View Full Version : Tipping Bar tenders.
What's the general rule for tipping bar tenders? I sat in a beach bar in ST. Petes beach last year and as the afternoon went on I noticed the cheerful, helpful, attentive bar tender became more aloof towards me as time went by. I assumed it was because I wasn't tipping her after every drink, so when I left I gave her 10 dollars and said thanks for your service. She became nice again! We are going back to Florida in March and I would like to fully understand bar room etiquette.
The bar staff tend to get forgotten in restaurants and sometimes they are the unsung hero's.
As with many jobs in the US bar staff rely on tips as a major part of their income.
Unlike Waiters that are given a set number of tables and therefore it is easy to leave them a tip at the end of the evening, bar staff may move around the bar / tables and can serve anyone who needs a drink and therefore you may have several different servers.
To be safe I would ask at the time of getting your first drink and act accordingly, at least if you ask at the start the Bar Staff know that you are aware of the position and that should stop a repeat of the situation that you discribed.
bellaepovera
28-01-2004, 22:02
I leave the same as if dining. But if I am by my self and have one or two drinks I always leave a dollar. I would say a round of drinks for 4 people $2.
I thought you had to leave bar staff at least 15%?
bellaepovera
29-01-2004, 01:57
HEHE Im never am at a bar by myself. So even if I go to a bar and order a coke I tip $1. Depending on what you order and what the bill is $2-$5 tip is good per round. Ex bartender in my earlier years so I suppose if i was one now I would want to be tipped that much.
Andy & Arlene
29-01-2004, 03:22
Gee ...if I was to tip every bar person on a night out, I'd spend more on tips than I would on drink. Drinks are expensive enough in the clubs here as it is.[msntongue]
Cruella DeVilla
27-05-2004, 05:48
This is always one that gets my husband going. We haTe when tips are added on and ask them to take it off, then we leave, if service good 10%. 15-20 is too much I feel. It is one of the only things I do not like about the US. I know these guys and gals do not get paid much but we then subsidise the owners by paying the wage bill!
No body tips me for doing my job! OK whinge over!
CDV:(
:D:D I have the same thoughts myself
Sharon G
28-05-2004, 03:32
Most waiters etc are really nice in the US and we generally tip them 10 per cent or thereabouts.
Once though we went to a restaurant and we must have caught the waiter on a bad day!![msnsad][msnsad]
We're really easy going people and even more so whilst in Florida[msnsmile2][msnsmile2] but this guy was so "short" with us.
He even spilt a beer over one of my kids and didn,t apologise. He half cleaned the table and disappeared to get another beer....He returned 20 minutes later with the beer as we were ready to leave!!
The table was full of dirty plates (and spilt beer).
He shot off to get the bill and returned with a smile as my hubby was getting his money out!!
Why pay for his service!!!!...there wasn't one!![msncry][msncry]
We paid the bill and Paul gave him 50 cents deliberately in his hand and told him to keep his bad days at home....[msnembarrased]
Sharon
At a bar, I'd tip a minimum of $1 or 15% - 20%, whichever was the higher amount.
You may have caught him on a bad day, or after a run of Brit guests, Sharon!!! We are known throughout Orlando for being amongst the meanest tippers.
Part of the problem with sloppy or bad service, is that when they hear a Brit accent they often know that they'll be very lucky to get any tip!!! I've seen Brits just get up and walk out and leave nothing. I've also seen those who think that they are being generous when they leave a couple of bucks on the table for a full meal for 4 people. I felt like running after both of these meanies and explaining the error of their ways to them, so goodness only knows what the waiter felt like!! There's no excuse for this behaviour either, since all the tour ops and brochures mention tipping and what you should and shouldn't do.
In some restaurants and bars the waiters pay to work there because they know that if they give good service that they will receive very generous tips.
Wait Staff only usually get paid minimum wage, which is around $3.50 per hour (not sure of exact amount). That's one of the reasons why the food costs so little when you eat out - you have not been charged for service. The accepted rate for tips is 15% and 20% or more for exceptional service.
