Tipping Etiquette

[Seth Gecko]

This debate recently came up with one of my friends. Say you're at a new bar and you've found your holy grail bourbon at $100 a pour. Do you still tip around the 20% range? In theory it seems like the same amount of work to pour a $5 Old fo. I can see both arguments to the discussion. Thoughts?

 

P.S. I ran a search on this topic but was only able to view the first page. If this has been discussed, i apologize.

[starhopper]

$20 to pour a shot?  I think I would probably pay far less of a tip.  I'd tip $5.  IMHO, The bartender has to do far less than a waiter or waitress when it comes to serving a customer.

 

Edited February 18, 2016 by starhopper

[Charlutz]

14 minutes ago, starhopper said:

 IMHO, The bartender has to do far less than a waiter or waitress when it comes to serving a customer.

 

Only if you define "serving the customer" as taking an order and filling the glass. I've leaned on many bartenders for their knowledge of beers, wines and spirits I haven't had. When traveling or in a bar alone, I've relied on them for conversation. Sometimes, yes, they just fill a glass. Other times, they provide much more value than wait staff, even if it's less fetching of plates and schlepping serving ware. Tip according to the service you get and if you have a regular watering hole, tip according to the reputation you want to maintain. 

[Louisiana]

I bought a 2 ounce pour of 2015 GTS the other night and paid $25. $20 for the pour. $5 for the tip. Thought it was fair. I think a $5 tip is very good when they simply pour it in the glass and say Thanks! Like Charlutz said I would tip more if we had a good conversation throughout the night though. I usually don't conversate to much with the bartender, because I'm usually at a table visiting with friends or family.

[starhopper]

I rarely converse or ask advice - so I stand behind my $5 tip

[b1gcountry]

Well, if you pay $100 for a 2oz pour and he dumps the rest of the bottle in there, I would consider a larger tip

[tanstaafl2]

Hasn't come up since I haven't paid $100 for s shot of anything (and probably wouldn't). I do think there is a difference between whether you are just asking for a specific shot or taking the time to get a bartenders opinion on what is available and what they think might scratch your particular whskey itch at the moment! And if they are making a cocktail of course rather than just a shot of something. 

[The Black Tot]

I don't think it's an etiquette issue.

I ask myself a few simple questions:

"Did this person help me have a good time, or did this person act like they were doing me a favor pouring my drinks?"

"Did they get out a lab coat and measure my pour down to the ten-thousandth of an ounce, or did they splash in some extra?"

I agree when you're dealing with higher dollar pours that your percentages don't make as much sense anymore, but I'd say if your average of pour cost is at or below $30, then the standard 15% +/- 5% for either better or below average service applies.

That said, if someone is a complete jerk, I'm not leaving a tip, and that is that. Something that extreme only happens once every few years, though.

[berto]

I was in Vegas drinking unicorns and tipped ~25% on three pours.  The bartender chatted with me and the wife about booze and Vegas and stayed late so I could keep drinking.  Leaving a small tip would have been a dick move.  

[Harry in WashDC]

Depends on the situation. [DUH!]

First one - at lunch in a restaurant in Yountville, CA, eating at the bar.  Bartender overheard me tell my wife, "Look at those ports.  There's not a bad one in the bunch.  The prices are reasonable, too."  Even though it was busy, he stopped to chat on occasion about ports then about the bar business as my wife and I worked in a bar/restaurant while we were in grad school.  I ordered a mid-priced port for dessert.  Then, he poured more than two-ounces of Taylor Fladgate 1945 to empty the bottle.  "On me.  It's dregs, anyway."  My tip equalled the price of the meal which was not quite what the TF would have cost.

Second one - a bourbon bar in WashDC during a  bourbon tasting.  Bartender asked my opinion on a couple of them.  I told him.  He asked what I'd like to try.  I'd never had a 4R OESQ then.  He put the bottle in front of me and said, "Have at it."  One sip - about 1/2 oz.; I asked, "How much."  He said, "Special tasting so it's included, but don't tell anybody."  It was NOT on our list.  I left $20.

Third -  Upscale chain seafood restaurant with bartenders in black pants, long white aprons, and black bow ties.  Waiting at the relatively empty bar for a table to open up.  I asked for KCSB which was prominent, he poured KC.  I pointed it out to him.  He said he'd fix the bill when he sent it to the table but didn't offer to replace the drink with what I'd ask for.  I said I'd pay at the bar.  He said, "Suit yourself," and walked off.  He didn't check on us (party of 4) for the next five minutes.  I did check the bill which had been adjusted so he knew what I had originally ordered.  $2 tip (over the objection of the other 3 people) and a mention to the maitre'd on the way out.  Never went back.  That location has since closed.  I wonder why the bar was so empty in an otherwise full restaurant at lunch . . .

