If a bartender tries to be a prick can you be one back on the tip? What is your rule?
Example: Today I went to a bar I go to bi-weekly for the USA game. The bartender 1) didn’t apply the special I got (aka overcharged) then 2) had the audacity to auto-include a tip. I had to call him on his bullshit. I mean, c’mon bro I might be patriotic, but I’m not an idiot.
Anyway, I added the figures up and he was close to what it actually should have been. I left zero tip for making me keep him honest. Is that wrong?
It all depends on how often you frequent the place. If you’re in there every other week (or is bi-weekly twice a week?) then you’re somewhat of a regular. While I agree that the bartender was in the wrong, you could be looking at getting your drink spit in from here on out…or just getting ignored by the bartender (not sure which is worse).
How I would have played out this scenario would have depended on how the bartender reacted to you pointing out his mistakes. Was he contrite for missing the special? Did he seem to understand that auto-tipping for a single person is wildly inappropriate? If the answer to these two questions is “yes” then I would have gone easy on him and still left a good tip. If he acted like you were being a hard-case for pointing these things out, I would have done the same as you, plus maybe throwing in a curb stomp for good measure.
Yes. I go about once every other week and sit at the bar. I know I’ve been served by this person at least 4 times. Not like he should know my name, but at least my face. This was literally his response, “You understand why I did this? It’s for obvious reasons.”
I’ve noticed more places auto-including the tip. Some inform you of it. Others sit back and hope you’ll add on a second 15-20%, bringing it up to a 30-40% tip. If you’re reasonably good at mental math ,you can usually spot that something’s amiss because it seems extra expensive until you discover the tip’s included.
Obvious reasons? Perhaps you banged his on-and-off gf and now she can “no longer be satisfied by a normal man”. He passed you as you left the apartment building and you did not recognize him despite his despising glare. Now he regards you as an arch nemesis, even though you don’t realize it.
If you go once every other week, then there’s a good possibility they don’t know your face.
Personally, I would have asked him about the fact that he didn’t give you the special. If he didn’t explain it to you or fix it, then I’d just leave the auto-tip and that would be that.
If he gave you a cold shoulder, then I’d still leave the auto-tip, but probably wouldn’t be going back. (But I’m pretty non-confrontational. Just a personal preference.)
I don’t mind the auto-tip so much as just tipping in general. I hadn’t considered bchad’s point, but it is a bit sleezy if that happens. If everywhere had 15% auto-tip, then I think it would be an improvement.
I think hotel room service is the worst. When i travel, i like to get an omelet before a conf (instead of eating the pastries or cheese covered scramble eggs). It’s early in the morning, more likely than not you have still half asleep, and the itemized bill shows the price, service charge, room service charge, gratitudity, and then a place for a tip.
I’m torn on tipping. My service industry friends all go with the “if you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to go out” line of BS. I turned it around and said “if you can’t afford to not get a tip, you can’t afford to work here.”
I just don’t get the reason why we have tipping. Just charge me an extra buck for my meal or an extra $.50 for my drinks and give the server $8.50 an hour and be done with it. If Target or Walmart decided that they were going to pay the cashiers $2.10 and hour, and then threw a tip jar out there at each lane, we’d all think that was dumb. But some guy making $2.10 an hour pours some makers mark into a cup for me and I’ve got to give him a buck. Just charge me $8.00 for the drink instead of $7.00.
^I don’t know why some people get tips and others don’t. And while I’m not necessarily disagreeing with you on the philophy of tipping vs. paying more, methinks you’ve never worked for tips. If you had, you might have a different opinion.
I’d say I can afford to tip just fine, but I don’t believe I should have to.
I used to work for tips back when I was in college and I thought it was stupid then too. Why should I get more of a tip if you order a more expensive meal vs. a less expensive one? its no more work for me.
I’m very generous to bartenders who treat me well but very unforgiving for this type of shady sht. I’ve left 0 many times and smiled while doing so.
But, for the most part I befriend the bartender, get good service, and now and again get a free house drink/shot. When he takes care of me, I take care of him. It’s a good backstratching relationship no homo.
TIPS mean “To Insure Prompt Service” and used to be just that, a reward for a service job well done. Now it’s a staple that’s expected, even for disservice and attitude. I’ve one say it’s basically a bribe for someone to do their job…
I really don’t mind leaving a good tip for a delicious bloody mary which takes skill and finess; I really do mind leaving a tip when a brah hands me a pint of draft beer.
so glad I live in a country where tipping barmen isn’t expected.
it’s creeping in here though, in some places they give you change on a wee plate as if opening a few bottle and pushing a few buttons on a till is worth more than £5 a drink. tends to be in the type of place where they spend 20 minutes making cocktails as slowly as possible and act as if they’re in their kitchen having a party with mates rather than earning a living in the service industry.
I have not ever worked for tips. My first job while in high school was working at an auto salvage yard and it paid $11.50 and hour, which was great money for a 16 year old in 1998. The closest I ever came to a job with tips was working as a bouncer and occassional barback. I got tipped out as a barback, but I was making $10 an hour cash to bounce/stare at hot college chicks on those nights. The tips were just a nice perk.