The waiters and bar staff get taxed on the assumption that they have made so much per shift in tips at 15%. If you leave them less than 15%, then they will pay tax on more than you left them.
I sometimes feel like wearing a T Shirt that says "I may be a Brit but I do tip".
Gillian-B
28-05-2004, 12:59
I have no problems with tipping in the US as the service usually far exceeds what we get over here! A couple of weeks ago, we were in a restaurant and our food took 1 hour to come out (which didn't bother us as we were on holiday and not in a rush). However, the manager came over of his own will, apologised and said all the bill would be on them! Now, can you imagine that in the UK?;)
I agree with you Carla, just its not our normal practise to tip, I raised a thread about
this a year ago.
The service far exceeds that in England cos they are after a tip, This is my opinion.
Anyway I have also seen Americans get up and leave no tip, So its not just us Brits
Suns out looks like another nice friday [8D]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Suns out looks like another nice friday [/quote]
Its a rather grim, wet day up on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey ! [msnsad]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrisj
The service far exceeds that in England cos they are after a tip, This is my opinion.[/quote]
I'm glad to see we all agree that the service does 'far exceed' that in the UK!!
It's one thing I find refreshing on our visits, is the level staff strive to make your meal, drink, shopping experience or whatever that much better. If it adds a little to the cost, and in most cases it will still be significantly better value than most places in the UK (different rip-off Britain argument coming along here!!) then I welcome it with open arms.
If the staff only smile at me, or provide me with exceptional service because they want a tip, then no problem. I'd rather that, than some grumpy, arrogant, rude or downright horrible staff member who doesn't have any interest or care in the level of service they deliver like some I've encountered around the UK.
Neil
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mikewj
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Suns out looks like another nice friday [/quote]
Its a rather grim, wet day up on the banks of the Royal Blue Mersey ! [msnsad]
[/quote]
Its so lovely here im going home soon, just waiting for the boss
to go into a meeting them im off :D:D
Neil
Wonder if you Tip in the UK when the service is just as good as in the USA, and seriously
you can find grumpy arrogant staff in USA as well. Think you will find them all over
the world
Chrisj
I'd like to think my tips are generous both in the UK and US. I always look at it as an investment in service. Those people that add go 'the extra mile' are, in the majority of cases, easily distinguishable from the 'lead swingers', on both sides of the pond!!
[msnwink]
I always tip an amount that's correct for the country I am in, assuming the service is up to standard.
It's no good saying X% is to much if that's the standard for normal service, you know what it is before you enter the restaurant so there's no point in reducing the amount when the person has given normal service. I would always increase or decrease the amount for something outside of normal.
Regards Dave
Cruella DeVilla
31-05-2004, 16:58
Dave,
Appreciate exactly what you are saying.
However, I have loads of American and Canadian friends/workmates and they do not leave 15-20% each time, they normally leave about 10 percent all being well, which is why I base my tips around that amount, maybe 15% if the service is good.
What gauls us is, say you are out for a celebration dinner, champagne, 4 courses, lots of drinks, why the heck should you give them a fifth of your bill in a tip. Hubby and I are generous tippers back home but if we have a special meal which costs say £200, we do not leave a £40 tip............I Know when in Rome..............but still.
We know the culture in the US and do leave a tip and not just a couple of dollars.
We asked at the Cattlemans a few years ago about expectations and worked it out from what he said that tips the waiter received in one week was about $2000+, thats $8000+ a month. Maybe I should look at a change of career! OK thats my opinion on the matter and that is all it is so no more for me on the subject except now I just bought a nice big villa I shall just go places I do not have tip and use the hundreds of dolars to do up the house!!!!!!!ONLY JOKING. OK away to pack my case flight, Florida sunshine waiting am.
Regards,
Jacqueline;)
When I have a celebration dinner I don't want to be rushed and will spend time enjoying it. In fact often twice as long as a normal meal.
So does the server prefer my one tip or two from normal meals? It should work out about the same if I don't scale down.
Regards Dave