I used to go to a sports bar in Atlanta, Dirty Al’s. I only drank sweet tea, which was 1.25 at the time, and just as easily dispensed as a beer, and I always left 2 georges for it - a .75 tip.
The ONLY restaurant-type transactions at which I don’t tip are ones for which I walk in, go to the register, and walk out - that is, fast food, picking up take-out, etc. Like it or not, it’s how they make their living. If waitstaff were paid a decent wage, our dinner prices would go up to compensate…
Joe
snerk
Joe
How do you suppose take-out workers make their living? I have no illusions about how far the staff at the local Chinese takeout place can stretch the $3.49 I spend to get 1.5 meals’ worth of lo mein, orange chicken and spring rolls every few weeks.
I know this varies a lot, but what would be the average hourly income for a bartender? It seems like if he is just pouring beers and every beer is a buck in his pocket it would seem like he can get over $100/hr.
I tip for anything I ask from the bartender. Since I don’t drink in public, that’s pop and water, usually water.
Not sure if it was because I am a cheap ass Polack, unsociable, or drank too much, but tipping added onto the high cost of alcohol in bars was a main reason I avoided them (when I used to drink). I dunno, but when I can get the premium beer of my choice for less than a buck a bottle, I just saw little reason to pay 2-3-or more times that much in a bar. Or a bottle of gin for the cost of 2-3 stiff drinks.
I’d rather buy the booze, and drink it with friends/family at one of our places.
Note, I’m not saying you shouldn’t tip bartenders. Just saying that I didn’t care to, so I tended to avoid situations where I would feel I should. Now at weddings and places with open bars, few were more generous than I.
My favorite part about gay bars is I dont have to pay for drinks. =)
$1 per drink. Even on open bars and on $1-shots night.
I did a “pub crawl” in Dublin and couldn’t believe how fast the bartender was at refilling my pint. Now I know. See and I thought it was my good looks and charm. 
I’ve certainly been in a situation such as how you find yourself now. Don’t sweat it, just tip when you can. I’m loathe to speak for anyone else but maybe part of the reason some of us may over tip is because we realize for some it’s difficult and we’ve absolutely no problem with that. Hopefully it’ll all even out… at least that’s the intent.
If you would ordinarily tip but don’t on a given day becasue you are low on funds, is it proper etiquette to explain why you aren’t tipping, or should you just let them think you’re an asshole? Not sure if Miss Manners ever covered this.
I think this sums up the answer to that question wonderfully Wee Bairn:
I once came up short on a tip by $1 and I felt that put me in the semi-asshole column. I made up for it the next time we went there. I agree with psycat; don’t drink in bars if you can’t tip.
This is probably a cultural thing I don’t get, but it sounds a lot like you’re bribing an employee to steal from his business. You’re putting money in his pocket, and he’s giving you free food & drink - what’s going in the till? Or does he have discretion to comp good customers - even if they’re good for him and not the coffee house? I really don’t understand how this works.
Heck, I tip even if he or she is just getting me a water.
Well, I can only speculate. Have you ever been to a gay bar in the Castro on a Friday or Saturday night? They’re all typically PACKED! It would be very hard to keep track of people and their drinks.
I have been to gay bars in other parts of the country and running tabs wasn’t a problem.
Eric
I was actually talking about cheating the IRS.
He does.
They are. I tell everyone about the place and I bring in all my friends.
My son is a bartender. Comping a good customer is usually figured into a guy’s business. If you throw a guy a couple freebies, it builds good will and he’ll spend more money.
I’ll add that this is not done behind the boss’s back. They usually WANT you to do this, at your discretion. Bartenders will also sometimes comp out of their own pocket.
Is he comping you for this or because you tip him, though? If you stopped with the tips but kept spreading word of mouth, would you still get free food?
It doesn’t really matter. As Kalhoun alluded to, the place still makes more money off of me than other customers, because the more stuff I get comped, the more I buy–plus the more I tip, which contributes to employee morale, which contributes to better customer service which leads to more income for the business.