BreezyBrew
IPA is my spirit animal
A co-worker were out at a pub tonight. All beers were advertised as half price. Here is a picture of the tab. How is this possible? FYI I didn't know the bartenders.
Cheapest bar tab ever?!
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Clonefan94
Senior Member
Got lucky.
We have a bar here that has 32 beers on tap. A lot of craft brews included in that. On Thursday nights, all drafts are $2.
We have a bar here that has 32 beers on tap. A lot of craft brews included in that. On Thursday nights, all drafts are $2.
estricklin
Well-Known Member
Geez!
I used to work at a bar, a lot of BMC folks don't know the value of ordering tap only. A lot of times the wait staff loses track, plain and simple. I drank all night, literally from opening until 3 am once, (had to stay til the band was done), and paid 14 bucks plus a tip! I drank at least 15 beers. I've done it many other times too. Sometimes the wait staff just gets lazy too, or loses your ticket, or forgets to write it down.
On the other side of the coin, a lot of the roughnecks I work with take turns buying from bar to bar. Usually it's no more than a couple hundred bucks but when it's a supervisor, for some odd reason, usually ends up being 400+ hehe. I've seen many over a thousand.
I used to work at a bar, a lot of BMC folks don't know the value of ordering tap only. A lot of times the wait staff loses track, plain and simple. I drank all night, literally from opening until 3 am once, (had to stay til the band was done), and paid 14 bucks plus a tip! I drank at least 15 beers. I've done it many other times too. Sometimes the wait staff just gets lazy too, or loses your ticket, or forgets to write it down.
On the other side of the coin, a lot of the roughnecks I work with take turns buying from bar to bar. Usually it's no more than a couple hundred bucks but when it's a supervisor, for some odd reason, usually ends up being 400+ hehe. I've seen many over a thousand.
BGBC
Well-Known Member
$3 tip huh?
estricklin
Well-Known Member
Oh that reminds me, tip the HELL out of the wait staff at the beginning of the night, your tab will almost always reflect the savings.
OP
OP
BreezyBrew
IPA is my spirit animal
Spent the same amount in food, tipped $7. I don't see a problem with it.
I know I like the bar tab I have at home with my home brew (most days better then packaged beer)! Which is one of my major motivators - drink good beer for cheap beer prices!
But it is always nice to be able to go out and have a few without breaking the bank.
Enjoy!
But it is always nice to be able to go out and have a few without breaking the bank.
Enjoy!
jiMithing83
Well-Known Member
I get this pretty regularly at my pub. I'm there a lot, so i'll have 5 Little Sumpin' Sumpin's on tap for $5 (Chicago prices suck) and get charged for 2 of them, but then I tip $10 and still end up saving $5.
kombat
Well-Known Member
Really? Is that where we are now? A world where a 30% tip is considered stingy?
God help us.
I've never been one to criticize another persons tip because you never know their situation, and tip philosophy can get as touchy as politics.
What I think he was trying to point out is that even though the tip was 30% of the tab, the beers were 1/2 off but the wait staff still worked the same amount. On a normal day this would equate to a 15% tip.
Sales always suck for wait staff because most people tip based off of the tab price which means a reduced tip for the same work. A good practice that I find is to tip based on the number of drinks and not how much they cost, but again that gets into personal philosophy...
My cheapest, $4.00 for 5 beers. I was simply hooked up, there was no discount day or whatever.
FWIW, that bill was given a $10 tip only because even at $14, I was still saving at least $10 off my tab. When I am hooked up like that I will often tip upwards of 50% because I appreciate the hookup. I'm not that one who gets that often so I appreciate it when it comes my way.
I agree totally. That's very well put.
FWIW, that bill was given a $10 tip only because even at $14, I was still saving at least $10 off my tab. When I am hooked up like that I will often tip upwards of 50% because I appreciate the hookup. I'm not that one who gets that often so I appreciate it when it comes my way.
I agree totally. That's very well put.
TerapinChef
Well-Known Member
Agree with Teromous. You should always tip on the pre-discount amount. That being said, 80% of people probably would never even think of it.
The bartender did the same work whether the 4 beers cost $9.24 or the actual typical value of closer to $25.....
kombat
Well-Known Member
I like the way you guys think.
