guidelines for tipping while out at the bar

[Farbio]

Tips come from tradition, not from economic principles. The way it should work is the restaurant should pay the market price for wages and just charge the customer a service fee with their check. That would balance out the uncertainty and the wild swings in your pay.

that might be the way that it should be, but such is not the case in this country. if you want to change it, don't bitch about it here, talk to your congressman and get the wagelaws changed, i'd be more than happy to work for a set wage and know that even on a slow nite i was going to be able to pay my bills rather than hope for a busy nite.

 

[LukFilm]

Tipping is silly, never knew you were supposed to tip someone to do what he is supposed to do. Ridiculous in my opinion, why don't we tip doctors, teachers, etc. who are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Then again, I'm not from the USA, but I think tipping is silly.

 

[Skel]

I always tip well when I'm out at a bar, I want them to remember me, and get to the point where I don't have to tell them what I want, they just know... works really well, most of the bars I go to not only remember my drink of choice, but also hook me up with other drinks...

 

[Mandrill]

heh When two double shots end up costing as much if not more than fifth of the same alcohol from a store, I am going to be a cheap bastard. The amount of profit made on a bottle of hard liqour is unreal so I have no sympathies for bars not paying their employee's a decent wage.

 

[Farbio]

exactly the point skel, that's the type of service that tipping well precludes, free drinks are not something that we have trouble doing, its not that hard to make it all work out just fine on your liquor count and spill check

 

[Skel]

Originally posted by: Farbio
exactly the point skel, that's the type of service that tipping well precludes, free drinks are not something that we have trouble doing, its not that hard to make it all work out just fine on your liquor count and spill check

I've also worked at a bar, so I know the "abuse" that a lot of bartenders put up with, so to me they are all underpaid to begin with...

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Mandrill
heh When two double shots end up costing as much if not more than fifth of the same alcohol from a store, I am going to be a cheap bastard. The amount of profit made on a bottle of hard liqour is unreal so I have no sympathies for bars not paying their employee's a decent wage.

Again, another person who is completely ignorant about how a business is run.

You are not only paying for the liqour, but the building, the license, the insurance, the atmosphere, the glassware, the small wage paid to the servers, taxes, shrinkage, waste, security, kickbacks, the DJ or other entertainment...

I could go on, but I think you get the point. The overhead costs in a bar are very expensive. Before spouting off that the profit margins are so high, why not actually do the math yourself? ALL the math... remember, the cost of the booze is only a very small part of the overhead involved.

Next time you notice how many bars open and close quite often, know that's because it's a VERY competitive business. Only the clubs that can stay packed AND charge higher than average prices will remain open.

 

[bolido2000]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: CallTheFBI
I'm not a huge fan of tipping myself. To me tipping is an exuse for businesses not to pay their employees a decent wage. But I do understand that it is necessary since the business deflates the wages because of tipping.

Backwards thinking. Tipping came in to practice to make the CUSTOMER is the person the waitstaff must answer to. When tips are the wait staff's main source of income, the individual customer becomes the boss. The individual customer's needs come before the restaurant's needs.

If you think hourly wages are better, go ahead and abolish the system... just wait until your local restaurant has employees that are as interested in individual service as your local Best Buy, McDonalds or DMV.

Tipping and commissions ENSURE prompt and proper service, or the server does not get paid as well. No way can an owner or manager monitor the service at every table. But the customer CAN with the tipping system.

And if you think the tab plus tip is expensive now, just wait until they add the wages into the tab. It will be about twice what your tip would have been in the first place because of taxes.

No, our tipping system is the best way to ensure prompt, proper, and individual service.

Ever been to Japan?

 

[compudog]

I tip 20% at least, always. Even if the service is completely unacceptable, I still leave a tip. If the service is fantastic, I may leave as much as 25%. Going out is an event, and most of the time, the people serving/tending are doing an earnest job. Working hard to make sure my experience is pleasurable.

