Ask five people what the appropriate amount is to tip a bartender and you will probably get five different answers. We all know how fast we are supposed to drive on the highway because speed limit signs make that quite clear but when it comes to tipping, there are no laws that we are compelled follow and we have to rely on our own discretion. That doesn’t always work out too well for bartenders and others who work in the service industry, and most of them have probably felt shortchanged on at least a few occasions. Everyone seems to have an opinion regarding the appropriate amount to tip, and bartenders, having been on the receiving end of tips from across the spectrum, tend to have well-considered opinions on the matter. Here are a few they decided to share with the rest of us.
1. 18 to 20 percent
The range between 18 and 20 percent is one that is pretty often cited as being an appropriate one in a lot of circumstances and 28 percent of bartenders seem to agree. Customers are quite likely to tip a bit less in situations where they are paying for expensive drinks, since paying $2 to have a $12 drink poured for them may seem a bit excessive considering the time and effort involved.