol

-BURK

Ummmm do I smell a NCs verses LJ drink off? Oh wait, Aebs not 21. Ah hell, Noah and I can pick up the slack ;o)

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Oh, I just want to let you all know.....some bars don't pay their bartenders more than the waitresses min. wage. Because they earn tips, the bar does not need to pay them the regular min. wage. We do however. But some bars don't. Bartenders truly do count on the tips and they will give better service to the customers who do tip.

As a bar owner, I don't want to hear about extra strong drinks cheaper than normal.....

I need the inventory to match up with the sales. It would be different if we were in a location where we could get $5 for a mixed drink...but our mix drinks tend to run $2.50 to $3.25 (anything with red bull $4). But I do know that if you tip our bartenders, you get faster service. The rest goes unmentioned to me.

Post by **Ron** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

nightcrawler_steve wrote: Ummmm do I smell a NCs verses LJ drink off?

Haha... I can't imagine that being a good smell.

VENTGtr · Post by **VENTGtr** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

"* STEP 4: Remember that tipping is not mandatory, but a stingy tip could affect the service you receive later in the evening or during a subsequent visit."

I think this was more of a "Don't forget" than an ultimatum. I don't think anyone can argue
the validity.

I'm an "over-tipper" if there is such a thing. Sort of along the lines of Steve. Does help in
how fast you get refills though.

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

lisa,why again did you lower the price of your drinks? did your wholesaler lower his price. are you worried about your bartenders making money or you making money. i don't get it. all the people posting in that other thread to help ya out. now im reading this thread and you lowered your price on drinks. what gives? is this a new business practice. i'm not being a dick i just don't get your stratagy.

what do you do next week when your wholesaler tells you his price is going up first of the year 5%. now what?

just something to think about

SpellboundByMetal · Post by **SpellboundByMetal** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

I dont drink any alcohol @ all. Its only pepsi for me when im out. I always pay $2 for a pepsi and they usually only cost $1. i tip $1 for every pepsi i get which is usually 3-5. I will piss several hundred times on any given night out too.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

rreihart wrote:like this, because it sounds like people are automatically expecting something. If you're in a service type of business, then just make sure you provide the best service possible and the rest will take care of itself. Maintaining a thought process like this (above) is a good way to lose customers.

Just joking man.

I dig what you're saying. Anyways...

I usually don't tip on the first drink, but I make sure that I tip on the second drink. Usually I tip a dollar plus loose change. Then I go from there. I usually don't drink much, because 99% of the time, I have to drive.

RobTheDrummer · Post by **RobTheDrummer** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Always tip...it's good karma.

Colton · Post by **Colton** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

I dont worry about the amount, I just tip well enough that the bartender watches my drink like a hawk. My freinds think I'm stupid for how much I tip, but I'll be enjoying my drink while theyre still standing there waiting

I think the only time I think about the amount I tip is when I dont have alot of cash and I'm trying to stretch it...

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

When I have a decent amount of jack and am going to play a gig, I use a great tip that I learned from a good friend and great frontman one night in Hastings. I walk in to the gig, get my stuff in, then go to the bar and order a beer, and tip the bartender a 20 dollar bill. I tell them that that's for them and them only, and ask them to please take care of me for the night. Even if we're drinking for free, I get unbelievable service for slipping that 20 along.

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Thursday Nov 30, 2006

Ron wrote:
nightcrawler_steve wrote: Ummmm do I smell a NCs verses LJ drink off?
Haha... I can't imagine that being a good smell.

Oh My!!!

With regard to this thread... I know a few bartenders and bar owners that would really really love to both see and be a part of that!!!

Can't you smell that smell?

www.myspace.com/lowjackmusic

BDR · Post by **BDR** » Friday Dec 01, 2006

nightcrawler_steve wrote:I pretty much always tip $1 everytime I get a drink.

When Im giggin and am getting my drinks for free, I ALWAYS tip $1 or sometimes more and then I usually give $5 or $10 at the end of the night.

Sound extreme? When Im not playing....if its packed....I get waited on quickly most times, I get a lot of FREE drinks and rediculously low bar tabs at the end of the night. I think its worth it. I love my bartender friends

This was my rule when I was among the drinking populous, almost to the letter. When gigging, most times I'd slide the bartender a $10 at the beginning of the night before things got fired up. Talk about awesome service ...

Wow, Steve, again we agree on something ... that's cool.