So the next time I take my wife out for a $200 dinner at 5-star restaurant, I'll feel OK only tipping $10 (5%), because after all, the wait staff did the same amount of work as they would have if I'd just taken her to Red Lobster.
So the next time I take my wife out for a $200 dinner at 5-star restaurant, I'll feel OK only tipping $10 (5%), because after all, the wait staff did the same amount of work as they would have if I'd just taken her to Red Lobster.
You're looking at it wrong. The tab should have been much higher. So, the OP got a great deal. You don't then turn around and tip 30% on your great deal, you should tip on what the bill SHOULD have been.
Where I live those beers would run $6-7 each. So, that tab should have been at least $24. I see nothing wrong with leaving $1 per beer, but on a $24 tab, I'd probably leave $5... and considering the deep discount, I'd probably up that tip to about $8. So in the end, I'm pay $18 for 4 very good beers including tip. Still a solid deal in my book and the bartender gets to feel the love too.
Don't be cheap a$$es people. Bartenders, servers, etc don't get paid much. If the service is good and/or you get a good deal, share the health. Also, don't mess with people who handle your food. Trust me on this. Your face will be remembered. You will be messed with and not even know it.
I tend to tip a minimum of $1 a drink. I appreciate my beertenders. Nice bill cost though.
So long as you tip your hotdog vendor the same $10. Dealing in absolutes is always a perfect solution, don't you think?
kombat
Well-Known Member
No no, I get it. I'm just turning your logic around on you. If a restaurant lures me in with cheap drinks, but I'm still supposed to tip like they were reasonably priced, why can't I do the same thing with overpriced fare? If I'm at an airport lounge paying $8 each for Bud Lights, can I tip them based on what they would have cost me at a reasonably-priced place? If I buy a $70 steak dinner, but I could have made it myself for $15 worth of ingredients at the grocery store, can I tip accordingly? Why should a server get an outrageous $30 tip (15% of a $200 bill) at a fancy restaurant when they're not actually working any harder than the college kids at Applebee's?
Hold on, let me call you a Waaambulance.
If I don't even know it, why would I give a sh*t?
And why should I be generous toward people who are capable of such hateful, vindictive behaviour?
kombat
Well-Known Member
There's a reasonable amount to tip, and it's not always based on percentage. If a server is handling 4-5 tables, and turnover is about an hour, then regardless of whether it's a Denny's or Gordon Ramsey Steak, I think an acceptable upper limit to the tip is $15. No matter what the bill was.
Think about it. You've got 5 tables, tipping $15/each (and if you think they're declaring all that tip income on their taxes you're kidding yourself), that's $75! For an hour's work! Heck, I barely make half that, and I've got a college degree! Only in this ass-backwards Millennial entitlement generation would a kid expect to be paid $75/hour for bringing plates from a counter to a table and back.
I get free pizzas all the time, and they come with discount coupons which actually put me into the category of earning credit on my order. The next time the pizza delivery driver comes to my house I will demand a tip from him instead. If he asks why, I will tell him that I am devoid of comprehension and basic human logic. I'm sure he will understand.
Maybe because you'd rather not ingest sh*t... no? Or maybe you would. I don't know.
It's people like you with your illogical thinking that are the problem.
Kombat, have you ever worked waiting tables? I was out on a date Monday night with a lady who waits tables part time. She was telling me about one customer who was supposedly ready to order, but then didn't know what they wanted, then they wanted everything special, and then the food was too spicy (they ordered Southwest style fish, what the heck did they expect???) so they got something different, but didn't want to pay for the higher priced item, and then had the nerve to complain to the manager that the service sucked and they didn't get their meal comped. Plus she also had a table of 6 folks nearby that she was handling. It's a lot more work than you realize and wait staff put up with crap. Not to mention they get paid crap to begin with. Most wait staff make a fraction of minimum wage, because they are expected to make up the difference in tips. On a good night they come out ahead, on a bad night they are in the hole, ESPECIALLY if they have to share their tips with the bartender, busboy, etc. On an average night they might break even at minimum wage. Before you think it's a "cushy job" you ought to try it sometime. Not everyone is cut out to be a waiter/waitress. It's a lot tougher than you think...besides putting up with a-hole customers, they also have to keep up with who ordered what dish, what drinks everyone had (sweet tea or unsweet, coke or diet coke, etc.) and keep the glasses filled.
