June 30, 2008
Slow Economy Shrinking Bartender Tips
Here’s a tip: the recession is screwing the service industry. Though it’s hard to quantify, the National Bartender Association says many bartenders are reporting a 30% drop in income thanks to smaller tips. The AP has a long report on the tip decline nationwide, while the Post talks to some local bartenders about the trend. Courtney Fox at the Meatpacking District’s Hog Pit says, "Now people are leaving you a dollar on $10, rather than two on whatever they gave." Come on, bros, Fox makes a slammin’ car bomb – don’t be cheap. Besides, she's totally vibing you!
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What fools leave more than a dollar a drink? Especially when it's a $10 beer in the meatpacking?
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You get a buck a drink, or you start to use that art degree.
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BWAH!
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Seriously. A dollar a drink, regardless of whether it's a $3 can of beer or a $12 glass of wine.
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$1 tip per $10 spent is more than fair, especially if the drink is a beer that is simply lifted out of a bucket and cracked open
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agree with the dollar a drink assessment. them's the rules. as for the quoted waitress who says she can't take as many cabs or whatever, well, all I can say is that the QUALITY of service has a big impact on tips. If her tips are down, maybe it's more a reflection that she's not keeping the customers happy. Smile, chat your customers up, whatever, if you want bigger tips.
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Call me when a bartender pays taxes on the majority of his/her income.
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The quality of service has everything to do with it. If the norm is $1. for a drink or a beer then should be the inflation factor figured in.
If a decent beer, whether bottle or tap, sold for $2. or $3., then a buck was a generous tip, If a shot or a cocktail costs $5. or $7., the tip was still generous, In this new century a beer can sell for $10. and one of those designer Martinis can cost $30. the tip has to be adjusted.
However, it still has to do with quality service. If you have to look for the barperson when you want to reorder or if he or she is having a conversation with another patron and appears to not want to be disturbed than stiff 'em. They'll probably lose the money gambling anyway.
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"the tip has to be adjusted."
no, it doesn't. a $10 beer is the same as a $3 beer.
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The standard is $1 per drink. Any upward adjustment is optional. If the patron thinks, "wow, that was great service" and adds to the tip, that money was a reward for the service (or if the bartender/waitperson was exceptionally cute and the patron is just trying to buy affection).
Any server who thinks he/she deserves more than $1 a drink just because the drinks are overpriced is crazy.
While we're at it, I generally dislike the washroom attendant begging system at some establishments, where you're guilted into handing out more cash because the attendant turns the water on and hands you a paper towel. For the most part, it's just an upscale squeegee man.
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Things are tough all over. Why would bartenders think they're going to keep making the same money when other people aren't?
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I concur with the buck a drink rule. $2 if its a hot woman.
"For the most part, it's just an upscale squeegee man."
The Washroom attendant has saved me on several occasions by supplying me with mints, condoms, and twizzlers just when I need them most. He is a true American hero.
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Headline:
Downturn in the Economy Hurts People Financially
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I am just sad at the lack of knowledge about he service industry. Most leaving comments must have never worked in the biz. People in the service industry get hurt in economic down times by lack in business not patrons being cheap. The RULE is 15-20%! No questions asked. Less if service is horrible. The bartenders don't set the price of the drinks. Don't take it out on them. There are enough European tourists hurting their pockets right now (see weak dollar vs. euro). Show a bit of compassion and give $2 on ten. Is it really that much for you in the end?
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#8 and #14- What adjustment or servicing rule!? They are not waiters?! A $1 a drink is standard, no matter what the cost or effort put into preparing it. I agree anything less is cheap, even if a bottle beer costs $3 the tip should still be $1, but no more than $1.
Whether the bartender is cute or provide "great" service, and one wants to tip more then that's the customer's choice, but bartenders should not whine about anything less than a $1 per drink.
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Also I would tip the restroom attendant a buck the first time I see him, but not everytime I go into the restroom.
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I think we all agree, I do leave a dollar a drink no matter what the drink. My problem is if you are in the meatpacking district or some other club hot spot the service is not the best. Mind you I have several friends who are bartenders but when you go to bar and the barmaids are just chatting doing nothing and then want to complain about tips its sort of annoying.
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Why are bartenders thought to be better than wait staff? If a beer costs $3, the most I should be 'expected' to leave is $.60. If the bartenders can't deal with that, they should get a 'real' job. All of that being said, I usually do give $1 per drink. But if the economy continues its downward spiral, that will stop.
As far as bathroom attendants, unless they're going to unzip me and hold it while I go, they really shouldn't expect a tip every time; especially when beer is rented, not bought.
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I am just sad at the lack of knowledge about he service industry. Most leaving comments must have never worked in the biz. People in the service industry get hurt in economic down times by lack in business not patrons being cheap. The RULE is 15-20%! No questions asked. Less if service is horrible. The bartenders don't set the price of the drinks. Don't take it out on them. There are enough European tourists hurting their pockets right now (see weak dollar vs. euro). Show a bit of compassion and give $2 on ten. Is it really that much for you in the end?
I guess you didn't major in economics. The weak dollar is a positive for a bartenders. 1 euro currently equals $1.57, that's up from $1.37 one year ago, $1.27 two years ago and $1.20 three years ago. So a $1 tip equals .63 euro. If Customer A normally tips 1 euro, the value of that tip in dollars has increased 14.6% year-over-year and almost 31% over the past three years.
In other words, Europeans are getting more bang for their euro in America, which increases tourism and spending in cities such as New York. Europeans don't tip anyway, so it's a moot point.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I have worked in the service industry and I earned my tips, unlike quite a few service workers I encounter who believe the "no questions asked, 15% to 20% rule" means that they can half-ass it on the job.
Besides, the vast majority of us get hurt in an economic downturn. Unless you're working for a pawn shop, you're a repo man or a smart investor, you're going to feel the pinch economically. That pinch trickles down to everybody, regardless of whether they're in the service industry or not.
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For the last comment. Getting a buck a drink out of a euro tourist is nothing short of a miracle and seeing as that I majored in accounting and keeping track of my quality of life over the years in the service industry, I would say that we (in the biz) ARE feeling the pinch in a BIG way. If you want to see the quality of service continue to go down, keep tipping $1 on a ten or twelve dollar drink that WE have no control over the price. If you think ANYONE is going to be remotely happy to make 300 drinks to have a half ass decent night after tipping out bar backs then you HAVE to be living in a dream world. "The weak dollar is a positive for a bartenders." Crafty math but it doesn't work out in the real world. Hypothetical situations don't pay the bills and neither do cheap costumers. Good luck getting more than one drink being a cheap skate. As for those who do tip a decent %, thank you and YOU will be the first to get a second drink because YOU help me pay my bills and allow us to keep squeaking through life in cheap world.
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Waaaa waaa! I opened a $10 bottle beer and I only get $1 tip! Stop your whining and just be glad that there are still people coming to the bar to drink instead of buying a six pack of cheap PBR from the bodega to get drunk at home. If you don't like the tip get another job, maybe some accounting work on the side!?