# How much do you tip in a bar for a free drink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475 "2016-09-09T22:39:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/1 "2016-09-09T22:39:59Z")
I’m in the the USA. So, you’re a regular at a bar and occasionally the bartender gives you a free drink. How much would you tip? My standard tip for a beer is $1. Currently, if I’m running a tab and I notice the tab comes up a drink or two short, I’ll add a couple dollars for each freebie. If I’m paying cash and the bartender tell me it’s on the house, I’ll usually tip $2 in cash. Sound reasonable? Please don’t hijack this thread into an anti tipping sermon or the ethics of a bartender giving away free drinks. At two of the bars I visit most often, I happen to be on quite good terms with the management and they’re quite aware that their staff will give free drinks to regulars. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/2 "2016-09-09T22:46:46Z")
Yes, sounds reasonable. I try to do the same thing with comp’ed food. Server is still doing the work, even if I’m not paying. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/3 "2016-09-09T22:48:43Z")
What you do sounds fine. If I get a free drink I’ll still tip on it, and maybe throw in a little extra. There’s a bar near me where you can drink for free on your birthday, subject to certain restrictions; one of which is you have to tip the bartender a dollar cash for each drink. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/4 "2016-09-09T22:50:58Z")
You answered with my personal rule – I would tip 2x what I would tip for a drink I was paying for. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/5 "2016-09-09T22:57:37Z")
Dollar a drink in Vegas. My change plus $5 if I’m a regular and get the occasional freebie. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/6 "2016-09-09T23:05:58Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > You answered with my personal rule – I would tip 2x what I would tip for a drink I was paying for. This for me too. If I’m not running a tab, a buck a drink. A free drink would probably get $2. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/7 "2016-09-09T23:09:02Z")
My tipping is aligned with the OP. $1/beer, $2 for ‘this one’s on me.’ ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/8 "2016-09-09T23:11:52Z")
I was a bartender for almost 10 years. The OP is reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/9 "2016-09-10T03:13:51Z")
Back in my younger days there was a bar I would go to where I basically never paid for drinks. I could be there all night and my tab was always $10. And that would include drinks I “bought” for friends. I used to tip by the hour, $20. If I was there 3 hours, I’d put $10 on the credit card, and then $60 in cash. I was still getting an amazing deal. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/10 "2016-09-10T03:27:13Z")
Tell me more about these bars where they give you free drinks. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/11 "2016-09-10T03:47:10Z")
Is the bartender the owner? If so I won’t tip because I don’t tip the owner, she can set prices that ensure she is properly compensated for her time and effort. If not, I demand to pay for the drink because I’m not going to participate in his thievery let alone compensate it. (Not sermonizing, I just personally wouldn’t be comfortable with it; I don’t care what other people do.) If the owner told the bartender to give me a freebie then I tip like I would if I were paying for it. If it’s free because another patron is paying for it I assume they’ll tip and then I throw the drink away because I ain’t getting roofied. Just kidding, I use the services of a bartender about once every two years so I have no rules (other than a buck a drink). But those were the first thoughts that came to mind. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/12 "2016-09-10T05:03:21Z")
I’m with most of you. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/13 "2016-09-10T05:35:17Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Tell me more about these bars where they give you free drinks. I thought buybacks were common in NYC. Anyhow, same with the OP. A buck per drink, two bucks for a free drink (although I often go more if it’s a friend of mine.) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/14 "2016-09-10T05:48:05Z")
I’ve occasionally hung out at places that comp me drinks. My usual rule is to pay the tab as if nothing was free. The bartender could keep the extra cash as his tip. That got me all the better service the next time. And if for some reason the free drinks dried up, I wouldn’t find my out-of-pocket costs increasing. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/15 "2016-09-10T14:33:52Z")
What about events that are prepaid including the tip? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/16 "2016-09-10T14:56:13Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I thought buybacks were common in NYC. You’re probably right. I can’t remember that last time I was in a bar for more than two drinks. At that point I realize that I’ve just spent more money on 3 ounces of booze than I would have on a liter of the same stuff at the wine shop. Also, an entertaining anecdote about visiting a friend in Petaluma with a great house on top of a hill at the end of a very twisty, steep road. Me: “Jesus fucking Christ. How do you get home drunk?” Friend: “I get drunk at home.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/17 "2016-09-10T15:04:54Z")
I tip the same for every drink no matter what it costs. That’s going to be $1 a drink. I’ll add more to the tip total on the end based on good service, and a free drink is pretty good service. Now I am occasionally, far too occasionally lately, buying drinks at places that charge $10 and up for drinks, and I’ll go $2 a drink, I guess just so I don’t look like a cheapskate. But in the end it’s good service that will make the tips go up. Now where I drink most of the time most of the bartenders are my friends, I don’t know if they have a single that sells for more than $5, but I don’t want to be appearing charitable in my tips, so it will end up as $1 a drink tip, rounding up maybe or leaving change if the bill gets high enough from buying drinks for others, and the one guy I know who really needs the money gets a nice big christmas tip every year that he knows I expect him to spend on his daughters. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/18 "2016-09-10T15:14:55Z")
At a recent event the bartender had a tip-jar with a funny label. > [@](#): > > Go ahead, just put the tip in. > It’ll feel good. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-tip-in-a-bar-for-a-free-drink/765475/19 "2016-09-11T01:12:46Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’m in the the USA. > > So, you’re a regular at a bar and occasionally the bartender gives you a free drink. How much would you tip? My standard tip for a beer is $1. But some of my favorite bar tenders were relocated to different establishments for their accounting skills. So I would consider buying them a round.