It's easy to make your case when you pull numbers out of your a$$.
First off, tables aren't turned over in an hour. Second, in a busy restaurant servers will have less than 5 tables at a time. This is especially true in higher end restaurants. And in lower end to average restaurants, if you think servers are making $75/hr you are sadly mistaken.
I'll end with, it's people like you who compel kinder people to leave larger tips, which in return make your tips seem worse. Again, you're part of the problem.
I'm just going to chime in and say, this is not how it works. There are 1 - 2 busy hours 3-4 days a week. The rest of the time you are making crap. Unless you are a fine dining waiter, you would have to be high as hell to think that servers are making 75 an hour.
My personal philosophy is, if the waiter didn't suck, I'll give them 30% of the bill. If I do something that waiters hate, like ordering just a coffee and taking up their table space for a while, I'll usually drop 6-8 bucks just to make it worth their time. That's a rock bottom minimum. Like what I consider you should do if you don't expect crap in your food.
The reason I have a highly paid job and a college degree (and yes, I am a dreaded "millennial") is because of the generosity people showed me as I was working my way through the ranks. I feel responsible to pay it forward to the next generation.
On another note, every single generation has been called entitled or lazy... every single one. It is never true and it is usually a sign of GOFS. Grumpy Old Fart Syndrome.
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
DOES NOT UNDERSTAND ECONOMICS.
Too tired to explain it.
Awwww hell. Here goes.
% goes out the window on a small tab.
$3 may be 30%!!!!! Bit still won't buy a fekking happy meal. Ergo?
$3 isn't ****.
I would have tipped $8 on that tab.
The bar tender would remember me, remember that I don't tip a *****ey "percentage" and knows I appreciate them.
Likely, I will get the same deal the next time.
The 3$ tip will be remembered as a guy who left 3 bucks. Hardly a show-stopper, but quite the cheap math whiz.
Well said, sir!
And hey kombat, you seem like a pretty intelligent guy
if you're upset that servers make $75/hr and you make 1/2 that, wouldn't it make sense for a career change? I mean after all, all you'll have to do is take plates to a table.kombat
Well-Known Member
I guess I'm clearly in the minority here. There are probably a couple of reasons for this. First of all, I live in a country (Canada) where "minimum wage" actually means minimum wage. Wait staff in my province earn the minimum wage, not some bizarre sub-minimum that's somehow exempt. Around here, that was $10.25/hr and just recently got raised to $11/hr.
Secondly, you're right - there are only a few hours a week when restaurants are really busy. The rest of the time, they're pretty dead. So why would a restaurant keep 30 servers on the clock at 2:00 PM on a Tuesday? They don't. Thus, the wait staff are free to go find other jobs during those periods. One of my best friends moonlights as a waittress. She has a regular M-F 9-5 job, but on weekends, she works at a classy restaurant. She brings home $200-$300 a night, for 6 hours' work. Not a bad haul for a job that doesn't require any education and only minimal training.
Secondly, you're right - there are only a few hours a week when restaurants are really busy. The rest of the time, they're pretty dead. So why would a restaurant keep 30 servers on the clock at 2:00 PM on a Tuesday? They don't. Thus, the wait staff are free to go find other jobs during those periods. One of my best friends moonlights as a waittress. She has a regular M-F 9-5 job, but on weekends, she works at a classy restaurant. She brings home $200-$300 a night, for 6 hours' work. Not a bad haul for a job that doesn't require any education and only minimal training.
kombat
Well-Known Member
But not on a big tab?
Why not?
Why am I expected to still tip at least 15% on a $200 bill, but up to 50% on a small tab?
It sounds like the correct amount is neither a percentage, nor an absolute, but rather whatever those poor, underprivileged wait staff feel us distasteful rich folks owe them for having the nerve to be richer than them. So how do I figure that out? Just ask them? Pull out my wallet and slowly keep peeling off 20's until their frown goes away? What's my penance for having the audacity to actually expect to be able to get a meal and a drink for the price advertised on the big sign out front?
