Tipping bartender?
indymovieman
Indiana
Wednesday, September 20, 2017 7:42 PM
The other day I stopped by a club in the afternoon. Place was dead. I think 5 customers. 3 were sitting at one corner of the bar. Myself and another customer each had our own table. There was no waitress. Bartender was leaning on the bar just talking to the customers.
Since there was no waitress, I had to walk to the bar and order my own drink. When I walked up to the bar, the bartender was complaining to one of the customers about how no one was tipping. If I have to walk to the bar and order my own drink, that normally reduces the tip...significantly. If I'm sitting at the bar, I tip as I normally would.
On this day beers were $3.25. I walked to the bar, ordered a beer and tipped 75 cents. If there was a waitress (or I was sitting at the bar) I would have tipped $1.75. I don't feel I should tip as much if I have to walk to the bar and order my own drink...especially if the place is dead and the bartender is standing around talking. What does everyone else think?
Since there was no waitress, I had to walk to the bar and order my own drink. When I walked up to the bar, the bartender was complaining to one of the customers about how no one was tipping. If I have to walk to the bar and order my own drink, that normally reduces the tip...significantly. If I'm sitting at the bar, I tip as I normally would.
On this day beers were $3.25. I walked to the bar, ordered a beer and tipped 75 cents. If there was a waitress (or I was sitting at the bar) I would have tipped $1.75. I don't feel I should tip as much if I have to walk to the bar and order my own drink...especially if the place is dead and the bartender is standing around talking. What does everyone else think?
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17 comments
I'm not worried about the 75 cents or $1.75 tip on a drink. It's worth more to me to give a decent tip on a slow day to the girl measuring my shots, handling my glass and pouring free sample shots now and then. Some of the bartenders can be more fun to chat with than the strippers a particular shift, so there's that, too.
To your point, it seems to vary by club whether the bartender leaves the bar to ask if anyone would like another drink. I consider myself fortunate to be in good enough physical condition that getting up and walking over to the bar is a non-issue.
You might try asking the bartender if you could wave her over when it's time for the next drink. They tend to be pretty good at remembering what people are looking for. On the other hand, if for some reason there is a club rule that she's supposed to stay behind the bar, at least you would know. Or you could offer her something like $5 to come check on you every 25 or 30 minutes in violation of club rules, then once you're on a roll with that, work your way up to tipping her for lap-sitting...