Tipping the Bar Staff in a Pub?

Old Mar 24th, 2007, 08:26 AM
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Tipping the Bar Staff in a Pub?

As I am preparing for my FIRST trip to London (can't wait)...I read in my travel book (Fodors of course) that it is not custom to tip the bartender but you can offer to buy them a drink.

Is this true for Dublin as well?

How does this work? In the US...we usually tip the bartender.

Thanks! 8-)
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 09:00 AM
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ira
 
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Hi C,

I've seen many bars in the UK with a tip jar.

I toss in loose change.

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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 10:14 AM
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I usually don't frequent bars in the UK or Ireland,but I do visit many pubs.It has been my understanding that you never tip money to a barman/publican in either country.
Perhaps someone from either of those countries will chime in on this topic.
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 10:29 AM
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You're allowed to "buy" the bartender a drink. But I was told not to just lay cash on the bar as you wold in the US.
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 10:49 AM
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You don't 'tip' as such by leaving coins on the counter, but you can, if you want to, offer to buy them a drink, by saving 'Have one yourself.' They would either add the cost of an actual drink to your total, or more commonly, an agreed amount, usually quite modest like 50p/1 euro to the total tab. But there's absolutely no obligation to do so, and many don't bother, including regulars.
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 11:43 AM
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I can't imagine where ira's seen these tip jars. There's not the faintest likelihood he's been in one hundredth the number of pubs I've been in and I've scarcely ever seen a tip jar.

PLEASE DON'T TIP IN A PUB.

It's a filthy foreign habit, far worse than diluting drinks with needless ice or sitting waiting to be served. Worse even than asking for "a beer".

Tipping isn't our customs. Foreigners who do so are corrupting our barstaff, who are only human. Tipping them is as insidious a destruction of our way of life as those bloody grey squirrels who came here from North America, driving out our adorable red ones, or those Canada geese who've practically eliminated all our domestic waterfowl.

And don't get me started on crayfish.
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 11:49 AM
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Try Japanese knotweed instead.

I doubt if Dublin's any different from London. Tips aren't expected, but if you choose to leave some small change on a bar, it will probably go into an empty glass kept by the till and divvied up between the bar staff at some point.
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 11:50 AM
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I live in the UK and don't think I have ever bought a person serving at the bar a drink, let alone tip them. I think I would be embarrassed to do so, even at my local pub where I know the landlord and staff.

I have never seen this done.
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 11:56 AM
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ira
 
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>I can't imagine where ira's seen these tip jars. <

London
Bath
Cardiff
Horley
Oxford
Cambridge
Brighton

Maybe I go to the wrong pubs?


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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 12:03 PM
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While hanging out with some theatre buddies in their 20s and 30s in London, I mentioned the "buy the bartender a drink thing" and was greeted with big gaffaws. One said, "that's what my father did. I haven't heard of that in years. Today they'd probably think you were trying to pick them up."

By the way, it was in a London pub where I first saw a jar with the sign "Tipping is not a city in China".
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Old Mar 24th, 2007, 12:32 PM
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the 20 something polish barman in london will be quite confused when you offer to buy him a drink.

no, tipping is not done by locals (as repeated ad nauseam here). however, unlike some people, i am not paranoid that a few tippers from distant lands will poison the system and all of the sudden every barman over the land will demand a tip for my pint. i can stand my council tax just about doubling every year but parish the thought of having to tip for a pint.

next thing you know, those same insidious tippers will be demanding a smile with their service...then the kingdom will crumble as surely as if the ravens fled the tower.

if you want to tip, it's your money and your business. ignore the xenophobes.

or perhaps this anger was released as a result of having to remain politically correct in the face of all other foreign 'invasions'. finally, a foreign 'invasion' that you can denounce whilst still retaining your membership in the guardian reader's club. we've survived through all of the other 'threats' to britain's britishness (if there is any left), we certainly can survive a few americans tipping!
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 07:00 AM
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I am glad I asked and, Flanneruk, you will sleep easy at night knowing I won't poison the system and tip.

Now, I may bring over some crawfish with me. What do you have against crawfish?

8-)

Thanks for the advice!
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 07:20 AM
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"no, tipping is not done by locals (as repeated ad nauseam here)."

I'm so confused -- but it isn't the first time.

On another thread about tipping in London (and Dublin) I saw this:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Author: AnnRiley
Date: 03/24/2007, 08:27 pm

Here in the Uk when ordering a drink/drinks at the bar, its usual to say to the bar person (if you feel they have given good service) "and have one yourself" they then normally take a small amount out of the change and put it towards their tips jar. This would also apply in Ireland as well.

Sometimes I have also given the bar staff cash i.e. £1.00 coin for a round of drinks about £4.00 in value, you do not normally give cash etc for every round you buy."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Forgive me, but I got the impression that Ann Riley is a "local" -- but I guess not?
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 07:23 AM
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Flanner is objecting to American crayfish which are oversized oversexed over-clawed and over here.

http://tinyurl.com/2nbc5f

and no, I have never tipped in a pub either unless it's the kind that has a separate dining room with people who actually wait on tables.
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 07:56 AM
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neo, i cannot explain ann's tipping habits but can only say that it is not typical...but it's her money and her business (as consistent with my other post). and i do not see her as a threat to the kingdom as paranoid flanner might.

there is nothing wrong with tourists in pubs trying to copy outdated tipping practices...buying a ping and saying (in the requisite cartoonish tone):

"and one faire olde pinte for the faire landlorde, my good mate...uhhh, like i mean...guv...mate...like...whatever...just add the appropriate tip and we'll both try to forget about this...ok"

if that's what comes naturally to them. it's just not commonly done.

you just might make some friends doing this if you have the dandy to pull it off.
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 08:06 AM
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It is not the norm to tip bar staff in Ireland. The only exception is where you receive "lounge service", where the server takes your order at your table, brings your drinks, takes your money, and brings your change. A modest tip (say 50c) might be in order there, but it would not be taken ill if you did not tip, as most customers don't.

In response to walkinaround's "if you want to tip, it's your money and your business. ignore the xenophobes" I say that it is attitudes like that that give rise to xenophobia. The older guideline of "when in Rome, do as the Romans do" is a better guideline.

It's odd how when I read words like "it's your money" it is usually a preliminary to something I will find disagreeable.
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 09:14 AM
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padraig...reread the thread. if visitors to my country wish to tip, i will not feel threatened by them as some xenophobes would. by definition, we are talking about fear of foreign things so i don't understand how my tolerance of a foreign thing (eg americans tipping in my country) would give rise to xenophobia. please explain. in fact, i am tolerating, not condemning, these foreign practices. but we must work under different rules of logic.

if the worst 'offence' committed by a visiting american tourist is that he tips the barman. i say, in my best fake texas accent, "ya'll come back now, ya hear".
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 10:12 AM
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Respect the local custom. Don't leave tips.
 
Old Mar 25th, 2007, 11:00 AM
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I will only tip at tables I dine at and am served by staff. I will only buy the bartender a drink if they are cute and chatty...

Josser...I just read the story on the crayfish...OMG! I had no idea! That is crazy! Will definately not bring crayfish with me.

8-)
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Old Mar 25th, 2007, 12:09 PM
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walkinaround, I re-read, as you suggested. I still read it the same way: you are offering some affirmation to visitors who go against the local custom.

I have a strong conviction that visitors who do not observe local customs contribute to xenophobia (for which I have a different definition: antipathy to, rather than fear of, foreigners).
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