 

[weirdichi]

Ahhh.. good 'ol Japan.. me likes!

 

[Farbio]

Quote

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Originally posted by: Mandrill
heh When two double shots end up costing as much if not more than fifth of the same alcohol from a store, I am going to be a cheap bastard. The amount of profit made on a bottle of hard liqour is unreal so I have no sympathies for bars not paying their employee's a decent wage.
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Again, another person who is completely ignorant about how a business is run.

You are not only paying for the liqour, but the building, the license, the insurance, the atmosphere, the glassware, the small wage paid to the servers, taxes, shrinkage, waste, security, kickbacks, the DJ or other entertainment...

I could go on, but I think you get the point. The overhead costs in a bar are very expensive. Before spouting off that the profit margins are so high, why not actually do the math yourself? ALL the math... remember, the cost of the booze is only a very small part of the overhead involved.

Next time you notice how many bars open and close quite often, know that's because it's a VERY competitive business. Only the clubs that can stay packed AND charge higher than average prices will remain open.

exactly the point - liquor might keep the business open, but it doesn't provide high profit margins - the amount of money earned on every dollar in a restaurant/bar is a $.05 if you're running a good business - you might reach $.10, but never anything more than that. i always figured bars got their liquor at very discount prices, the reality is just the opposite, you probably do better on buying your bottles in a store than the bar does from their distributor, and i know that kegs are cheaper from a store than we pay from the liquor co. - but that's the price that the bar pays to keep its liquor liscense and buy from liscensed distributors

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: bolido2000

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: CallTheFBI
I'm not a huge fan of tipping myself. To me tipping is an exuse for businesses not to pay their employees a decent wage. But I do understand that it is necessary since the business deflates the wages because of tipping.

Backwards thinking. Tipping came in to practice to make the CUSTOMER is the person the waitstaff must answer to. When tips are the wait staff's main source of income, the individual customer becomes the boss. The individual customer's needs come before the restaurant's needs.

If you think hourly wages are better, go ahead and abolish the system... just wait until your local restaurant has employees that are as interested in individual service as your local Best Buy, McDonalds or DMV.

Tipping and commissions ENSURE prompt and proper service, or the server does not get paid as well. No way can an owner or manager monitor the service at every table. But the customer CAN with the tipping system.

And if you think the tab plus tip is expensive now, just wait until they add the wages into the tab. It will be about twice what your tip would have been in the first place because of taxes.

No, our tipping system is the best way to ensure prompt, proper, and individual service.

Ever been to Japan?

No, but they have the second highest suicide rate in the world.

Comparing customs across cultural lines is pointless. Tipping works here the same as commission sales work here.

How come no one will address my comparison to Best Buy?

 

[Farbio]

amused - because everyone knows that its true, and doesn't want to think about a bartender making something they put in their body being as aloof or careless to the customer as a bestbuy employee

 

[KokomoGST]

The thing I hate most is when I tip a bartender a good tip, especially when they're busy. And then my next drink, they completely ignore me again despite the fact that other people aren't tipping. Even when I'm ordering something as simple as a round of bottled beers/another pitcher for me and my friends.

It's not like I'm ordering a mixed drink or anything difficult... I think I like the "Japan" way better too. You get awesome service and people take pride in their work. We tried to tip one hostess once and she refused because she didn't want to make her colleagues jealous. Instead, she gave us this caligraphy scroll from the owner who was a sumo wrestler :Q

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: KokomoGST
The thing I hate most is when I tip a bartender a good tip, especially when they're busy. And then my next drink, they completely ignore me again despite the fact that other people aren't tipping. Even when I'm ordering something as simple as a round of bottled beers/another pitcher for me and my friends.

It's not like I'm ordering a mixed drink or anything difficult... I think I like the "Japan" way better too. You get awesome service and people take pride in their work. We tried to tip one hostess once and she refused because she didn't want to make her colleagues jealous. Instead, she gave us this caligraphy scroll from the owner who was a sumo wrestler :Q

This is a perfect example of why you do not tip well, or at all, for poor service. If you keep tipping well for poor service, all you do is encourage poor service.

