Question on tipping a Bar owner?

If the owner of the bar is also a bartender....Do you tip them as if they were a lower paid bartender/worker? A new bar opened in my area that serves ALL craft beers...A Beer drinker's version of Heaven. I like the place and the bartenders/servers I've met. I recently met the owner when He was bartending. Nice guy, good server etc. I tipped him normally around 15%. For a good waitress/bartender I usually tip higher; Seeing as the bar owner is already profiting from my drinking I cannot see tipping them higher for good service. Other opinions?

 

The rule in my neck of the woods is to offer to buy the owner a drink.

 

The owner of my neighborhood bar gives all the tip $ to the bartenders, so I tip the same as if a non-owner bartender was serving me.

 

Yep, tipped the guy who owned the bar last month. Runs a great business too and brews some great beer on his own. One of the the best craft selections in 20 miles. And will serve 3 oz. tasters at fair prices for people who want to try new things like me.

 

I do, but I always wonder if I need to. I do like that idea of the owner giving his tips to other employees.

 

Tipping is for the quality of service received. Rank doesn't come into play in my book.

Nick

 

I have no way of knowing if the owner is even turning a profit - it's not at all unusual to not in the first few years of starting up such a business - so I tip whoever is serving me the normal amount regardless if they are the owner.

 

Back in the old days I worked for Miller Brewing. We had an expense account to buy people beers.
We were told to never tip the bar owner but that had more to do with regulatory concerns about giving gifts.
As strictly a customer I will tip whomever is giving me good service.

 

I would tip the owner, but only because I am assuming that the tips will be split among the other bartenders.
This topic raises another question do you tip the owner at any other business that it is customary to tip after receiving a service.

 

Back in the day, I faced this conundrum as the owner of the corner tappie also tended bar during the day and on weekends when things got busy. I tipped as per usual. The tip is for the service rendered. The owner is the one who pays all the bills and could very well be the lowest earning person on staff if business is slow.

 

Typically, I find owners working at their own business if they're a) trying to save costs when things are slow or b) trying to meet and customers and make their experience better. If he owns the bar or not, he's still amplifying your experience and that deserves reward, regardless if he's a millionaire owner or if he's barely holding onto his business. I think they appreciate it and I imagine that if he's doing well, he'll take care of you in other ways.

 

No matter who serves you.........could you "stiff" them ?
I couldn't.

 

My buddy bar tends and manages a bar. His parents own it. It is owners policy to not accept tips as manager or owner. so if they get tipped they just put it in with the bartender tips. Same goes when the owner gets tipped.

 

Yes, I tip the same.

I tip for service, and don't particularly concern myself with the wage of the person in question.

 

If in doubt - tip. The owners of bars I know simply share the tips they gain with their staff.

Bill

 

Having spent most of my working days in the F&B business, my answer is yes for a few reasons. I've had numerous friends open restaurants and let me tell you, it AIN"T easy. If I had a dollar for every person who said how much fun it would be to own a bar or how much money you make selling booze, I would've retired in my mid-forties! If the place is new or relatively new, he/she is probably taking little or no salary from the business and working the shift for income, along with labor cost. If the owner is just covering for a break or lunch, more than likely the BT on break gets the tip. Third is the fact that you should tip for service provided whether it's a BT or an owner. The owner may decline your tip in which case there is no need to tip If the owner works on a regular basis when you come in and declines tips, there are other things you can do. Here and there, give him/her a gift cert for a restaurant, greensfees, a bottle of wine, whisky or whatever interest they have. If you stop in even just once a week, these options will probably be less than what you would have tipped. Believe me, it will be appreciated.

Good Luck,
Ric at Joes

 

I'm of the same mind... often the owner is the bartender, plumber, electrician, accountant... you get the point.

 

The general rule where I grew up was the house bought you back the forth drink ,but I think this probably has gone out of style except for the Ma and Pa local shot and beer joints but I didnt mind tipping the owner or anyone else for that matter because it worked out fine.I tip everybody but I tend to give bigger tips to bartenders who volunteer at some Fraternal organizations because they dont get paid and the drinks are usually dirt cheap.

 

Very good point. Over the years I heard of a couple of Frat Orgs that paid BTs, but less than a handful. As far as the free fourth drink goes, those days are gone. When I first got into the biz in '79, you could do that to an extent, but not for every customer. If you did your bottom line wouldn't look too good, if good at all. I broke in as a bartender and you'd always hear,"I know how much that stuff costs, pour a little more." There is a lot of gross margin in liquor, but there's a lot of overhead that goes with it. If it was easy to make money selling booze, the failure rate wouldn't be close to what it is. This is a fact of life. Like any business, it take time and a lot of hard work. Giving a lot of product away (every fourth drink would be 25% of your potential gross) won't keep you in business long.

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

Thanks Joe,another thing ,I tended bar for a few years and I know some bartenders tend to steal and the owner has to figure that cost in too. I never stole a penny but you and I know it happens.