Tipping a dollar per drink is not one of the Ten Commandments at restaurants, it just seems like it. That number was the standard when I first started frequenting bars, and it's still a standard. Few people really questioned it until New York Times food critic Frank Bruni raised controversy by asking if it should be raised. Not to $2 per drink but to a percentage of the total, the way people tip servers on food.
On one side of the argument are the customers who argue that tipping a dollar for a beer that it took less than a minute to pour is too much. On the other side are mixologists and bartenders who continue to invent elaborate drinks that can take a month to perfect and several minutes to make and yet, for their hard work, they receive the same tip.
Clearly the one-size-fits-all standard isn't working. So a New York-based blog asked readers to vote on what the new standard should be: 20 percent of the total; a tip based on service; still $1; or nothing. The poll was unscientific but did generate a good deal of press and more than 400 votes. The clear winner, with 70 percent of the vote, was keeping it to a dollar per drink.
It's sad to see people so stuck in their ways.
The most logical choice was to tip based on service. Often, that's the
only reason to tip. Good bartenders are trained to make a mojito the
same whether it's for the nicest guy in the bar or the biggest jerk.
But the bartender doesn't have to show the jerk the same attention or
refill his water. That's why I'm a fan of tipping bartenders in
advance. By slapping down a $5 bill with a $9 drink, I am paying in
advance for exceptional service. If the service sucks after that first
round, I don't tip anymore. But that rarely happens at bars (clubs on
the other hand...).
Big tippers should know the rules as well. A
big tip isn't a guarantee that you'll get a drink or two comped. As
former bar manager and wine-class teacher Steven Berger told me,
there's another term for bartenders giving out free drinks: stealing
from the bar owner. A big tip ensures good service and nothing else. A
$1 tip ensures whatever service you get.
Speaking of tips: Fat City always welcomes yours at cafe@pitch.com
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Can I guess the bar? Does it begin with a Q? Or should I just go with my gut and say Brothers or the Hawk.
I always try to do a dollar no matter what. Especially in Lawrence where I fear that servers would retaliate by mixing my drink with their toe. Also - One time my friend didn't tip someone and the server sprayed him with water. Awesome night.
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