 

[Mill]

I tend to tip 20-30% at Restaurants. At a bar I will tip about 20% on each thing I order. If the bartender is getting my drinks quickly that will go up to 30-40% the rest of the night.

 

[Farbio]

thank you for pointing that out amused - i don't expect something if i screw your drink up royally or give u the wrong one or something of the sort, by all means get what you want, but don't be an ass about it, and be considerate of us

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Farbio
thank you for pointing that out amused - i don't expect something if i screw your drink up royally or give u the wrong one or something of the sort, by all means get what you want, but don't be an ass about it, and be considerate of us

That's OK, I still want my Pina Colada on busy nights

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: Farbio
thank you for pointing that out amused - i don't expect something if i screw your drink up royally or give u the wrong one or something of the sort, by all means get what you want, but don't be an ass about it, and be considerate of us

Oh no, it's not like they "screw up" persay... it's more like I order my drink/drinks and then the tender proceeds to serve others that actually ordered after I did even though I don't see them tipping. Needless to say, I didn't tip the tender after that... :| My friends were very much "WTF? We tipped!"

 

[Farbio]

kokomo -
on a busy nite, we might take 4 peoples order at once and just start a big line of glasses, and if thats the case, its not to make you be the last one we actually give a drink to, even if we got your order first, its simply to get you and others your drinks faster, no real preference on that. granted, this doesn't happen to often, so not a big deal

 

[LH]

Tipping is silly, never knew you were supposed to tip someone to do what he is supposed to do. Ridiculous in my opinion, why don't we tip doctors, teachers, etc. who are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Then again, I'm not from the USA, but I think tipping is silly.

If tipping didnt exsist in the USA. People would likely be paying probably 30% more than they currently do when they go out to eat, and since there is no motivation on the waiter, you'll likely have worse service.

So you may think tipping is silly, but it keeps the prices lower, and the service better.

So 30% more and sh!tty service

or

15%-20% now and quit bitching, unless its bad service.

 

[brtspears2]

Tipping at bar is bad news. I tip, I still get no attention when its busy. I ask bartender to pour 4 drinks, he finishes pouring. Tab is $18.xx. I slap down a $20 and tell him to keep the change, he gets mad on my whimpy tip. I dont get it why I even bother then.

 

[KokomoGST]

Originally posted by: Farbio
kokomo -
on a busy nite, we might take 4 peoples order at once and just start a big line of glasses, and if thats the case, its not to make you be the last one we actually give a drink to, even if we got your order first, its simply to get you and others your drinks faster, no real preference on that. granted, this doesn't happen to often, so not a big deal

Nope, wasn't like that... she actually prepared and served a couple of people their mixed drinks, etcetc before us. We tipped $2 on each drink as well after the first round. We took our business elsewhere...

 

[Skel]

Originally posted by: brtspears2
Tipping at bar is bad news. I tip, I still get no attention when its busy. I ask bartender to pour 4 drinks, he finishes pouring. Tab is $18.xx. I slap down a $20 and tell him to keep the change, he gets mad on my whimpy tip. I dont get it why I even bother then.

Maybe he was having a bad night...

 

[LukFilm]

Originally posted by: LH

Tipping is silly, never knew you were supposed to tip someone to do what he is supposed to do. Ridiculous in my opinion, why don't we tip doctors, teachers, etc. who are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Then again, I'm not from the USA, but I think tipping is silly.

If tipping didnt exsist in the USA. People would likely be paying probably 30% more than they currently do when they go out to eat, and since there is no motivation on the waiter, you'll likely have worse service.

So you may think tipping is silly, but it keeps the prices lower, and the service better.

So 30% more and sh!tty service

or

15%-20% now and quit bitching, unless its bad service.

No tipping AND great service works in 99% of other countries, hmmm...