Edited February 18, 2016 by Harry in WashDC

[ebo]

Being able to afford (waste) $100.00 on a drink of any kind would be the first thing. The second would be the tip. If you can spend that kind of jack on a shot, I would think the percentage of the tip really isn't an issue.

[OutlawSW]

Having spent sometime behind a bar, if you are spending $100 on a shot, I am spending some time on you.  Please tip accordingly.

[starhopper]

I guess I'd have to amend my original post and say I suppose it DOES depend on the situation.  But, since I generally don't go to bars, and would most likely never ever pay $100 for a pour of anything, I won't have to worry about what I'd tip!

[Josh]

If it's a standard pour or beer or wine or whatever, I just tip a dollar per drink. If it's a special reserve pour, I'll usually do 20% ish as long as the service is good. Where it has gotten tricky is if I get comped for some high end pours. I try to find out or at least estimate what the pour sells for and then tip 20% or more of that. That's a lot of math for my brain to handle and I don't always get it right, especially if the comped one was my third drink. 

[BigPapa]

As a chef, I never tip 20% on booze. 

I tip 20% on food , but when at the bar I tip whatever I feel like leaving. A great bartender gets a better tip. 

[dSculptor]

I wouldn't care what' s on the shelf behind the bar, I would never pay $100 for a taste of anything. One time at a nice Italian place with my wife I noticed some older scotch on the shelf (can't remember what it was though)and asked how much for a pour, it was quite expensive like around $60. I then asked how much for a taste, he said I can give you a taste... no charge- it was a taste but a healthy one, I slipped him $10 , thought it was fair. Meals on the other hand if the service is good  - 20%.

[Seth Gecko]

Of course there are other variables at hand. Great service? 20% no problem, no matter the amount of the drink. I have only tipped less than 20% for food twice in my entire life and those were disaster experiences. I am always at least a $1 tipper on a $3 beer even though that's just a quick flick of the wrist. 

I'm talking about very minimal service here. Is 15-20% really justified just because it has become the norm now? A particular bar I frequent often measures their pours like its a science experiment. Pouring a makers at this particular bar takes the exact amount of effort as pouring a Hirsch 16 year. The real question is should the tip really be $20 on a $100 pour when the exact amount of work is performed on a $5 pour?

 

Also, this isn't a debate about would you ever spend such and such amount on a pour, I just used $100 as an example to make a point and keep the math simple. 

Edited February 19, 2016 by Seth Gecko

[smokinjoe]

19 hours ago, ebo said:

Being able to afford (waste) $100.00 on a drink of any kind would be the first thing. The second would be the tip. If you can spend that kind of jack on a shot, I would think the percentage of the tip really isn't an issue.

This ^^^^

For my own dignitys sake, if I were to drop $100 on a drink, $20 minimum is coming behind it.  

[BigRich]

$1-$2 per drink for regular stuff.  Up to $5 per drink for high end stuff.  Anything north of $30 a pour I do 20%.

[BigRich]

These are Atlanta prices.  NYC or SF who the hell knows.

[BigRich]

Plus more if I really like the bartender.

[BAO]

Bought a three digit pour twice, tipped 20%+ both times.

[Swoboda]

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2016‎ ‎4‎:‎07‎:‎50‎, ebo said:

Being able to afford (waste) $100.00 on a drink of any kind would be the first thing. The second would be the tip. If you can spend that kind of jack on a shot, I would think the percentage of the tip really isn't an issue.

Exactly what my wife said when we discussed this.

[meadeweber]

On 2/19/2016, 9:09:13, BigRich said:

$1-$2 per drink for regular stuff.  Up to $5 per drink for high end stuff.  Anything north of $30 a pour I do 20%.

I guess I'm not understanding why you tip more on more expensive pours.  As I think someone else said, doesn't it take the same effort to pour MM for example as it does PVW15?

[petrel800]

Having seen this discussion in wine forums for years, all I can tell you is there is no consensus on etiquette.  Takes the same amount of effort to open a bottle of $30 wine as it does $200 wine.  How do you tip?  

It all comes down to you and your experience.  I don't live by the 15-20% rule, nor do I put up with shit service.  If it is really bad or I get rushed in a nice restaurant, I've got no problem going below 10%.  That said, if someone goes above and beyond, I make sure to tip accordingly, and make a mention to the manager on the way out.  Remember, most folks will bitch about poor service to management, very few will seek out a manager for great service.