Kombat, you're right... there's a difference between Canadian Minimum wage and US minimum wage for servers. Servers here in the US typically only get a fraction of the minimum wage. Also, they have limited ability to choose their schedule, because if they get too picky, the boss will tell them to go pound sand and hire someone else. That's part of why customers are expected to be good tippers -- wait staff has to make up 2/3 of their "minimum wage" with tips. Sometimes they even have to pool their tips so that everyone gets a share of tips, including the bus boy, the bartender, etc.
As you say, management doesn't keep a full staff during "off peak" times, which is mostly when a lot of students work.
As you say, management doesn't keep a full staff during "off peak" times, which is mostly when a lot of students work.
It's ok, we understand you don't get the etiquette. Continue to leave your measly tips and be spiteful to the rich, overpaid servers making $75/hr. And don't feel bad about it because I'll be sure to tip a little extra to make up for your short comings. I want to make sure all servers can pay their Mercedes bill.
OP
OP
BreezyBrew
IPA is my spirit animal
So the tip looked bad, but I did make it up with the food. They made $10 for a tip where my food and drink total was $18. I'd say that's pretty generous and most folks wouldn't have tipped that much.
hunter_le five
Sheriff Underscore
Professional restaurant accountant/payroll admin here.
People often misunderstand the whole "wait staff makes less than minimum wage" thing. The thing is, that's not really true, and I'm not just talking about counting tips.
In most states, the nominal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13/hr, with a huge caveat: employers must guarantee that the tipped employee makes AT LEAST $7.25 an hour, WITH OR WITHOUT TIPS. Generally, a good waitress or waiter will make up this difference themselves via tips (known as tip-credit), but if the waitress/waiter does not make enough tips to cover the $5.12/hr difference (or doesn't declare enough), then the EMPLOYER must make up the difference.
TLDR; So even of a waitress makes ZERO tips, they are still GUARANTEED to walk away with a MINIMUM of $7.25/hr. Anything less is patently illegal. Any waitress that claims to work for "just tips" is either a liar, misinformed, or works for criminals.
We had some of our wait staff make $50k-$60k in 2013. Is that typical in the industry? No, but not all waiters and waitresses are exactly living below the poverty level is what I'm saying.
Does that mean you shouldn't tip well for good service? Hell no! Those people work their asses off. Just trying to clarify some points that are being made. And besides, counting on the notion that they will make "at least $7.25/hr" is lame, because it's pretty damn hard to live on even $7.25/hr.
People often misunderstand the whole "wait staff makes less than minimum wage" thing. The thing is, that's not really true, and I'm not just talking about counting tips.
In most states, the nominal minimum wage for tipped employees is $2.13/hr, with a huge caveat: employers must guarantee that the tipped employee makes AT LEAST $7.25 an hour, WITH OR WITHOUT TIPS. Generally, a good waitress or waiter will make up this difference themselves via tips (known as tip-credit), but if the waitress/waiter does not make enough tips to cover the $5.12/hr difference (or doesn't declare enough), then the EMPLOYER must make up the difference.
TLDR; So even of a waitress makes ZERO tips, they are still GUARANTEED to walk away with a MINIMUM of $7.25/hr. Anything less is patently illegal. Any waitress that claims to work for "just tips" is either a liar, misinformed, or works for criminals.
We had some of our wait staff make $50k-$60k in 2013. Is that typical in the industry? No, but not all waiters and waitresses are exactly living below the poverty level is what I'm saying.
Does that mean you shouldn't tip well for good service? Hell no! Those people work their asses off. Just trying to clarify some points that are being made. And besides, counting on the notion that they will make "at least $7.25/hr" is lame, because it's pretty damn hard to live on even $7.25/hr.
Wait staff generally work hard and many of them are making a living at it. Tipping is a personal thing (as witnessed by all of the heated discussion). The bottom line should be that you and your waiter both should be satisfied with what you tip.
Every once and a while, make them really happy. It doesn't really cost much.
Every once and a while, make them really happy. It doesn't really cost much.
ittybittykittycommittee
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The real issue here is not what we tip, but that these people are forced to depend on tips to make ends meet....
BGBC
Well-Known Member
This is basically what I was getting at, and has been repeated and expanded upon more eloquently by others as well.
That explains it...
Yes, without seeing the add'l food tip, it's a different story. Why was the bill split? Was the food bill from the same server? Or did you start at the bar and move to a table?