My wife tends bar four nights a week and people do need to realize, they are not there because they dig the atmosphere, it's to make/add to their living, so tip up, peeps. They don't make $15 an hour to deal with drunk assholes.

People in bands should appreciate this more than anyone because the wait staff in venues are in most cases the ONLY people club owners listen to when asking the question: "How was that band last night? Should we have them back?"

r:>)

Jones · Post by **Jones** » Friday Dec 01, 2006

nightcrawler_steve wrote:Had to jump in on this one!

Ive dated bartenders and servers so Ive had my ear bent more than a few times about lousy tippers. But were talkin about drinks here right.

I pretty much always tip $1 everytime I get a drink.

When Im giggin and am getting my drinks for free, I ALWAYS tip $1 or sometimes more and then I usually give $5 or $10 at the end of the night.

Agreed. In most cases you're drinking for free anyway so pony up a buck or so per drink, then leave something at the end of the night. Guarantee next time you won't wait for a drink.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Friday Dec 01, 2006

I'm weird about tipping... barmaids and bartenders usually get a tip no matter what, because they're so busy (if there's not a band, I'm not there), but I only tip foodservers if the service is good. Let's face it, sometimes you get bad service, and that shouldn't be rewarded. That's rare, though.------>JMS

bassist4life2004 · Post by **bassist4life2004** » Friday Dec 01, 2006

My mom's a bartender and has been one for a loooong time, and i know how much work she has to do on a daily basis, so I always leave a 3 or 4 dollar tip no matter what.....well, unless i get completely shitfaced and dont know where i am, kinda like when i would do acoustics that the Foxburg with Falling Higher, haha.

BURK · Post by **BURK** » Friday Dec 01, 2006

BadDazeRob wrote: People in bands should appreciate this more than anyone because the wait staff in venues are in most cases the ONLY people club owners listen to when asking the question: "How was that band last night? Should we have them back?"

r:>)

I actually know of a bar/waitstaff crew that had a BIG hand in getting a band removed from a steady, good paying gig because they said they were cheap (Little or NO tips) and expected stellar service because "They were in the band." A few months after I heard about this I ran into one of the guys in that band... I casually asked what happened (Even though I already knew) and the guy said that he wasn't sure... "Everything was going great and the owner just up and decided to get another band."

Granted, they must have acted pretty shitty to piss off a whole bar staff... But the point is, THIS CAN ACTUALLY HAPPEN!!!

When I am at a show I act like an employee of the establishment (Who is lucky enough to get loaded at work!) and have never had a problem... And when I was a bartender I actually heard what BadDazeRob said "How was that band last night? Should we have them back?" on multiple occasions. Most big bar owners don't give two shits about who is playing... If they are doing good business and don't even notice that the band was there (Trash on stage, unpaid bar tabs, fights, etc...) then things are great...

We typically tip out house sound guys also... Especially if they spend the majority of the night behind the board. Some bars pay their sound guys pretty shitty, and its usually a flat rate... If everybody in the band made $200 - $300 on a busy weekend and the sound guy only got his $50, well give him another $50 if he/she did a really good job (It's only ten extra bucks a piece) and I bet you won't have many sound issues to worry about.

Just something to think about...

It's America... Money Talks

-BURK

www.myspace.com/lowjackmusic

www.myspace.com/burk1

BadDazeShelly · Post by **BadDazeShelly** » Friday Dec 01, 2006

As a bartender, I feel I have to add my two cents to this. Trust me, on a busy night, I will remember who tipped and who didn't. Those who tipped will not have to wait for their next drink. Those who didn't tip or who left pennies and pocket lint will probably get a little thirsty. I love bartending, most of the time, but I don't get paid near enough to have to put up with some of the things that I have to deal with and the tips make it worthwhile for me. As far as bands go, when I have a band playing, the placed is packed. I make sure, first and foremost, the band members are taken care of. When they are on break, I make sure they get fresh drinks, ice water or anything else they need. The bands bring in the people and if they aren't happy, they won't want to play there again.
This past week has been great for me at the bar. We have a lot of out of towners in the bar for hunting season and compared to where they are from, our drinks are cheap. They will tip more than the regulars because they are used to paying more for drinks at home.
The bottom line is you tip for the service you get. When I go out, I always tip even though I am only drinking soda. If I get good service, I tip well. If I get bad service, I still tip, but not as much. I also take into consideration how busy the place is. If it's really busy and my ashtray doesn't get emptied and I have to wait a while for a drink, I understand. If it isn't that busy and I have to wait, the tip decreases.