# Tipping the bartender for a beer?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [February 7, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249 "2007-02-07T19:32:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/1 "2007-02-07T19:32:19Z")
I took a friend out to a bar for a drink at my favorite drinking establishment last weekend. We both ordered bottled beer. After I paid for it, I tipped the bartender two dollars. I normally tip 1 dollar for each beer or drink that I buy. My friend recoiled in horror and said, "You tip for beer? Nobody does that. “He’s just opening a bottle”
So, that got me to thinking. Do you tip for beer? I don’t plan on stopping. I like the bartenders a lot. When I go to the bar, I don’t even have to say anything, they just grab a beer, open it and hand it to me.
Eric
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/2 "2007-02-07T19:34:34Z")
Heck yeah. Maybe he is just opening a bottle… but he’s opening a bottle _for you_. Tell your friend to become a bartender and let’s see if he has a change of opinion.
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### Author:  [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/3 "2007-02-07T19:37:25Z")
[QUOTE=rostfrei]
I took a friend out to a bar for a drink at my favorite drinking establishment last weekend. We both ordered bottled beer. After I paid for it, I tipped the bartender two dollars. I normally tip 1 dollar for each beer or drink that I buy. My friend recoiled in horror and said, "You tip for beer? Nobody does that. “He’s just opening a bottle”
So, that got me to thinking. Do you tip for beer? I don’t plan on stopping. I like the bartenders a lot. When I go to the bar, I don’t even have to say anything, they just grab a beer, open it and hand it to me.
Eric
[/QUOTE]
Your friend knows nothing of tipping ettiqette - and coming from this ex-bartender (in my youth) I was working for a living.
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### Author:  [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/4 "2007-02-07T19:39:08Z")
Tip, definitely. He’s opening your bottle for you, with no significant delay. Next time you and your friend go there and it’s a little busy, he’s going to be just opening bottles for you a little faster than he is for your friend.
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/5 "2007-02-07T19:40:35Z")
“Nobody tips for beer?” Where does your friend normally drink?
Anyway, to answer your question, it doesn’t matter what I’m drinking (bottled beer, draft beer, or something more complicated), the bartender always gets a tip.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/6 "2007-02-07T19:41:43Z")
One more thing… a buck probably isn’t too much for a beer either because in reality you’re paying him for more than just that beer. Your paying him to be there at your beck and call regardless of what you want to order or when it might be. He’s not there? You don’t drink. Tipping more for drinks that require more effort is of course appropriate but I sure won’t short a bartender for something easy because, in reality, he’s doing more for you than just opening a bottle.
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### Author:  [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/7 "2007-02-07T19:43:16Z")
I don’t tip for the beer, I tip so that I can get another beer.
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### Author:  [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/8 "2007-02-07T19:44:11Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist]
I don’t tip for the beer, I tip so that I can get another beer.
[/QUOTE]
And them’s words of wisdom, folks.
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### Author:  [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/9 "2007-02-07T19:46:28Z")
[QUOTE=Bobotheoptimist]
I don’t tip for the beer, I tip so that I can get another beer.
[/QUOTE]
Well said. As a former bartender, I can tell you that those who tip will get their next beer before those who don’t. I good bartender knows who’s at the bar and in what order they got there. They will get served in that order unless they are good tippers or non tippers - that changes their place in line.
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### Author:  [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/10 "2007-02-07T19:52:00Z")
Tip the bartender a dollar for every drink you buy, or every drink the house gives you, and every time you win at threes. I don’t believe your friend didn’t know this.
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### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/11 "2007-02-07T19:55:47Z")
I don’t tip a whole buck per drink (beer included) usually, but if a drink is $5.50, I leave them the change and then add a paper tip of the appropriate amount when I leave.
Is that ok?
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### Author:  [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/12 "2007-02-07T20:04:05Z")
> [@](#):
>
> "You tip for beer? Nobody does that.
What the hell? Where did he get this idea from? I always tip the bartender, my husband always tips the bartender. Whether it’s for bottle of beer, a draft, a drink, a water - doesn’t matter. I’ve been drinking in bars and clubs for 20 years and I’ve never had someone act shocked at my tipping a bartender (for beer.)
In my mind, \*everybody \*does that.
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/13 "2007-02-07T20:14:18Z")
Most definitely.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/14 "2007-02-07T20:41:13Z")
[QUOTE=rostfrei]
"You tip for beer? Nobody does that. “He’s just opening a bottle”
[/QUOTE]
I have a rather extensive (sadly) amount of knowledge of San Francisco bars, and I can confidently state that you better damn well tip at all of them.
And this was your favorite bar? I would have recoiled in horror that any guest of mine at my favorite joint would say such a thing. I’d be praying that the bartender was out of earshot.
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### Author:  [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/15 "2007-02-07T20:52:21Z")
I always tip, but I do tip more at my regular bar with my regular bartender. I consider it an investment toward staying in his good graces.
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### Author:  [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/16 "2007-02-07T20:58:54Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun]
I don’t tip a whole buck per drink (beer included) usually, but if a drink is $5.50, I leave them the change and then add a paper tip of the appropriate amount when I leave.
Is that ok?
[/QUOTE]
If you’re running a tab, then it’s fine to tip at the end. If you’re paying for each drink individually, you should tip each individually. YMMV or course. Obviously tipping at the end is better than stiffing him, but if I saw 50 cents on the counter, I’d assume that was all I was getting.
If you’re going to get more than one drink, why not run a tab? Why waste your time paying for each drink?
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### Author:  [@rostfrei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rostfrei)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/17 "2007-02-07T21:05:12Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno]
If you’re running a tab, then it’s fine to tip at the end. If you’re paying for each drink individually, you should tip each individually. YMMV or course. Obviously tipping at the end is better than stiffing him, but if I saw 50 cents on the counter, I’d assume that was all I was getting.
If you’re going to get more than one drink, why not run a tab? Why waste your time paying for each drink?
[/QUOTE]
This particular bar does not do tabs. I don’t know of any gay bars (in San Francisco) that do tabs.
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### Author:  [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/18 "2007-02-07T21:06:50Z")
$1 per drink, even bottled beer, is standard around here.
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### Author:  [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/19 "2007-02-07T21:14:49Z")
Always, always, always, always tip.
I’ve been in bars everywhere in the country & have never met anyone surprised at a beer tip. Also, am a San Franciscan and notice that a dollar tip per drink is pretty much expected. I think the OP’s friend is just a cheap skate trying to pass off his miserly tendencies as social norms.
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### Author:  [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2007, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tipping-the-bartender-for-a-beer/391249/20 "2007-02-07T21:19:06Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno]
If you’re running a tab, then it’s fine to tip at the end. If you’re paying for each drink individually, you should tip each individually. YMMV or course. Obviously tipping at the end is better than stiffing him, but if I saw 50 cents on the counter, I’d assume that was all I was getting.
If you’re going to get more than one drink, why not run a tab? Why waste your time paying for each drink?
[/QUOTE]
This always surprises folks, but a large majority of bars in SF do not take credit cards at all. The touristy ones, sure, but most local bars, nope.
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