PS - Sorry for derailing your thread.
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
It is a simple matter of what is meaningful.
If a waiter (in the US at least) waits on you, whatever the tab, whatever you do or do not get, anything under $3 is meaningless. You took up a spot, whether they were busy or not, they had to get you things, whether it was a glass of water or a peking duck.
On a huge check, 15% is a meaningful amount of $, so % is ok.
On a $3 sandwich and a glass of water, 15% is an insulting, meaningless amount of money.
If you want to tip a meaningless amount, buy a sixer and go home, or eat at Mcdonalds.
If you enter a sit down place with bartenders or waitstaff, tip an amount that is worth your server's time.
That wasn't my point though.
My point was: The server took care of you, so take care of them so that they remember you as an appreciative good tipper. This, in the end benefits you, not them.....well, it benefits them too, but since you may or may not care, the tangible benefit is to you.
So boys and girls, what have we learned here today?
When boasting about your awesome bar tab, please take measures to crop out the tip & total line before posting online.
I don't care that the OP tipped $3. It's not rad, but he gave what he likely wanted to give. I don't roll that way, but that's a personal opinion and we all know what they say about opinions.
When boasting about your awesome bar tab, please take measures to crop out the tip & total line before posting online.
I don't care that the OP tipped $3. It's not rad, but he gave what he likely wanted to give. I don't roll that way, but that's a personal opinion and we all know what they say about opinions.
TheZymurgist
Well-Known Member
I really hate that this dude's thread has turned into this. Good job on the score, that's an awesome price for four beers. And I'm not commenting on your tip amount, I see that you did compensate the waiter on the food tab. Even if you hadn't, I personally would not mind a $3 tip for serving only 4 beers, unless you sat for a long time, but that's not what happened here.
That being said, as a former waiter and lover of the foodservice industry:
This is right on. If you disagree, you've never waited tables for any meaningful amount of time. Yes, the standard is 15%, but what happens when one person comes in during the lunch rush and orders a $5 sandwich and a water? Is the waiter's time and effort only worth a $0.75 tip, especially when an entire table is being taken up and could have been filled by another table that could have a higher tab?
What about a group that has a $50 tab, but stays and talks for two hours? Is really ok for them to tip only $7.50 when that table could have been turned at least once more? Aren't they then robbing the waiter of their time and potential income?
15% is the standard for most situations. It's not a hard and fast rule, but even if it were, there are exceptions to every rule. Discretion and common sense should always be used. People should be aware that tips are a waiter's livelihood.
That being said, as a former waiter and lover of the foodservice industry:
This is right on. If you disagree, you've never waited tables for any meaningful amount of time. Yes, the standard is 15%, but what happens when one person comes in during the lunch rush and orders a $5 sandwich and a water? Is the waiter's time and effort only worth a $0.75 tip, especially when an entire table is being taken up and could have been filled by another table that could have a higher tab?
What about a group that has a $50 tab, but stays and talks for two hours? Is really ok for them to tip only $7.50 when that table could have been turned at least once more? Aren't they then robbing the waiter of their time and potential income?
15% is the standard for most situations. It's not a hard and fast rule, but even if it were, there are exceptions to every rule. Discretion and common sense should always be used. People should be aware that tips are a waiter's livelihood.
cheezydemon3
Well-Known Member
AND....to the actual OP...
Embassy suites paid for by company....$347.00
Various meals paid by company $135.00
Free open bar with amberbock every night? Not quite priceless, but yes, the only bar tab that could be cheaper would be getting paid..
I gave that bar tender a $20.
Having the bar tender at a damned Hotel remember you from 2 months ago and treat you like royalty? Now that's priceless
Wait what percentage is $20 of $0?
Oh crap!!!! I tipped infinity percent! What a fool I am!
Embassy suites paid for by company....$347.00
Various meals paid by company $135.00
Free open bar with amberbock every night? Not quite priceless, but yes, the only bar tab that could be cheaper would be getting paid..
I gave that bar tender a $20.
Having the bar tender at a damned Hotel remember you from 2 months ago and treat you like royalty? Now that's priceless
Wait what percentage is $20 of $0?
Oh crap!!!! I tipped infinity percent! What a fool I am!
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